DAILY SHIPPING NEWS
DAILY SHIPPING NEWS : Friday 02-03-2001
EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS Standard faces dispute over Ievoli Sun cargo Andrew Spurrier-Paris-Friday March 02 2001 THE Standard P&I Club, insurer of the sunken chemicals tanker Ievoli Sun, has run into opposition from the French government over its plans to leave part of the vessel’ s cargo in the wreck. Standard’ s head of claims, Brian Glover, said yesterday that the club was trying to persuade the French authorities to drop their insistence that the whole of the cargo should be pumped out of the wreck as well as diesel oil. Tender calls have already been issued for the contract to remove 4,000 tonnes of styrene and 180 tonnes of bunker oil from the wreck by pumping, but the French government has indicated that it wants to extend the scope of the tenders to include 2,000 tonnes of isopropanol and methyl ethyl ketone, also in the vessel’ s tanks, as well as 60 tonnes of diesel oil. Standard and its advisers argue that these substances present no threat to the environment and will evaporate spontaneously if they start to leak from the wreck. The club had hoped that the French government would rally to its view but the government, aware that its handling of the operation is being watched closely by environmental organisations, appears to have firmed its position on the need for the pumping of the whole cargo and all fuel oils. Greenpeace has already attacked the government for failing to specify its plans for dealing with the isopropanol and methyl ethyl ketone when it announced its intentions for salvaging the cargo of the Ievoli Sun in January. A Greenpeace France spokesman said at the time that it was inconceivable that the chemicals could be released into the atmosphere in such quantities. Mr Glover was not clear as to what the club’ s reaction would be if the French government insisted that the whole cargo was removed by pumping. But he said that he was still hopeful that the government would accept the scientific justification for its position. He indicated, moreover, that the club was prepared to carry out a “controlled release”of the isopropanol, methyl ethyl ketone and diesel oil as an alternative to pumping. “We don’ t believe that it is necessary but we are prepared to go to tender for a controlled release of these chemicals.”he said. Meanwhile, the tender call for the removal of styrene and bunker oil from the wreck is taking longer than expected. The government had indicated that the operation should start in the second half of this month, but Mr Glover said that would-be bidders had asked to be given an extra two weeks to prepared their bids. The Ievoli Sun, which sank while under tow on October 31 last year, is lying in 60 to 70 m of water, 20 km off Alderney in the Channel Islands and 35 km from the French Normandy coast.
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Denholm poised for Greek alliance Nigel Lowry-Friday March 02 2001 Glasgow’ s Denholm Ship Management is poised to establish a bridgehead in Greece by teaming up with perhaps the longest standing Greek third party manager, Mare Maritime of Athens. Mare Denholm, as the planned company is to be called, will primarily set its sights on attracting new management business from the powerful Greek shipping community. Denholm chief executive Bob Speedie yesterday told Lloyd’ s List: “The deal is not quite done, but I see no reason why it will not be done.” Voicing the hope that the agreement will be “done and dusted”in a few days’time, Mr Speedie added that there were “no plans”to shift any of Denholm’ s existing managed fleet of well over 120 vessels to the new Greek venture. The company, being established under Greece’ s Law 89 framework which gives generous allowances to shipmanagement businesses, is likely to be co-owned by the two sides but the precise stock split was not immediately clear. Mare’ s chairman Emmanuel Papalexis declined to comment on the plans, other than to say that an official launch was scheduled for March 14. The Greek side, which has specialised in tankers in the past, also referred to the move as “an exciting development”. Although the move could be seen as a response to V Ships’merger with Acomarit, which includes a growing shipmanagement branch in Piraeus, it is understood the two sides began talks well before that deal was announced. At Denholm, the deal will be seen as a strategic move that will bring it closer to the world’ s largest national shipowning market, albeit one that has been notoriously reluctant in the past to outsource key shipmanagement duties. Mare itself has struggled to gain its first Greek clients since repatriating most of its activities from London to Athens in 1996 but it has successfully managed ships for non-Greeks. Late last year, however, it was hit by the withdrawal of 12 chemical tankers under its management following the $360m agreement reached between the Norwegian owner and Ceres Hellenic. That left Mare temporarily with just two management contracts, although the company retained most of its key personnel. These are likely to form a core of staff in the new joint company with Denholm.
French services hit by strike action over Corsica Ferries Dieppe choice Andrew Spurrier-Paris-Friday March 02 2001 FRENCH Mediterranean and Channel ferry services were disrupted yesterday by a 24-hour national strike staged by one of France’ s two main seafarers’unions. Ferry services between the French mainland and the island of Corsica were worst hit. Services operated by state-owned company SNCM Ferryterranée and freight ferry specialist Compagnie Meridionale de Navigation were brought to a complete standstill. Channel operator SeaFrance was also affected as engine room personnel on two of its three ships at present in service stopped work at the end of the morning. A company spokeswoman said that both the SeaFrance Manet and freight ferry SeaFrance Nord-Pas de Calais were portbound yesterday afternoon as a result of the stoppage but that a third vessel, the SeaFrance Renoir was operating normally. The company’ s other car ferry, the SeaFrance Cézanne , is undergoing her annual overhaul. In the Mediterranean, only Corsica Ferries, the company at the heart of the dispute, was operating normally despite the presence of striking seafarers at the port of Toulon, where the company recently established a new conventional ferry service.
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DAILY SHIPPING NEWS Up to 200 strikers were also reported at the port of Dieppe, where the Corsica Ferries vessel Sardinia Vera took personalities and journalists on an inaugural return voyage to the British port of Newhaven. They presented protest resolutions to the port’ s maritime affairs service and mayor of Dieppe, Christian Cuvilliez, but made no attempt to disrupt the crossing. The maritime federation of the Confédération Générale du Travail was protesting over the choice of Corsica Ferries as operator of the new service between the two ports, which is being sponsored by a company backed by French local authorities and the Newhaven Economic Partnership. They argue that local authority money should not be used to subsidise a service operated by a company which they claim has questionable financial credentials and which is known to have operated vessels under a flag of convenience. They also say they want to protest more generally at attempts to make increasing use of ships under other than French flags with non-French crews on ferries and other short sea routes when many French seafarers are out of work. Apart from ferry crews, seafarers serving on towage and dredging vessels in ports in northern France also took part in yesterday’ s strike. Ports said, however, that there had been little disruption. At the port of Le Havre a spokesman said that one container carrier had announced that it was dropping its call at the port but others had entered and left port without tug assistance.
Nomadic to build new reefers pool Rajesh Joshi-Oslo-Friday March 02 2001 MOVES towards consolidation in the “worst ever”reefer market gathered pace yesterday when Oslo-listed reefer operator Nomadic Shipping expounded its desire to build its Green Reefers brand name into a new reefership pool this year. The company heralded the latest initiative after Trym Jacobsen, Nomadic Shipping finance director characterised the current cycle as the “worst ever”, with freight rates being finalised at 13% lower levels last year than in 1999. Nomadic Shipping’ s move follows two other recent moves to increase consolidation in the struggling reefer sector. Under pressure from container line, both Lauritzen Reefers and a group of five operators including Vroon, Sun Group, Nordenfjeldske Damp- skibsselskab, Lapico Shipping and Perseverance Marine. United Reefers have already taken steps to reduce intense competition in the sector. Lauritzen acquired Cool Carriers last year, and the others created a 20-ship United Reefers pool last week. Nomadic Shipping visualises its pool as one “with a difference”, by allowing contributing shipowners to have a say in the way the pool is managed. Mr Jacobsen did not wish to be more specific on the mechanics of this approach, since “shipowners know what we are talking about”. But he said Nomadic Shipping’ s goal was “much more than an idea”, and was based on the firm’ s awareness of a certain disenchantment among reefership owners who are part of large pools. The disenchantment, he said, arose largely because the pools’commercial operations were defined by “top management rather than the owners themselves”. Mr Jacobsen said such owners were now “willing to discuss alternatives”, and Nomadic Shipping was making an effort to bring them together. Its subsidiary Green Reefers operates a fleet of 16. New pool participants will be offered the option of technical management, but Nomadic Shipping will also be content to build its pool by securing commercial management agreements alone. Mr Jacobsen said this pooling will be on a “fully equal basis”and under an “open book policy”. Nomadic’ s announcement was spurred by a NKr147.38m ($16.6m) net loss last year, compared with 1999’ s net profit of NKr12.79m. Headline sales were 6% better at NKr446.43m, but Nomadic Shipping paid a heavy price for a bad market and high bunker prices. The firm underwent financial restructuring with lending banks last year, under which NKr40m in new equity was injected and NKr146m out of its NKr743m long-term debt was frozen through to 2003. In the process, Nomadic Shipping offloaded three ships, the 1992-built, 265,000 cu ft Green Crystal, 1984-built, 234,000 dwt Green Eskimo and 1991-built, 270,000 cu ft Green Glacier to Christiania Bank and its principal shareholder Kristian Eidesvik, reducing debt by NKr157m.
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DAILY SHIPPING NEWS The 1983-built, 318,000 cu ft Green Ålesund , sank north of Haugesund in December. Nomadic Shipping said this week that the ship had been condemned, and the insurance payment is expected to reduce long-term debt by a further NKr80m. Of the NKr237m total, NKr130m was adjusted in December 31 accounts, which showed cumulative long-term debts of NKr630.52m.
US court orders HAL to reveal emissions records David Mott-Friday March 02 2001 Holland America Line has been ordered by a US court to produce records of air emissions from its ships in Alaska, the most environmentally-sensitive area in world cruising. The move comes at a time of tighter pollution control in the US, started by former president Bill Clinton and revived by his successor George W Bush. New rules announced by the US Environmental Protection Agency aim to cut diesel fuel pollution from trucks and buses by 95%, starting in 2006. The subpoena on Holland America was served by a US district court for the district of Alaska. News of the move was disclosed in quoted parent company Carnival’ s annual report to the Securities & Exchange Commission. “HAL Inc intends to respond to the subpoena,”said Carnival. Holland America and P&O Princess are the two big cruise operators in Alaska, where a system of permits is operated to minimise pollution. Last year P&O Princess announced it would turn off its ship’ s engines in Alaskan ports in what was regarded as a ground-breaking move. Carnival’ s shares closed 60¢ higher at $33.34 on Wednesday in New York — close to its 12-month high of $34.94. Because of an investor crisis of confidence in the industry, Carnival shares have been as low as $18.31 in the past year.
CASUALTY REPORTING MARINE BREMEN (Bahamas) Buenos Aires, Feb 28 — M passenger vessel Bremen arrived Buenos Aires Feb 26 to effect repairs to storm damage sustained during a South Atlantic voyage. Vessel was coming from the Antarctic zone and was bound for Rio de Janeiro. Vessel sustained damage to the automatic pilot, radar and echo sounders, along with other damage to the bridge. Vessel will sail Buenos Aires Mar 1. — Lloydís Agents. (See issue of Feb 26.) FJORD (Panama) Trondheim, Feb 28 — Harstad Mek. Verksted confirmed mv Fjord arrived at their yard on Jan 2 and on slipway Jan 3. Repairs completed and vessel left the yard on Jan 19. Harstad port authorities reported Fjord alongside quay at Harstad since. Expected date of departure unknown. — Lloydís Agents. (See issue of Jan 3.) HANNE DANICA (DIS) Piraeus, Feb 28 — Mv Hanne Danica sailed Piraeus Feb 25, bound England. — Lloydís Agents. (See issue of Feb 24.) JIN ZE NO.1 (Cambodia)
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DAILY SHIPPING NEWS Busan, Feb 25 — Mv Jin Ze No.1 arrived Busan on Feb 23, from Xingang and sailed later the same day for Toyohashi. — Lloydís Sub-agents. (See issue of Jan 9.) KRISTAL (Malta) London, Mar 1 — Hopes of rescuing the seven missing crewmen from m tanker Kristal faded yesterday amid mounting criticism of the European shipping industries recent safety record. The vessel broke in two in heavy weather off the north coast of Spain on Tuesday, with the death of four Pakistani seafarers already confirmed by Spanish officials. The casualty has renewed widespread concern about the safety and quality of ships operating in European waters. Loyola de Palacio, European Commission vice-president in charge of transport and energy, said: One year after the Erika disaster we face a new maritime accident again involving a tanker, but this time with several people killed. We cannot stand it any more. Like Erika, Kristal was an ageing vessel and was classed with Italian society Rina and flagged in Malta. Nicola Squassafichi, the societies chief executive, raised fears that recent casualties with similar-aged tankers might suggest an industry-wide problem with applicable standards, a concern that it would raise with the International Association of Classification Societies. Efthimios Mitropoulos, assistant secretary general of the International Maritime Organisation and director of its maritime safety division, was more cautious. It is premature at this early stage to draw any conclusions about what may have caused the accident, or to draw any parallels with other accidents in the past, he said. The International Transport Workers Federation called for urgent action following what it called the total failure of shippings regulatory system. How many more seafarers will have to lose their lives before the failures of the regulatory system that allows things like this to happen and ships to break in two are addressed? asked Jon Witlow, acting secretary of the ITFs seafarers section. Out at sea, Spanish rescue boats and helicopters rescued 24 seafarers on Tuesday and were yesterday still searching for those missing. But Jose Luis Lopez Sors, the head of the countrys merchant shipping authority and maritime rescue service, painted a pessimistic picture. I would say that there is no hope of finding them alive, especially because of the heavy seas and cold conditions, he told Lloydís List. A fourth body was recovered yesterday. Iain Cain, chief executive of the ships manager IC Shipping, said: We are doing everything we can to assist and support the families of those who were lost and injured yesterday. The two halves of the tanker are still afloat some 70 miles north of the port of La Coruna and experts are now considering how to deal with them. The bow section could be towed or scuttled. The stern section, however, contains about 500 tonnes of fuel oil which will make the operation more complicated. It has already been secured to a tug and a team of five Spanish specialists is on board. One option is to transfer the fuel at sea but weather conditions may hamper that operation. A second possibility is to tow the section into port. Maltas flag authorities have sent two investigators to La Coruna to start collecting information as to why the vessel broke in two. They will be speaking to traumatised survivors and they hope to gather as much data as possible from the two halves of the ship, assuming they remain afloat for long enough. Lino Vassalo, head of the Malta maritime authority, expressed deep regret for the loss of lives. He would not speculate on the possible causes of the incident and played down talk of a pattern with earlier casualties such as the Erika. I have no doubt that those people who want to look at the casualty objectively would not be so emphatic about this connection, he told Lloydís List. (See issue of Mar 1.) Vigo, Mar 1 — M tanker Kristal, broken in two off north-west coast Spain: Search continues for the bodies of missing seaman. Reported that the Spanish Navy will tow the bow part of the vessel out to sea and sink it. The after part of the vessel was towed towards Ares Bay for bunkers to be discharged. — Lloydís Agents. London, Mar 1 — Following received from Madrid MRCC, timed 1125, UTC: M tanker Kristal: The two remaining parts of the vessel are being towed by two tugs in a north westerly direction. It is not currently known the next plan of action for the vessel. Seven people are still missing. There are no signs of pollution.
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DAILY SHIPPING NEWS L'AUDACE (Spain) Vigo, Mar 1 — Ro/ro mv L'Audace (15,224 gt, built 1999), St. Nazaire for Vigo, where ETA today, reports heavy weather damage to eight trailers and cargo. Vessel will discharge at Vigo, where cargo will be inspected. — Lloydís Agents. LAURITA (Germany) London, Mar 1 — Following received from the Hamburg based operators of m container vessel Laurita, dated today: Laurita is still repairing at Charleston, SC. Repairs are expected to be completed by the end of March. (See issue of Feb 2.) LEGACY (U.S.A.) London, Mar 1 — Following press release received from Coast Guard Boston, dated Feb 21: Coast Guard cutter Escanaba and Coast Guard Group Woods Hole assisted disabled stern trawler Legacy yesterday. The Legacy reported loss of steering 30 nautical miles from Nantucket at 0700 yesterday but stated that they did not need assistance at that time. Escanaba and an HU-25 Falcon were diverted to investigate the situation. After failing to restore steering, the Legacy requested assistance at 1020 hrs. The Escanaba towed the vessel into Buzzardís Bay, Mass, and transferred the tow to fv Shinobe. (See issue of Feb 22.) LEZHEVO (Russia) Tallinn, Feb 28 — Mv Lezhevo (1,596 gt, built 1995), IMO No.9137870, in Paljassaare Harbour, Tallinn Port, at 1400, local time, Feb 28, lost approximately 600 cubic metres of sawn timber, at completion of loading, when last package was put on deck and vessel had listed to starboard side. — Lloydís Agents. MARIA K II (Panama) Piraeus, Mar 1 — Mv Maria K II is still at Piraeus under repairs. The dock is booked until Monday, Mar 5, and her Agent has no information from her owners concerning the possibility of third extension. Some people have expressed their interest, if the vessel were to be sold. — Lloydís Agents. (See issue of Feb 2.) NOOR AL HASAN (Cambodia) Alexandria, Feb 28 — Mv Noor Al Hasan sailed Alexandria on Feb 27, bound Syria. — Lloydís Agents. (See issue of Feb 26.) NORDNORGE (Norway) Trondheim, Feb 28 — Ro-ro m ferry Nordnorge: Drydocking/repairs necessary and vessel will be carried out at Fiskerstrand Verft near Aalesund. Minor repairs now being carried out at Nesna with estimated time of sailing today, latest at 2000 hrs, by under own power but for safety reasons escorted by m tug Boa Master. Sailing time from Nesna to Fiskerstrand Verft estimated at 40 hours. For the time being estimated repair time approximately 11 days. Owners hope to resume sailing Mar 12. — Lloydís Agents. (See issues of Feb 28 and Mar 1.) PUMAMAX (Bahamas) Taipei, Feb 21 — M container vessel Pumamax sailed Keelung on Feb 20. — Lloydís Agents. (See issue of Feb 10.) STAVROS London, Feb 28 — Following received from the Malta Maritime Authority, dated today: M bulk carrier Stavros was deleted from the Maltese Registry Feb 2 on sale to foreign nationals. (See issues of Feb 2 and 27.) VOLGO-BALT 218 (Ukraine) Rijeka, Mar 1 — Mv Volgo-Balt 218 (2,516 gt, built 1979) sailed from Rijeka, on Feb 24, for Diliskelesi, loaded with iron. While seeking shelter from strong wind she grounded at an islet close to Cres Island, during the night Feb 25/26. The vessel was refloated, with the help of local tugs, on Feb 28. She returned to Rijeka under own power. No injuries were reported. — Lloydís Agents. SEIZURES & ARRESTS BERANE (Malta)
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DAILY SHIPPING NEWS London, Mar 1 — Reported that mv Berane is currently still at Western Anchorage No.2, Hong Kong, under arrest. (See issue of Feb 24.) ORIENT PRINCESS (Panama) Hong Kong, Feb 28 — Mv Orient Princess sailed Hong Kong on Feb 27. — Lloydís Agents. (See issue of Feb 24.) SUKRU DENIZ (Malta) London, Mar 1 — Reported that m bulk carrier/part container vessel Sukru Deniz is still currently at Government Mooring Buoy A72, Hong Kong, under arrest. (See issue of Feb 24.)
SHIPYARD NEWS Sembcorp Marine adds Middle East shipyard Marcus Hand-Singapore-Friday March 02 2001 SEMBCORP Marine has added a shipyard in the Middle East to its shopping list, in an effort to capture a slice of the VLCC repair market. Wong Kok Siew, chief executive officer of SembCorp Industries, parent of SembCorp Marine, revealed yesterday that the Middle East had been added to its “global hub strategy”in the shipyard business alongside planned acquisitions in China and the Brazil. “This part of the world the oil trade is still there. The VLCC trade is still there and we want to get a slice of it,”Mr Wong said. ow faces stiff competition in this market from lower-cost yards in the Middle East. Mr Wong said they hoped to conclude a deal within 12 to 18 months. On its other proposed overseas ventures, SembCorp said it was conducting due diligence on the acquisition of an unnamed Brazilian yard and expects completion in about four months while negotiations to buy “significant stakes”in Cosco’ s yards in Dalian, China would take up to nine months. The plan to globalise its shipyard business is part of a broader strategy by SembCorp Industries to become a global company. SembCorp Logistics has already taken a major step in this direction, buying a 20% stake in Kuehne & Nagel for S$644m ($378m) last year. Providing the company with a strong base in Europe, it is looking to venture into the US market this year with Kuehne & Nagel. To help fund expansion of its utilities and engineering and construction businesses SembCorp will be making a placement of up to 185m new shares, expected to raise around S$300m. As a whole the group’ s earnings in 2000 were fairly flat with profit after tax up just 2%, to S$131m, compared to the year before.
ROUTE & SERVICES Carriers and operators learn integration lessons Brian Reyes-Friday March 02 2001 Liner carriers operating in today’ s market know that traditional ways of running a shipping company no longer work.
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DAILY SHIPPING NEWS Port operators are fast learning the same lessons. Where once carriers offered only port-to-port services, nowadays they are increasingly geared up for an integrated, door-to-door product. The driver is customer need. In today’ s global economy, companies take themselves apart and put themselves back together in new configurations, and often-new locations. Knowledge, speed, innovation and quality are the key words. “What the customers are satisfied with is no longer the booking of shipping space, but the whole chain of services rendered to their shipments — including but not limited to the solving of a series of problems arising from the transportation — and with professional expertise,”said Sun Jiakang, assistant president of the Cosco Group. For ports, the shippers’logistics needs open a host of opportunities to tap. And while globalisation is a major driving force behind the change, so is the development of information technology which permits ports to vastly expand their functions. “Radical throughput and operational changes in logistics have made the traditional concepts of ports and terminals obsolete,”said Ernst Frankel, professor of ocean systems at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “To succeed, ports and terminals must become nodal new e-commerce and e-logistics integration points from where all trade is managed.” The traditional view of ports as modal transfer points within the supply chain is “mute”, Mr Frankel added. Ports must streamline their management and automate their business operations and production processes. They must use access to logistics and commercial data to “improve decision quality, timeliness and reduction of reaction times, as well as to foster increased participation in decision processes and collaborate among port users, suppliers and others”. “Ports and terminals will be required to integrate with carrier systems to simplify processing and to foster all initiatives that speed cargo delivery to the end user, allowing the latter to meet just-in-time objectives,” said Jim Poon, management consultant and former OOCL executive. “Port and terminals must further use e-commerce initiatives themselves to drop their own costs as aggressively as possible,”he added. In a world where detailed, real-time information is vital, ports have a key role to play, not just as modal hubs, but as information hubs too, bringing together the various elements of the supply chain both physically and virtually. Mr Frankel said: “Ports usually collect huge amounts of data. They must make better use of it and extract both useable and saleable information. “This is particularly important now when, to be more effective, they are called upon to play a more important role in the integration of e-commerce and e-logistics,”he added. Mr Frankel’ s vision for the future is one where ports and shipping lines become ever closer, their operations increasingly integrated. He envisages regional and even global wireless networks bringing together ports, carriers and shippers to facilitate real-time maritime transactions and maximum operating efficiencies. The aim will be the smooth flow of goods and information across supply chains which in many cases span the globe. The prize will be simplified systems and reduced costs. “The electronic revolution, largely triggered by the internet, is rapidly catching on in the shipping and port community and its use will reduce information and transaction costs significantly and enhance revenues to improve and ensure profitability for shipping and ports,”Mr Frankel said.
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NAVY NEWS KINGSVILLE, Texas (NNS) -- Two pilots were killed when their T-45 Goshawk training aircraft c rashed into the Atlantic Ocean Feb. 21 while performing safety observer duties near the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69). The two-seat trainer carried a pilot and a back seat pilot observer.Killed in the crash were Navy Lt. Gregory Fulco, an instructor pilot from Naval Air Station Kingsville, and Air Force Capt. Justin Sanders, a test pilot from Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Okla. The Goshawk was based at NAS Kingsville, Texas.The mishap occurred one nautical mile from the carrier and approximately 81 nautical miles from Mayport, Fla., at approximately 4:18 p.m. EST.The aircraft was temporarily assigned to a detachment based at NAS Jacksonville performing aircraft carrier landing qualifications.The Navy has begun an accident investigation to determine the cause of the mishap. No crewmembers from the carrier were injured and the ship sustained no damage. The T-45A Goshawk is a twin seat, high performance, fully carrier capable training aircraft. It provides the Navy the capability to train student naval aviators for high performance jet aircraft and initial carrier qualification. MUMBAI, India (NNS) -- USS Cowpens (CG 63) provided humanitarian relief supplies to Indian earthquake victims on Feb. 15 while simultaneously participating in the International Fleet Review "Bridges of Friendship" in Mumbai, India. The guided missile cruiser was designated to represent the United States at the mega-event, which included more than 60 ships from around the world. It was during the transit from Yokosuka, Japan to Mumbai that the tragic earthquake struck the northern Kandla/Bhuj area. Cowpens made a scheduled stop in Singapore and took on more than $80,000 worth of disaster relief supplies for the victims in India. The entire crew pitched in and stored numerous sleeping bags, tents, blankets, water bottles and many other essential items for delivery. In addition to these supplies, Cowpens was assisted by the Project Handclasp organization and received four additional pallets of various hygiene and medical supplies.After arriving in Mumbai, the Cowpens crew received a warm welcome from the Indian government and coordinated an offload of the disaster relief supplies with the CARE organization in India. Sailors spent hours offloading the materials in small boats that were to be used as liberty vessels, but instead were diverted temporarily to transfer the relief supplies ashore. A working party accompanied the material to a private wharf in Mumbai Harbor where Indian customs, police and CARE representatives had trucks waiting to load the material.Cowpens crewmembers joined local Mumbai workers and loaded the relief supplies, and the trucks then departed on their twelve-hour journey to the earthquake site. Suprabha Agarwal, the state representative for the CARE organization, was overjoyed to receive the material and said that victims in Kandla will make good use of the relief supplies.
… .AT LAST BUT NOT LEAST … .. Boze vissers blokkeren zeehavens
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URK / EMMELOORD-Boze vissers hebben donderdagmorgen de havens van Rotterdam, IJmuiden en Delfzijl geblokkeerd. Stukgelopen overleg met staatssecretaris Geke Faber (Visserij) over een financiële vergoeding voor de vloot is de aanleiding voor de acties. De vissers worden zwaar getroffen door een tijdelijk visverbod in grote delen van de Noordzee. Volgens de Nederlandse Vissersbond doen ruim honderd schepen mee aan de blokkades. De vissers eisen dat Faber alsnog een compensatieregeling treft voor de vloot. ,,Ze moet in beweging komen'', zegt voorzitter Johan Nooitgedagt van de Vissersbond. ,,We gaan net zolang door met de blokkades tot dat gebeurt.'' Het ministerie beraadt zich nog op een reactie. Een vloot van vijftig schepen stoomde vanmorgen op naar de Nieuwe Waterweg. Scheepvaartverkeer naar de haven van Rotterdam was daardoor niet meer mogelijk, meldde de Vissersbond. Ook in IJmuiden legden 44 vissers de haven plat. In Delfzijl blokkeerden vijftien viskotters de haven. In Harlingen was het donderdagmorgen onduidelijk of vissers tot actie zouden overgaan. Volgens een woordvoerder van de visafslag was de vloot die gebruik maakt van de haven, tussen de twintig en dertig schepen, op weg naar Harlingen. Vissers die niet meedoen aan de protesten keren uit solidariteit van zee terug. De stemming onder de Noordzeevissers is de afgelopen weken grimmig geworden. Oorzaak is het besluit van de Europese Commissie om belangrijke visgebieden op de Noordzee vanaf half februari tot begin mei te sluiten. Die noodmaatregel is ingesteld om de met uitsterven bedreigde kabeljauw te beschermen. De visserij op tong en schol, waarop de Nederlandse vloot van zo'n vierhonderd schepen zich richt, is ook verboden. Bij die visserij belandt ook kabeljauw in de netten. Volgens voorlopige berekeningen van het Landbouw Economisch Instituut lijden de vissers door het verbod een schade van ƒ25 miljoen. De Vissersbond en de Urker Federatie van Visserijverenigingen, de twee belangenorganisaties van de vissers, hoopten dat Faber gistermiddag met een compensatieregeling over de brug zou komen. De Tweede Kamer heeft haar gevraagd de mogelijkheid daarvan te onderzoeken. In België is vissers inmiddels een vergoeding toegezegd. Voorzitter Ben Daalder van de Federatie zegt dat Faber halsstarrig vasthoudt aan haar eerdere weigering om over een financiële vergoeding te praten. ,,Ze zei: daar begin ik niet aan. Kennelijk is zij van mening dat de vissers barsten van het geld. We hebben haar gewaarschuwd voor de reactie van de vissers. De mensen moeten zich ontladen. Faber staat gewoon met de rug naar de vissers toe.''
ECT AAN DE BETERENDE HAND
ROTTERDAM (ANP) - Het Rotterdamse containeroverslagbedrijf ECT is aan de beterende hand. Na het slechte jaar 1999 (f 40,8 miljoen verlies) boekte het bedrijf over 2000 een nettowinst van f 15,3 miljoen. De winst is het resultaat van de eerste stappen van een grootscheepse reorganisatie binnen het bedrijf. Een betere klantenservice had in 2000 de hoogste prioriteit. In voorgaande jaren zorgden lange wachttijden bij het overladen van containers voor grote irritatie bij de klanten. Om dit probleem te verhelpen moest het bedrijf extra personeel inschakelen. Gecombineerd met een nieuwe duurdere CAO bedroegen de personeelskosten f 285 miljoen, f 17 miljoen meer dan in 1999. Het bedrijf heeft fors in het gebruik van adviseurs en consultants gesneden. Dit komt tot uitdrukking in de sterk afgenomen kosten voor diensten aan derden die afnamen met f 82 miljoen tot f 285 miljoen. President-directeur C. van den Driest benadrukte woensdag dat ECT ondanks de
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DAILY SHIPPING NEWS positieve cijfers van vorig jaar, nog niet op z'n lauweren kan rusten. Het nettoresultaat uit gewone bedrijfsuitoefening steeg van f 19,3 miljoen in 1999 naar f 31,1 miljoen vorig jaar. Het aantal overgeslagen containers nam vorig jaar licht toe met 28.000 stuks naar 5,1 miljoen, dit is inclusief de handelingen van partner Maersk Sealand (1,25 miljoen). De investeringen in duur technisch onderzoek zijn even op een laag pitje gezet. ,,We denken dat we de concurrentie ook wel aankunnen door verstandig producten in te kopen op de markt. We hebben geluk dat we op zo'n strategische locatie zitten, daardoor hoeven we qua techniek niet op kop te lopen'', aldus Van den Driest. Ditzelfde geldt voor de IT-ontwikkeling in het bedrijf. Voordat de nieuwe koers werd ingezet, besteedde ECT zo'n 10 procent van de omzet aan ontwikkeling en onderhoud van IT. ECT richt zijn pijlen voorlopig niet meer op nieuwe buitenlandse activiteiten. ,,We moeten eerst onze thuisbasis op orde hebben, voordat we ambities in het buitenland ontwikkelen'', vertelde Van den Driest. Eerder bezorgde de teleurstellende exploitatie van de terminal in het Italiaanse TriÙst het Rotterdamse bedrijf een domper. ECT is sinds vorig jaar voor 35 procent in handen van Hutchison. De gemeente Rotterdam heeft ook 35 procent. De rest is in handen van ABN Amro (28 procent) en het personeel.
Nieuwe helikopter van loodsen doet het beter bij mooi weer Elke meter hoger maakt het uitzicht mooier. Onder ons sterven de laatste wolken van zand, opgezweept door de rotoren van de helikopter. Achter het duin wordt plots de toegang tot de Rotterdamse haven zichtbaar. De zon, in bijna laagste stand, heeft het eindelijk gewonnen van de hardnekkige mist en strijkt met haar stralen over de Maasvlakte. De kanariegele helikopter PH-SLW klimt langzaam verder omhoog om niet veel later met een sierlijke buiging de Maasvlakte achter zich te laten. Rotterdam _ In de heli ruikt alles naar nieuw. De geluidsisolatie is verbazingwekkend goed, al is een normaal gesprek niet mogelijk. Het toestel reageert soepel op al de geringste beweging die de vliegers maken met hun stuurknuppels. Triomfantelijke worden duimen op gestoken. 'Deze kist is oké' luidt de boodschap. Ze hebben er een jaar op moeten wachten, maar de loodsen in Rotterdam hebben vanaf vandaag de beschikking over een nieuwe helikopter. Het is uiteindelijk niet de beloofde MD 902 geworden, maar de nieuwste versie van de 'vertrouwde' Dauphin. Het gaat hier om een Dauphin AS 365 N3, uit de fabriek van het Franse Eurocopter, het fusieproduct van Aerospatiale-matra en het Duitse DaimlerChrysler Aerospace. De keuze voor de van Amerikaanse origine MD 902, uit de helifabriek van Joep van den Nieuwenhuijzen, stond eigenlijk al vast. Berichten over de vestiging van een helikopterassemblagefabriek op de Maasvlakte onderstreepten het besluit. Maar, de voor de Rotterdamse loodsen noodzakelijke aanpassingen konden niet op tijd worden gegarandeerd. ,,Misschien dat als over een paar jaar die helikopterfabriek van Van den Nieuwenhuijzen hier wel op de Maasvlakte staat, onze volgende heli is er één van het type MD 902 is,'' zegt voorzitter R. M. Eichelsheim van de loodsencorporatie RotterdamRijnmond. De Rotterdamse loodsen bieden de helikopterservice, naast de 'gewone' loodsdienst, sinds begin 1997 standaard aan, zonder meerkosten voor reguliere beloodsingen. Eigenlijk als een soort goedmakertje voor de hoge tarieven die diepstekende schepen voor het binnenlopen van Rotterdam worden gevraagd. Afgelopen jaar zijn in Rotterdam een kleine zesduizend beloodsingen, ongeveer tien procent van het totaal, met behulp van de helikopter uitgevoerd. Dat wil zeggen dat de loods met de heli op het schip is afgezet of er van is afgehaald.
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DAILY SHIPPING NEWS Via Schreiner Airways huurt het loodswezen de heli. De afgelopen drie jaar was dat een Dauphin AS 365 N2, wit met de rode Schreiner-strepen. Dit toestel geldt vanaf vandaag, als de echtgenote van Rotterdams burgemeester Opstelten de nieuwe Dauphin heeft gedoopt, als reserve-heli. De nieuwe helikopter is voorlopig voor een periode van drie jaar gehuurd. Tegen die tijd moet er duidelijkheid zijn over de marktwerking die ook voor het Loodswezen moet gaan gelden. ,,Dan hangt het van de eventueel aanwezige concurrentie af of we deze service nog kunnen aanbieden,'' zegt loodsenbaas Eichelsheim. ,,Als door de marktwerking de tarieven omlaag gaan, zal er voor beloodsing per heli extra moeten worden betaald. Maar, als reder koop je daarmee wel een gegarandeerde toegang tot de Rotterdamse haven.'' Vanuit de lucht zijn de schepen nietige vaartuigen. Een aantal is groot genoeg om de helikopter veilig op dek te laten landen. Is er geen plek of laten weersomstandigheden het niet toe, dan wordt de loods vanuit de heli met een zogeheten hoist, een takel, op het schip neergelaten. Juist voor dit laatste is de nieuwe helikopter veel beter geschikt, vooral bij mooi weer.Bij windluwe omstandigheden en bij hoge temperaturen had de 'oude' helikopter moeite om uit de zogeheten hover, de standvlucht, te komen. De nieuwste versie van de Dauphin beschikt over een veel groter motorvermogen en kan de zerowind-conditie beter aan. Maar dat is niet het enige voordeel, klinkt het uit de mond van Paul Beelen, chef-helivlieger bij Schreiner Airways. Het toestel is uitgerust met de modernste technieken, de besturing is volledig dubbel uitgevoerd, het navigatiesysteem is verbeterd en bovenal, de heli maakt veel minder lawaai. ,,Dat komt door de verbeterde staartrotor,'' legt Beelen uit. ,,In vergelijking tot de oude helikopter heeft deze drie rotorbladen minder. Dat, in combinatie met een andere plaatsing van tien grotere bladen, maakt dat er veel minder herrie wordt geproduceerd. Een ander voordeel,'' vervolgt Beelen, ,,is de toepassing van nog meer computertechnieken, waardoor tijdens het vliegen ook situaties als bijvoorbeeld motorpech kunnen worden gesimuleerd. Dat stelt de vliegers in staat een grotere geoefendheid op te bouwen.'' De gekozen uitvoering van de Dauphin biedt negen zitplaatsen, naast twee voor de vliegers. Met een flauwe bocht zwenkt de heli PH-SLW over Hoek van Holland om over de Europoort naar de helihaven op de Noordwesthoek van de Maasvlakte terug te keren. Bij ertsoverslagbedrijf EECV ligt 's werelds grootste bulkcarrier Berge Stahl voor de kade. Hoog vanuit de lucht lijkt het een klein scheepje. Even verderop is ECT's Delta-schiereiland net een bouwplaat met Lego-steentjes. Chef-vlieger Paul Beelen zet het toestel even geroutineerd als behoedzaam aan de grond. ,,Dit is op dit moment het meest betrouwbare toestel voor dit werk. Zeker gezien de eigenlijk negatieve factoren waarmee we rekening moeten houden: zand, zout water en harde wind,'' besluit hij.
Koopvaardij-officier vreest kwaliteitsverlies Het gaat goed met de Nederlandse koopvaardij maar onder de officieren heerst onvrede. Zij vinden dat de nieuwe Zeevaartsbemanningswet als versoepeling van de Wet op de Zeevaartsdiploma's te ver is doorgeschoten. Anders gezegd: is een MBO-vooropleiding wel goed genoeg om kapitein te worden op een Nederlands zeeschip? Of is het huidige HBO-niveau een minimum vereiste? Om te voldoen aan de internationale Standard of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) is MBO voldoende. Dat was doorslaggevend voor Tweede en Eerste Kamer om akkoord te gaan met versoepeling. Zelfs als dat een verlaging betekende van de opleidingseisen die Nederland stelde aan zijn koopvaardij-officieren. De leden van de Federatie van Werknemers in de Zeescheepvaart zijn daar niet blij mee. Volgens voorzitter Ed Sarton wordt de onvrede niet ingegegeven door geld. ,,Officieren worden betaald naar hun functie.'' Al naar gelang de grootte van het schip en het motorvermogen liggen de bruto-salarissen voor officieren tussen 1 en ruim 2 ton. Met zo'n salaris en de zekerheid dat je met 57,5 jaar met pensioen gaat, geef je je baan niet gauw op. Toch dreigen Nederlandse koopvaardij-officieren dat wel te doen en een enkeling heeft dat al gedaan. Sarton: ,,Ze vinden de internationale normen te laag. Die stelt reders in
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DAILY SHIPPING NEWS staat officieren uit vooral Oost-Europa aan te trekken. Die leveren niet de kwaliteit die we op Nederlandse schepen gewend zijn.'' Dat betekent niet alleen dat de veiligheid in het geding kan komen, maar ook dat de werkdruk van de Nederlandse koopvaardij-officier onacceptabel hoog wordt. De in Nederland opgeleide kapitein moet compenseren wat zijn Oost-Europese collega niet in huis heeft, zoals kennis van de Engelse taal en specifieke vaardigheden op het gebied van ladingen en procedures. Zolang er een tekort is aan officieren staan de arbeidsvoorwaarden niet onder druk als gevolg van de verlaging van de toelatingsnormen en de daarmee samenhangende entree van OostEuropese officieren. Sarton: ,,De meeste reders proberen de kosten voor de bemanning laag te houden. Er zijn er maar enkelen die inzien dat een goede bemanning ook in het bedrijfsbelang kan zijn.'' Wetgeving verhinderde in het verleden dat reders een loopje namen met de noodzakelijke kwaliteitsnormen. Nu de wetgeving is versoepeld, moet de vakorganisatie proberen prijs en kwaliteit van bemanningen door middel van de cao op peil te houden. Sarton: ,,Met de huidige krapte op de arbeidsmarkt gaat dat wel, maar of dat in minder goede tijden ook lukt is de vraag.'' Kapiteins op schepen onder Nederlandse vlag hoeven de concurrentie van minder competente, onderbetaalde, voornamelijk Oost-Europese collega's niet te vrezen. Ook de nieuwe wet schrijft namelijk voor dat de gezagvoerder de Nederlandse nationaliteit moet hebben.
HAVE A LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING SITE FOR SHIPPING INFO AND PICTURES OF SHIPS AROUND HOEK VAN HOLLAND AT : http://home.soneraplaza.nl/qn/prive/j.vander.klooster/index.html
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