daily collection of mar itime press clippings 201 4 –...

DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 080

Distribution : daily to 28850+ active addresses 21-03-2014

Number 080 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Friday 21-03-2014

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

The 2012 Chinese built, Malta flag bulkcarrier ADFINES SOUTH, arriving Waalhaven Rotterdam Wednesday afternoon, assisted by Kotug’s ZP CHALONE and SD REBEL.

Photo : Henk Ros ©

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IN MEMORIAM

De redactie bereikte het droeve bericht dat

HOITE PRINS

is overleden Hoek van Holland 13 juli 1942 Antwerpen, 16 maart 2014

Correspondentieadres: Schepenenveld 135, 7327 DB Apeldoorn Hoite is overgebracht naar uitvaarcentrum Boxtart DELA, Van der Houven van Oortlaan 2 7316 AH Apeldoorn De crematie plechtigheid wordt gehouden op zaterdag 22 maart om 10.00 uur in de van crematorium Heidehof, Engelanderholt 95, 7338 BX Ugchelen. U kunt vanaf 09:45 uur afscheid van Hoite nemen Na afloop van de plechtigheid is er gelegenheid tot samenzijn in de koffiekamer van het crematorium.

**** HOITE, RUST ZACHT ****



EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS

Nothing as changeable as the weather ... As of today, Meteo Consult will be known as METEOGROUP. When we recently spoke to some of our customers and partners about the upcoming change of name, it resulted in a couple of questions. The program director of a well-known broadcast company commented: "Meteo Consult is a strong, well recognised brand. Why change the

name?“

You need to have a good reason to change your name after 28 successful years. Especially a name as well established in the world of meteorology and weather services as Meteo Consult. We do indeed have good reason!

Founded by the well-known TV weather presenter Harry Otten in 1986, Meteo Consult was one of the first private weather businesses to be established in Europe. Today, the company has grown into a leading full-service weather business with 400 employees and operations in 15 countries around the world. In 14 of these countries we are already known as METEOGROUP. Now it’s time to make a change where it all began: in the Netherlands.

In addition to our valued local customers, we also work closely with our colleagues in other countries to serve a growing number of international clients. For this reason, it’s important that we operate as one, united weather company, both in the Netherlands and abroad. To emphasize this, we have united the name: METEOGROUP.

Are we now a different company? No, certainly not. We have been working across borders in an international environment for many years but one of the most important aspects of our service has always been that we cater to local circumstances and local needs and wishes. Under the new name METEOGROUP, this will not change. Our team of expert and experienced meteorologists remains available 24/7/365, delivering accurate and dependable weather information and we continue to push the boundaries in meteorological research and product development to provide our clients with customised weather solutions.

Meteo Consult changed its name to METEOGROUP.

MeteoGroup - Empowering the world to master the weather

M.t. “King Douglas” approaching the North Lock at IJmuiden assisted by tugs Ginger and Svezia, in the front the new Pilot Tender “Lacerta”. Photo : Peter Maanders ©

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Launch of new strategic partnership

Alphatron Marine of The Netherlands and the JRC (Japan Radio Co) have launched their new strategic partnership to the major Japanese ship

owners based in Singapore officially on the 18th of March. This unique combination of expertise was well received by over 60 Japanese ship owners. Apart from full service support for a wide range of bridge electronics Alphatron Marine

Systems Pte now offers a unique one-stop-shopping concept for navigation,

communication, automation and complete ship’s bridges: the best in ship’s electronics by JRC,

Alphatron’s own, and other,

complementary products in a role as full system integrator.

Busier times for Service Coordinator Kareem and the ladies of the Alphatron Singapore office (seen above) coming up with this strategic partnerhip as well for Maurice Rutten the director of Alphatron Singapore (as seen left during his Speech )

Ship owners and builders can now purchase every product from a single supplier that caters for the entire navigation and communication package, from maritime PABX board to wind meter and from radar to bridge console. If preferred, everything can be delivered prefab from one of our workshops around the world. In addition to products, Alphatron Marine offers advice, engineering, a 24/7 helpdesk, life-time support via the global JRC/Alphatron service network and remote maintenance via a SAT link. What remains unchanged is that JRC will continue as manufacturer to produce and



sell JRC products and Alphatron will complement these products with its own Alphaline range and the products of other suppliers with whom they have worked for years.

Growing Asian market This combination of expertise is unique in the world of maritime electronics. It should be underlined that Alphatron will continue to be product independent. Luuk Vroombout, CEO Alphatron Marine Group: (photo top-left) ‘The intensification of our partnership has been prompted by the ever growing Asian market and the growth of Alphatron’s own product range and supplementary services in recent years. JRC and Alphatron have always been complementary and have been represented jointly at trade fairs for a number of years. As a manufacturer of 100 years’ standing, JRC makes the best quality products. Alphatron knows the customers well and has been a system integrator with an eye for ergonomics and full concepts for 25 years. This unique combination results in high-value solutions that reassure customers, from shipyards to ship owners.’ Photo’s : Piet Sinke ©

The BLACK MARLIN of Dockwise preparing to load the Tapis-R topside at MMHE, Pasir Gudang. Photo : Andre Korver ©

Concordia Maritime and Neste Oil sell their jointly owned tankers, Stena

Poseidon and Palva Concordia Maritime and Finnish Neste Oil have reached an agreement on the sale of the two jointly owned Ice Class 1A panamax tankers, Stena Poseidon and Palva. The buyer is Transport Maritime St-Laurent Inc. and the tankers are expected to be delivered in April/May 2014. Stena Poseidon and Palva are panamax tankers with a deadweight of 75,000 tons and were delivered from Brodosplit Shipyard in Split in 2007. They are jointly owned by Concordia Maritime and Neste Oil. Both tankers have been signed to time charters with Neste Oil since 2007. “We are content to see this sale go through as it suits our strategic objective of focusing on our spot operated P-MAX

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fleet. The sale will have a positive result for Concordia Maritime and will be realized in the 2ndquarter”, says Kim Ullman, CEO, Concordia Maritime.

WÄRTSILÄ KRIJGT MILJOENENORDER VOOR NIEUWBOUW VAN 30 MOTOREN

Afgelopen woensdag tekende Wärtsilä Netherlands B.V. een contract met Shipyard De Hoop in Lobith voor het leveren van 30 nieuwbouw motoren. De Wärtsilä motoren worden ingebouwd in tien nieuwe schepen die door De Hoop worden gebouwd voor Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), één van de grootste olie- en gasbedrijven ter wereld. Het eerste schip moet begin 2015 klaar zijn, het laatste schip wordt eind 2016 opgeleverd. De raamovereenkomst geeft beide partijen de gelegenheid om de vereiste onderhoudswerkzaamheden ruim van tevoren te plannen, met als voordeel dat een schip maximaal inzetbaar is en vereiste mankracht zo effectief mogelijk wordt benut. Van Oord zal ook profiteren van Wärtsilä’s laatste technologische ontwikkelingen, waaronder verbeteringen die leiden tot lager brandstof- en smeerolieverbruik.

Shipyard De Hoop is een toonaangevende scheepsbouwer die voorloopt in duurzame ontwikkelingen binnen de scheepsbouw. Voor ADNOC heeft De Hoop state-of-the-art Platform Supply Vessels (PSV’s) ontworpen die voldoen aan de strengste internationale operationele voorschriften en milieueisen. Wärtsilä werd door De Hoop gekozen als de partij met de best passende oplossing voor de motorisatie van de nieuwe, technische geavanceerde PSV’s voor ADNOC. “De Wärtsilä motoren zijn compact, het brandstofverbruik is zeer laag en de motoren voldoen aan alle technische specificaties zoals opgesteld in de tender van ADNOC. Door de hoge betrouwbaarheid van de motoren en Wärtsilä’s zeer sterke servicenetwerk in de Verenigde Arambische Emiraten kunnen we onze klant bovendien een ononderbroken productie garanderen. Dit was samen met de goede prijs-kwaliteitverhouding doorslaggevend in onze keuze voor Wärtsilä”, aldus Patrick Janssens, CEO Shipyard De Hoop. De Platform Supply Vessels van De Hoop worden voorzien van een diesel-elektrische voortstuwing met drie 8-cilinder motoren per schip, van het motortype Wärtsilä 8L20, met een totaalvermogen van 4.440kW. De eerste motoren zullen door Wärtsilä in september dit jaar worden geleverd. De schepen zullen door ADNOC’s dochteronderneming ESNAAD voornamelijk worden ingezet voor bevoorradingswerk in de offshore olie- en gasvelden van de Verenigde Arabische Emiraten. Wärtsilä is wereldleider in de ontwikkeling en productie van aandrijvingssystemen voor de scheepvaart- en energiesector. Wärtsilä staat genoteerd aan de NASDAQ OMX in Helsinki, Finland. Door de nadruk te leggen op technologische innovaties en het nastreven van optimale efficiëntie, maximaliseert Wärtsilä de milieuvriendelijke en economische prestaties van de schepen en energiecentrales van zijn klanten. In Nederland is Wärtsilä een toonaangevende speler binnen de maritieme sector. Op de vestigingen in Drunen, Harlingen, Kruiningen, Kampen, Schiedam, Waalwijk en Zwolle werken in totaal ruim 1000 medewerkers. Shipyard De Hoop is opgericht in 1889 en is een van de meest gevestigde werven in de Nederlandse scheepsbouwindustrie met twee werklocaties: De Hoop Lobith en De Hoop Foxhol. Shipyard De Hoop ontwerpt en bouwt innovatieve, duurzame schepen voor nichemarkten in zowel de binnenvaart als zeevaart. Shipyard De Hoop werkt niet met standaard processen; ieder schip wordt op maat ontworpen en gebouwd.

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Asia Pacific Maritime 2014 opened last Wednesday in Singapore

Wednesday was a roaring success as 13th edition of Asia Pacific Maritime (APM) officially was opened to the beat of drums, and was

kicked off by the Guest of Honour, Singapore’s Senior Minister of State for Finance and Transport Mrs Josephine Teo, who addressed the

audience at the opening ceremony of APM 2014. Followed by the Ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the opening of the Asia Pacific Maritime (APM) 2014. The first day of the APM 2014 was closed with network drinks at the Holland Pavilion with left seen Marjan Lacet of HME Singapore, in the

middle the Dutch ambassador to Singapore Jacques Werner, and Pieter Oosterhof of Svitzer Salvage (Singapore) in tomorrow’s edition more photos can be found of the event. All photos : Piet Sinke ©

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Huisman to build world’s largest cranes Huisman, the worldwide specialist in lifting, drilling and subsea solutions, has received a Letter of Intent for the delivery of world’s largest cranes onboard Heerema’s planned new semi-submersible crane vessel. The cranes will have a lifting capacity of 10.000mt at a radius of 48m. Huisman is known for its signature mast crane design. These cranes will however be tub mounted. The two cranes will be built by the Huisman production facility in China. The final decision to build this new semi-submersible crane vessel will be made by Heerema before the end of this year.

Unlike traditional Tub Cranes which make use of either bogies or large wheels for their slew system, the Huisman cranes will make use of large bearings of own design which are manufactured in-house. This technique represents a step change in the crane industry, and was previously used

successfully on the 5,000mt Offshore Mast Crane for the ‘Seven Borealis’ and the 4,000mt Offshore Mast Crane for Heerema’s ‘Aegir”. The use of bearings on the new 10,000mt Heerema cranes instead of the traditional slew systems allows for very accurate control of the slewing motion of the crane and requires very little maintenance. Another large benefit of using a bearing is a very significant weight saving. Especially on semisubmersibles this is an important feature. The slew bearings of these cranes will have a diameter of 30m.

The two cranes will each be able to lift 10,000mt at 48m radius in offshore conditions. The cranes further feature a 2,500mt aux hoist and a whip hoist with a maximum reach of 155m. The main hoist, in a reduced reeving, can lift 1,000mt to 1,000m water depth and is fitted with active heave compensation. Anne de Groot, Project Director at Huisman: we are extremely proud of this commitment from Heerema. Firstly, the fact that Heerema has shown their confidence in our ability to build the largest cranes ever and secondly that yet another important Huisman innovation will deliver a contribution to the success of our client and the progression of the crane industry”

Final round of renewal plan for offshore support vessels

Petrobras has announced the seventh and final round of the fleet renewal plan for offshore support vessels. The company also took stock of the program and signed contracts for the fifth round.

Seventh round

Petrobras President, Maria das Graças Silva Foster and the Director of Exploration and Production, José Formigli announced the start of the seventh round at Petrobras headquarters in Rio de Janeiro on 17th March.

Graças Foster highlighted the importance of the program for the offshore industry as well as for Petrobras, emphasizing that the company’s priority is to increase its oil production, in line with the 2014 – 2018 Business and Management Plan.

Offshore industry

The president commented: "This is a very important time. It's the time to cheer the naval and offshore industry on so it continues to grow, thrive, and most importantly be respected."

Commenting on the topic of contracts, Graças Foster stressed that prices must remain within international norms. "Petrobras can't wait. There is absolutely nothing that would justify us falling behind on our oil production curve. No contract that would put this at risk is a priority for us," she stated.



Formigli explained that calls for bids for the seventh and final round will be issued by 21st March, and that proposals must be submitted to Petrobras by 27th June. Contract signing is scheduled for 30th October.

Competitive prices

Speaking about the company’s expectations for the final round, Formigli reinforced the importance of the Brazilian industry setting competitive prices. He commented: "The expectation is to sign these contracts on a competitive basis, and this is very important. We are always comparing Brazilian prices with foreign ones, and we are definitely not willing to sign contracts if there is a significant difference."

The Director presented the program's scope, which includes a total of up to 146 vessels over seven rounds between 2008 and 2014. The minimum local construction content varies between 50% and 60% depending on the type of vessel, and is 70% for the offshore operations phase.

Vessels and deadlines

"At this point, we have managed to sign contracts for 87 of 146 vessels", Formigli stated, adding that, of these 87 vessels, 61 are under construction and 26 are in operation. Formigli also stressed the importance of meeting deadlines: "We are working hard with the companies to recover from any lags and to find permanent solutions."

Petrobras also signed contracts for eight vessels from the fifth round call for bids, with Bram Offshore Transportes Maritimos Ltd, Norskan Offshore Ltd and Starnav Serviços Marítimos Ltd.

Contracts signed

Contracts were signed for 13 vessels in the first round, 27 in the second, 16 in the third, 23 in the fourth, and eight in the last round. Of these, 76 vessels are PSVs (Platform Supply Vessels), used for loading platforms with liquid and solid loads, and OSRVs (Oil Spill Response Vessels), which are designed for recovering oil offshore. Eleven are AHTS vessels (Anchor Handling Tug Supply), which are built to handle anchors, tow-vessels, and transport supplies.

Out of the fleet of offshore support vessels working with Petrobras, 53% are Brazilian.

Construction timeframes are three years from the time of contract execution for PSVs and OSRVs, and four years for AHTSs. Contracts are valid for up to eight years. Minimum local construction content is 60% for PSVs and OSRVs, and 50% for AHTS vessels. For vessel operations, minimum local content is 70%. Source : Energy Global

$3.8bn Egina FPSO: LADOL alleges breach of court order by Samsung

There are fresh worries on the likely outcome of the court hearing on the controversial $3.8 billion Egina oil platform contract between the Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics (LADOL) and Samsung/Total. This is following the claims by the plaintiff, LADOL, that the first defendant, Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI), had breached an earlier ruling by

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Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos that parties should maintain status quo pending the determination of the suit.

Fidelis Odita, counsel to LADOL, told the court that despite the January 24, 2014 order, Samsung had on February 27 and 28, 2014 made presentations to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) of its plans to replace LADOL with another company as its partner in the local content project.

Recall that the $3.8 billion contract awarded to Samsung Heavy Industry and LADOL by Total for the integration of a Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) platform known as Egina at LADOL base in Lagos became a subject of litigation following alleged schemes by Samsung to exclude the indigenous partner, LADOL, from the job.

BusinessDay gathered that the fourth defendant, the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Recourses, also failed to make representation at the court’s proceedings. Others joined in the suit are Total Upstream Nigeria Limited (Total) and the Nigerian Content Monitoring Board (NCDMB).

Justice Aneke, who frowned at the alleged breach of his order for parties to maintain status quo, was apparently not taken in by the defence counsel, Wole Olanipekun, who claimed ignorance of his client’s presentation to NNPC.

The presiding judge, however, adjourned hearing to April 16, 2014, following the ‘conditional appearance’ (appearance for the first time) of the counsel to the third defendant (NCDMB), Chidi Ilogu, who pleaded for time to enable him prepare his case.

Speaking with journalists after the hearing, Odita, counsel to LADOL, said the case at hand was a test for the efficacy of the Nigerian Local Content Act 2010 as it relates to its enforcement in the nation’s oil and gas industry.

“The contention of my client LADOL is that having been used by Samsung as the local content vehicle to win the contract worth $3.8 billion, it is not open to Samsung to say that our client is no longer the local content partner,” he explained.

“The confusing thing about the case is that the contract allocated the sum of $214 million for the construction of facilities at LADOL. This $214 million is part of what Samsung is trying to put in the pocket and sabotage the Nigerian economy. We say that the court should not allow this to happen. If Samsung, in violation of the status quo order, continues to make presentation to the NNPC, we will issue contempt proceedings against Samsung, NNPC and Total,” he said. Also commenting, Zulu Okafor, a stakeholder present at the hearing, expressed excitement over the appearance of NCDMB in court. He described the suit as a test case for the Nigerian local content because the economy had lost over $280 billion to foreign players in the oil and gas sector between 1956 and 2006 before the enactment of the law, while noting that Nigeria has been able to save over $200 billion worth of jobs since local content came into play. Source : Business Day

The MOTION SCAN enroute Antwerp –

Photo : Ph., P. & M. van Luik - www.shipsoffterneuzen.nl ©

Petrobras says platform P-58 begins operation in Parque das Baleias

Petrobras said Tuesday production platform P-58 began operation Monday in the Parque das Baleias complex off the coast of Espirito Santo state in the Campos Basin. In a statement the Brazilian oil giant said the platform was

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connected through well 7-BFR-7-ESS to a subsalt reservoir with excellent productivity. Petrobras did not specify the platform's initial daily output, but said this type of Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading platform can process up to 180,000 b/d of oil and 6 million cubic meters/d of natural gas.

P-58 lies 85 km (53 miles) offshore at a water depth of 1,400 meters (4,593 feet). Over the coming months, 15 production wells, eight subsalt and seven postsalt, and nine injection wells will be connected to the FPSO. It will help develop the northern part of the Parque das Baleias, which includes production from fields Baleia Franca, Cachalote, Jubarte, Baleia Azul and Baleia Ana. According to Petrobras' 2014-2018 business and management plan, three more new platforms will begin operations in second-quarter 2014. Petrobras denied Tuesday that one of these, P-62 in the Campos Basin's Roncador field, had been banned from operating by the Ministry of Labor. Works have been ongoing at the platform as it prepares for its planned startup.

Rio de Janeiro oil workers union Sindipetro NF said Friday the Regional Labor and Employment Superintendent (SRTE) shut the platform after carrying out an inspection March 11 and identifying 11 pending security issues that needed to be met for the platform to begin operation. Petrobras said the SRTE inspected the P-62 on March 11-12 and said activities aboard the platform "continue normally" and on schedule. Following the inspection, "no service was interdicted, with all work with electricity, painting, heat, at heights, in confined spaces, with assembly and on scaffolding, approved to go ahead," a note from the company said. The statement said P-62 would come into operation when all necessary safety systems had been installed and all relevant authorizations received, including from the SRTE. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Labor could not be reached. Source : Platts

Visit address : Nijverheidstraat 4-6 2802 AL GOUDA The Netherlands T +31 [0]182 51 55 44 F +31 [0]182 51 79 00 Mail address : P.O. Box 252 2800 AG GOUDA The Netherlands E [email protected] I www.endenburg.com

Maldives police probe reports of MH370 sighting

In a statement released late Tuesday, police said they were investigating a report on the Haveeru news website that local residents had spotted a large plane flying over the remote southern island of Kuda Huvadhoo on March 8.

"The police are looking into the reports in the media saying that a low-flying airplane was sighted above Kuda Huvadhoo," the statement said. Several alleged sightings of the Boeing 777, which vanished en route from Kuala


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Lumpur with 239 people on board, have proved to be false alarms and reports of debris at sea have also turned up nothing. Haveeru said witnesses on Kuda Huvadhoo had seen a white aircraft with red stripes flying towards the southern tip of the Maldives. "I've never seen a jet flying so low over our island before. We've seen seaplanes, but I'm sure that this was not one of those. I could even make out the doors on the plane clearly," the website quoted one witness as saying. Haveeru journalist Farah Ahmed said several witnesses had given similar accounts.

"These people first heard a very loud noise from a plane flying unusually low and they came out to see it," Ahmed told AFP by phone from the Maldives capital Male, whose international airport daily handles dozens of wide-body jets bringing in thousands of tourists. The hunt for the missing passenger jet now focuses on two vast search areas -- a northern one spanning south and central Asia, and a southern corridor stretching deep into the southern Indian Ocean towards Australia. The Maldives, located far from both arcs, is not among the 26 countries currently involved in the massive international search operation. Source : timeslive

Van Oord’s TSHD UTRECHT operating in Santos (Brazil) Photo : Capt. Gerard Gorter m.v Jaguar ©

Legambiente slams suspending ban on big Venice cruise ships

Italy's leading environmental group accused a regional court of recklessness on Tuesday for suspending a ban on large cruise ships in Venice's fragile lagoon. "It is certainly not a good sign, and it is the result of a reckless choice of recent years that has created the practice of channelling cruise ships in an environment where they should be banned," said Legambiente. On Monday a regional administrative court agreed to suspend the ban submitted by companies operating in the port of Venice, including members of the cruise ship industry, which is a major employer in the local tourism-driven economy. The ban was imposed late last year as a response to the crash of the Costa Concordia cruise ship off the Tuscan island of Giglio, which killed 32 people and inflicted severe environmental and archeological damage. Similar limits had already been enacted in every other port city in Italy after the wreck, where the cruise-ship industry carries less influence. The regional administrative court said the ban in Venice was inappropriate due to a lack of alternate routes for large cruise ships. The issue will be reopened at a hearing in June. "Now the government must hurry up and find solutions and take immediate measures for the good of the city and the lagoon ecosystem," said Legambiente. "Port operations must be reworked, moving the home port to (the nearby town of) Marghera, far from the fragile heart of the city...giving a new future to the city". Environmentalists have long warned that the lagoon surrounding Venice, itself a UNESCO heritage site, is at great risk.



Other experts warn that the thousand-year-old underwater wooden piles that prop up the city would crumble like toothpicks under the weight of a 114,500-ton cruise ship like the Costa Concordia. In addition, liners ushering tourists into the heart of the city disrupt the extremely fragile foundation of Venice and its medieval monuments by displacing massive amounts of water in the shallow lagoon. Over 650 cruise ships pass through the city annually. The ban would tighten daily limits on cruise liners, with no more than five ships over 40,000 tonnes allowed passage, obliging many ships to find alternative docking outside the city itself. Source : Gazette del Sud online

A case for volatility in the dry bulk market explained

The dry bulk market's pending recovery has been on the cards for some time now. While the first couple of months of 2014 did little to justify such a notion, the fact of the matter remains that oversupply of dry bulk carriers is gradually being addressed and the lower purchasing prices of the latest wave of newbuilding orders, mean that many ship owners are now better equipped to deal with the next downward cycle, whenever that comes, since they will have much lower break even points for the most part. Yet, the BDI (Baltic Dry Index), the market's yardstick, has managed to escape the first two months of the year, relatively unscathed, down of course, but not in crash mode. As such, the rebound of the past few weeks has been a welcoming sign of things to come.

So, what trigerred last mid-week's sudden drop of the BDI, mainly as a result of Cape rates plummeting? Was it a temporary glitch, as a result of the price performance of iron ore and other commodities or was it something else? According to Eva Tzima, Research Analyst with shipbroker Intermodal, who raised the questions above, it certainly is a matter worht further investigation. "For the past years, China, the world’s second largest economy, has been considered the pedestal upon which global shipping growth will find a stable footing. The outlook of the dry bulk trade itself, has been inextricably linked to the future of the country’s economy, and despite voices raising concerns every now and then regarding the sustainability of projected growth, formal figures provided by the Chinese government have been reassuring that the country would opt for growth at a slower gear in the coming years, yet a growth that would be more sustainable and at the same time sufficient to drag upwards with it a number of sectors left ailing post 2008", she noted.

Tzima went on to explain that "on Monday last week, news released over the weekend that China’s February exports unexpectedly dropped, sent shockwaves across the markets. This was in fact the biggest drop noted since the financial crisis and an even bigger blow on confidence regarding the country’s growth stability. The data revealed a 18.1% year-on-year decline, while an increase was originally expected. As imports continued growing simultaneously, the country’s trade balance has in fact switched from a surplus in January to a deficit at the end of February, the biggest deficit recorded in the Chinese economy in two years".

She added that "the immediate effect, of what was the biggest fall on Chinese exports since August 2009, was the plummeting of the iron ore price for delivery to China, which touched a 17 month low. As the country imports around 2/3 of the global seaborne iron ore, the dry bulk market was destined to feel a big chunk of the pressure mounted. Confidence has dropped quickly especially after the paper market for Q2 2014 took a substantial hit. Talks that due to pressure on commodity prices the Chinese were looking to cancel a number of dry bulk COAs, quickly circulated the

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market, with rumors mentioning up to forty April onwards soybeans cargoes from ECSA. At the same time, the Capesize Tubarao/Qingdao and Western Australia/China routes noted a sharp fall almost immediately and the domino effect pushed the BDI down" Tzima said.

According to the analyst, "currently the market is left a bit numb. The days following Wednesday saw the market noting small daily upticks across the board. It is very difficult at this stage to fully appreciate what the impact regarding Chinese growth will be. Between those who believe that the sharp fall was a correction that just didn’t materialize in a smooth manner and those who see China’s weakening growth shadowing heavily on the long awaited bright days of the dry bulk market, the truth can be most probably found somewhere in the middle. Maybe China’s economy will not grow at the estimated rate, and maybe last week’s glitch was actually a warning sign that shouldn’t be ignored, but at the same time, the fact is that rates are much healthier now than what they were a year ago, so instead of deciding whether the glass is half full or half empty, I am currently glad there is water in the glass", Tzima concluded. Source : Nikos Roussanoglou, Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide

DNV GL reduces the impact of variations in ship construction

DNV GL has launched a new service named Build2Design to help shipyards and shipowners improve the fuel economy of their ships by reducing variations in their building process.

Significant improvements have been achieved in the design of more fuel-efficient ships in recent years. The performance of these Eco-Ship designs has been documented by both Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and tank testing and some designs have also proven their performance in operation. However, questions have been raised about variations in performance and research has now shown a wide variation in different ships of the same design.

“We have compiled data that shows there is a large variation in fuel consumption between ships of the same design. This has led us to develop a new service, Build2Design, which aims at ensuring that the actual ship delivered is as good as its design,” says Michael Aasland, Business Director for Bulk Carriers at DNV GL. Dr Olav Rognebakke, Head of Hydrodynamics at DNV GL, adds: “Build2Design is based on a solid theoretical foundation combined with the latest technology and uses advanced CFD calculations to identify the parameters that affect fuel consumption and the effect of each individual parameter.” In developing the new service, DNV GL undertook a sensitivity analysis of over twenty parameters and considered both the complexity of addressing the parameter and the impact on fuel consumption of each parameter. The project’s results also show that the selection of the parameters will be design specific, since the flow around the ship hull varies from design to design. “We have taken a cost/benefit approach when selecting the parameters so that the shipowner obtains the maximum benefit with the minimum impact on the shipyard,” says Mr Aasland. “Just one of the parameters we are considering is the positioning and alignment of the bilge keel. Advanced CFD calculations show that a 0.5% reduction in resistance can be achieved by adjusting the position and angle,” he adds.

From the first pilot project carried out on the Green Dolphin 38 design, a conservative estimate shows that a saving of 2% can be achieved, which equates to 80 tonnes of fuel/year and a saving of USD 50,000/year. Corresponding figures for a typical Capesize bulk carrier are 200 tonnes of fuel/year and a saving of USD 120,000/year.

The new service is being rolled out this spring, both through the Green Dolphin 38 pilot project for Goldenport at CSI Jiangsu and the first commercial project based on a Seahorse 35 design for Graig Shipping at Jiangdong SY.

“Today, hull lines are optimised with much greater sophistication than only a few years ago,” says Mr Aasland. “DNV GL’s Build2Design service ensures that both yards and shipowners benefit from the latest research and best practices.” Source: DNV GL

Floating Into Ultra-Deepwater Since the start of 2010, the drillship fleet has grown 98% and the number of semi-subs capable of drilling in >5,000ft of water has grown 45%. This suggests increasing demand for rigs capable of drilling in deep and ultra-deep water, but how much is currently taking place at these depths?



the Far Sound and Far Sabre alongside the Jack Bates off NW Australia 16tyh March 2014.

Photo : Capt. Don Whelan - Master Far Sword ©

The Graph of the Month shows known current water depths in which active drilling rigs are deployed. Whilst jack-ups dominate shallow depths, floaters are drilling mostly in “midwater” (500-5,000ft), where 57% of semi-subs and 45%

of drillships are currently deployed. In deeper water (5,000-7,500ft), 19 >5,000ft semi-subs and 33 drillships are known to be currently drilling. However, only 10% of the active drillship fleet and only 1% of semi-subs are currently deployed in ultra-deepwater. Overall, this means that only half of the active drillships and less than a quarter (24%) of >5,000ft semi-subs are currently located in deep and ultra-deep water. Only 4% of the current floater fleet are currently deployed in ultra-deepwater.

Deeper Potential

Although the current active drilling fleet contains over 105 floaters capable of drilling in >7,500ft water depths, the graph shows that only 9 floaters are currently deployed at such depths. The remaining rigs are therefore deployed in water depths much shallower than their specifications allow.

For example, of the 25 rigs in the current active fleet capable of drilling in water depths 12,000ft or greater, only 5 are currently known to be drilling in ultra-deep water. Of the remainder, 8 are in deepwater and 12 are in midwater. Despite the fleet’s ability to drill in ultra-deepwater, present demand is at mid- and deepwater depths. The newer generations of floating MDUs have additional advantages in terms of technological sophistication (such as secondary derricks or drillfloor automation), which can make them attractive to operators that might not necessarily need their full depth capabilities. This can make them attractive in midwater harsh environments (e.g. in the North Sea).

Floater Flexibility

However, demand for ultra-deepwater drilling is increasing and expected to continue growing. Bearing this in mind, the orderbook for rigs capable of drilling >5,000ft remains strong (16 semi-subs of this ability and 76 drillships are currently on order). As ultra-deep fields are increasingly explored and developed it is anticipated that a greater share of floaters will be deployed in deeper water, maximising their capabilities. Ultra-deepwater is expected to be the most rapid source of future demand growth for floating MDUs. However, mid/deepwater demand will remain important. As shown, the existing fleet and orderbook is well equipped to cater for this shift. Depths in which floaters are deployed in the future depend on whether there is investment in next-generation specialist midwater floaters, equipped with the technical innovations of recent ultra-deep rigs. Alternatively, operators may prefer to add to rig supply for ultra-



deepwater drilling, which will still provide options for deployment in a broad range of water depths if required. Source: Clarksons

19-03-2014 : The SEN TREASURE IMO 9634907, 2013/18462gt, in to Melbourne off Portsea

Photo : Andrew Mackinnon – www.aquamanships.com ©

Rickmers to charter two 3,450 teu ships to Maersk

Rickmers Maritime has secured new employment for two of its vessels, the 3,450 teu Henry Rickmers (ex-Ital Fastosa) and Richard Rickmers (ex-Ital Festosa), which have been chartered to Maersk Line.

Henry Rickmers will be delivered to Maersk this week and Richard Rickmers two weeks later, Rickmers Maritime said in a stock market announcement. The two vessels are just coming off long-term eight-year charters with Italia Marittima, secured when they were newbuildings in 2006. The vessels are on initial one-year charters with an option to extend for a further year, with rates based on a floating rate, in turn based on an index agreed upon by both parties. Expected revenue for the first year will come up to around $5m.

Thomas Preben Hansen, ceo of trustee-manager Rickmers Trust Management said: "We are proud to reintroduce Maersk Line to our portfolio of premier liner companies. Whilst the charter market continues to be under tremendous pressure, it gives us confidence knowing that our modern and well-maintained ships remain competitive to the extent that the world's leading liner company has chosen to charter our ships ahead of the many competing candidates." Source: Seatrade Global

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NAVTOR signs e-navigation fleet agreement with DOF

E-navigation specialist NAVTOR has signed a landmark fleet agreement with DOF Management, the owner and operator of 78 advanced offshore service vessels. The deal will see NAVTOR’s innovative and user-friendly ENC service rolling out across DOF’s high-end CSVs, PSVs and AHTS vessels*, which operate in all key oil and gas regions worldwide.

DOF is an established global leader in the offshore sector, with a 30-year track record of success in providing cutting-edge vessels to some of the biggest names in the energy industry. It employs over 4000 members of staff and, after building its business in the North Sea, now boasts offices across the world, including Brazil, West Africa and the Asia Pacific region.

“This agreement marks a union between two innovators in their respective fields,” comments NAVTOR Business and Communications Manager Willy Zeiler. “DOF has led the way in supplying vessels and personnel that redefine standards in the offshore sector, providing outstanding service quality through advanced technology. NAVTOR has exactly the same philosophy. Our innovative products deliver genuine benefits, and that’s why we are emerging as a dominant force in the demanding offshore segment.” NAVTOR’s ENC Service is currently used by shipowners that control over 70% of the Norwegian offshore fleet, despite the fact that these vessels don’t fall under the IMO’s ECDIS Mandate (legislating that certain ships must use ENCs as their primary means of navigation).

The user-friendly solution is distributed on the pre-loaded USB-based NavStick, allowing navigators to instantly download global charts and licences to the ECDIS, while an online synchronisation feature ensures that the latest updates are available on demand. Time-consuming administration duties – such as checking for updates and ordering licences – are subsequently slashed, allowing navigators to focus on what’s really important in harsh offshore environments, navigating.

Nils Olav Troland, Operations Manager at DOF, arranged for the service to be trialed on two vessels – the Skandi Vega (AHTS) and Skandi Feistein (PSV), both of which serve clients in the North Sea – during the summer of 2013. The benefits, he notes, were compelling: “The simplicity and efficiency of NAVTOR’s ENC solution was clear. The installation, access to charts and updating is completely intuitive, and that saves time, which in turn translates to financial and efficiency benefits. In addition, reducing the administrative workload impacts positively upon safety and crew satisfaction. Two factors that are fundamentally important at DOF.”

Troland adds that NAVTOR’s PAYS (Pay As You Sail) subscription model also delivered a huge competitive advantage: “PAYS makes all charts freely available for planning purposes, only charging for the ENCs used for navigating during voyages. During the test period we saw the benefits of that, with our electronic chart costs on the two vessels falling by close to 50%. Now that could be because we were previously ordering too many charts, but with PAYS, where there’s no need to order and install new charts in advance, the management is so efficient that any ‘wastage’ is completely negated.”

DOF will also be taking advantage of NAVTOR’s NavTracker tool. This fleet management ‘app’, optimised for use on iOS and Android mobile devices, as well as internet-enabled computers, allows onshore teams to track vessels, giving them a full overview of ship location, chart usage and management (including a comprehensive overview of ENC updates).

“We aim to give shipowners such as DOF complete control over all their navigation needs and requirements,” states Zeiler. “Through constant innovation we can deliver constant service enhancements. That desire is maintaining our position at the forefront of the e-navigation industry.” NAVTOR’s ENC Service has already began rolling out across the DOF fleet, with further introductions continuing on an on-going basis as existing supplier agreements come to an end.

DOF is headquartered at Storebø, a small community south of Bergen, Norway. Other Norwegian offshore operators utilising NAVTOR’s ENC Service include Simon Møkster Shipping, Island Offshore, Troms Offshore, Havila Shipping, Siem Offshore, Remøy Shipping and OH Meling.

* Construction Support Vessels (CSVs), Platform Support Vessels (PSVs) and Anchor Handling Tug Supply Vessels (AHTS) Source: NAVTOR



Spotted in Miami – Photo : Peter Maanders ©

RoRo equipment contract for Damen is supported by MacGregor's extensive

experience with Canadian ferry services MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has secured a contract from Dutch shipbuilding group, Damen Shipyards, for the design and delivery of key components for RoRo access equipment for two 80m ice-class RoPax ferries destined to operate in Canada. The investment in these new vessels is part of the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Government's vessel renewal programme. The first ferry is scheduled for delivery in 2015 and will operate on the Fogo Island and Change Islands service. The second is scheduled for delivery in 2016 and will operate on the Bell Island service.

The ferries will each be equipped with MacGregor bow doors, a bow ramp/door, a stern ramp, shell doors and a hoistable car deck system. They are designed for operation in heavy ice conditions and will be able to carry up to 200 passengers and 60 vehicles.

MacGregor's RoRo experts have supported naval architects Fleetway and Knud E Hansen with design input for the cargo access equipment throughout the project's development phase. "We are using our extensive experience of designing and supplying equipment for ferries operating in Canadian waters to support Damen in building ferries that will deliver reliable scheduled services with optimised turnaround times," says Lars Öberg, Sales Manager, MacGregor RoRo. Previous deliveries of MacGregor access equipment for ferries in the region include Grand Manan Adventure for the Province of New Brunswick, Blue Puttees and Highlanders for Marine Atlantic, Northern Expedition for BC Ferries,

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Coastal Renaissance, Coastal Inspiration and Coastal Celebration for BC Ferries, and Grace Sparkes and Hazel McIsaac for Kiewit Offshore. Following an extensive evaluation process by Government representatives, Damen received the highest overall score of all the proposals as it "will provide the best value to the province and a high quality vessel that will be delivered on time and on budget".

NAVY NEWS

Successful Sea Acceptance Trials of Colombian Almirante Padilla class frigates

Thales and DCNS announce the comprehensive modernisation programme of the Colombian Navy’s four Almirante Padilla class frigates has been concluded with a successful Sea Acceptance Test of the class’s fourth ship. The contract with the Colombian authorities was signed early 2009, with DCNS acting as prime contractor and Thales as the lead systems integrator for the combat system and communications suite.

In the scope of this modernisation programme, Thales and local shipyard, Cotecmar, have installed and integrated the SMART-S Mk2 surveillance radar, STING EO Mk2 electro-optic weapon control system, MIRADOR optronic weapon control system, VIGILE

200S electronic support measures (ESM) system, communications systems and Terma’s SKWS decoys launching system, on the four Padilla class ships. Thales has also modernised the vessels’ Altesse communications intelligence (COMINT) systems. Source : Thales

Iranian Navy to Send 30th Flotilla on African Mission

Iran’s Navy plans to deploy its 30th fleet of warships to Africa in the next Iranian year (to start on March 21), a Navy commander announced.

Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari announced on Tuesday that the country’s 30th naval fleet is planned to be deployed to Africa next Iranian year in order to voyage around that continent.

He made the comments during a visit to an exhibition in Iran’s northern port city of Nowshahr, held to put the latest achievements of the country’s naval forces on display. The commander noted that such missions are part of a broader plan to increase the presence of Iranian naval forces in the international waters, both on board ships and submarines.

Sayyari further unveiled plans for a joint rescue and relief naval drill in cooperation with the Omani navy in the coming Iranian year. The upcoming joint exercise will be held on April 7, the commander noted, adding that it will extend over three days. The Islamic Republic of Iran and the Sultanate of Oman have already staged a number of other joint maritime drills in the past to raise the level of preparedness to handle a range of naval events. Source : Tasnim

New Wildcat aircraft drops in on HMS Dragon The Royal Navy’s Wildcat, the maritime attack variant of the Lynx helicopter, is currently undergoing extensive trials with 700W Naval Air Squadron. As part of those trials, the aircraft has been working at the MOD’s aerial range in Cardigan Bay.

From next year, Wildcat will begin to replace the Lynx Mark 8 as the helicopter which supports Royal Navy destroyer and frigate operations around the world. The inaugural arrival of Wildcat on HMS Dragon went seamlessly and the whole ship’s company got the chance to take a look at and admire the latest addition to the Fleet Air Arm . Captain Iain Lower, the Type 45’s commanding officer, said: Today is a small, but exciting, step in the progression of this new capability and I am delighted that HMS Dragon was able to help. I look forward to seeing what the aircraft



can do when we put it through its paces later this month.” After the brief visit, Wildcat will be a more permanent presence on board Dragon later this month as, for the first time, the helicopter is embarking on the ship for the latest Exercise Joint Warrior; a biannual exercise in which British and foreign armed forces hone their skills off the coast of Scotland for up to 3 weeks.

Lieutenant Commander Simon Collins presents HMS Dragon's commanding officer, Captain Iain Lower, with the

700W Naval Air Squadron crest Photo : Crown copyright

Lieutenant Commander Simon Collins, commanding officer of 700W Naval Air Squadron, flew over to HMS Dragon with his squadron colleagues. He said: This year will be one of many firsts for the Wildcat crews as we work with our industry partners to get the aircraft to sea as soon as we can. Deck landings on board a Type 45 at sea are a real milestone and it was a pleasure to join the HMS Dragon team to show them what Wildcat can do.” The Wildcat roll-out programme continues apace, and plans are in motion for the current flight to be the first to complete operational sea training with a Type 23 frigate in the autumn. Source : Gov.Uk

The rise and fall of SSV-33 Ural At one time, The Titan of Soviet reconnaissance monitored the entire northern Pacific Ocean, intercepting radio communications by the air force and navy and submarine defence of the US and Japan. But its fortunes went steadily downhill from there. The SSV-33 Ural was a gargantuan nuclear-powered vessel launched in 1983. Equipped with state-of-the-art reconnaissance technology, it was one of the most advanced craft of its day. Yet the caprices of history meant that it was ultimately destined for obscurity. It was from construction berth ‘A’ of Leningrad’s (now St. Petersburg’s) Baltiysk shipyard, where aft sections of the French “Mistral”-class amphibious assault ships are now

being built for the Russian Navy, that an extraordinary vessel slid down the slipway in 1983. It was comparable in its dimensions to the Orlan-class heavy Soviet nuclear cruiser and similar in displacement tonnage to the Indian Navy flagship aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya. The triple-masted Soviet vessel was 265 metres long (four metres longer than the French aircraft

carrier Charles de Gaulle) and 30 metres wide. While it had no missile systems or flight deck, its size and the inclusion of a radar dome indicated its strategic designation.



After the adoption by the United States of the concept of a “decapitation strike” (a pre-emptive nuclear strike that aims to knock out the enemy’s command and control capabilities) in the early 1970s and the modification of US forward base systems in Western Europe, tensions with the Soviet Union intensified once again. In 1979 the decision was taken to deploy 572 Pershing-2 missiles in Europe, creating further unprecedented pressure on the Soviet Union to monitor potential launches of ballistic missiles from any point on the globe.

Soviet intelligence focused attention on Kwajalein Atoll, 3,900 kilometres south of Honolulu, which became the US test ground for anti-missile defence systems, Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missiles and the new Peacekeeper missiles. However, the Soviet Union had neither naval bases nor electronic surveillance facilities (like the Lourdes spy base on Cuba) in this part of the world. It was this reality that in the 1970s compelled the Soviet leadership to consider equipping a giant reconnaissance vessel with extensive autonomous (i.e. nuclear powered) capabilities to operate off the coast of the US and the atoll test grounds in the Pacific.

Such a ship would be capable of gathering data on any sub-orbital objects in flight anywhere in the world. And so Project 1941, or “Titan”, was born, implemented on one of the most unusual ships in naval history, the SSV-33 Ural.

The ship’s primary weapon was the “Coral” radio-reconnaissance system, which had been under development by the Vympel (“pennant”) scientific production centre since 1975.

Its seven powerful constituent radio electronic systems and a number of ES-1046 and Elbrus super computers were designed to track missile launches, determine the type of rocket, range and launch site and target coordinates, payload weight and telemetric data, even down to the chemical composition of the rocket fuel used.

This unique complex of systems could pinpoint any target, monitor communications channels, track satellites and identify the specifications of any spacecraft from a distance of 1,500 kilometres. More than 200 scientific institutes, design bureaus, factories and other organizations were involved in constructing Titan, which was essentially a floating base where numerous specialists gathered and analyzed data in various laboratories.

The ship had a crew of almost 1,000, and, besides its military and scientific functions, had billiard rooms, sports halls, cinemas, two saunas and a swimming pool. After fine-tuning work was completed in 1988, the Ural went into service as the flagship of the reconnaissance section of the Pacific Fleet. On September 20, 1989 a Japanese Foreign Ministry cable reporting “an enormous nuclear vessel of unknown specification west of the island of Okinawa” revealed to the world the arrival of the reconnaissance behemoth at its permanent station.

Russian stealth frigate and Dutch submarine at IMDS in St. Petersburg

All on-board systems were tested during the voyage from the Baltic Sea to the Far East, pinpointing from 1,000 kilometres away the launch from the United States of the space shuttle Columbia and two electro-optical and spy satellites deployed under the US Star Wars program. However, the Ural was destined never to reach Kwajalein Atoll. Its initial period of teething troubles coincided with the collapse of the Soviet Union, when even the most thoroughly tested and trusted vessels lost their combat readiness during long mooring periods.

Moreover, the infrastructure needed to maintain the Titan had not yet been built and it had to be left at anchor running on its electrical reserves. The Ural monitored the entire northern part of the Pacific Ocean, intercepting radio communications by the air force and navy and submarine defence of the United States and Japan. But its fortunes went steadily downhill from there. In 1990 a faulty cable ignited a fire in the aft engine room and in 1992 both reactors were finally shut down. Thereafter, this unique ship, unparalleled by any other, was used as a hostel for the fleet’s junior officer corps and was irreverently nicknamed the “bunkbed carrier”. After one active tour of duty, the ship was decommissioned in 2001 and moored on a remote wharf beside the missile cruiser Admiral Lazarev (formerly the Frunze) before it was sent to the scrap yard in 2010. Source : Russia & India report

SHIPYARD NEWS Korea Shipyard to Build Icebreaking

LNG Carrier Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) has won the first battle in the war among the shipbuilders to obtain orders for vessels to participate in the Russian Arctic 'Yamal Project' by getting the world’s first order for an icebreaking LNG carrier, reports BusinessKorea. The South Korean shipbuilder informed BusinessKorea that it received the order worth US$367.4 million from Russia’s state-run shipper Sovcomflot, and will deliver the vessel by the end of



June 2016. The 170,000 m³-level carrier will be used in developing a gas field in the Yamal Peninsula, western Siberia, by Yamal LNG Co., a joint venture between Russian gas company Novatech, French Total, and Chinese CNPC.

The vessel is the first of 16 icebreaking LNG carriers orders worth US$4.8 billion in total, which DSME has been contracted to build for the Yamal gas project. Source: BusinessKorea / MarineLink

The CSD HUTA 12 fitting out at the IHC Merwede in Kinderdijk

Photo : FLYING FOCUS luchtfotografie - www.flyingfocus.nl ©

Nobel Bros Shipyard lays keel of diesel-electric passenger ship of PV09 design Rybisnk, Russia based Nobel Brothers Shipyard (part of Moscow Shipbuilding, Repair Yard) on March 18, 2014 held a keel-laying ceremony for M-PR class comfortable cruise passenger ship of Project PV09 (Hull No 100), the series developer Marine Engineering Bureau said. The PV09 series cruise passenger ship is designed for voyages on European inland waterways of Russia, including through the network of Volga-Baltic, Volga-Don and the White Sea-Baltic canals, across the Volga, Moscow River, on the lines connecting the ports of Moscow, St. Petersburg and Byelomorsk via the White Sea-Baltic Canal, including cruises in the White Sea and to the Solovetsky Islands, in the Gulf of Finland,

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Caspian, Azov and Black seas. The vessel's air draft allows the ship to pass under bridges on the Moscow River. The three-decker has a vertical stem and transom aft end, amidship double-deck superstructure with fore wheelhouse and aft engine room. The Ice20 class ship is powered by diesel-electric propulsion system, including two controllable-pitch screws, rudders and bow thrusters.

The ship's general characteristics: LOA - 95.88 m, LWL - 94.30 m, breadth, overall - 13,80 m, breadth WL - 13.00 m, depth to main deck - 3.80 m overall height to the top edge of fixed parts at draft 1.80 m - 8.80 m, LWL draft - 1.80m; endurance - 10 days; LWL draft displacement - 1860 tonnes, the number of decks - 3 for accommodations and 1 promenade deck; operational speed - about 22.5 km / h, max speed - about 25 km / h; RRR class: M-PR 2.5 (Ice 20) A. Nobel Brothers Shipyard LLC based in Rybinsk of Russia was founded in 1907. Today, this is the largest shipbuilding firm in the Upper Volga: the yard encompasses 214,000 sq. km, the company's workforce is 500 employees. The shipyard specializes in the construction, maintenance, repair and refitting of sea-going and river multipurpose vessels with 6500DWT, a length of 140 m, beam of 17 m and launching weight of 2700 tonnes. The range includes dry bulk carriers, tankers, barges, container ships, timber carriers, diving support and hydrographic vessels, harbour vessels, workboats, oil boom-laying boats; hulls of various types and modern comfortable yachts. Source : PortNews

Ingalls Shipbuilding Awarded $602 Million Destroyer Contract

Huntington Ingalls Industries' (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division has received a $602 million contract modification to fund construction of the Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) guided missile destroyer DDG 119 for the U.S. Navy. The yet-to-be-named ship is the second of five DDG 51 destroyers the company was awarded in June 2013. The modification also includes an additional $79.4 million in advance procurement for future destroyers.

"The timely execution of this contract modification will enable us to maintain a stable work flow on the DDG 51 class program," said DDG 51 Program Manager George Nungesser. "It also allows us to achieve our learning curve targets and keep our highly skilled workforce focused on building affordable ships."

skilled workforce from ship to ship. With the five-ship contract, Ingalls will be building DDGs over the next decade.

Ingalls has delivered 28 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers to the Navy and currently has two more under construction. Ingalls laid the keel for John Finn (DDG 113) in November 2013 and will lay the keel for Ralph Johnson (DDG 114) in the third quarter of 2014. Start of fabrication for Paul Ignatius (DDG 117), the first ship of the multi-year contract, will also take place in the third quarter of 2014. Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are highly capable, multi-mission ships that can conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection, all in support of the United States' military strategy. Destroyers are capable of simultaneously fighting air, surface and subsurface battles. The ship contains myriad offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime defense needs well into the 21st century.

ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES The Netherlands remains the largest maritime freight transport country in

the EU The Netherlands has remained the largest maritime freight transport country in Europe since 2010. At 543 million tonnes, the volume of seaborne goods handled in Dutch ports in 2012 represented 14.6 % of the EU-28 total. The Netherlands was followed by the United Kingdom (UK) and Italy, with shares of 13.4 % and 12.8 %, respectively. Spain remained the fourth largest and France the fifth largest EU maritime freight transport country in 2012. Ports in the candidate country Turkey handled 375 million tonnes of goods in 2012, placing it between Spain and France in terms of total volume of seaborne goods, Port of Rotterdam Authority said in its press release.



Inward movement of goods to the EU-28 countries decreased by 2.3 % in 2012 and accounted for about 61 % of the total tonnage of goods handled in EU-28 ports. Much of this inward tonnage is made up of considerable inward volumes of liquid bulk goods, such as crude oil and oil products.

In general, more seaborne goods are unloaded than loaded in the majority of EU countries. Cyprus had the highest share of total tonnage unloaded in 2012, followed by Malta and the Netherlands. However, for Romania and Bulgaria (agricultural products), the three Baltic countries (oil products) and the EEA country Norway (crude oil), outward movement of goods prevailed. Liquid bulk goods accounted for 39 % of the total tonnage of cargo handled in the main EU-28 ports in 2012, followed by dry bulk goods, containerised goods and Ro-Ro mobile units (Table 2). The largest tonnage of liquid bulk goods was handled in Dutch ports (274 million tonnes), followed by the UK (211 million tonnes) and Italy (196 million tonnes). Estonia recorded the highest share of liquid bulk goods as a percentage of the total tonnage handled in its main ports (65 %), reflecting large volumes of outward movements of oil products from Russia. Dutch ports’ handling of dry bulk goods was by far the largest in the EU in 2012 (131 million tonnes), but lower than the candidate country Turkey (148 million tonnes).

Container transport was the dominant type of cargo in Germany (44 %) and Belgium (42 %), but the largest volumes of goods in containers were handled in Spain (133 million tonnes) and Germany (128 million tonnes). The share of Ro-Ro units in the total tonnage of goods was highest for Denmark and Sweden (28 % and 27 %, respectively). However, in tonnage terms, the United Kingdom (94 million tonnes) and Italy (86 million tonnes) had the largest quantities of goods transported on Ro-Ro mobile units in 2012. Source : PortNews

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AUTOMATICALLY IF THE MAIL IS BOUNCED BACK TO OUR SERVER If this happens to you please send me a mail at [email protected] to reactivate

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Moore Stephens says Budget 2014 continues stable tax regime for UK shipping

International accountant and shipping adviser Moore Stephens say the UK government’s Budget 2014, issued on 19 March 2014, is good news for UK shipping as it ensures the continuation of a stable UK tax regime for shipping, as has been the case for the past few years. Moore Stephens tax partner Sue Bill says, “Overall, Budget 2014 is fairly neutral for shipping. The main surprise is the restriction of the proposed rules on capping the amount of tax relief for intra-group leasing payments for large offshore oil and gas assets under bareboat charters to certain assets only, reducing the impact on the shipping sector. The scope of the measure will be limited to drilling rigs and offshore accommodation vessels. All other vessels, including FPSOs, seismic vessels and heavy lift vessels, will be excluded.


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“Following consultation with industry, a number of other changes have also been made to the proposed rules; the government will review the impact of the measure a year after implementation; the cap on the bareboat deduction will be increased from 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent; and the pro-rata calculation will be based on worldwide use of the vessel. Draft legislation will be published on 1 April 2014, when the measure will come into effect.”

A number of other announcements were made in the Budget which will affect the UK’s oil and gas sector. Sue Bill explains, “The Treasury will review the oil and gas fiscal regime to ensure that it continues to incentivise economic recovery, the government will be consulting on a new allowance to support investment in ultra-high-pressure, high-temperature projects, and it will work with industry to ensure that the UK has the right skills to benefit from the country’s oil and gas resources. “Other measures which may be of interest to UK shipping groups include the government’s decision to extend the UK tax rules applying to high-value UK residential property held by non-natural persons, so that they will also apply to properties worth between £500,000 and £2 million. Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) will apply at 15 percent on acquisition of a residential property, and there will be an annual tax on enveloped dwellings (ATED), and capital gains tax at 28 percent on any gain on disposal. “Finally, the government has continued to emphasise its commitment to tackling tax avoidance and aggressive tax planning on the part of large businesses exploiting international tax rules in order to avoid paying tax, for example, by manipulating the UK transfer pricing rules or exploiting double tax treaties. Additional anti-avoidance rules have been announced. For example, where companies transfer profits within a group in order to obtain a corporation tax advantage, the position will be as though the transfer had not taken place. Further rules will be introduced to prevent the artificial use of dual contracts by non-domiciled individuals. “

Moore Stephens LLP is noted for a number of industry specialisations and is widely acknowledged as a leading shipping and insurance adviser. Moore Stephens LLP is a member firm of Moore Stephens International Limited, one of the world's leading accounting and consulting associations, with 667 offices of independent member firms in 105 countries, employing 27,081 people and generating revenues in 2013 of $2.7 billion.

BMT Fleet Technology Welcomes New President

BMT Fleet Technology Ltd (BMT), a subsidiary of BMT Group Ltd, the leading international maritime design, engineering and risk management consultancy, has announced the appointment of Darcy Byrtus as President.

Darcy joins BMT from General Dynamics Canada where he held the post of Director of Business Development for Naval Programs and Project Management. There, he was responsible for the strategic planning, opportunity identification and pursuit for all naval programs and for the promotion of General Dynamics’ capabilities to the Canadian Department of National Defence. With over 30 years’ experience in the management of defence projects, Darcy’s previous assignments included requirements analysis, design development and review, cost control monitoring and contract compliance. With a dual Masters in Naval Architecture and Mechanical Engineering from MIT and a degree in Physics and Oceanography from Royal Roads Military College, he served in the Royal Canadian Navy as a Marine Systems Engineering Officer, a Ship Naval Architect and an Engineering Manager. Darcy is a member of the Project Management Institute, and a past President of the Ottawa Branch of the Canadian Institute of Marine Engineers. Commenting on his new appointment, Darcy Byrtus says: ““I am looking forward to working with the team at BMT Fleet Technology and its clients to continue delivering leading edge engineering, research and management services to the defence, oil and gas and shipbuilding industries.” David Bright, BMT’s Sector Director for Defence comments: “We are pleased to welcome Darcy to BMT, in an appointment that will continue to support our position in the global defence market. Darcy brings with him a wealth of knowledge in the project management of complex defence projects which will no doubt be invaluable to BMT’s future development plans.”

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OLDIE – FROM THE SHOEBOX

Jürgen Schlanstedt of Halberstadt, a modeller of DSR-Liners, will soon start to build a new model of FERDINAND FREILIGRATH, the former PRINS WILLEM VAN ORANJE, built by N.V. Boele's Scheepv. at Bolnes in 1953 (see photo above ) Help is requested from other readers to seek plans of this ship and you, readers are the obvious persons to ask! Many thanks for any help you can provide Photo : Coll. Malcolm Cranfield

…. PHOTO OF THE DAY …..

The OCEANCO built newbuilding yacht Y 709 left the builders for yard trials – Photo : Kees Torn ©

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