Seaway Heavy Lifting - Welkom bij Maasmond Maritime
Transcription
Seaway Heavy Lifting - Welkom bij Maasmond Maritime
DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 133 Number 133 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Thursday 15-05-2008 News reports received from readers and Internet News articles taken from various news sites. Seaway Heavy Lifting Offshore installation • • • Platform installations and removals Globally available 5000 mt crane capacity Seaway Heavy Lifting c/o Chroomstraat 30, 2718 RR Zoetermeer The Netherlands The first load of suction anchors for the Sevan Voyageur seen underway from Bladt in Ålborg to Hanøytangen for installation with the Mærsk Attender. Tug 'Bamse' of Bukser og Berging and the barge Viking 8 Photo : Dave Talloen © Distribution : daily 4225+ copies worldwide Page 1 5/14/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 133 IF YOU HAVE PICTURES OR OTHER SHIPPING RELATED INFORMATION FOR THE NEWS CLIPPINGS ?? PLEASE SEND THIS TO : [email protected] CONTENTS • • • • • • • • • • EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS Holland America Line viert vier dagen feest in Rotterdam Falkland Islands: Protegat on fishery patrol soon Chinese arms ship returns with lethal cargo Illegal tuna fishing boats in Pacific waters: Greenpeace BC Ferries' new delivery visits London Liftboat salvage starts Unsafe Manning Waterpolitie stopt illegale passagiersvaart op het IJ 25 tankers with Azeri oil sailed away from Ceyhan port in April 2008 CASUALTY REPORTING New Zealand Star towed into port NAVY NEWS • • • • Vlootschouw voor Vlootdagen Burmese Navy Decimated in Cyclone Arrival HMS Superb faces Spanish criticism Reagan, strike group preparing to deploy • • • • Beira dry dock back in service Security upgrade for shipyard $5.8 million Navy award to BAE Norfolk Ship Repair VT expects end to delays over £3.8bn aircraft carrier project • • • • • • • • • • • • • • SHIPYARD NEWS ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES STENA LINE RELOCATES TO NEW TERMINAL AT BELFAST PORT DA VINCI SOLD FOR US$ 10 MILLION Havenbedrijf en Oman bouwen haven Sohar verder uit Fugro rekent op fors hogere omzet en winst New contracts for Dockwise Varun Shipping to Invest $300m WEAK VLGC MARKET HITS BW GAS Mammoth joins Boa fleet Greatship takes delivery of Amrita Singapore's NOL Q1 net profit almost triples National Iranian Tanker Co. books another VLCC COSCO orders 4 container ships for $280m SAL LATEST THE ANNE SOFIE Ferries hit by truckers' strike Distribution : daily 4225+ copies worldwide Page 2 5/14/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 133 EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS HIGH DEEP HEAVY EURO DEMOLITION BV Lijndenweg 5, NL 1948 ND BEVERWIJK www.eurodemolition.com Holland America Line viert vier dagen feest in Rotterdam Tal van evenementen omlijsten doop van nieuw schip ms Eurodam door koningin Beatrix Met de doop van de ms. Eurodam introduceert de Holland America Line een nieuwe serie luxe cruiseschepen: de Signature-klasse. Koningin Beatrix doopt de Eurodam op 1 juli in Rotterdam. In navolging van de doop van de ms. Oosterdam, precies vijf jaar geleden door prinses Margriet, rekent de rederij op grote belangstelling tijdens het bijna vier dagen durende verblijf van de Eurodam in Rotterdam. Het schip vaart op zondagmorgen 29 juni voor de eerste keer de haven van Rotterdam binnen. Distribution : daily 4225+ copies worldwide Page 3 5/14/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 133 Speciaal voor alle liefhebbers van cruiseschepen arriveert de Eurodam niet al te vroeg: om 09.00 uur passeert het schip Hoek van Holland, om 11.00 uur ligt het afgemeerd voor de Holland-Amerikakade bij de cruise terminal in het centrum van Rotterdam. Diezelfde avond vaart de Eurodam weer uit voor een korte reis met gasten, om maandagmorgen in alle vroegte terug te keren. De doop van de Eurodam door koningin Beatrix vindt plaats op dinsdag 1 juli, ’s middags om 16.00 uur in aanwezigheid van enkele honderden genodigden. Voor gasten is er die avond nog een gala aan boord van de Eurodam, waarna de festiviteiten om 23.15 uur worden afgesloten met een groots vuurwerk op de Nieuwe Maas. Tijdens het verblijf in Rotterdam ontvangt Holland America Line enkele duizenden gasten aan boord. De reeks evenementen start al op zondagmorgen kort na aankomst met ontvangst van studenten van de Nederlandse hotel- en maritieme opleidingen. Verder zijn er onder meer ontvangsten voor medewerkers van reisbureaus, voor gepensioneerden van de Holland America Line en voor leden van De Lijn, de Nederlandse vereniging van (oud-)werknemers van de rederij. Tijdens mini-cruise van zondag op maandag is er een Rotterdam Business Gala. Op de kade naast de cruise terminal zullen souvenirs van Holland America Line worden verkocht. De Eurodam is het eerste schip in de zogeheten Signature-klasse, een nieuwe serie schepen waarmee de Holland America Line weer een stap verder gaat in de ontwikkeling. De Eurodam telt elf dekken voor passagiers. Nieuw zijn een pan-Aziatisch restaurant en lounge op het Observation-dek, de Explore’s Lounge Bar, een Italiaans restaurant op het Lido-dek, een juwelier, een vernieuwde bar in het atrium, een aangepast configuratie van het grote theater en een foto- en printcentrum. Via de Nederlandse internetsite van de Holland America Line (www.hollandamerica.nl) kan al wel een kijkje aan boord worden genomen. Ook is er een speciaal Eurodam-weblog met dagelijks nieuwe interessante informatie over het schip. Het weblog wordt nu al dagelijks door bijna duizend mensen bezocht. Neem voor meer informatie over reizen met Holland America Line contact op met een reisagent of bel 0900-SAILHAL (0900-7245425), of bezoek de website: www.hollandamerica.nl Falkland Islands: Protegat on fishery patrol soon AN end is in sight to the certification and compliance issues the new fishery patrol vessel Protegat is facing, the Director of Fisheries has said. John Barton said the issues related to the Protegat’s change from a fishing vessel classification to merchant vessel classification had taken longer than anticipated: “All involved are hopeful that the end is in sight and the Protegat will be here pronto,” he said. The use of HMS Clyde as a back up for fishery patrol duties has been explored, Cllr Andrea Clausen confirmed last week. She said the military had been approached to ask if access to Clyde could be allowed on a temporary basis and that this was still being worked on. She said that while the window without a fishery patrol vessel had been larger than hoped, patrolling had still been carried out: “We have had a patrol by [South Georgia’s patrolship] Pharos and there has been an increased level of aircraft surveillance. We know what’s going on out there and there has been no illegal activity to my knowledge.” Cllr Clausen added that she was chairing a strategic review group on fishery research and patrol: “We are having our final meeting next week Distribution : daily 4225+ copies worldwide Page 4 5/14/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 133 and will make recommendations to Executive Councillor on the way forward for securing fisheries protection in the Falkland Islands.” Source : Penguin News VLIERODAM WIRE ROPES Ltd. wire ropes, chains, hooks, shackles, webbing slings, lifting beams, crane blocks, turnbuckles etc. Nijverheidsweg 21 3161 GJ RHOON The Netherlands Telephone: (+31)105018000 (+31) 105015440 (a.o.h.) Fax : (+31)105013843 Internet & E-mail www.vlierodam.nl [email protected] Chinese arms ship returns with lethal cargo THE International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) has described as "laughable" claims by a senior Zimbabwean government official that the arms shipment carried by a Chinese ship had made its way into that country. The ITF, along with many other international trade unions and civil society, actively campaigned that the ship, An Yue Jiang, not be allowed to offload the weapons ordered by the Zimbabwean government at regional harbours. It left Luanda on Tuesday last week after it was allowed to refuel and the ITF said by late Friday morning the ship was approximately 120 nautical miles off the coast of Namibia, in international waters, making around 8,5 knots, a slower speed than before because it is sailing against the Benguela current. It was well outside of Namibian territorial waters and was expected to reach Cape Town by late tonight. It carries three million rounds of AK-47 ammunition, 1 500 rocket-propelled grenades and more than 3 000 mortar rounds and mortar tubes. The ship was recalled after pressure from civil society in the region and the refusal by dockworkers at Durban harbour to offload the weapons and later from Beira port in Mozambique, where it was refused permission to dock. The ITF helped mobilise trade unions across southern Africa to block the delivery of the arms for Zimbabwe, and make it impossible for them to be removed from the ship on land or sea. "For over two weeks ordinary working men and women have kept these bullets and bombs out of the hands of Mugabe's killers. That work continues. The ship and its cargo of destruction remain under close watch. Any attempt to further arm the government of Zimbabwe will be resisted," said ITF General Secretary David Cockroft. Cockroft also dismissed claims by Zimbabwe that the arms shipment was in his possession as "empty propaganda of someone who doesn't know when he's beaten". Source : namibian.com Illegal tuna fishing boats in Pacific waters: Greenpeace Distribution : daily 4225+ copies worldwide Page 5 5/14/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 133 Greenpeace says it has found evidence of illegal tuna fishing in the Pacific by Philippine-registered boats. Greenpeace says its ship Esperanza discovered the fishing boat in international waters between Papua New Guinea and the Federated States of Micronesia last week. One of the campaigners on board the Esperanza, Lagi Toribau, says the vessel - Queen Evelyn 168 - was discovered during a patrol by the Esperanza's helicopter next to a fishing boat in company with a mothership, which are both legally allowed to be in the area. "We managed to confirm that Queen Evelyn 168 was an unauthorised, illegal vessel, that was here in the Pacific," he said. Greenpeace says all three boats are registered in the Phillipines and once they were discovered, immediately left the area. Source : abc.net.au BC Ferries' new delivery visits London BC Ferries' MV Coastal Celebration was in London, England earlier this week as it made a special promotional stop on its delivery voyage to British Columbia from its builder, Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG), in Germany. The 160-m brand new vessel, the largest double ended ferry in the world, made its way up the Thames and moored just east of historic Tower Bridge. It is one of BC Ferries' new Super C Class vessels BC Ferries Executive Vice President of New Vessel Construction, Captain Trafford Taylor, departed the vessel and delivered an official invitation to the City of London to come to beautiful British Columbia, Canada and the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralymic Winter Games. The MV Coastal Celebration is a giant "floating billboard" dedicated to promoting both tourism in British Columbia and the Vancouver 2010 Games. The large photographic decals are the largest marine application of printed graphics ever undertaken in the world and were created in collaboration with 2010 Olympic sponsor 3M Canada. The boldly visible vessel was viewed by thousands of Londoners and U.K. visitors as it made its way up the Thames River into the heart of the city Source : MarineLog REDWISE MARITME SERVICES B.V. Amersfoortseweg 12-E 3751 LK Bunschoten-Spakenburg The Netherlands Phone : +31 (0) 33 42 17 860 (24 hr) Fax : +31 (0) 33 42 17 879 - [email protected] www.redwise.com Distribution : daily 4225+ copies worldwide Page 6 5/14/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 133 Liftboat salvage starts According to the U.S. Coast Guard, Aqua Survey, Inc. has contracted Delmarva Salvage Company in conjunction with Tow Boat US to conduct a salvage operation on the research vessel Russell W. Peterson, a liftboat that grounded yesterday near Bethany Beach, Del. The salvage operation commenced about noon. There is sheen coming from the vessel, however, the impact to the environment is deemed minimal. The factors for the abandonment and eventual grounding are still being determined by Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay in Philadelphia. Source : MarineLog Unsafe Manning India’s shipping regulator has temporarily relaxed the staffing, or so-called manning requirements, for bulk carriers from four officers to three in an attempt to help the industry tackle a shortage of officers. The relaxation in manning requirements will apply to the so-called deck-side of Indian registered bulk carriers and not to the engineering side. The country has around 1,000 officers less than it needs, according to industry estimates. The new rules will be tried out for six months. The move by the Directorate General of Shipping, or DGS, will apply to the so-called deck-side (or management function) of Indian registered bulk carriers, with a cargo carrying capacity of less than 30,000 tonnes. Under the new manning requirements, such ships will now have one master, one chief officer and a second officer. The requirement for a third officer has been dispensed with. On the engineering side, the existing manning requirements of four will continue. Bulk carriers are ships that carry commodities such as iron ore, coal, steel and grains. Apart from helping them tackle a shortage of officers, the move will also help shipping companies save around $5,000 (Rs2.1 lakh) a month in terms of the salary paid to an officer. And because shipping firms that operate more than one ship need to keep a certain number of reserve officers on their rolls (this number, too, comes down proportionately), they can look forward to more savings. For instance, the staterun Shipping Corp. of India Ltd, or SCI, which owns 20 bulk carriers, will now save on 34 positions, including those of reserve officers. “More than the savings, this will lead to reduction in demand for officers. People were just not available in the market,” said Kailash Gupta, director in charge of personnel and administration at SCI. India has more than 70 dry bulk carriers owned by SCI, Great Eastern Shipping Co. Ltd, Essar Shipping Ltd, Mercator Lines Ltd, Apeejay Surrendra Group, Poompuhar Shipping Corp. Ltd, West Asia Maritime Ltd and Five Stars Shipping Co. Pvt. Ltd. DGS has said the reduction is applicable for both the domestic and international movements of dry bulk carriers. “The rate of accidents and general efficiency of adherence to nautical and safety certification requirements will be studied Distribution : daily 4225+ copies worldwide Page 7 5/14/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 133 during this period to decide if the dispensation should be extended or made into a national regulation and revised safe manning documents should be issued, or should be withdrawn,” DGS said in its order. SCI’s Gupta claimed there had been several instances of ships being held up because they were not able to meet the manning requirements prescribed by the maritime regulator, resulting in significant losses to shipping lines. Local shipowners had asked the regulator to reduce the manning requirements for bulk carriers. “We are happy that the longstanding demand put forth by the Indian shipowners to DGS have been finally accepted. In times when Indian ship owners are already facing a tremendous shortage of manpower, this is a welcome step,” said Great Eastern Shipping’s official spokesperson. The country’s largest private shipping company, Great Eastern Shipping, has eight bulk carriers, with a cargo carrying capacity below 30,000 tonnes . According to a study by Baltic and International Maritime Council and the International Shipping Federation, globally, the shortage of ship officers is likely to touch 27,000 by 2015, up from the current number of 10,000. Source : ShipTalk Waterpolitie stopt illegale passagiersvaart op het IJ De Waterpolitie van het Korps landelijke politiediensten (KLPD) in Amsterdam heeft op Koninginnedag zeven schepen stilgelegd omdat er sprake was van illegale passagiersvaart. De in totaal 428 passagiers van deze schepen konden hun reis niet voortzetten. Alle schepen waren niet voorzien van de voorgeschreven documenten en vergunningen. De Waterpolitie controleerde in totaal twaalf schepen en bij zeven bleek dat er tegen betaling passagiers vervoerd werden zonder dat voor de betrokken schepen een Certificaat van Onderzoek en aan de eigenaren een exploitatievergunning was afgegeven. Het Certificaat van Onderzoek geeft aan dat het schip wat bouw, uitrusting en reddingsmiddelen betreft voldoet aan de eisen die gesteld worden aan het vervoer van passagiers. De exploitatievergunning wordt door de gemeente afgegeven. Bovendien waren sommige schippers ook niet in het bezit van het vereiste vaarbewijs. Aan boord van de schepen werden grote hoeveelheden drank aangetroffen. Uitschieter was een vaartuig met ruim honderd personen die samen ruim tienduizend euro hadden betaald. In de CBRB-bijeenkomst over handhaving, vorige week tijdens de beurs Construction & Shipping Industry in Gorinchem, werd het onderwerp beunhazerij in de branche eveneens aangekaard door een passagiersschipper, die de waterpolitie vroeg om optreden: 'Het gaat om passagiersvaart met meer dan twaalf personen, die valt onder SI. Schepen met dertig, veertig man - totaal onveilig. Praktijkvoorbeeld: barbeque-boten met een gasbarbeque midden tussen de mensen waar niet tegen opgetreden wordt.' Diensthoofd Peter van Haasteren van de KLPD Waterpolitie kon er weinig over zeggen: 'Dat nemen wij ons kwalijk. Graag wat details.' Het CBRB zorgt voor aanvullende informatie, beloofde Ton Roos: 'Dit is nou typisch een thema waarbij, als het fout gaat, men zegt: 'Dit nooit meer!'' De Dienst Waterpolitie van het Korps Landelijke Politie Diensten zit middenin de ontwikkeling naar steeds meer 'informatiegestuurde politie', vertelde Van Haasteren. 'Eerst nadenken, dan doen' is het motto, (voor)kennis is belangrijk en mensen vanuit de opleiding meteen in de beroepsvaart laten controleren vindt hij 'vragen om moeilijkheden'. Alle inspecties worden geregistreerd, zodat politiemensen die aan boord gaan van tevoren op de hoogte zijn van wat er speelt. De kunst van het handhaven is volgens Van Haasteren juist niet te hoeven handhaven, omdat controles al aan 'de voorkant' worden gedaan, met nadruk op een ketenbenadering. De Waterpolitie investeert meer in risicoanalyses in overleg met de branche, en als niet de schippers maar de afzenders verantwoordelijk blijken, worden die aangesproken op fouten. Zo kan het gebeuren dat er tijdens drie dagen controle in de Rotterdamse haven geen Distribution : daily 4225+ copies worldwide Page 8 5/14/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 133 schipper wordt bekeurd. De 3500 controles op binnenvaartschepen en de 750 controles op zeeschepen die de Waterpolitie jaarlijks doet, resulteren volgens Van Haasteren toch al vaker in waarschuwingen dan in bekeuringen. Bron : Vaart ! 25 tankers with Azeri oil sailed away from Ceyhan port in April 2008 From July 2006 to May 1, 2008, 454 tankers with Azeri Light oil sailed away from Turkish port Ceyhan, carried there via Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. Azerbaijan International Operating Company (AIOC) informed that in April it was shipped 25 tankers with Azeri oil and 116 ones from early 2008. “Last month it was sailed away 18,714,778 barrels or 2,505,128 metric tons from Ceyhan and in January-April 85,448,108.9 barrels or 11,441,110 metric tons,” it was reported. The 1,400 km Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline was constructed to provide main oil export from ACG block. Its capacity is 50 million tons of oil a year. The pipeline belongs to BTC Co and is run by it. Membership of the BTC Co shareholders staff is mainly the same as in AIOC. Source: abc.az CASUALTY REPORTING New Zealand Star towed into port Above seen the container vessel New Zealand Star, under tow of Svitzer tug WOONA . NZ Star suffered major machinery problems and discharged her entire cargo at Port Botany before being towed to Sydney to lay up for repairs. She is on charter to Gold Star Lines and operates between Australian ports and New Zealand. She is owned by Delphis BV Belgium, 9948 grt,built 2006 in Yangzhou ,China. She was formerly named El Zorro , USL Hawk and built as Delme. Photo : Ian Edwards – Sydney © Distribution : daily 4225+ copies worldwide Page 9 5/14/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 133 NAVY NEWS Vlootschouw voor Vlootdagen De Koninklijke Marine en de Kustwacht voor de Nederlandse Antillen en Aruba organiseren van 16 t/m 18 mei de Caraïbische Vlootdagen 2008. Tijdens dit maritiem spektakel in het hart van Willemstad laten beide organisaties zien waar zij voor staan: vrede en veiligheid op en vanuit zee! De dag voordat de vlootdagen daadwerkelijk van start gaan, nemen zeven participerende schepen deel aan een vlootschouw onder de kust van Curaçao. Donderdagochtend 15 mei varen het stationsschip Hr.Ms. Van Galen, de bevoorrader Hr.Ms. Amsterdam, het ondersteuningsvaartuig Hr.Ms. Pelikaan, de kustwachtcutter Jaguar, het Franse amfibisch transportschip Francis Garnier, het Colombiaanse fregat ARC Independiente en het Amerikaanse fregat USS Carr diverse formaties onder de kust van Curaçao. “Van het rendez-vous punt ter hoogte van Piscaderabaai tot aan de Megapier varen ze vanaf 09.00 uur onder meer in een ruitformatie en in kiellinie”, vertelt sergeant-majoor Rens van Mierlo van de organisatie van de Caraïbische Vlootdagen. Nadat de schepen zijn opgestoomd tot Mambo Beach, neemt Hr.Ms. Van Galen positie in nabij de havenhoofden van de Annabaai. Van Mierlo: “Om 11.00 uur vindt ter hoogte van Fort Amsterdam een sail past plaats, waarin elke twee minuten een schip de Van Galen passeert en de groet brengt aan de Gouverneur van de Nederlandse Antillen en de Commandant der Zeemacht in het Caraïbisch Gebied, beiden op de brug van het stationsschip.” De DASH-8 van de Kustwacht voor de Nederlandse Antillen en Aruba vliegt afsluitend laag over. Na de vlootschouw komen de schepen één voor één de Annabaai binnen. Volgens Van Mierlo ‘operationeel uitdagend’. “Maar door de perfecte samenwerking met de Curacao Ports Authority (CPA) en de Kompania di Tou Kòrsou (KTK) verwachten wij dat het op rolletjes gaat verlopen.” Op vrijdagochtend arriveren vervolgens ook het Brits amfibisch transportschip Largs Bay, de Arubaanse kustwachtcutter Panter en de kustwachtcutter Chacachare uit Trinidad en Tobego. Op zondagochtend arriveert ten slotte nog de Britse bevoorrader Wave Ruler. Tijdens de vlootdagen zijn alle schepen open voor het publiek. www.tos.nl TOS Rotterdam (+31)10 – 436 62 93 E-Mail [email protected] Burmese Navy Decimated in Cyclone As many as 25 Burmese naval ships may have been sunk in the storm caused by Cyclone Nargis last week while an unknown number of naval personnel and their family members were killed or are listed as missing, said a source from the Burmese navy. Speaking to The Irrawaddy by telephone on Monday, a corporal from Irrawaddy Regional Command in Rangoon said the tropical cyclone sank five Burmese naval vessels in Thilawa Naval Shipyard on May 4: the Japanese-built dive tender Yan Long Aung with a crew of approximately 70; the river patrol boat Y312; coastal survey ship 802; and submarine chaser Yan Sit Aung; and a smaller undisclosed vessel. The shipyard itself was extensively damaged by the category 3 storm. Distribution : daily 4225+ copies worldwide Page 10 5/14/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 133 Top : the 200 YAN LONG AUNG seen anchored of Yangon (Myanmar) in better days – Photo : Piet Sinke © The corporal also said that every crew member of the Yan Long Aung died when the ship sank with the exception of the commanding officer, who survived. “The commanding officer is now under investigation,” he added. According to Burmese naval sources, Cyclone Nargis hit Panmawaddy Regional Command on Hainggyi Island on May 3. Barracks and family housing at the naval base were totally destroyed. An unconfirmed number of personnel and their families are listed as missing. Meanwhile, a Thailand-based Burmese organization, Network for Democracy and Development, reported that an estimated total of 30 officers and 250 Burmese naval personnel have being declared missing, while 25 naval ships were destroyed by the cyclone in three naval regional command centers: Panmawaddy Regional Command on Hainggyi Island; Irrawaddy Regional Command; and Danyawaddy Regional Command in Sittwe in Arakan State. The modern Burmese navy was founded in 1940 and played a key role in the central government's fight against ethnic insurgent groups and the Burmese Communist Party in delta areas during the 1950s and 60s. The Burmese navy is responsible for patrolling the country's rivers and inshore waters and provides coastal surveillance and protection throughout the 148,000-square-kilometer maritime zone against fish poaching, smuggling, insurgent movements and acts of piracy. Source : irrawaddy news Arrival HMS Superb faces Spanish criticism Spanish environmental pressure groups have this morning requested the immediate departure of HMS Superb from Gibraltar, according to Spanish media reports. The Ministry of Defence announced the vessel’s arrival earlier today in a brief statement that read “Today, HMS SUPERB is visiting Gibraltar for a short stay as part of her scheduled operational tasking.” HMS Superb is the second nuclear submarine to berth in Gibraltar waters in less than a week, with USS Florida arriving last Wednesday remaining in Gibraltar until Friday. Antonio Muñoz spokesperson for Verdemar ‘Ecologistas en Acción’ has reportedly said that although shutdowns are allowed for food supply and change of crew, the group criticises the frequency with which nuclear submarines sail in the Straits and remain in the port of Gibraltar. According to Spanish news ageny EFE, the PSOE minister Salvador de la Encina has underlined an act of “covert provocation” on behalf of the British Government over the presence of the submarine’s presence in Gibraltar. He did however state that the Gibraltarian government had previously informed the Spanish Foreign Ministry of the submarine’s arrival, that it is a “routine visit” and there will be “no repairs”. “We cannot legally block their entry, but as a minister, I can complain about the risks that this entails,” he told the media. Distribution : daily 4225+ copies worldwide Page 11 5/14/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 133 HMS Superb is a nuclear powered fleet submarine of the Swiftsure class launched on February 17, 1973 at Barrowin-Furness, Cumbria. Since being commissioned in 1974, Superb has been involved in many operations through out the world including support of the war against terror in 2001 in the Indian Ocean. Source : gibfocus Reagan, strike group preparing to deploy More than 7,000 sailors will leave home next week when the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group deploys from San Diego for a scheduled deployment to the Western Pacific and Persian Gulf regions. The seven-ship naval force, led by Rear Adm. James Wisecup, commander of Carrier Strike Group 7 in San Diego, will leave next Monday, Navy officials announced. "This deployment reinforces the Navy's Maritime Strategy of limiting regional conflict with forward-deployed, decisive maritime power and fostering cooperative relationships in order to prevent and contain local disruptions before they impact the global system," Navy officials said in a statement. Joining the aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan on the deployment are the cruiser Chancellorsville, destroyers Decatur, Gridley and Howard, frigate Thach and fast combat support ship Rainier. Rainier, an ammunition ship, will depart from its home port in Bremerton, Wash. The strike group includes Destroyer Squadron 7 and Carrier Air Wing 14, which includes Strike Fighter Squadrons 22, 25, 113 and 115 from Lemoore Naval Air Station, Calif.; Airborne Early Warning Squadron 113 from Point Mugu in Ventura County, Calif.; Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 139 from Whidbey Island, Wash.; and Carrier Logistics Support 30 and Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 4, both from Naval Air Station North Island, Calif. The Nimitz-class Reagan is commanded by Capt. Kenneth Norton. The carrier deployed to the Persian Gulf during its maiden deployment in 2006 and last year was tapped for a surge deployment to the Western Pacific to fill in for the Japan-based aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk when it went into the shipyard for maintenance. SHIPYARD NEWS The MIGHTY SERVANT 3 seen under repair at the Grand Bahama Shipyard. Distribution : daily 4225+ copies worldwide Page 12 5/14/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 133 Beira dry dock back in service Beira’s dry dock is back in service after years of being out of use. The dock which can accept ships up to 110m OAL was built in the 1960s but for the past 20 years has suffered leaks and other malfunctions. Additionally the approaches to the dock had become badly silted. Now after some USD 2.5 million has been spent on repairing the leaks and other parts requiring attention, Beiranave, which runs the Beira Naval Dockyards has been able to announce that dredging of the approaches has been completed and the dock is once again 100 percent operational. The reopening of the dock is expected to be of be benefit in particular to the fishing fleets of the Mozambique coast and channel. Source : ports.co.za The LOIREBORG was launched in Delfzijl Photo : Klaas Bos © Security upgrade for shipyard European network integrator Telindus has joined forces with Harland & Wolff Heavy Industries to deploy a surveillance system that complies with port security regulations and enables staff to monitor the organisation's 90 acres from anywhere on the network. The Belfast-based shipyard operates one of the world's largest dry docks, focusing on ship and offshore unit design, building, repair, conversion and decommissioning. Distribution : daily 4225+ copies worldwide Page 13 5/14/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 133 Management wanted to upgrade its legacy surveillance systems across two docks, the ship repair site and the main heavy industries site. The systems had to interact and images had to be accessible to staff anywhere on the network at anytime. H&W contracted to Telindus to design and implement a new CCTV infrastructure and surveillance system for the site perimeter. Working with Alvarion, Cisco and DVTel, Telindus connected 39 cameras across the two dry docks and the ship repair site, as well as the main yard and internal and perimeter floodlighting towers, using Ethernet, fibre and wireless connections. The new IP system also lets project managers and customers - both onsite and offsite - monitor progress on ships, and the dock gates can be monitored for leaks. Equipped with PDAs and laptops, H&W's sales and marketing team can also show potential clients worldwide the facilities available in real-time by logging onto the network rather than simply handing them a brochure. Telindus Ireland country manager Darragh Richardson said Harland and Wolff's new IP surveillance system showed how technology could make a business more effective. "The deployment can also be expanded as and when increased security measures or new business applications are required," he noted. H&W plans to extend the surveillance system to include its manufacturing shops, and is examining RFID tagging on lifting rigs to increase site safety and better track assets throughout the entire estate. Source : techcentral.ie $5.8 million Navy award to BAE Norfolk Ship Repair BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair, Norfolk, Va., is being awarded a $5,818,376 modification to previously awarded contract for exercising an option for Program Management Organization (PMO) support for the USS Wasp (LHD-1) FY08 drydocking phased-maintenance availability. The PMO Spec provides the following support: program and production management support, estimating and contract administration services, material services to requisition and coordinate material requirements, technical library services, and provisioning technical documentation. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Va., and is expected to be completed by Nov. 2008. Contract funds in the amount of $5,818,376 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity Source : MarineLog VT expects end to delays over £3.8bn aircraft carrier project VT Group expects the Ministry of Defence to end years of delays to the building of two Royal Navy aircraft carriers by giving the go-ahead to the £3.8bn programme "within weeks". The company was forced to extend the timeframe to consummate a shipbuilding venture with BAE Systems, announced last year, to July on the expectation of an imminent decision from the MoD. Doubts about the programme have grown in recent months as budget constraints have led the ministry to review several large projects. Cutbacks are expected, though Paul Lester, chief executive of the former Vosper Thorneycroft, was confident that the contract would escape the axe. "I believe we'll be able to get under way in a matter of weeks," he said. "It should be up and running by July." The joint venture, which would combine the two companies' shipbuilding businesses into a separately managed company, is predicated on the carrier order. The programme for two new 65,000-tonne carriers would safeguard 10,000 jobs in the UK and could create a further 1,000 posts, he added. It is already at least two years behind schedule. Distribution : daily 4225+ copies worldwide Page 14 5/14/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 133 Mr Lester made his prediction after unveiling better-than-expected annual results that bear out the company's strategy of diversifying away from a heavy reliance on such lumpy and delay-prone defence contracts. VT earned £89.1m in profits last year, up 20 per cent on the same period last year. Its order book swelled by nearly a third, to a record £4.9bn. Less than a fifth of the company's profits came from shipbuilding last year. VT is instead moving increasingly into private finance initiatives, or PFI, through which local and national government outsources an array of services to private companies. Earlier this year, VT was part of the group that won the £13bn contract to supply mid-air tanker aircraft to the Royal Air Force. It also won a £325m contract to build and refurbish schools from Lewisham council in east London under the Government's highly ambitious Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. The £45bn scheme to rebuild all of the country's secondary schools has run into delays and been criticised by industry for the glacial and expensive bidding process. Tim Byles, chief executive of Partnerships for Schools, the organisation that oversees the BSF programme, has instituted a reform programme that has reduced the average bidding time from around two and a half years to 18 months. Mr Lester said that more could be done. "A lot of effort has been put it, but it could still be speeded up," he said. ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES STENA LINE RELOCATES TO NEW TERMINAL AT BELFAST PORT Passengers urged not to miss the boat by going to the old Terminal! Stena Line has set sail to a new location as the leading ferry company opened a brand new luxury ferry terminal that literally brings Scotland closer to Belfast. Built by the Port of Belfast, the new € £37 million, three-storey terminal has been built on reclaimed land at the seaward end of the Port, enabling Stena Line to relocate its Belfast operations to Victoria Terminal Four (VT4), over two miles closer to the Scottish coast. The move meant a moonlit flit for Stena Line as the company and its staff switched operations last night in preparation for the HSS Stena Voyager to make the first sailing from the new port at 07:35am this morning. Passengers are reminded to access the new terminal via junction 1/ Fortwilliam Roundabout on the M2, following the signs for Docks (N) Stena Line. Photo : Joris Wortelboer © Complete with state-of-the-art facilities including a coffee shop, lounges, a viewing gallery and dedicated facilities for HGV drivers, the new 35,000 ft terminal will provide Stena Line customers with an excellent facility from which to travel to Scotland and a great welcome into Belfast. Last year, passenger numbers increased by 1% to 1.2 million, while 275,000 passenger vehicles were also handled, said Stena Line Irish Sea area director Michael McGrath. With this in mind, Stena Line want to encourage our customers to keep travelling by ferry by ensuring that they feel that sailing on Stena Line is the premium way to travel. Distribution : daily 4225+ copies worldwide Page 15 5/14/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 133 "The HSS Stena Voyager has just undergone a € £2m refit, most of which was focused on the passenger areas and with VT4 now being the first impression of Northern Ireland for people travelling in from Scotland and the last thing they see as they sail out, it is fitting that it is one of the most modern terminals in the UK. Joe O’Neill, the Port of Belfast’s Commercial Director added: At almost € £40m the new facility at VT4 is one of the largest engineering projects which the Port has undertaken and it will play an important role in our plans to double the Port’s capacity by 2025. Passenger and freight traffic are important sectors for the Port and the new terminal will help maintain Belfast as the leading gateway to Northern Ireland and the rest of the island. Passengers, whether on foot or in cars, will benefit the most from the move, with Stena promising a more streamlined embarkation and disembakation and even more ways to relax onboard while travelling between Belfast and Stranraer. Stena Line is the market leader on the Irish Sea, offering the biggest fleet and the widest choice of routes from Ireland to Britain, including Belfast to Stranraer, Larne to Fleetwood, Dun Laoghaire and Dublin Port to Holyhead and Rosslare to Fishguard. The company carries over three million passengers on its Irish Sea routes each year, more than its rival operators combined. DA VINCI SOLD FOR US$ 10 MILLION DA VINCI ex FINNJET sold demolition buyers US$ 650/ldt "as is" Safaga, Red Sea. Based on 15,157 ldt that's equivalent to about US$ 9.85 mill. Buyers willing to resell vessel, Sold to Club Cruise in Veenendaal, Netherlands at the end of December 2007. Renamed DA VINCI GTS M/S Finnjet is a cruiseferry, built in 1977 by Wärtsilä Helsinki, Finland. At the time of its delivery Finnjet was the fastest, longest and largest car ferry in the world, and the only one powered by gas turbines. She is still the fastest conventional ferry today, with a recorded top speed of 33 knots. To increase her profitability, the ship was converted to a combined diesel-electric and gas propulsion with the addition of diesel-electric generators in 1981 in Amsterdamse Droogdok Maatschappij, Amsterdam. The change allowed to operate the ship on slower speeds with cheaper fuel during the winter months. A new transmission system installed in 1994 (again at HDW Kiel) raised the top speed to 33 knots and allowed for a mixed operation of turbines and diesel engines In addition to being the largest and fastest ship of her time, Finnjet is also widely considered to have been the first genuine cruiseferry. Her cabins were very much ahead of their time for a ferry, it was not until over a decade later Distribution : daily 4225+ copies worldwide Page 16 5/14/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 133 when other ferries would match the size and fittings of Finnjet's cabins. Her restaurants and other services were also superior to other ferries of her time. During the winter of 2005—2006, Finnjet was chartered to the faculty of medicine of Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans to provide housing to students, faculty, and staff displaced by Hurricane Katrina. It was docked on the west bank of the Mississippi River across from Baton Rouge, at the base of the Horace Wilkinson Bridge. At Port Everglades on 11th May the Yacht Express approaching berth no 30 to load a full shipment of yachts for the Med Photo : Fop Leder © Havenbedrijf en Oman bouwen haven Sohar verder uit De haven in Sohar, die het Havenbedrijf Rotterdam (HbR) samen met de overheid in Oman bouwt, wordt uitgebreid met nog eens 4500 hectare. Hiermee wordt de Omaanse haven groter dan die in Rotterdam, die inclusief de Tweede Maasvlakte 6000 hectare telt. De uitbreiding begint aan het einde van het jaar. In vijf jaar tijd hebben de beide partijen, een joint venture, al 2000 hectare ontwikkeld. Het havenbedrijf ondertekende woensdag samen met een delegatie uit Oman nieuwe afspraken. Zo hebben zij beklonken dat er een milieudienst komt naar voorbeeld van de DCMR in de Rijnmond. Deze dienst moet vergunningen verlenen en toezicht houden op de industrieën in Sohar. Ook hebben zij onderschreven dat beide tientallen miljoenen euro's in een nieuwe staalfabriek investeren. De haven in Oman is een heel andere dan die in Nederland. De Port of Rotterdam ligt veel meer aan het water en hier wordt veel meer handel gedreven. Voor 2000 was in Sohar vooral een lege kustlijn met enkele dorpjes. Beide partijen willen met de samenwerking van elkaar leren. Oman is een snelkookpan. De ontwikkelingen gaan daar in een rap tempo, zei woensdag directeur Hans Smits van het havenbedrijf in Rotterdam. De petrochemische industrie in het Midden-Oosten is daarbij 'booming'. Dit is voor het HbR de kans om met de grootste spelers van de wereld om Distribution : daily 4225+ copies worldwide Page 17 5/14/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 133 de tafel te blijven zitten. Behalve in Oman bekijkt het havenbedrijf of het ook elders in de wereld nieuwe havens kan opzetten. Het wil graag adviseren aan en partner worden van veelbelovende havens. ,,Zo verzilver je de goede reputatie die wij wereldwijd hebben'', aldus Smits. Het HbR hoopt zo een nieuwe haven in India te gaan ontwikkelen, omdat het land ,,geweldig in opkomst is''. De haven bestaat momenteel nog niet. Fugro rekent op fors hogere omzet en winst Bodemonderzoeker Fugro verwacht dat zowel de omzet als de nettowinst in het eerste halfjaar met zo'n 20 procent stijgt ten opzichte van dezelfde periode vorig jaar. Dat heeft het bedrijf woensdag bekendgemaakt. Dat zou betekenen dat de omzet uitkomt op rond de 1 miljard euro en de nettowinst op ruim 100 miljoen euro, afgezien van onvoorziene omstandigheden en een verdere verzwakking van de dollar en het Britse pond. Voor de eerste helft van dit jaar handhaaft Fugro de vorig jaar sterk gestegen nettowinstmarge van ruim 10 procent. Het bedrijf had in maart al laten weten dit jaar op een verdere groei van de omzet en de winst te rekenen. Vorig jaar realiseerde Fugro een omzet van 1,8 miljard euro en een nettowinst van 216 miljoen euro. Fugro heeft zich verzekerd van het volledige eigenaarschap van het Braziliaanse Fugro-Oceansatpeg, door het resterend belang van 38 procent van partner Oceansatpeg te kopen. Het bedrijf, dat buitengaats werkzaamheden verricht, gaat opereren onder de naam Fugro Brazil Ltda, vanuit een nieuw kantoor in Rio de Janeiro. In het eerste kwartaal kreeg het Braziliaanse filiaal voor circa 30 miljoen dollar aan nieuwe opdrachten binnen, meldde Fugro woensdag. Fugro kocht in Brazilë tevens een geotechnische dienstverlener, met een jaaromzet van 4 miljoen euro en honderd werknemers. De financiële details van beide transacties houdt Fugro voor zich. Het bedrijf uit Leidschendam is gespecialiseerd in het zoeken naar bodemschatten, vooral ten behoeve van de olie- en gasindustrie. Fugro telt 12.000 werknemers en is actief in vijftig landen. New contracts for Dockwise Dockwise Ltd. announced that three new contracts have been awarded to their subsidiaries Dockwise Shipping and ODL for the transportation of a semi submersible drilling rig, for the transportation of the hull of a production platform and for a FEED study of a jacket design respectively. Dockwise Shipping will transport the Noble Jim Day, a large sixth (6th) generation semi submersible drilling rig in 2009. The rig is currently under construction in Singapore. With the number of these large new design semi submersibles under construction still increasing, the contract for the Noble Jim Day is seen as an important development. Dockwise will also transport the hull for ATP Oil & Gas Corporation's Cheviot project currently being constructed in China. This project is scheduled for late 2010, early 2011. ODL (Ocean Dynamics Limited) has been awarded a contract by EDG for a FEED study and detailed design of the South. Nemba platform. The contract execution will start immediately. All contracts contribute to the Dockwise strategic objective to materially expand activities in both rig transport (core business) and transport & installation of offshore production facilities. The total value of the contracts is close to $36 million. Source : MarineLink Varun Shipping to Invest $300m Varun Shipping reportedly will invest $300m to buy at least four new vessels in the offshore segment this year, according to a Reuters report. Varun is positioning itself to expand its presence in the offshore segment, the news organization said, quoting a leading Varun executive. Freight rates in the offshore segment has risen around 15 percent due to higher crude oil prices, which hit new life highs in 2008, crossing $120 a barrel on demand growth. Source: Reuters Distribution : daily 4225+ copies worldwide Page 18 5/14/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 133 WEAK VLGC MARKET HITS BW GAS NORWEGIAN-based BW Gas made a Q1 operating profit before depreciation and disposals of US$45.1m, compared to US$66.4 million in Q1 2007. The company says: “The first quarter of 2008 showed declining freight rates for all LPG segments, in particular the VLGC segment. The continuing increase in bunker prices also had an adverse effect on the TC earning. The operating profit in the LPG segment amounted to US$10.7m in the first quarter of 2008 compared to US$27.7m in the first quarter of 2007. The average number of LPG vessels decreased from 42.1 to 39.4.” The LNG business fared better with operating profit of US$26.5m, compared to US$20.0m in Q1 2007. Source : MarinLink Mammoth joins Boa fleet Boa Mammoth, Taubatkompaniet’s newbuild UT722, was christened in early April in Singapore. The Russian-built anchor handler has around 165 tonnes of bollard pull and 15,000bhp at its disposal along with 500m2 of deck area. Seabrokers said it expects Boa Mammoth will be fully fitted out and completed by mid-May and will likely work in the Asian market for its first few months. Source : Offshore shipping online Greatship takes delivery of Amrita Greatship (India) Ltd has recently taken delivery of its newbuild 96 ton bollard pull anchor handler, Greatship Amrita. Equipped with DP II and FiFi 1, Greatship Amrita joins a fleet which now comprises three PSVs and two anchor handlers. Seabrokers said the vessel is committed for a term charter in the Middle East. Source : Offshore shipping online Singapore's NOL Q1 net profit almost triples Singapore's Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) on Wednesday reported quarterly net profit almost tripled as higher container volumes offset rising fuel prices. NOL, whose APL unit is the world's eighth-biggest container shipping firm, reported a net profit of $120.7 million for the three months ended March compared with $43 million a year earlier. The Singapore firm said the business environment is expected to remain challenging, with cost pressures impacted by rising fuel prices. Singapore state investor Temasek Holdings owns two-thirds of NOL. NOL said on April 28 that it carried 13 percent more cargo in the four weeks to April 4 from a year ago while average revenue per container rose 15 percent. Source: uk.reuters.com National Iranian Tanker Co. books another VLCC Iran has booked another VLCC to store crude oil, and could be fixing more in the weeks to come. Reports say the National Iranian Tanker Co. (NITC) had booked the VLCC Universal Prime for delivery into the Middle East around June 3-6. NITC is “taking the vessel for 90 days, and they are still floating their inquiry in the market, requesting more tonnage for the purpose of storage," a shipping source told Reuters. The Universal Prime could store up to 270,000 tonnes of crude oil, on top of the 28 million barrels of oil stationed offshore from Iran's main export terminal. An industry player told Tankerworld that he “is confident this piece of news will firm up VLCC rates even more over the next few weeks.” Leading shipbroker EA Gibson Shipbrokers reported two weeks ago that NITC had “taken as many as 14 VLCCs for storage or Red Sea voyages”, similar to a situation two years ago when Iran used 10 VLCCs for storage for three months. According to Gibson, that caused "a dramatic upward effect on freight rates" at the time. Tankerworld data shows VLCC spot rates for all routes rose more than 100 Worldscale points from an average WS 86 on April 8 to an average WS 190 on May 8, before softening to an average WS 160 today. Industry players this week said they expected VLCC rates to remain firm despite activity slowing as charterers wait to fix voyages. Source: portworld.com Distribution : daily 4225+ copies worldwide Page 19 5/14/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 133 SAL LATEST THE ANNE SOFIE The naming ceremony of this brand new heavy lift vessel was 3 weeks ago in Hamburg, where she was handed over to the Owners SAL (Schiffahrtskontor Altes Land GmbH & Co. KG), This vessel is an exact sister vessel of mv Frauke which was in Schiedam the end of March, The Anne-Sofie was in Rotterdam on her maiden voyage to load a dismantled cutter suction dredger for destination Mundra (India). The transport as well as the port agency was handled by Maritime Transport Services B.V. COSCO orders 4 container ships for $280m China COSCO Holdings Co Ltd, the listed flagship of the country's top shipping conglomerate, has ordered four new container ships worth $280 million, the company said on Wednesday. A unit of the company has signed a contract for four vessels of 4,250 twenty-foot-equivalent units each with an import firm and a shipyard based in East China's Jiangsu Province, it said in a statement. The vessels are scheduled to be delivered in August and September of 2012. China COSCO has said it would expand its fleet by ordering $2.3 billion worth of new ships. Source: chinadaily SVITZER OCEAN TOWAGE Jupiterstraat 33 Telephone : + 31 2555 627 11 2132 HC Hoofddorp Telefax : + 31 2355 718 96 The Netherlands E-mail: [email protected] Distribution : daily 4225+ copies worldwide Page 20 5/14/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 133 Ferries hit by truckers' strike The repercussions of a more than week-long strike by truckers extended to coastal shipping on Tuesday, with several ferry boats forced to remain in port or cancel scheduled voyages due to a lack of fuel. Among these, the car ferry "Ierapetra" remained stranded at the port of Piraeus since Monday evening, when it was scheduled to set sail for the islands of Milos, Santorini, Aghios Nikolaos in Crete, Kassos, Karpathos, Diafani, Halki and Rhodes. Also stranded in Piraeus is the car and passenger ferry "Anthi Marina", which was due to set sail at 17:00 on Tuesday evening for Patmos, Leros, Kos and Rhodes, and the car and passenger ferry "Milena" that is due to depart at 22:00 for Paros, Naxos, Agios Kyrikas, Fourni, Karlovassi and Vathy. In Kavala, the passenger/car ferry "Panagia Soumela" did not depart for Limnos and Lesvos on Monday evening, as scheduled, while a planned trip by the "Skiathos Express" leaving from Volos for the islands of Skiathos, Glossa, Skopelos and Alonissos was also cancelled. The strike by the owners of public-use trucks, including tanker trucks carrying fuel, has now entered its ninth day and is having widespread repercussions on Greek markets everywhere, leading to shortages of fuel but also other goods. The key demand being made by truck owners, who operate on the basis of a licence given by the government that then control their haulage rates, is a 13 percent increase in their rates, as opposed to 5 percent offered by the government. In addition, they want to be allowed to use national highways at weekends and have demands related to their social insurance contributions and pensions. In the meantime, a preliminary inquiry into the cancellation of scheduled ferry services was launched on Tuesday by the head of the Greek coast guard Vice-Adm. Theodoros Rentzeperis, who ordered officers to investigate the truth of claims that ships lacked fuel and lubricants needed to set sail. The investigation is expected to wrap up before the end of this week. MOVEMENTS The Port Otago's largest tug " Otago " seen being towed by there smallest tug " Kapu " after the tug Otago suffered from engine failure while proceeding up the harbour to assist with the sailing of the LPG tanker Gas Dream from From the LPG depot at Dunedin. Photo : Ross Walker © MARINE WEATHER THIS SECTION IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY : Distribution : daily 4225+ copies worldwide Page 21 5/14/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 133 Internet: www.spos.eu Tel : +31 317 399800 E-mail : [email protected] Today’s wind (+6Bft) and wave (+3m) chart. Created with SPOS, the onboard weather information & voyage optimisation system, used on over 1000 vessels today. …. PHOTO OF THE DAY ….. The VLCC KHK VISION seen sailing in the South China Sea. Photo : Hans Schaefer © Distribution : daily 4225+ copies worldwide Page 22 5/14/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 133 The compiler of the news clippings disclaim all liability for any loss, damage or expense however caused, arising from the sending, receipt, or use of this e-mail communication and on any reliance placed upon the information provided through this free service and does not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the information. If you want to no longer receive this bulletin kindly reply with the word “unsubscribe” in the subject line. Distribution : daily 4225+ copies worldwide Page 23 5/14/2008
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