DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 ...newsletter.maasmondmaritime.com/pdf/2014/134-14-05-2014.pdf2014/05/14 · Number 134 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS

DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 134

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Number 134 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Wednesday 14-05-2014

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

"Toisa Explorer" IMO9427067, built Wuchang, China 2013. 5,418Grt. 24,129Bhp. An offshore Tug/Supply Vessel, Bahamas Flag. Her sister "Toisa Envoy" can also be seen in the image as they prepare to enter Aberdeen, Scotland 2/5/14. Photo : Iain Forsyth (c)

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Shell opens bid process for $12bn Bonga SW Aparo vessel construction (7)

In Today's issue + (page number):

Captains stood down after ferry near misses (3) Kitesurfer gered bij Westkapelle (4) Malta Freeport has record weekend of container moves (5) Asia-Europe container freight rates rise 7.4 pct (5) Regal Princess unveiled (5) Porthdinllaen: RNLI open new lifeboat house and slipway (6)

JX Nippon developing Sarawak gas field (8) Carnival Dream Cruise Ship Rescues 39 Cuban Migrants From Small Boat in Distress (9) Insignia returns to service (10) Exmouth RNLI welcomes home the first Shannon in the South West (10) Tugboat worker strike could cost $700m (11) Cruise ferry between Maine and Nova Scotia is christened in Boston days before first trip (13) Italian ships rush to save 100s of migrants after boat sinks north of Libya; at least 14 die (14) Veolia's control of Corsica ferry company at stake in board vote (15) Three Sewol crewmembers honored (16) Fathom launch the Ship Efficiency Awards 2014 (16) Following Vinashin, Vinalines now lays down conditions for its equitization (17) Mediterranean crude tanker market could benefit from return of Libya's oil (18) Somali piracy in decline‚ but danger still lurks (19) DUTCH FRIGATE VISITS MALTA (21) Pak submarine joins naval drills in Jubail (21) Navy takes delivery of 3 patrol vessels from US, China (22) STX pledges to speed Turku shipyard sale (22) Another Container Vessel Comes off the Blocks for Taiwanese Shipping Line (23) Daewoo Shipbuilding wins patent suit against French firm (24) Captain of ports seeks 100% hike in port charges and fees (24) MSC transfers activities in port of Antwerp to Deurganck dock (25) LEADING PORT FOR COCOA EXPORTS PLAN $1.6B EXPANSION (26)



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EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS

The SEABOURN QUEST outbound from Antwerp enroute Amsterdam -

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Captains stood down after ferry near misses

Two Cook Strait ferry captains have been stood down after allegations of two near-misses involving the Arahura in the past five days. The absence of the two masters while Maritime New Zealand investigates the incidents means the Arahura's embattled sister ferry Stena Alegra seems unlikely to return to a routine timetable before the weekend. "There's no-one to drive the thing," a maritime source said.

A KiwiRail spokeswoman confirmed last night that the suspensions would stand even if they caused further disruption to ferry services. "We have sufficient masters to sail Stena for the trials and for later this week, although there may be limited sailings." The near-misses under investigation are alleged to have happened at Picton at 2am on Friday, and in Wellington Harbour about 7am on Sunday.

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Friday's incident involved the Interislander ferry Kaitaki as it was leaving Picton and the Arahura was arriving. Maritime sources said the complaint originated from the deck of Kaitaki, and the official notification to Maritime NZ came from parent company KiwiRail itself. Sunday morning's incident occurred after the Arahura, under a different master, sailed between the cruise ship Dawn Princess and South Korean-bound tanker Citrus Express in Wellington Harbour. The incident was reported to Maritime NZ by the Wellington CentrePort pilot on the Citrus Express.

Interislander general manager Thomas Davis emphasised in a statement last night that staff involved in Maritime NZ inquiries were always routinely stood down as part of standard operating procedure.

The two skippers also undertook routine drug and alcohol testing before standing down, he said. NZ First leader Winston Peters yesterday accused KiwiRail of covering up the two incidents, as well as another allegedly involving the Stena Alegra hitting a wharf in Picton. He said KiwiRail seemed to be operating from the script of a television comedy. "It is clear the company cannot be allowed to continue to operate in such a potentially dangerous fashion." Peters said that, in the incident involving the Arahura in Wellington Harbour on Sunday, the pilot on the Dawn Princess told Arahura's skipper to take a certain bearing. "But the skipper turned in the opposite direction and nearly hit a third ship called Citrus Express."

Davis emphatically denied any coverup and said Peters' claim about the Stena Alegra hitting a wharf "is quite simply wrong". Safety was Interislander's top priority and it encouraged a culture of full incident-reporting as a matter of practice, he said. "It is also important to remember that reporting in itself doesn't necessarily mean a safety incident has occurred. Investigations need to be undertaken to prove or disprove an allegation."

He said reports of near-misses had to be put into the context of about 4600 Cook Strait crossings a year by Interislander ferries. Between January 2011 and December 2013, Maritime New Zealand received 68 incident reports of all types, of which 15 were reported as near-misses. Interislander was involved in 36 of the reported incidents, and 10 of the near-misses. Stena Alegra sailings were cancelled last Thursday after maritime sources said divers had discovered about a metre of a starboard propeller blade had fallen off when the ship sailed into Wellington Harbour. The Swedish-owned, British-registered ferry has been dogged by problems since it replaced the crippled Aratere on the Cook Strait run. Earlier this year it broke down in Wellington Harbour. Early last month it was out of action for a week when it received a substantial gash to its port side after hitting the ferry terminal wharf in Wellington.

Stena Alegra is on a six-month replacement charter for the Aratere, which lost its starboard propeller when a shaft broke on a sailing from Picton to Wellington in November. Source : The Dominion Post

Kitesurfer gered bij Westkapelle KNRM-reddingstation Westkapelle is 11 mei om 14:12 uur gealarmeerd door de Kustwacht voor een kitesurfer die in

problemen verkeerde in de buurt van Domburg. De vrijwilligers van het reddingstation hebben daarop onmiddellijk reddingboot Uly te water gebracht. Ook het kusthulpverleningsvoertuig (KHV) reed op het strand naar de plaats ter hoogte van het gemelde incident. De surfer was in de problemen gekomen omdat zijn surftuig in een paalhoofd was vastgeraakt. Toen de Uly en het KHV voertuig ter plekke kwamen, was de surfer net van het paalhoofd gehaald door een collega surfer. De surfer was op dat moment niet meer bij bewustzijn. Vrijwilligers van reddingstation Westkapelle zijn samen

met hun EHBO-instructeur direct begonnen met reanimeren. Photo : FLYING FOCUS luchtfotografie - www.flyingfocus.nl Na korte tijd was ook de ambulance ter plekke die samen met de KNRM de reanimatie voorzette. Tot grote voldoening is het slachtoffer na reanimatie bij bewustzijn gekomen. De inmiddels aangekomen traumahelikopter heeft de surfer afgevoerd naar een ziekenhuis in Rotterdam. Het ambulancepersoneel was bij de evaluatie van de reddingsactie vol lof over het snelle en professionele handelen van de vrijwilligers van reddingstation Westkapelle. Source : Hanglos

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Malta Freeport has record weekend of container moves

Malta Freeport Terminals, the private operator of Malta freeport, carried out a record number of moves on the huge container ship CMA CGM Erving. It also achieved the highest number of container moves over two days. This 13,000 TEU vessel, with an overall length of 366m, a beam of 48.2m and a gross tonnage of 141,649 was berthed on the newly‐extended Terminal Two North Quay. Six quayside cranes handled 6,101 containers, 297 unloaded from the ship and 5,804 loaded, representing the highest volume of moves ever handled on a single vessel at the Freeport. The company said the operation was mainly focused on the loading of empty containers destined to Far Eastern ports. The same containers will then be filled with export material from China back to the Mediterranean and North Europe. The CMA CGM Erving calls regularly as part of the MEX1/AE11 service operated jointly by CMA CGM, (the third largest shipping line in the world) and Maersk (The largest shipping line in the world). The vessel’s previous port of call was Fos‐Sur‐Le Mar France. After operations at Malta Freeport it proceeded towards the Far East. Simultaneously, to CMA CGM Erving, the freeport also handled another two large container vessels, the Maersk Edison with over 3,000 container moves and Maersk Savannah also with over 3,000 container moves. This meant that a record number of moves were handled at Malta Freeport over a span of two days. Alex Montebello, Director Operations commented “The operations carried out on three large mainline vessels simultaneously, with such unprecedented number of container moves, confirm Malta Freeport’s status of a mega hub in the Mediterranean.” Source : Times of Malta

Asia-Europe container freight rates rise 7.4 pct

Shipping freight rates for transporting containers from ports in Asia to northern Europe rose 7.4 percent to $1,401 per 20-foot container (TEU) in the week ended on Friday, data from the Shanghai Containerized Freight Index showed.

It was the third consecutive week of rising freight rates on the world's busiest routes. Container freight rates have so far increased in six weeks this year but fallen in 13 weeks. Average rates for 2014 are $1,305 per TEU compared with $1,090 last year.

The container shipping industry has been struggling with overcapacity and too few goods to transport as a result of a faltering global economy. Maersk Line, global market leader with nearly 600 container vessels and part of oil and shipping group A.P. Moller-Maersk , was one of the few container shipping companies to make a profit last year.

Germany's Hapag Lloyd, the sixth largest carrier, said on Friday it would attempt to hike rates on routes from Asia to northern Europe by $750 per TEU with effect from June 9, a 53 percent increase. source : reuters (Reporting by Ole Mikkelsen; Editing by Mark Potter)

Regal Princess unveiled Italian shipyard Fincantieri has officially unveiled Princess Cruises’ latest flagship Regal Princess at its Monfalcone yard in Italy. The ceremony was attended by Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi; Debora Serracchiani, the governor of

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Friuli Venezia Giulia; Claudio De Vincenti, the deputy minister of economic development; and Cosimo Maria Ferri, the undersecretary of state for justice. Also in attendance were Arnold Donald, chairman and CEO of Carnival Corporation;

Stein Kruse, CEO of Holland America Group; Jan Swartz, chairman of Princess Cruises; Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri; and Vincenzo Petrone, chairman of Fincantieri. Weighing 141,000 gt and measuring 330 m in length and 38 m in width, Regal Princess is the largest cruise ship Fincantieri has ever built, along with her recently launched sister ship Royal Princess. Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard has previously built 31 other cruise ships including

13 Princess vessels.

The second of Princess’ new-generation cruise vessels, the 3,600-passenger Regal Princess features 1,780 cabins, outside balcony staterooms, private poolside cabanas and the new Princess Live! television studio, as well as a variety of dining and entertainment venues and SeaWalk, a cantilevered, glass-bottomed walkway extending more than 28ft beyond the edge of the vessel. Regal Princess is scheduled to depart for her inaugural cruise from Venice, Italy, to Athens, Greece, on 20 May 2014, which includes calls at Corfu, Mykonos and an overnight visit in Istanbul. The vessel will then sail a six-day trip from Athens to Venice, calling at Kusadasi, Santorini, Katakolon and Dubrovnik. Both voyages can be combined into a 13-day Grand Adventure or added to a 2 June cruise for a full 20-day Mediterranean trip. The ship will then sail two itineraries on Princess’ signature Grand Mediterranean cruises throughout the summer. Source : cruiseandferry

Porthdinllaen: RNLI open new lifeboat house and slipway

The crew of a newly-opened lifeboat house have appealed to the public for one final push to raise £100,000 before they are home and dry. Volunteers at Porthdinllaen RNLI near Morfa Nefyn, moved into their brand new £8 million home called Y Cwt Newydd where their £2.7 million all-weather lifeboat “John D Spicer” is housed.

But they have a £100,000 community appeal target to meet towards the running cost of the boathouse and for buying tools to make sure everything is kept ship-shape. They are already two-thirds of the way there - having raised £69,000. But they are keen to raise the rest - £31,000 - as soon as possible so that they can get the job done.

Coxwain Michael Davies said: “We had the new boat in August 2012 and now the new boathouse has just been completed. We’ve been here for three weeks and it’s looking good. There is room for the public to come and watch us launch and coming back in to land. It’s a very impressive building. Just looking at people’s faces is a joy for me when they visit.” Although the public viewing point is cut off from the

crew to allow them go continue with their work, it has been designed with everybody’s safety in mind. The slipway allows the lifeboat instant access to deep water. Michael said: “We had to have a new boathouse. Our slipway was very old. We didn’t have toilets or anywhere to change. Our volunteers had to change on the boat! Now we have showers and changing rooms with lockers where they can hang their stuff. It means that we can look after our gear better.”

Michael and mechanic Alan Parry are the only full-timers at the boathouse which is open for business “24/7”. Michael said: “We’ve been very busy with lots of people coming here to see us. It’s nice to talk to people. There’s a lot of



interest in the boathouse - and they can see where their money is going.” Some of the £100,000 will be used to maintain the boathouse and to finish the mechanics’ workshops.

Michael said: “We’ve only got a few things to finish off. It’s like moving into a new house but with a few things missing! We need to buy some tools and get everything right.” Despite call-outs, Michael said they welcome visitors to the new boathouse. The 24-strong crew and six shore-crew all have to live within two and a half miles to it.”

As part of the money-raising efforts, Michael’s wife will be joining a 26-mile sponsored walk from Caernarfon to Porthdinllaen on July 26 while Michael will be cycling 200 miles around Gwynedd finishing in Porthdinllaen, again in July, along with Sgorio presenter Morgan Jones. There will also be an open day on August 3. Source : Daily Post

Shell opens bid process for $12bn Bonga SW Aparo vessel construction

Shell has opened bidding process for the construction of Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) for its $12billion Bonga South West Aparo development. Shell’s General Manager for deepwater Nigeria, Jerry Jackson, who said this in the official journal of the 2014 Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, Texas, reaffirmed that the Final Investments Decision (FID) on the field was expected before December, 2014.

The bidders for the contracts include Samsung and Hyundai which are bidding for Shell’s single-point moored facility, which would be the world’s largest FPSO unit.

Bonga is located in oil prospecting licence (OPL) 212, and Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO) operates the field on behalf of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), under a

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production sharing contract, in partnership with Esso (20 per cent), Nigeria Agip (12.5 per cent) and Elf Petroleum Nigeria Limited (12.5 per cent).

Shell, in the jouranal, stated: “It is underway with plans to develop its estimated $12billion Bonga South West-Aparo discovery via building of a new FPSO vessel, with significant Nigerian content levels. “Considering selection for this project, spanning OMLs 118, 132 and 140, was performed in Nigeria. “The tender process for the single-point moored facility-which would be the World largest FPSO unit-is still currently out to tender, with bidders including Samsung and

Hyundai.” Bonga also lies 120km southwest of the Niger Delta in a water depth of over 1,000m. Managing Director, SNEPCO, Mr Chike Onyejekwe, had earlier stated that Shell recorded tremendous success in its Bonga deep water oil field, saying as at December 2012, it had exported about 450 million barrels of crude oil.

The cost of the Bonga field development, including the cost of the Floating Production Storage Offshore vessel built in 2004, came to $3.6billion (N569billion) Despite the fact that the drilling of the 19 oil wells will amount to $12.35billion (N1.96trillion), the Bonga extension project, according to Shell, may gulp around $33billion (N5.2trillion).

It was also gathered that the project might include a $21billion (N3.32billion) FPSO proposed for the new Bonga South West, $4billion (632.7billion) Bonga East, $1.9billion (N300billion) Bonga North (Aparo), and $3billion (N474billion) Bonga North East. In spite of the fact that NNPC had in January 2013 directed International Oil Companies operating in the country to drastically cut over $30billion (N4.7billion) proposed for new projects, Shell said Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), if passed the way it was, would drive away investment in the Nigerian oil and gas industry and might stall the 19 Bonga oil wells projects. The SNEPCO boss called for a PIB that would be investment-friendly.

They also said if the fiscal terms of the PIB were reviewed, about $3billion (N474billion) deep water revenues could be unlocked for the Federal Government. Corroborating this, the Commercial Manager, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited, Mr Stefan Vas de Wael, said the development of deep water assets in the country’s oil and gas could contribute $3billion (N474billion) to the country’s economy as well as generate about 200,000 jobs annually. Vas de Wael said the undeveloped deep-water assets could add over 600,000 barrels per day of oil, which would amount to doubling the current deep water liquids from deep water fields in the country.

He said over $5billion (N790billion) would be required annually to develop and produce five million barrels of oil per day. Vas de Wael said, “If all the deep water assets in Nigeria are developed, they could generate 200,000 plus jobs, $3billion in GDP and 600,000 barrels of oil per day. This is according to McKinsey Multiplier Model.

“Developing 200,000 jobs is equivalent to growing the oil and gas industry by 30 per cent. $3billion GDP will amount to additional 15 per cent of projected GDP growth rate. “The 600,000 barrels per day will amount to doubling current deep water liquids production. Annual spend of $5billion (N790billion) plus to develop and produce five million barrels of oil per day. Source : tribune.com

JX Nippon developing Sarawak gas field JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration Corp said it had decided to develop Layang gas field off the coast of the Malaysian state of Sarawak on Borneo island for an undisclosed sum, aiming to start production in April-June 2016. Layang field, which is located about 8km east of Helan gas field, now under production, in the same SK10 block, will have a floating production, storage and offloading system (FPSO) installed, the company, a wholly-owned unit of JX Holdings, said in a statement. Production is set to start initially at 100 million cubic feet per day of gas (17,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil equivalent) and about 7,000 bpd of condensate and crude. Natural gas will be sold as liquefied natural gas (LNG) after being fed to the operating liquefaction facility in Sarawak that JX invests in via a roughly 200km undersea pipeline.



JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration holds a 78.7 percent stake in the Japanese venture that holds a 75 percent stake in SK10 block, while the remaining 25 percent is owned by Malaysia’s Petronas Carigali. Other shareholders in the Japanese venture are Inpex Corp, with a stake of 15 percent and Mitsubishi Corp, with a stake of 6.3 percent. Source : therakyatpost

Carnival Dream Cruise Ship Rescues 39 Cuban Migrants From Small Boat in Distress

The Carnival Dream is being credited for rescuing 39 Cuban migrants that were in trouble on a small boat. The Carnival cruise ship was heading to Jamaica on Wednesday night when the small boat was spotted.

The 3,646-passenger cruise ship, which recently became the largest cruise to establish a year-round port in New Orleans, was in the middle of a seven day cruise to the Caribbean when officials spotted the distressed vessel. The crew rescued 39 people including 34 males and five females. They were brought on board and were treated by medical staff and were given food, water and clothing, Nola.com reports.

The U.S. Coast Guard was alerted of the rescue and sent a fast-response cutter to take over custody of the migrants. The cruise ship picked up the migrants in the Florida Straits, which is a common ocean route

between Cuba and Florida. The Carnival Dream isn't the only ship to make such a rescue recently. In March, another Carnival ship, Carnival Ecstasy, was on its way to the Bahamas when it rescued 41 Cuban migrants that were adrift in a smell boat that seemed to be taking on water. A week before that rescue, the Norwegian Pearl rescued 24 Cuban migrants from a small wooden boat near Key West. Carnival Gulliksen says while it my seem that these rescues are becoming more frequent, cruise ships haven't performed any more rescues than usual. "It happens from time, but we haven't noticed that more rescues are happening now than they have in the past," Gulliksen told NOLA.com. "Carnival has a longstanding tradition of aiding different types of mariners and vessels in distress." He added that the Carnival Valor rescued five adults for a yacht that was sinking during a storm near St. Maarten. Two deck officers were injured during the rescue. Source : Travellers Today

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the 2011 built PAN flag bulker KM YOKOHAMA entering Grand Harbour, Malta assisted by Tug Malta Ltd tugs SPINOLA, LIENI and SEA SALVOR on Saturday 10th May, 2014 for Palumbo Malta Shipyard Ltd Dock 6.

Photo : Capt. Lawrence Dalli - www.maltashipphotos.com

Insignia returns to service Insignia rejoined the Oceania Cruises fleet on 8 May following a two-year charter and an extensive US$50 million refurbishment. The first of three Oceania ships to undergo a refit, Insignia now features many of the popular interior design elements from the line’s newest ships Marina and Riviera. Sister ships Nautica and Regatta are scheduled to enter drydock and receive similar enhancements over the next four weeks. Renovating three ships from bow to stern in a six-week time period marks the largest refurbishment programme in Oceania Cruises’ history.

“This is a milestone moment for Oceania Cruises,” said Kunal Kamlani, president of Oceania Cruises. “Not only did we welcome home a family member with Insignia rejoining the fleet, but she comes out of drydock essentially a new ship, reflecting an even higher level of elegance and design. By adding features our guests adore from Marina and Riviera to Insignia, Nautica and Regatta, it further enhances the upscale cruise experience and exceptional value for which Oceania Cruises is known throughout the industry.” Notable enhancements include new bathrooms and fixtures in the Owner’s and Vista Suites; refreshed furniture and upholstery in the Penthouse Suites; and renovated changing rooms, décor and mosaics throughout The Canyon Ranch SpaClub.

In addition, the line has fitted a cook-to-order grill and replaced the furniture, flooring, fixtures and lighting in the Terrace Café; installed the popular Baristas coffee bar; updated the furniture, carpets and décor in Horizons Bar, Martinis and The Insignia Lounge; and added the new Artist Loft inside Horizons Bar to provide guests with a range of enrichment programmes. The vessel’s sports deck, located at the top of the ship, has received a new miniature golf course and shuffleboard courts, along with other deck games. The main pool area has also been updated.

Insignia set sail on a seven-day ‘Jewels of Europe’ cruise on 8 May and will be officially re-launched by her original godmother Virginia Watters – wife of Oceania Cruises’s founding chairman Joe Watters – in Istanbul on 11 June 2014. Following the relaunch, Insignia will depart Istanbul, Turkey, for a ten-day celebration cruise, calling at ports in Turkey, Cyprus, Israel and Greece. Guests can enjoy several exclusive events throughout the trip including a gala christening brunch, a post-ceremony Sail Away Cocktail Party, special Chairman’s Choice shore excursions and Oceania Club parties. Next year, the vessel will also sail an ‘Around the World in 180 Days’ cruise from Miami on 10 January and a ‘180 Day World Odyssey’ from the same port on 8 July. Nautica is scheduled to debut on 16 May for a ten-day ‘Cliffs & Coves’ cruise, while Regatta will re-enter service on 7 June for a ten-day ‘Majesty of Alaska’ cruise. Source : Cruiseandferry

Exmouth RNLI welcomes home the first Shannon in the South West

At 1.03pm on 9 May, R and J Welburn entered the Exe Estuary. Crowds of the charity's supporters lined the seafront awaiting the first glimpse of the first Shannon class lifeboat in the South West

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The arrival of the station's new state-of-the-art lifeboat had been planned by Exmouth RNLI volunteers to be a collaborative community welcome. Schools, local businesses, families and supporters from around the country flocked to the beach on the sunny but blustery day. Both of Exmouth RNLI's operational lifeboats, Mersey class Margaret Jean and D-class George Bearman launched in good time to meet the new member of the fleet. In the charity's tradition of the outgoing lifeboat leading the incoming one, the station's inshore lifeboat joined Teignmouth RNLI's Atlantic 85 class The Two Annes, behind. The R and J Welburn was decked out in colourful nautical bunting to draw attention in the midst of the lifeboat flotilla. Members of local sailing clubs also took to the water to join in the occasion.

After passing the town, the flotilla returned eastwards towards the lifeboat station where crowds had gathered at a safe point on the beach. Coxswain, Steve Hockings-Thompson landed the R and J Welburn straight onto the beach at a speed of 20 knots, to cheering crowds. After utilising the Shannon Launch and Recovery System (SLARS), Steve performed a number of movements on the water to demonstrate the agile manoeuvrability of the Shannon in shallow water. After the last recovery, performed by the station's shore crew volunteers, the loaded SLARS moved to the boathouse to even more cheers. Exmouth RNLI Mechanic, Mark Sansom was aboard the Shannon and commented;

'As we approached the beach, I couldn't believe the number of people who had turned out to welcome us home. We had been away for five days' training, since there's a lot of extra commitment needed, taking us away from our families and work. It's all well worth the effort to see the suppor t from all that attended.' Volunteers had announced last week that the 18-month appeal to raise £150,000 towards the total cost (£1 million) of the SLARS had been met. However, the Exmouth Lifeboat Fundraising Team's work still continues to raise money for saving lives at sea. Local business, Stuart Line Cruises organised a special Shannon sightseeing trip for the arrival day and donated all proceeds totalling £253.01, to the station. Fundraising volunteers worked hard to provide refreshments, raising £150.77 and the total collected from boxes amassed to £40.49 during the day. Exmouth RNLI is the second lifeboat station to receive a Shannon class lifeboat in the whole of the UK and Ireland. Now Crew and Shore Crew volunteers have commenced a period of intense training and once they are passed out, the R and J Welburn will be approved as operational. Source : westernmorningnews.

Tugboat worker strike could cost $700m Tugboat workers at Port Hedland are threatening to strike for up to a week, bringing iron ore exports at Australia's largest shipping hub to a standstill. Mining giant BHP Billiton estimates a seven-day strike could cost suppliers who use the port up to $700 million at around $100 million a day.

On Monday, 45 deckhands voted to walk off the job for periods of 24 hours, 48 hours and seven days over the next 30 days. However, the Maritime Workers Union (MUA) says workers will not take protected strike action before meeting with Teekay Shipping in the Fair Work Commission in Sydney on Tuesday May 20. Deckhands want better pay and increased leave entitlements.



They argue their conditions should be brought into line with the better paid tugboat engineers and masters. "There are still a number of sticking points which we are trying to work through," MUA Assistant WA Secretary Will Tracey said.

He said the parties had not been able to agree on annual leave. Still, he said workers had not yet decided whether to take industrial action. The MUA has recently been in talks at the Fair Work Commission with Teekay Shipping, the company that is contracted by BHP Billiton to provide tugboat services for all iron ore exporters at the port.

Other exporters which use the port to transport Australia's most lucrative commodity include Fortescue Metals Group and Atlas Iron. BHP Billiton said if port operations were suspended, Australia's iron ore exports would be significantly affected, costing suppliers around $100 million a day. "Significant royalty and tax revenue will be lost to the Western Australian and federal governments," a BHP spokeswoman said. She said mining companies like BHP Billiton were unable to make up lost volume of this nature and governments could not recover those lost royalties and taxes.

Still, BHP said it remains hopeful that Teekay will be able to reach agreement with the maritime unions. The tugboat workers have 30 days in which to take the protected action and the MUA must give Teekay three days notice ahead of any industrial action. Two other unions representing tugboat masters and engineers are also holding ballots concerning industrial action at the port. Source : Brisbanetimes

The CONSTRUCTOR passing Maassluis enroute Rotterdam - Photo : Skyphotomaassluis (c)

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Cruise ferry between Maine and Nova Scotia is christened in Boston days

before first trip A cruise ferry between Portland and Nova Scotia was christened in Boston on Monday in a nod to supporters' anticipation that the ship will draw tourists from around New England. The Nova Star's first commercial voyage to

Nova Scotia is scheduled for May 15. Pam Mood, the mayor of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, where it will dock, and Canadian Consulate General Patrick Binns of Boston were among the dignitaries at the christening at the Black Falcon Terminal on Boston's waterfront. Canadian tourism

officials and the ferry's operators have said they will focus the ship's marketing efforts on Boston.

"Our plan is to put 100,000 people in this ship a year, so it's all of New England — it's a regional thing," said Dennis Bailey, a spokesman for the ferry service.

The effort makes sense since Boston is New England's biggest media market, said Greg Mitchell, economic development director for the city of Portland. Portland officials hope the ferry provides residual economic benefits for the city via increased tourism, he said. "The net result will be drawing more people to the waterfront in Portland," Mitchell said. Each passenger is expected have an economic impact of about $100 for Portland, he said.

The 528-foot cruise ferry is expected to accommodate 1,200 passengers and include such amenities as a casino, retail store, spa and fine dining. It will make daily roundtrips to Nova Scotia. The ship also represents a restoration of ferry service between Portland and Yarmouth, which had been interrupted for several years. The Scotia Prince ran from 1982 to 2004 and The Cat, a high-speed ferry, operated from 2006 to 2009. The Scotia Prince topped out at about 150,000 passengers per season. The crossing to Nova Scotia, about 185 nautical miles, is expected to take 10 hours. The ferry will leave from Portland at 9 p.m. for an overnight cruise. The ship will be host to a ribbon cutting on Portland's waterfront Wednesday. Source : Daily Reporter

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the 2010 built BMU flag 51.30m motor yacht UMBRA leaving Grand Harbour, Malta on Monday 12th May, 2014. The

Sea Axe is built by the Dutch Damen Shipyards Group. Photo : Capt. Lawrence Dalli - www.maltashipphotos.com (c)

Italian ships rush to save 100s of migrants after boat sinks north of Libya; at least 14 die

A boat crowded with migrants sank Monday in the Mediterranean just beyond Libya's territorial waters, leaving at least 14 people dead, said the Italian navy, which helped rescue more than 200 survivors. A tugboat that was traveling between oil platforms in the area spotted the vessel in difficulty, and was the first to come to the rescue when it overturned and then sank, said a navy spokesman, Capt. Marco Maccaroni.

"The tugboat estimated that there were about 200 on board when it saw it before it sank," Maccaroni said. Seas were calm and it was unclear what caused the migrants' boat to go down, Maccaroni said. But he added that it often happens that when migrants see another vessel nearby, "they all move to one side, causing their boat to tip over."

By nightfall, 206 people had been rescued, the navy official said. He said it wasn't clear if any people were missing because the exact number of migrants who set out on the boat wasn't known.

Nationalities of the survivors and dead hadn't yet been determined. The sinking occurred some 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of the tiny Sicilian island of Lampedusa and about 40 miles (65 kilometers) north of the Libyan coast, Italian authorities said. An Italian frigate and a patrol boat rushed to the scene along with two Italian coast guard boats and a boat from the Italian border police fleet. Several cargo vessels in the vicinity also pitched in the rescue efforts. Medical personnel aboard the navy boats were giving assistance to the survivors.

The incident is the latest in a string of tragedies in the Mediterranean sea involving migrants who embark on perilous journeys in overloaded or unseaworthy boats. At least 232 people perished in the fiery capsizing of a smuggler's trawler near Lampedusa last fall. Only 155 people survived that capsizing.

In the past week alone, more than 4,000 migrants have reached Italy's shores, arriving in smugglers' boats. Many of the boats set out from Libya's loosely patrolled coast with migrants who are fleeing wars or hardship in Syria, Eritrea and elsewhere. Italy says it can no longer afford the costs of rescuing, feeding and sheltering the steady stream of arrivals and wants the rest of the European Union to do more. Northern neighbors like Germany retort that they already take in far more asylum seekers than Italy does.

The European Union's home affairs commissioner, Cecilia Malmstroem, quickly expressed shock over the "appalling loss of life" in Monday's tragedy and offered thanks to Italian authorities for their rescue efforts. She called on member states to "now show concrete solidarity in order to reduce the risk of such tragedies from happening again." She pushed for implementation of an EU strategy to resettle "refugees directly from the camps outside the EU" as well as "opening new legal channels to come legally."

"By bringing these people safely to the EU, we could prevent them from falling in the hands of traffickers and smugglers," Malmstroem said. In Libya Monday, the country's naval force rescued 450 migrants, including Eritreans, Syrians and Palestinians, off its coastline, officials said. On Sunday, Libyan officials said they found the bodies of 24 migrants after the bottom of the victims' small boat collapsed. Just two days earlier Libya's interior minister threatened that his country would aid migrants in reaching Europe if the EU didn't send more money to help it deal with migrants using Libya as a transit point. Source : StarTribune

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Acta Marine's "COASTAL GUARDIAN"assisting van Oord's "HAM 218" @ AlKhobar S.Arab

Photo : deVince. (c)

Veolia's control of Corsica ferry company at stake in board vote

Government representatives on the board of Corsica ferry operator SNCM will vote on Monday to decide whether Veolia (VIE.PA) can retake control of the troubled business.

The vote is tricky for the government as siding with Veolia could lead to protests by SNCM unions in Marseille ahead of European elections in two weeks. Veolia wants to put loss-making SNCM (Societe Nationale Maritime Corse Mediterranee) under court protection to shield it from a European Commission order to repay 440 million euros ($605 million) of state aid. Veolia has also said it will not put any more money into the ferry company. Veolia owns 66 percent of SNCM via transport firm Transdev - itself a 50-50 joint venture between Veolia and French state holding company CDC. But Veolia has not been able to impose its will at SNCM because the chairman of the ferry company's board sides with the unions and has voted against his employer. SNCM's unions say the French government and SNCM's appeal against the European Commission's state aid ruling will succeed and that SNCM needs more time. They also want the government to renationalise SNCM. The board will also vote on Monday on whether to renew the

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mandate of SNCM chief executive Marc Dufour. Dufour told regional newspaper La Provence that he had little hope of getting it. "I hope it will be, but I doubt it. My departure would be a bad sign for the future of the company, it will lead people to think they want to make SNCM disappear," he said.

Transdev has seven seats on SNCM's 14-member board, but with chairman Gerard Couturier expected to back Dufour, it will need the three state representatives to at least abstain to end Dufour's mandate, a source close to Transdev told Reuters. An attempt to oust Couturier in April failed as the state representatives abstained from a vote to replace him with a Transdev representative. The French state has 25 percent of SNCM's capital, while the ferry operator's staff own 9 percent of capital and have four board seats. The transport ministry was not available for comment.

Transdev and Veolia have said SNCM's long-term business plan was not credible as it is based on unrealistic forecasts for ferry traffic growth. But local politicians in Marseille led by conservative mayor Jean-Claude Gaudin have called on the state to help SNCM, which employs 2,600 staff and also provides work for some 2,400 suppliers and subcontractors. Ahead of SNCM's partial privatization in 2006, there were weeks of strikes and protests in Corsica and Marseille. One of the firm's ferries was hijacked and in the Corsican city of Ajaccio a rocket was fired at the offices of the city's top French representative.

"The French government is petrified by the thought of a major social conflict that would paralyze Marseille," French daily Le Parisien quoted an insider as saying. source : Reuters (Reporting by Geert De Clercq. Editing by Jane Merriman)

Three Sewol crewmembers honored Three deceased crewmembers of the sunken ferry Sewol will be honored for their heroic act in saving passengers, the welfare ministry said Monday. Accordingly, their remains will likely be buried in a national cemetery and the family members will be entitled to government compensation and other benefits. One of the crewmembers is Park Ji-young, a 22-year-old stewardess and non-regular employee of Chonghaejin Marine. She died while trying to evacuate passengers from the vessel that capsized on April 16 off the southwest coast. She distributed life jackets and helped passengers get on rescue boats.

According to a saved Danwon High School student, when passengers ran out of life jackets, Park gave a student hers. When the student asked Park what she would do without a life jacket, Park said, “Don’t worry. I will get out after rescuing you guys.” The passenger reportedly told the welfare ministry that she survived because of Park. Kim Gi-woong, a 28-year-old part timer, and Jeong Hyun-seon, a 29-year-old crewmember, also died whilst helping passengers evacuate and returned inside the vessel to save the remaining passengers. The welfare ministry said that it will review if Lee Gwang-wook, a privately hired diver, who died on May 6 while recovering bodies from the capsized ferry, can receive the same benefits as them. The municipal government of Namyangju applied for the recognition, and the welfare ministry said it has requested for additional documents to enable it conduct a review.

“The committee will hold the next meeting as soon as Namyangju submit the requested documents and other municipal government hand in applications in relation to the Sewol accident,” the ministry said in a statement. For families of those to be honored, the ministry will confer a certificate of honor and offer compensation of up to 202.91 million won ($197,840). Their bodies will be buried at the national cemetery. The deceased’s spouses, parents, children and siblings will have their medical expenses covered and will be given preferential consideration in job recruitments. The government will also pay the children’s tuitions until they finish high school. Source : The Korea Times

Fathom launch the Ship Efficiency Awards 2014

Fathom, the maritime eco-efficiency specialists, have announced the launch of the inaugural Ship Efficiency Awards, to be held in October alongside Fathom’s annual conference ‘Ship Efficiency: The Event’. These awards will be dedicated



to recognising excellence in efficient operations, technological innovation and energy efficiency within the maritime industry.

The awards will be judged by an internationally reputed panel, including Martin Stopford, President, Clarksons Research Services (CRS), Craig Eason, Technical Editor, Lloyds List, and Peter Hinchliffe, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) & Shipping Federation (ISF), amongst others. The Ship Efficiency Awards will acknowledge and celebrate outstanding industry trailblazers through six different categories; the Energy Efficiency Solution Award, the Environmental Technology Award, Initiative of the Year, Sustainable Ship Operator of the Year, The One to Watch and the Outstanding Contribution to Ship Efficiency Award (to be judged via public vote). These awards put the spotlight on those individuals and companies that are making a real difference to advancing leaner and more efficient shipping operations, and will recognise those who are shaping a sustainable future for our industry.

“Efficiency, in all its guises, is truly one of the biggest challenges we are facing today as an industry. It is important that we properly celebrate and promote those furthering the knowledge and possibilities for the wider industry so that all can benefit.” Alison Jarabo, Director at Fathom Shipping, commented. Despite the number of awards schemes within the shipping industry, there are none that are specifically dedicated to maritime efficiency. These awards have been founded in order to address this and ensure that the industry leaders are prominently identified.” Jarabo affirmed.

The official awards ceremony will be held on 2nd October 2014 at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in Westminster, London, as part of the wider programme of events for Fathom’s Ship Efficiency: The Event 2014. The fourth annual ‘Ship Efficiency: The Event 2014’, held in association with Inmarsat, promises to be one of Autumn’s highlights for shipping companies, regulators, technology companies, environmental companies and all related stakeholders.

The awards are now open for nominations with the deadline for entries the 1st August 2014. The shortlisted nominees for each category will be announced at the beginning of September and the winners announced at the awards ceremony on 2nd October 2014. The judging process will be transparent and rigorous, rewarding excellence in efficiency and environmental performance in the maritime industry. Only work or achievements taking place in the last 12 months (2013-2014) will be eligible for the 2014 awards and each award has a specified criterion that entries must meet and demonstrate in order to be eligible.Source: Fathom

Following Vinashin, Vinalines now lays down conditions for its equitization

The Vietnam National Shipping Lines (Vinalines) has asked for a lot of favors to settle debts before it goes equitized. Vinalines finally has decided to follow the same path as Vinashin, which has changed its name into SBIC after the restructuring, to try to overcome the current difficulties. The government “extended its hand” to save Vinashin by guaranteeing $600 million worth of international rollover bonds issued by the company, in an effort to restructure its huge debts, while asking domestic banks to clear 70 percent of the principal and accept a payment delay for the remaining 30 percent. Will the same measures be applied to rescue Vinalines?

VietinBank, one of Vinalines’ 24 creditors, stated two weeks ago that it wants to convert Vinalines’ debt into equity in the shipping corporation, once Vinalines goes equitized. Also, in order to put Vinalines into equitization, it will have to clear its “mountain of debt” and “embellish” the account books. Only by that time will Vietinbank be <able | willing>to convert the debt into an equity share. However, the latest report of the Ministry of Transport, the governing body of Vinalines, disclosed that Vinalines took losses in the last three consecutive years. The loss it took in 2013 was triple

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that of 2012 (VND3.1 trillion vs VND1 trillion). The repeated loss has led to a sharp decrease in the holding company’s stockholder equity and sharp increase in its accounts payable.

Vinalines, which was once listed as a major player in the shipping industry, has been put under special finance control by the Ministries of Finance, Transport and commercial banks because of its insolvency. With its current situation, analysts say, Vinalines is nearer the bankruptcy door than the equitization door. By government edict, the shipping corporation has to undergo equitization by 2015, but analysts say it is too weak for that to be a realistic goal.

Meanwhile, Vinalines’ biggest creditors, including the Vietnam Development Bank (VDB) and four state-owned commercial banks, have announced they do not agree to freeze Vinalines’ debts. Vinalines’ 24 creditors, more than a half of which are foreign commercial banks, have refused to freeze the principals and clear the interests for Vinalines, totaling VND11 trillion by December 31, 2013. Vietinbank, which needs to collect VND2.23 trillion from Vinalines, is the company’s biggest Vietnamese creditor. The others include VDB, ACB, OceanBank and Vietcombank. Meanwhile, Natixis is the biggest foreign creditor, with the loan worth VND1 trillion.

The other plans Vinalines drew up in order to restructure its debts have also failed completely. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has refused a loan worth $100 million requested by Vinalines, saying that Vinalines is not eligible for borrowing money under the program on state-owned enterprise reform. Vinalines also considered the plan on issuing government-guaranteed rollover bonds in the international market. However, the government cannot do this because it has just done this for Vinashin. As all the efforts made by Vinalines have been fruitless, analysts say the government needs to once again come forward and revive the corporation. Source: VietNamNet Bridge

Mediterranean crude tanker market could benefit from return of Libya's oil

The return of Libya's oil to the market and more specifically the normalization the situation of the oil-exporting ports could provide support to the Mediterranean crude tanker market, which has been suffering from the latest round of blockades in the North African country's ports. On the other hand, Suezmaxes could take a hit, as they were the main benefactors of the situation, as European countries were forced to source oil cargoes from further afield.

In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Gibson provided a useful summary of the situation in Libya over the course of the past few years, since the country was embroiled in a civil war that would eventtually lead to the overthrow of the Gaddafi regime (October 2011) and plunge the nation into a prolonged period of civil unrest. "While Libya at the time was a relatively minor OPEC producer at 1.6 million b/d (2% of world production), the loss of these export crude barrels had a significant impact on the Mediterranean crude tanker market. Oil and gas exports make up around 70% of Libya’s economy providing the means to fund essential food supplies as well as the vital equipment to keep production functioning. Following the civil war, crude production in Libya recovered fairly quickly once a new overnment was put in place and, for a while, it appeared that the desert dust had once again settled, and normal cargo lifting to Europe resumed", said the London-based shipbroker in its report. However, as Gibson mentioned, "during July and August 2013, protests at major oil loading ports in the central and eastern region of Libya forced the complete shut-in of oil fields and by September oil production had fallen to around 0.3 million b/d as armed groups, seeking self-rule, blocked pipelines and took over terminals and oil fields. Of course the loss of the Libyan light sweet crudes to the European market has benefited the Suezmaxes, with replacement barrels being sourced from further afield, in particular West Africa. By the end of March this year, demonstrations against the government forced more field closures cutting production (at one stage) to just 150,000b/d.

Gibson added that "according to Libya’s official news agency, the seizure of the country’s ports, over the past eight months, has cost the nation around $14 billion in lost export revenue. The recent fiasco when a North Korean flagged MR tanker tried to break a government port blockade to load an illegal cargo of crude resulted in the sacking of the Libyan prime minister. However, towards the end of April an agreement was reached with the rebels to resume oil shipments from the east Libyan ports of Zueitina and Hariga, and a number of cargoes were lifted. The resumption of oil shipments may in part be responsible for the short lived hike in rates for X-Med Aframaxes, which broke through WS100 points for the first time since the end of January, reaching to arouund WS110. Further talks were planned to resume shipments from the ports of Es Sider and Ras Lanuf, but the election last weekend of a new interim prime minister has once again plunged the nation into confusion and uncertainty following disagreements over the legality of the poll. At the time of writing, tankers are loading in Libya and other vessels are scheduled to make port. However, a betting man wouldn’t place a bet on this fragile situation holding for too long, but we can hope", Gibson concluded.

Meanwhile, in the crude tanker markets this week, in the Mediterranean, "Suezmaxes also failed to properly spark here. Actually, they never received the interim attention either, and merely driftedat an average 140,000 by ws 55



from the Black Sea for European destinations. The early outlook remains very soggy too. Aframaxes huffed and puffed, but ultimately remained in an 80,000 by ws 75/80 range cross Med, and should stay there, or thereabouts, given the good ongoing availability", said Gibson.

In the Middle East, there was "flatline for VLCCs ...though that’s perhaps being generous as a number of deals have also been concluded below last week’s lowest numbers too. Just to many ships, and given that, Charterers seem content to continue to slowly mop up the last quarter of the May programme and merely drip feed early June stems into the marketplace, though perhaps there could be a spree of bargain hunting on the near-term horizon. Rates, for now operate at down to ws 35 to the East, and ws 24 to the West, via Cape. Suezmaxes kept to a steady enough beat to keep rates rangebound at 135,000 in the low ws 30’s West, and low ws 60’s to the East, but availability was never pruned to a point that threatened a break-out, and that should stay the case for a while yet. Aframaxess started with some hope, but that fizzled late week, and rinued at a flat rates contninued at a flat 80,000 by ws 95 to Singapore with another nondescript week forecast", Gibson noted. Finally, in the North Sea, it was "a slow week for Aframaxes, but rates were already at bottom hugging levels so 80,000 by ws 90/92.5 cross Uk Cont remained the conference range with 100,000 by ws 65/67.5 the mark from the Baltic. Suezmaxes fouund a few friends, but rates didn’t move much from 135,000 by low ws 50’s to the States with US$$3.2 million paid for a fuel oil run from the Baltic to Singapore including heating costs. VLCCs couldn’t get in on any action, but theoretically would cover at US$3.55 million for the Rotterdam/Singapore run", the shipbroker concluded. Source : Nikos Roussanoglou, Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide

Somali piracy in decline‚ but danger still lurks

Off the coast of Somalia, a sailor on board the French ship Sirocco observes two dhows through binoculars, establishing they are both bona fide fishing vessels. If the coast of the autonomous region of Puntland is still home to pirates, they take to the seas a lot less frequently than they used to. The presence of an international armada and the deterrents put in place by shipping companies have reduced piracy off the Somali coast and in the Gulf of Aden to practically nothing. But the threat is still very present. According to the European anti-piracy fleet Atalanta, the last capture of a major vessel by pirates dates back to May 2012. Since then several vessels have been attacked or targeted but the pirates have not actually managed to seize any of them.

They have managed to seize a handful of dhows, with the aim of using them as mother ships for launching attacks on other vessels. But that booty pales into insignificance compared to vessels seized when piracy was at its peak: catches in those days included two supertankers, each transporting close on two million barrels of crude oil and a Ukranian cargo ship loaded with arms, notably tanks. The Sirocco has not made any major catches either in its four months as Atalanta's flagship -- just five pirates arrested in mid-January on board an Indian dhow which they had seized in a vain attempt to board a tanker. Since then the ships that make up Atalanta have confined themselves to patrolling, keeping a watchful eye on the zone and helping any vessels in difficulty. A South Korean fisherman, injured in a fishing accident underwent surgery on one of Atalante's vessels.

"The economic model of piracy has been broken," explained Etienne de Poncins, the head of EUCAP-Nestor, a European Union mission whose aim is to beef up the capacity of the countries in this zone (Somalia, Djibouti, Kenya, Seychelles and Tanzania) and enable them to carry out surveillance of their own territorial waters.

- 'The pirates are still there' -

When Somali piracy was at its peak in 2011, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) counted 237 attacks attributed to Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean, from the Somali coast across the Sea of Oman. In 2013 the IMB recorded only five attacks, all of which failed. "At sea the phenomenon is under control. But the pirates are still there. They can be seen on the coast," warned de Poncins. By arresting numerous pirates over the past few years, Atalanta and its allies -- NATO, China and Japan, which have all deployed considerable means in the region, a shipping route crucial for world trade -- have had a very dissuasive effect.

A raft of measures taken by the shipping sector have also contributed to the decline of piracy: the presence of armed guards on board, the use of barbed wire, an increase in navigation speeds, navigating as far away from the coast as possible. Indeed experts note that pirates have never managed to seize a vessel protected by armed guards or sailing at a speed of more than 18 knots. But such measures are expensive. The World Bank noted that "piracy imposed a hidden tax on world trade". "Piracy costs the global economy roughly US$18 billion a year in increased trade costs — an amount that dwarfs the estimated $53 million average annual ransom paid since 2005," the bank said in a 2013 report. "It's expensive, so the



day when the shipping companies say 'That's enough' the whole thing can kick off again quite quickly," warned de Poncins.

And given that attacks are becoming rare, ship owners and captains are starting to let their guard down, EU Naval Force officials say, reporting that ships are again navigating at slower speeds and sailing closer to the coast in order to save fuel. "We are becoming victims of our own success," said Lieutenant Michael Quinn of Atalanta, adding however: "the conditions on the Somali coast have not changed and industry must not relax". The EU Naval Force's mandate applies only to the sea; it is not authorised to launch land attacks on the pirates who still control, notably in Puntland, large sections of the Somali coast. Clan militia, pirate networks and criminal gangs share power in this country deprived of an effective government since 1991. The fact that Somali pirates control the coast means they can bring their booty ashore, complete with cargo and crew, making rescue operations very difficult. The mission of EUCAP-Nestor, which complements that of Atalanta, is therefore to "go ashore and train coast guards so that the countries of the region can be in a position to manage and control their maritime waters, but also to help them put legislation in place," de Poncins said. Source : thehimalayantimes

NAVY NEWS

Out on patrol on the Clyde recently was the UK Customs vessel VIGILANT.

Photo : Tommy Bryceland. SCOTLAND (c)

DUTCH FRIGATE VISITS MALTA

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The Dutch Frigate F 802 DE ZEVEN PROVINCIEN enroute from Den Helder naval base to the horn of Africa made a stop over at Malta HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën (F802) is the first ship of the De Zeven Provinciën-class air defence and command frigates in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN). There are three other ships in this class, HNLMS Tromp (F803), HNLMS De Ruyter (F804), and HNLMS Evertsen (F805). De Zeven Provinciën is the eighth ship in the Royal Netherlands Navy to carry this name. The name refers to the original seven Dutch provinces which together formed the Union of Utrecht. She was built by Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding (formerly the Koninklijke Schelde Groep) in Vlissingen. Her design incorporates stealth technology, as

well as advanced radars of Dutch design such as SMART-L and APAR. photos : Michael Cassar (c)

Pak submarine joins naval drills in Jubail

The Pakistani Navy submarine Hamza docked at the Royal Saudi Naval Forces Base in Jubail where both navies conducted joint exercises on May 6 and May 11. Following its arrival, several meetings were held on a number of professional matters including the combat capabilities of the two navies. Commander of the Eastern Fleet of the Saudi Royal Navy Rear Admiral Ibrahim Maghloos also visited submarine Hamza in Jubail. Commander Syed Sajjad Hussain and other Pakistani naval officers including the Saudi navies welcomed the Commander of the Saudi Eastern Fleet. The Pak Navy submarine Hamza is the first indigenously constructed submarine of the Pakistan Navy equipped with the MESMA AIP system. The submarine was constructed by PN Dockyard in collaboration with DCNS of France. Hamza was successfully launched on Aug. 10, 2006 by the president of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and

commissioned on Sept. 26, 2008 by the prime minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The induction of Hamza in the PNS submarine Force has added a new dimension to conventional submarines operations. Hamza has safely and smoothly conducted maximum endurance operations of MESMA at sea. The PN Submarine Force with this state-of-the-art platform has gained a unique capability of enhanced submerged endurance as compared to the navies of the



region. The submarine by virtue of its propulsion system, weapons and sensor outfit, equipment efficiency, stealth and well-knitted crew is a platform to reckon with and is fully capable of undertaking a variety of missions. Source : Arab News

Navy takes delivery of 3 patrol vessels from US, China

The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Delta, Warri naval base, has taken a delivery of three patrol boats to add to existing ones to checkmate crimes including oil theft in Nigerian waterways. This is just as no fewer than 38 thieving ships, out of which eight were Chinese fishing vessels, have been arrested and impounded since January 2014.

These were disclosed by the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin, on Monday, during a familiarisation visit to Navy Air Station, Naval Hospital, Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) and other facilities of the force under NNS Delta, Warri, Delta State. He said that the force was expecting the delivery of three offshore patrol vessels, one from the United States by August this year and two from China before next year.

Rear Admiral Jibrin, who was received and conducted round by the Commander, NNS Delta, Captain Musa Gemu, stated that the Federal Government was up and doing in making the job of waterway surveillance easy for men of the force through the provision of platforms to work with. “You know we have always requested the Federal Government to look at our direction with respect to the provision of platforms; this is now being addressed and I have just equally told you that we have taken delivery of four boats and they added to the NNS Delta’s impetus to be able to do our job well. Once these are properly deployed, I think these excesses should be brought to the barest minimum,” Jibrin tated. s

He said illegal oil bunkering, oil theft and its variants, as well as poaching or illegal fishing and piracy on Nigerian waterways would be dealt with statutorily with the recapitalisation of the force by the Federal Government. “The Federal Government has invested in us now through the acquisition of platforms and I can quickly tell you that the Federal Government ordered two off-shore patrol vessels from China; we are about taking delivery of one, which was earlier launched by the First Lady in January and before August, it will be in Nigeria. “The second one will be delivered next year, hopefully. On the 7th of May, the Nigerian Navy has just taken over one ship from the U.S. Navy and that is expected, all things being equal, before August again.” Source : Nigerian tribune

SHIPYARD NEWS

STX pledges to speed Turku shipyard sale

Vapaavuori is in Seoul, South Korea for discussions with both STX and South Korea's Trade and Industry Minister Song Jick-Yoon on the purchase of the Turku shipyards by the State of Finland in partnership with the German shipbuilder Meyer Werft. "The first phase is about our industrial partner, Meyer Werft, getting the technical data about the Turku yard's operations in order to evaluate whether or not it can be a viable business operation. This is an essential condition to opening actual negotiations. And, a pledge was made to now speed up this process," Vapaavuori told Yle.

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However, according to the Finnish Economic Affairs Minister, it is still impossible to say if the State of Finland will actually take up ownership in the yards. Meyer Werft is serious about the venture, he stated, even though public statements by representatives of the German company have been cautious. Vapaavuori expects negotiations to kick off within a few weeks. STX creditor banks have let it be understood that the company will seek to divest its European shipyards as early as June. "In Finland, a large cruise liner is scheduled to be completed a week from Friday, and after that, the shipyard will have only one more vessel under construction. This is why we're in a hurry to move ahead," Vapaavuori explained. Source : Yle

The MICLYN GRACE after completion of the docking at Damen yard Hamriyah / UAE

Photo : Bob Slot (c)

Another Container Vessel Comes off the Blocks for Taiwanese Shipping Line

The latest container ship constructed by Samsung Heavy Industries on behalf of Evergreen Line, another 8,452 TEU ‘L-type’ vessel has just been christened. The ship, the EVER LIBERAL follows the launching of the EVER LOYAL less than two months ago and is the nineteenth vessel in a series of twenty with the final craft scheduled to be completed in July.

As with her sisters, the EVER LIBERAL is 334.8 metres in length with a 45.8 metre beam and 942 reefer plugs and is capable of cruising at up to 24.5 knots. The class was designed with energy efficiency in mind to significantly reduce the Taiwanese line’s carbon footprint. The L-class containership is fitted with alternative marine power, ballast water treatment system, electronic-controlled fuel-injection engine that supports slow steaming and many more eco-friendly designs and the new-building is set to join Evergreen Line's Far East - Europe route, replacing an older vessel.

Evergreen Line commenced its fleet renewal programme in 2010 at a time when shipbuilding costs reached cost-effective levels. The project entailed ordering of thirty L-type vessels and chartering a further five 8,800 TEU units as well as ten of 13,800 TEU.

Furthermore, in order to meet the tonnage demand of alliance commitments, the carrier has also signed charter agreements for ten 14,000 TEU vessels. The delivery of these newbuildings, scheduled between now and 2017, will be balanced by the redelivery of ships currently on charter when these agreements expire.

As usual with Evergreen the ship was named in a ceremony attended by dignitaries from Taiwan and abroad. She was christened by Bronson Hsieh, Evergreen Group's Second Vice Group Chairman with the ceremonial ‘rope cutting’ performed by Ms. C. H. Chang of Evergreen Marine Corporation. In his speech Mr. Hsieh said:

“It was in July 2012 that we started to take delivery of L-type vessels from Samsung Heavy Industries. All the new-buildings were delivered perfectly to schedule and have been performing very well. The twentieth and the final new-



building of this programme is planned to be completed in July. Furthermore, we are looking forward to receiving five 14,000 TEU chartered vessels from Samsung in 2016.” Source : The Handy Shipping Guide

Daewoo Shipbuilding wins patent suit against French firm

Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. said Monday it has won a patent suit against Cryostar SAS, a French ship parts maker, at the European Patent Office (EPO). The shipbuilder said the EPO had dismissed the petition filed by the French company in late 2012 claiming that the South Korean shipbuilders' patent for HiVAR-FGSS should be nullified because it is neither worthy of a patent nor has improved features.

The HiVAR-FGSS is a device used to inject natural gas stored in a tank to a ship's engine after compressing it using high pressure. Daewoo Shipbuilding obtained the patent for the device from the EPO in May 2011. The South Korean company expects the EPO's decision will help it expand its presence in the competitive global ship parts market. Source: Yonhap

ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES

The BNI CASTOR anchored at Singapore West Jurong anchorage

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Captain of ports seeks 100% hike in port charges and fees

PANAJI: The captain of ports (CoP) hopes to see a jump in its revenue collection after its recommendation seeking 100 % increase in port charges and fees is accepted by the government. The CoP's revenue collection nosedived from 40

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crore in 2011-12 (before mining came to a halt in September 2012), to 4.4 crore in 2013-14. The CoP doesn't see its revenue going up significantly, as and when mining re-starts in future due to 20-million ton cap imposed by the Supreme Court.

"Even if mining restarts it's no solace to us. We will get a pittance due to restricted mining activities," said a CoP official. In the recent years the CoP has not hiked port charges and fees. "We had raised port charges 12 years ago," said a CoP official. The CoP expects to have new rates made applicable a month later, after government approves its proposal which has been placed before the government. The CoP earned Rs 12 crore in 2012-13 whereas in 2013-14 it's collection dropped significantly. It could earn only Rs 4.4 crore by way of fees and port charges. With its revenue sinking significantly after the ban on mining, the CoP sees the proposed hike in port charges as the only way to enhance its income. As source of earning from barges and mining vessels using Panaji port jurisdiction has stopped, its collection is limited to cruises, fishing vessels, water sports boats and cargo carriers. On an average, 75-80 vessels travel in the jurisdiction of Panaji port which is extended upto 10 nautical miles. Source : Time of India

MSC transfers activities in port of Antwerp to Deurganck dock

The Port Authority board of directors gave the go-ahead for the move on Monday evening. The transfer is necessary in order to permit further expansion by MSC in Antwerp. The shipping company announced at the end of last year that it wished to have a new location below the locks, not only because its present site in the Delwaide dock had reached saturation point but also because of the increasing size of the ships being introduced. The Deurganck dock was the obvious choice, as it is already used by the other members of the P3 alliance of which MSC forms part, and furthermore the alliance plans to make even greater use of it in future.

With a volume of 4.5 million TEU in 2013, MSC is the port of Antwerp’s biggest container customer. However, the company’s Home Terminal in the Delwaide dock was already at full capacity in 2010, so no further growth in Antwerp has been possible since 2011. Indeed, MSC was forced to divert a large part of its growth to other ports in the Hamburg-Le Havre range, so that the level of activity in Antwerp remained static. Despite this, MSC and the other P3 partners confirmed their absolute confidence in Antwerp, so that the port saw its position as a leading western European container port further strengthened. Indeed, Antwerp is the only port in western Europe apart from Willemshaven to gain loops with the P3 network. But even without the P3 concept the move by MSC to a new, larger location would be essential, as MSC plans to use Antwerp as a base for its further development in the Benelux region.

The further expansion of the MSC volumes and those of the other P3 partners is of particular significance for the port of Antwerp. Studies have shown that the added value created by MSC is 2.69 euros per tonne. This would mean that the MSC activities generated an annualised value of 154.1 million euros in 2013. MSC is very important for employment in the port too: the activities by the shipping company provided no fewer than 10,602 jobs in 2013. The growth made possible by the move will create an estimated 760 additional full-time jobs. This unique, historic opportunity to facilitate the development of a world player such as MSC cannot be overestimated. However, in order to make sure that the proposed move by MSC to the left bank of the Scheldt would not stand in the way of other, similar projects that had not yet been announced, the Port Authority issued a national and international call for expressions of interest at the beginning of this year. But no proposals of a comparable scope or positive impact were received.

The MSC Home Terminal is a joint venture between Terminal Investment Limited (TIL) on the one hand and PSA Antwerp on the other. PSA Antwerp also holds the concession on the West side of the Deurganck dock. In order to permit a smooth transfer in legal terms, it has been decided that PSA Antwerp will transfer its current concession in the Deurganck dock to a new company, namely PSA DGD, a PSA subsidiary in which TIL also has a stake.

In the meantime the name MSC Home Terminal will not survive the move: the proposal is for a MSC PSA European Terminal (MPET) on the West side of the Deurganck dock. The PSA DGD joint venture would have a capacity of more than 7 million TEU on the West side of the Deurganck dock. Based on current forecasts for growth – which include not only the expected expansion by MSC but also the additional MSC Home Terminal volumes and the P3/Maersk services – this capacity should quickly be used up. It is therefore all the more urgent for additional space to be made available to MSC and the other P3 partners.

Accordingly, the Port Authority has decided that the largely unused part of the concession on the East side of the Deurganck dock should be reassigned from the current Antwerp Gateway terminal and given in concession to the new MPET joint venture. The concession for this area will be for an initial 7 year period however it will be extended if an equivalent alternative area is not made available to MPET. During that time a close watch will be held to ensure that full use is made of the capacity, with maximum efficiency. In the meantime Antwerp Gateway will still have room for



growth in the coming years, even in this configuration. In preparation for the move, measures will be taken to preserve mobility (i.e. smooth flow of traffic) on the left bank of the Scheldt. Calculations taken from the Environmental Impact Statement for the Deurganck dock at full capacity show that the transfer will not have a negative effect on local mobility. In fact more of the containers brought in by MSC will leave the port again by barge, given the greater transshipment ratio. If everything goes according to plan then the move by MSC to the left bank should be completed by the end of 2015. Given the strategic importance of the Delwaide dock, the Port Authority will issue a call for proposals to see what opportunities there are for making use of this ideally located deep-sea facility. This all forms part of the Port Authority’s remit of making the most efficient use of the available space in the port. Source : PortNews

LEADING PORT FOR COCOA EXPORTS PLAN $1.6B EXPANSION

SAN PEDRO, Ivory Coast - Ivory Coast’s port of San Pedro is seeking 777 billion CFA francs from private partners to fund upgrades that aim to make it one of West Africa’s top shipping hubs, including for iron ore and nickel, the ransport minister said. t

San Pedro is already the world’s leading port for cocoa exports, shipping more than half of total output from Ivory oast, the top producer of the chocolate ingredient. It also exports coffee, palm oil, timber and cotton. C

But the government of President Alassane Ouattara wants to make the port the centrepiece of an ambitious plan that would see more than 8 trillion CFA francs invested in the development of the country’s predominantly agricultural

estern regions. w

“The port of San Pedro is our next development and growth hub, because it is from San Pedro that we will export iron and nickel ore,” Transport Minister Gaoussou Toure told an investment forum late on Wednesday. Ivory Coast has long neglected its potentially lucrative mining sector in favour of a concentration on soft commodity exports. But following a ecade-long crisis that ended in a brief civil war in 2011, it is seeking to diversify its economy. d

India’s Tata Steel is finalizing exploration and feasibility studies for its Mt. Nimba and Mt. Gao concessions and plans to invest around $1 billion to develop the two iron deposits. It plans to use the ore mined in Ivory Coast to supply steel mills in Britain and the Netherlands operated by its subsidiary Tata Steel UK, the second-largest steel producer in urope. E

Detailing the investment plans, Toure said San Pedro was seeking private partners to finance the construction of a new 500 billion CFA franc terminal to handle ore exports. A proposed second container terminal is expected to cost 260 billion CFA francs, he said, while a multipurpose terminal will cost an additional 17 billion CFA. San Pedro entered a partnership with Port of Antwerp International a subsidiary of Antwerp’s port authority, in 2012 as part of efforts to secure $230 million in financing from private investors. Source : malaya.com

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