daily collection of maritime press...

DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2015 – 042

Distribution : daily to 32.150+ active addresses 11-02-2015

Number 042 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Wednesday 11-02-2015

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

KOTUG’s ZP BOXER assisting the CSCL PACIFIC OCEAN in the port of Hamburg

Photo : Jan Ove Mühlpforte ©

Your feedback is important to me so please drop me an email if you have any photos or articles that may be of interest to the maritime interested people at sea and ashore

PLEASE SEND ALL PHOTOS / ARTICLES TO :

[email protected]

If you don't like to receive this bulletin anymore : To unsubscribe click here (English version) or visit the subscription page on our website.

http://www.maasmondmaritime.com/uitschrijven.aspx?lan=en-US

mailto:[email protected]�

http://www.maasmondmaritime.com/uitschrijven.aspx?lan=en-US�


http://www.maasmondmaritime.com/�

http://www.lekko.org/�

http://www.simacharters.com/�



EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS

The new ARK DANIA heading south on a Mediterranean Blue Sound on the road to Gdansk.

Photo : Per Körnefeldt ©

Couple fear their $145,000 pride and joy has been sailed overseas

The owners believe it was a well-planned theft by someone who knew about boats.A $145,000 yacht has vanished and its owners fear it may have been sailed overseas. Retired Whangarei couple Carol and Stephen Holland have owned the 14m cutter Harlech for 13 years and taken it on two trips to the

South Pacific.They were planning to take out the yacht this weekend but found it had disappeared from its moorings, at Opua, south of Waitangi."They've been announcing it on the marine radios and on all the shipping channels but there have been no sightings at all. They've most probably gone out of New Zealand with it.""There was a padlock and they would have to have turned the water and the batteries on - you have to know what you're doing before the engine will even start.The couple believed it had been stolen between Monday and Friday.The yacht was running low on drinking water but had enough diesel to travel about 300 nautical miles - 560km."It's a serious vessel: it's got an oven, a shower, a toilet and everything else. We lived on board for six months."It's oldish - it's not worth a fortune any more - but it's a lovely boat. We're devastated.""There's no registration papers or anything with boats. You've got names but you can change those."

Tight Caribbean VLCC market attracts ballasters from Red Sea, Asia

http://www.xxtras.nl/�



Recent strength in the Caribbean VLCC market, despite weakness in the Persian Gulf and West Africa markets, has attracted several ballasters to the Americas, even a rare one from the Red Sea, market sources said this week. Reliance has fixed the 321,225 dwt Blue Aquamarine, which was heading to the Red Sea from the Persian Gulf, to load a crude cargo from the Caribbean on February 27 and go to West Coast India. “[This is a] first, at least in the last five years, a ship ballasting from the Red Sea, to load in the Caribbean, and going back to India,” a US shipbroker said. Vessels in the Red Sea typically ballast to West Africa or the UK Continent. According to cFlow, Platts trade flow software, the Blue Aquamarine arrived at Ain Sukhna in Egypt February 2 and is remains there. The typical voyage time from Ain Sukhna to the Caribbean is 16-17 days. Sources also said this week that a new built vessel was ballasting straight from a yard in North Asia to the Caribbean. “When owners will ballast straight from the yard to the USGC/Caribbean from the Far East, you know the market is hot,” said the US broker.Broking sources in Asia said Glasford, PetroChina’s shipping arm, is ballasting from North Asia a recently built ship, the Junin, to the Jose terminal in the Caribbean. According to cFlow, the 320,840 dwt Junin, which was built in January 2015, left Singapore January 26 — after arriving there from a yard in China — and was last observed traveling unladen in the Indian Ocean. It is expected to arrive in Jose on March 6.Broking sources in Asia said Glasford is likely ballasting the vessel to the Caribbean to load its own cargo.A ship ballasting from Singapore to the Caribbean to load a cargo for China can earn almost $67,000/day, compared with daily earnings of around $50,000 on a Persian Gulf-to-North Asia route. PetroChina currently has a requirement to move a VLCC cargo on a Caribbean-East voyage, loading March 5-10, according to sources.The Caribbean VLCC market has been on an upward trajectory since the latter part of January, even as markets in the Persian Gulf and West Africa wilted.The Caribbean-Singapore route, basis 270,000 mt, hit a high of $8.05 million on January 30, the highest it has been since Platts started assessing the route in November 2013.“There isn’t enough ships [in the Caribbean], and owners can do whatever they want … the cargoes have to move, and therefore it is up the owner what they want to fix at, regardless of what the AG is doing,” the US broker said.The Caribbean-Singapore freight rate has since eased to $7.6 million Thursday, but remains at lofty levels.“The market has come off a bit, but earnings are still over $100,000/day so it’s still pretty strong,” the broker said. “There have been a number of vessels ballasting to the Caribbean recently and that persuades other owners around the world to do the same … so yes, you’ll start to see more competition and that could push the market lower, but it’s not likely to be much lower than this,” he added.Limited loading opportunities in the UK Continent and high freight rates on offer in the Caribbean have combined in recent weeks to attract ballasters from UKC to the Caribbean, Europe shipping sources said. One example is the 320,000 dwt British Venture, currently ballasting to Venezuela from Germany, according to cFlow. That ship has been fixed by PetroChina to load a cargo in the Caribbean on February 18, with options to discharge in Singapore or China.“The position list in the UKC is now very short, with around four VLCCs available for February,” said a European shipbroker. “The Caribs has been quite firm which has attracted some ships from the UKC.”The firm Caribbean market has also kept rates high in the UK Continent, despite a lack of activity in that region. Shipping sources have said it costs between $800,000-$1 million to ballast from the UKC to the Caribbean, so shipowners will usually opt to ballast to the Caribbean if Rotterdam-Singapore freight rates are more than $1 million below Caribbean-Singapore rates. Platts assessed rates on the UKC-Singapore route, basis 270,000 mt, up $150,000 at $6.6 million on Thursday. The Caribbean-Singapore route, basis 270,000 mt, was assessed at $7.6 million.Ships free in South Africa are also finding it remunerative to ballast to the Americas. One example is the Seeb, which was free in Durban after arriving there January 31, after being fixed by Petrobras on January 30 for a Brazil-China voyage, loading February 16. Source: Platts

http://www.fairmount.nl/�



The new harbour tug for Antofagasta /Chile the " CONDOR 1 " ex " Svitzer Condor ".

Photo : capt.Geert Dijkema. Master MTS Vanguard ©

Sinking Gas in Asia Sees Tankers Heading West: Chart of the Day

Asian gas prices declined below U.K. costs for the first time in more than four years, doubling the number of shipments expected in Britain this quarter. The CHART OF THE DAY shows that spot liquefied natural gas for northeast Asia fell 64 percent over the past year to 5 percent less than day-ahead gas on the U.K.’s National Balancing Point, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. That increased LNG deliveries to the U.K. to seven tankers in January from one a year earlier, according to port and ship-tracking data.“Over the last few years we have seen cargoes diverted from the Atlantic to Pacific basin given the wide price differentials between LNG and NBP,” Neil Beveridge, a Hong Kong-based analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein, said by e-mail Thursday. “In the short term this trend will likely reverse.” LNG imports to the U.K., Europe’s biggest gas market, may more than double this quarter from a year earlier, according to Energy Aspects Ltd., a consulting company in London. Spot LNG in Asia, which uses three-quarters of the world’s supply of the gas chilled to minus 170 degrees Celsius (minus 274 Fahrenheit), declined amid warmer-than-usual weather in the region and as oil’s biggest drop since 2008 made long-term contracts cheaper. Spot LNG for northeast Asia fell 6.7 percent to $7 a million British thermal units in the week ending Feb. 2, according to World Gas Intelligence assessments for cargoes to be delivered in four to eight weeks. Day-ahead prices on the NBP rose 10 percent in the period to 48.7 pence a therm ($7.40 per million British thermal units) on Feb. 2, according to broker data compiled by Bloomberg.About 27 percent of the 299 billion cubic meters (10.6 trillion cubic feet) of LNG shipped a year comes from spot and short-term contracts, according to the International Group of LNG Importers. While northwest Europe won’t draw all the available spot cargoes because of the market’s immaturity and low liquidity, imports in March will be higher than in previous months, Alan Whitefield, managing director of gas and LNG consultant AW Energy Solutions, said Wednesday by e-mail. Source: Bloomberg

Opet Trade Singapore taking steps to exit fuel oil, bunker markets: sources

Turkish fuel supplier Opet Trade Singapore has taken the first steps towards exiting the fuel oil and bunker fuel markets, sources close to the matter said They added it was likely to close in the second half of the year Opet Singapore did not respond to a series of requests from Platts via phone and email for comment. Market sources close to the matter said trading counterparties had been contacted by Opet to close off their trading accounts, sort out banker’s guarantees and settle any outstanding payments.“This is typically a first step to exiting a market,” a



Singapore-based trade source said.Opet Trade Singapore, one of many companies impacted by the collapse of OW Bunker and the appointment of liquidators at bunker fuel supplier Vanguard Energy in November 2014, has been registered in Singapore since 2008.It trades mainly in fuel oil and bunker fuel but has been less active in the market in recent months than in earlier years, trade sources said. Source: Platts

The VIA AUSTRALIS in Ushuaia, Argentina – Photo : Willem Kappert ©

Hapag-Lloyd announces about ad hoc cancellations of sailings ex Mediterranean due

to US Westcoast congestion

The MANILA EXPRESS – Photo : Paul Gerdes ©

Due to severe delays incurred for Hapag-Lloyd MPS service in light of the current US West Coast ports congestion situation, no sailing will be available from the Mediterranean to US West Coast, Canada West Coast, Mexico West Coast and destinations in Latinamerica as outlined below: Week 8 (Feb.16th to 22nd) Week 9 (Feb 23rd to March 1st)

HPH Trust takes HK$19 billion “goodwill” write-down on Hong Kong terminal assets

By: JING YANG

Hutchison Port Holdings Trust (HPH Trust) took a HK$19 billion “goodwill” impairment write-down of its Hong Kong terminal assets, amid mounting concerns that multi-billionaire Li Ka-shing, who ultimately controls the outfit, is gradually retreating from his home base of Hong Kong. HPH Trust, the Hutchison Whampoa subsidiary that owns Pearl River Delta container ports, said the one-off, non-cash HK$19 billion impairment was recognised against the goodwill of a “cash-generating unit in Hong Kong as it is adversely impacted by the uncertainties in the global economy and



demand, the continuing challenging trading environment faced by the Hong Kong operations and challenging labour cost pressure.”

Singapore-listed HPH Trust confirmed to the South China Morning Post that the write-down was made to Hong Kong International Terminals, and “to a lesser extent, the rest of the HK assets.” HPH Trust was spun off from Hutchison Port Holdings, the world’s biggest port operator by throughput.

The charges resulted in an HK$18.6 billion net loss in 2014 for HPH Trust, a stark reversal compared to the HK$1.67 billion profit it posted in 2013. HPH Trust’s Hong Kong assets comprise a 100 per cent stake in Hong Kong International Terminals (HIT), 50 per cent in Cosco-HIT Terminals, and 40 per cent in Asia Container Terminals, all of which are located in Kwai Tsing port, Hong Kong.The HK$19 billion charge represents 88 per cent of goodwill, an intangible asset item, in HPH Trust’s Hong Kong assets at the end of 2013.

“A write-down on goodwill is easier to process than on tangible assets, because it is a relative subjective measurement,” said an analyst who declined to be named.Rising labour costs and declining throughput have put mounting pressure on Hong Kong container port, the world’s fourth-busiest. A 40-day labour strike in the spring of 2013 disrupted the operations at HIT, and was ended with a 9.8 per cent pay raise to the dockers.

HPH Trust reported a 6 per cent rise in throughput last year. Its Hong Kong terminals altogether handled 5 per cent more, outperforming a 0.3 per cent drop in the entire Hong Kong port last year.Excluding the goodwill write-down, HPH Trust recorded HK$390million profit last year, 16.5 per cent higher than 2013.HPH Trust, which went public in the Singapore stock exchange in 2011, features an uncommon business trust structure, which is owned by unit-holders, and managed by Hutchison Port Holdings Management Pte Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hutchison Whampoa. A unit represents an undivided interest in the trust.

HPH Trust was committed to stable and regular dividend payout in its listing prospectus, regardless of profits from port operations. The firm has maintained more than 7 per cent dividend payout ratio since the IPO, more than double the level of its peers such as China Merchants Holdings (International) and Cosco Pacific, both of which are Hong Kong-listed port companies.In order to honour the commitment that requires the firm to pay out cash flow from operations net of capital expenditure, HPH Trust has tried to defer capital expenditure or spend down some cash reserves on its balance sheet since its listing, said Jon Windham, an analyst at Barclays Capital. “So the [dividend payout ratio] could be insulated from short-term operational frustration.”Last month, Li surprised the market by a sweeping revamp of his business empires, Cheung Kong (Holdings) and Hutchison Whampoa, and change corporate registration to the Cayman Islands, rekindling rampant talk he is divesting from Hong Kong and the mainland, an allegation that Li has repeatedly denied. Source : South China Morning Post

Chinese boat Dongfeng sets pace for Ocean Race fourth leg

Once the six-strong fleet has emerged from the protection of Sanya Bay, it is likely to be hit by strong winds of up to 30 knots and a strong current running in the opposite direction. That is likely to result in waves that in the last edition in 2011-12 measured up to 15 metres in height. Very little, however, appears to be bothering Dongfeng and their French skipper Charles Caudrelier.The boat made history in the 41-year-old race, formerly the Whitbread Round the World Race, last month when it became the first from China to win a leg.It edged out Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing in the third stage from Abu Dhabi to Sanya and took the overall race lead from the Emirati boat by just one point.

http://www.cfbv.com/�



The crew then followed up on Saturday (Feb. 7) by winning the Sanya in-port race, again a first for China in an event that is being staged for the 12th time. The fleet raced around the relatively protected Sanya Bay before setting out for the open seas in winds of up to 15 knots on Sunday.

It is likely to be a baptism of fire for Abu Dhabi's trimmer, Alex Higby, a 29-year-old Briton who until Sunday had been working as a hand in the sail loft of the team's shore crew.He was awakened at 7am local time by Abu Dhabi's skipper Ian Walker and was told to get his sailing kit out of storage. The team's first choice in his role, Adil Khalid, had been struck down by a vomiting bug and pulled out of the stage to New Zealand. Higby was determined to make the most of his unexpected opportunity.

"I know Adil is devastated to have to miss the fourth leg and I have wished him a speedy recovery," he said. "I haven't had much time to think about the significance of getting the call-up from Ian, but I'm of course very excited to get the chance to sail in my first Volvo Ocean Race leg."The fleet is expected to arrive in Auckland in about three-and-a-half weeks. In all, it will sail 38,739 nautical miles over the nine months of the race before the conclusion in Gothenburg, Sweden, on June 27. Source : ap/yahoo

ALSO INTERESTED IN THIS FREE MARITIME NEWSCLIPPINGS ? CLICK HERE AND REGISTER FOR FREE !

The THORCO SVENDBORG arriving in Halifax in sea smoke February 7, 205. Photo Shipfax-Mac Mackay ©

Taiwan turns to Chinese shipper for help with port in disputed waters

By Michael Gold Taiwan had to use a mainland Chinese shipper to get vital materials to a $100 million port it is building on a disputed island in the South China Sea last month after it couldn't find a local firm to do the job, Taiwanese officials said on Friday.A coastguard official told Reuters the vessel from Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry <600320.SS>, a state-run company, was escorted by a Taiwanese patrol boat to Itu Aba island on what he called an unprecedented mission. Two other Taiwanese vessels monitored the ship while it unloaded its cargo of large caissons, or watertight chambers used in the construction of piers. China claims virtually all of the South China Sea and is at loggerheads with other claimants in the contested waters, particularly the Philippines and Vietnam. Yet the willingness of Zhenhua Heavy to accept such a contract from Taiwan, which China regards as a renegade province, shows how Beijing is largely unfazed by the work on Itu Aba.Military strategists say that is because Itu Aba could eventually fall into China's hands should it ever take over Taiwan, which it has vowed to do if Taipei declares independence "China is not overly concerned with what Taiwan is doing on Itu Aba given that it believes it will one day control these islands," said Ian Storey, a regional security analyst at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore. "Beijing can live with this," added Storey, calling the shipment unusual but adding it did not suggest a new trend of cooperation between China and Taiwan over the South China Sea. Taiwan has close security ties with the United States, which has been highly

http://www.maasmondmaritime.com/en/subscribe/�



critical of Beijing's assertiveness in the South China Sea.While Itu Aba, also called Tai Ping, is small, no other disputed island in the disputed Spratly archipelago of the South China Sea has such sophisticated facilities. It boasts a runway that is the bigger of only two in the Spratlys and the island has its own fresh water source. The port is expected to be finished in late 2015.

UNEASE AMONG LEGISLATORS Liao Jaw-chang, director of the construction division of Taiwan's National Expressway Engineering Bureau, the unit responsible for building the port, said the Chinese vessel arrived at Itu Aba on Jan. 24 carrying 11 large caissons and left on Jan. 28. Contractors could not find a Taiwanese ship able to transport the caissons, Liao told Reuters"This kind of ship is not very common anywhere in the world. As far as I know, we've never used a mainland ship for this purpose before," Liao said.While Taiwan's work on Itu Aba is drawing little flak from China, the need to use a mainland vessel worried some Taiwanese legislators because of the potential implications for national security, according to Liao and local media. "There were definitely some legislators who were concerned about the use of this ship," Liao said. he coastguard official, who declined to be identified because the issue touches on national security concerns, added: "We've never had to engage in this kind of supervisory mission before, escorting a mainland ship from Taiwan to Tai Ping island."The board secretary of Zhenhua Heavy, Wang Jue, said he did not know the exact details of the contract, but said the company had no problem accepting such business from Taiwan. China's Foreign Ministry said it was not aware of the situation Although China-Taiwan ties have warmed since Ma Ying-jeou was elected Taiwan president in 2008, there has been no political reconciliation or a lessening of military distrust. But if conflict ever broke out in the Spratlys, analysts and military attaches believe China would seek to protect Itu Aba as its own, strongly aware of its strategic value. The Spratlys are one of the main flashpoints in the South China Sea, where military fortifications belonging to all claimants but Brunei are dotted across some of the world's busiest shipping lanes. Itu Aba is Taiwan's only holding in the Spratlys and Taiwan is considering stationing armed vessels permanently there, Taiwanese officials said in October. Source : Reuters (Additional reporting by Brenda Goh in Shanghai, Michael Martina in Beijing and Greg Torode in Hong Kong; Writing by Dean Yates; Editing by Mike Collett-White)

The ASTOR inbound for Melbourne – Photo : Dale E.Crisp ©

Campaigners call for independent audit of north ferry service

Campaigners fighting for the future of a lifeline ferry link want an independent audit of the cost of the Highland Council-run service. Corran Ferry passengers are facing a fourth fares increase in three years.And now the Free Crossing for Corran (FCC) group has called on the Scottish Government and local authority to engage in a “realistic

http://www.shield-group.eu/�



and practical debate” about its future.Fares on the ferry – linking the mainland and the remote settlements on the Ardnamurchan and Moidart peninsulas in Lochaber – went up by 4% in April 2013, 15.6% in November 2013 and a further 4% in April last year.

This week, members of the local authority’s community services committee were asked to approve further increases of 4% per year for the next three years from April.The first of these would take the cost for a car crossing from £7.90 to £8.20, with the price of a book of 30 tickets increasing from £69.50 to £72.00.

Council community services director William Gilfillan said the increase was needed to enable the service to break even, but members deferred introducing the rise to allow further work on a business plan for the next five years. Tony Boyd, who is chairman of FCC, welcomed the deferral but said Highland Council had failed the local communities served by the Corran crossing.He said: “The council and the Scottish Government must now stop prevaricating and hiding behind the smokescreen of state aid and engage in a realistic and practical debate on the future of the crossing.”

The council claims publicly funding the service could break EU state aid rules by distorting competition, but FCC says it has been told this is not true.Councillor Graham MacKenzie, who is chairman of the council’s community services committee, said: “I do not see how we can be any more transparent with them.He declined to comment on the call for an independent audit. A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “We are aware of concerns in the local community regarding increased fares on the Corran Ferry. As the service is currently the responsibility of Highland Council, the Scottish Government has no power to intervene.”He added that the Scottish Government was willing to assume responsibility for all lifeline ferry services in Scotland and remained open to further discussions with the council on the possibility of transferring responsibility for the Corran Ferry. Source : pressandjournal

Chilean Navy Rescues 120 from Passenger Ship

Chile’s navy assisted in successfully rescuing 89 passengers and 31 crewmembers aboard the grounded SKORPIOS

II, 14 kilometers southwest of Puerto Montt. There was no report of injuries. The passengers, mostly foreigners, were transferred to Navy Pier Tenglo

aboard the PSG Micalvi. At 06:46 hours on Thursday, the local maritime authority received a distress call from



SKORPIOS II, reporting that the the vessel got stuck around 06:20 hours. Naval patrol boats and aircraft immediately deployed to the scene. Officials immediately dismissed the presence of fuel at sea.

The cause of the grounding is unclear, but is under investigation. Commander in Chief (S) of the Fifth Naval Zone of the Chilean Navy, Captain Germán Toledo, said that "it is a matter of research, I have no hypothesis for now, but already constituted the Maritime Fiscal and we are the first steps. They are all controlled risks.” SKORPIOS II, is designed to cruise the icy waters of Chile's fjords, with a capacity of 160 passengers in 55 cabins. Source : MAREX

The LOWLANDS BEILUN assisted by the Iskes tug ARGUS leaving the Ijmuiden locks bound for Puerto nuevo.

Photo : Erwin Willemse ©

Murky waters temporary, talks ongoing to find solution: govt

Murky waters resulting from ongoing dredging to reclaim land for Hulhumale Development Project II was just temporary, but discussions are ongoing to find a solution to it nevertheless, said government authorities on Sunday.

Dredging near resorts have resulted in murky waters, fueling the number of tourist complaints – especially from divers and snorkelers who also complain that segmentation is

left lying on coral reefs. Resorts affected by the issue have sent their complaints to Tourism Ministry and Environment Ministry. Deputy Tourist Minister Hussein Liraar, in an interview with Haveeru on Sunday, said that murky waters were unavoidable and that it was just temporary, and that they were holding discussions with Environment Ministry and other relevant authorities to minimize the adverse effects of dredging.“If the issue becomes too big, we can look into other areas that sand can be taken from. But its not possible to take water from just anywhere. Project expenses increase if its from far away. We are therefore collaborating with everyone to find a solution to this,” he said.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Assistant Director General Ibrahim Naeem too believes murky waters to be a temporary side effect of dredging. He said that the institute was holding discussions with Housing Development Corporation (HDC) – in charge of the project – in light of numerous complaints of sedimentation settling on coral reefs.

“Some people believe making an EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) means no problems would arise. But all such projects will result in environmental effects. The use of the report is to minimize such effects. We are talking with HDC to find out ways to minimize sedimentation,” he said.HDC Deputy Managing Director Mohamed Simon said they too were holding discussions with resorts and relevant government authorities in light of the issue. He said that the company wanted to carry out the “national project” in such a way that it not bother anyone.“We are listening to concerns of the resorts. I can say more after ongoing discussions regarding what needs to be done,” he said.The



Belgium company assigned the project started practical work on the project last January. And sand is to be taken to reclaim the 240 hectors of land from three areas specified by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – the water area near Gulhifalhu and two areas near Hulhumale.There are a lot of resorts in the area including Bandos, Kurumba, Paradise, Centara Ras Fushi, and Sheraton Maldives Full Moon which are experiencing murky waters as sand is taken from areas near the resorts. Source: haveeru

The HYUNDAI DREAM inbound for Rotterdam-Europoort – Photo : Jan Oosterboer ©

The DANNY BOY in Rio Grande – Photo : Marcelo Vieira ©



Family leap into sea to flee rogue yacht Police have confirmed they will investigate an incident on the Hauraki Gulf where a family says it was forced to jump into the sea to flee a yacht.51-year-old bank manager Talauta Mimilo was on a family fishing trip in a 6m runabout anchored south of Motuihe Island when a 15m yacht headed straight for his vessel.His family say he was was knocked unconscious by the yacht.

The injured man's younger brother, Nik Mimilo, said the group had been fishing in the same spot for about three hours when they saw the yacht heading in their direction at about 150m. Before we knew it he was within 20m of us and our captain, my brother, called for us all to abandon ship. As he jumped, the yacht swerved at the last minute and as my brother came up out of the water, the yacht hit him," he said.

"We later discovered that he had left his yacht on autopilot while he was seeing to something below deck. Who would leave their boat on autopilot in a harbour packed with boats fishing?" Nik Mimilo said.Mr Mimilo's son, James, his cousin and Nik Mimilo jumped in the sea to keep Mr Mimilo afloat.They pulled him from the water unconscious but breathing."There was a yacht coming straight towards us. No one seemed to be at the helm," said James Mimilo.

"We were screaming at him but he was heading straight towards us. At the the last minute he saw us but my dad already made the decision to jump. He could have killed my dad, my aunt and uncle and me." Last night, James Mimilo said his father was in a stable condition in Auckland Hospital. He had lacerations on one leg, but no broken bones. The accident occurred near Crusoe Rock, a popular fishing spot in Sergeant Channel, midway between Motuihe and Waiheke Islands. Conditions were clear and winds of 10 to 15 knots.The Coastguard was alerted at 2.40pm by a member of the public and sent a rescue vessel to collect Mr Mimilo. A paramedic and doctor from the Westpac rescue service were also rushed by the police launch Deodar to the coastguard vessel.Mr Mimilo and his son were transported back to Mechanics Bay where the injured father was taken by ambulance to Auckland Hospital.Coastguard operations manager Ray Burge said the accident was a reminder to all boaties to maintain a good look out at all times and indicate intentions early on. Police spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty said the incident was being investigated by the Police Maritime Unit."Police will speak to those involved as well as witnesses to the incident but it could be several days before any decision is made around whether anyone will be held to account for their actions," she said.Bernard Orsman and Morgan Tait of the New Zealand Herald Source : Otago daily Times

Triple Screw Lugger for Estuary Waters Some great rivers, like and Amazon and Columbia, empty into swift ocean currents so their sediment load is swept

away. Others, like the Nile and the Mississippi, empty into enclosed waters like the Mediterranean or Gulf of Mexico. Their sediment load settles rapidly to form many square miles of delta and shallow waters. Each estuary develops its own types of vessels On the section of the Gulf Coast where the Mississippi meets the Gulf, shallow draft Lugger tugs have been earning their keep suppling the near shore oil industry. But their size has been limited by their draft which is, of course subject to the prop size as much as the hull depth. Over the years

innovative tug designers and operators have found that three smaller engines, turning smaller props can deliver as much power with significantly less draft than a twin-prop boat with bigger engines. An additional advantage of the triple-screw arrangement is that, in the event of loss of power from one engine, the operator can still rely on two engines for maneuvering and safety. Triple-screw shallow-draft boats come in a variety of forms including pushboats and model bow tugs. Although he builds vessels of those classes, Joseph Rodriguez of Rodrigues Shipbuilding is



perhaps best known for his in-house designed Lugger-type tugs. Their aft mounted deckhouse provides a convenient foreword deck space for cargo. A single drum aft mounted towing winch allows towing or, with blocks, the boat can be rigged as a pusher. Rodriguez recently delivered the Captain Nedo C. The vessel is a triple-engine Lugger powered by three Cummins QSK19-M engines each producing 660 HP at 1800 RPM. The 70 by 29-foot tug has a molded depth of 9.5 feet and is equipped with a M50 Pullmaster stern towing winch. Even though the tug has a hefty 1,980 HP, when light loaded with fuel and water, she only draws 6.5 feet. Even with full capacities or 17,000 US gallons of fuel and 26,000 US gallons of water she is able to access most of the necessary sites along the shallow estuary of the Mississippi River. Photo courtesy of Rodriguez Shipbuilding Source : A. Haig-Brown & Assoc. Ltd. www.haigbrown.com

The ASTOR, DIAMOND PRINCESS and SPIRIT of TASMANIA II moored in Melbourne Photo : Dale E. Crisp ©

Sunken Ferry 'Can Be Raised' A government-civilian investigation team has concluded that it is technically possible to raise the ferry Sewol that sank off the southwestern coast on April 15 last year."In a meeting last Thursday, a technical review taskforce under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries reached the conclusion that it's technically possible to raise the sunken ferry," a government official said Saturday. The taskforce is expected to submit a report to the Ministry of Public Safety and Security in mid-March.

The 23-man taskforce consists of civilian experts in shipping, maritime science, and deep-sea diving and government officials, who have been looking into the question since November last year. "We focused on raising the ferry without cutting the hull into pieces by using a 10,000-ton and an 8,000-ton maritime crane," a participant in Thursday's meeting said. "We expect it'll cost some W100 billion (US$1=W1,090) and take more than a year to raise it."

The hull would first be chained to the cranes and then dragged into shallower waters to search for the remains of a handful of missing passengers, and brought to shore on a floating dock built in situ.The port side of the ferry tilts and part of the hull lies on the seabed 43 m below the surface, with its starboard some 20 m below the surface. The idea is to drill lifting holes on the starboard and hook this part of the hull with about 100 chains to the cranes, which would raise the port side of the ferry slightly so that the hull rises 3 to 4 m above the seabed. This would make it possible to move the ferry to a "safer area" that is only 25-30 m deep and where currents are weak. The taskforce is looking for two or three such safe areas near the point of disaster. Once the ship is hauled to safe and relatively shallow waters, the starboard would be a mere 3 to 4 m below the surface. A final round of underwater searches would then be carried out for the nine missing passengers.But it remains to be seen whether the government gives the go-ahead. The biggest problem is the W100 billion cost, which would have to be shouldered by the taxpayer since the ferry operator, Cheonghaejin Marine, has unraveled. An expert warned that the cost could rise if bad weather delays the operation. Public opinion could also play a role in the decision. In a survey of 1,003 people across the country by Gallup Korea on Feb. 3-5, 61 percent of respondents were in favor of raising the ferry but 31 percent against. Source : chosun

http://www.haigbrown.com/�

http://www.poshterasea.com.sg/�



supplyboats and crewboats moored at Kemaman supply base – Photo : Capt. Jelle de Vries - Sunshine offshore

services ©

d'Amico Group launches its largest vessel d'Amico Group celebrates the delivery of the "handy-cape" type vessel "Cielo d'Italia", the largest and most innovative ship in the history of the Group. The value of the order for "CIELO D’ITALIA" and its "handy cape" sister which will be delivered in the first quarter of 2016 is approximately region 100 M$ (benefitting from the prevailing favourable weakening of the yen against the dollar) and is part of the most significant development plan in the history of d'Amico Group.For the 2014-2016 period, the Group has invested approximately $1.2 billion by ordering 38 new ships, both bulkers and tanker vessels.The 117,000 TDW ship, 245m long and 43m wide, is the result of multi-year collaboration between two prominent companies on the international shipping scene, who working very closely designed an extremely innovative ship characterized by extremely effective design particulars, respect for the environment and energy efficiency, capable of reducing consumption and emissions by 20%, compared to other ships operating in the same segment source : .safety4sea

MEGA BULKERS REACH CHINA Brazilian miner Vale’s mega-ships have been able to dock at five ports in China, the firm’s head of investor relations said , as a ban that had been in place since 2012 is relaxed. “The issue … of the obstruction, that’s overcome,” investor relations chief Rogerio Nogueira, said at a conference in Rio de Janeiro. “We are in the process of working to increase the number of ports at which we can dock,” he added. The comments mark the clearest statement yet from the company that restrictions on the ships are being rolled back. Chinese ship owners had opposed access for Vale’s mega-ships of 400,000 deadweight tons, known as Valemaxes, saying they could worsen a shipping glut. Source : Shiptalk

" Thames traffic, off Tilbury " Photo : Paul Lammers ©

NAVIES EXERCISE TO BEAT PIRATES Maritime forces from East Africa, South Africa, Europe, Indian Ocean nations, the United States and several international organizations began the fourth iteration of the multinational maritime Exercise Cutlass Express, last month. Exercise Cutlass Express 2015, sponsored by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), is designed to improve regional cooperation, maritime domain awareness (MDA) and information-sharing practices to increase capabilities of East African and Indian Ocean nations to counter sea-based illicit activity. The exercise leverages The Djibouti Code of



Conduct, which 21 nations are signatory to, as a framework for exercising information-sharing practices and enforcing maritime rule of law at sea. Source : Shiptalk

The ATLANTIC MERMAID spotted off Gibraltar – photo : Francis Ferro ©

The OOCL BERLIN outbound from Rotterdam-Europoort – Photo : Jan Oosterboer ©

West African cargo sets sail for London Gateway port

One of the world's largest shipping lines has picked DP World’s Gateway port for West African deliveries.The choice is a sign that DP World’s London Gateway is becoming popular with large shippers – due to its state-of-the-art technology, and staying open in bad weather. The FRISIA HELSINKI was the first container ship to voyage from West Africa to call at DP World London Gateway on January 29 2015.

The CMA CGM EURAF2 shipping line, which calls at Nigeria, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast as well as other West African countries, will now also call at the London Gateway port.Tabare Dominguez, Port Commercial Manager for DP World London Gateway, said: “We are delighted to be able to serve CMA CGM and we are very pleased they have chosen our state-of-the-art port for their West Africa service.”The port claims a 30-minute truck turnaround time and the ability to stay open in bad weather. Source : maldonandburnhamstandard

http://www.bbc-chartering.com/�



West Africa piracy issue to stay long term, may affect regional trade

The recent violent attack on the Malta-flagged VLCC MT Kalamos off the Nigerian coast has sparked a fresh round of talks in the shipping industry about the escalating piracy threat in West Africa and its potential implications. Shipping and maritime security sources say an inadequate response to piracy is likely to result in higher insurance premiums and crewing costs for shipowners and encourage them to lobby for stricter security measures. “It’s a very sad incident and it will have an impact on how business is done in WAF,” a shipowner said. “The pirates down there are ruthless and can cause grave damage to the ship and crew. Owners are going to have to start taking precautions such as employing security teams to deal with the threat.” The problem is that the use of armed guards, a method consistently promoted by shipping players and used effectively to battle Somali piracy, would not be easy to implement in the West African region.“Most of the piracy attacks in West Africa take place in the coastal waters of African countries,” said Chris Trelawny, senior deputy director of the Maritime Safety Division at the International Maritime Organization (IMO).“And certainly, those states would not be easily convinced to let armed private contractors into their territory.” There are also other legal and insurance risks involved in using armed guards, industry sources say. These include the reliability of guards available in the region and responsibility for injury or death of pirates, armed mercenaries or the crew on the vessel attacked.The African state in whose territorial waters the incident takes place may hold the shipowner involved responsible, unlike in the case of Somali piracy attacks, which affect vessels transiting international waters, sources said. PERSISTENT THREAT According to Cyrus Mody, assistant director of the International Maritime Bureau, the piracy threat in the Gulf of Guinea is a very serious and often underrated issue, which might escalate further unless there is a major overhaul to security efforts.“The pirate attacks there are usually well executed, deadly and routed in organized criminal groups,” Mody said. “Pirates not only take valuables and hostages from the vessels, they also in some cases attempt to steal the cargo, demonstrating good technical expertise.”Technical expertise is required to conduct a ship-to-ship transfer from a hijacked tanker to another pirate-controlled cargo ship, which is the prevalent piracy method for stealing cargoes around West Africa.Pirates in most cases choose targets among the clean tankers, which carry refined petroleum products, As sources explained. Such products can then be easily sold on the Nigerian black market. Crude oil is not particularly valuable for pirates as it would require processing through low-capacity illegal refineries before becoming sales-worthy.Since it is a lucrative business for criminals, piracy in the Gulf of Guinea will not be easily tackled.“The scale of response to this threat is nowhere near to what it should be,” Mody said. “A global response and pooling of resources is required, mostly to support local governments in their anti-piracy efforts.” He added that coordination of local coastguard forces and set-up of guarded anchorages in the area would be a good start.Another factor that makes the piracy issue worse is the lack of reporting of piracy incidents from shipowners.“Some choose not to report attacks as they fear retaliation from pirates, an rise in insurance costs and their vessels being held for investigation by authorities,” he said. “Such attitudes would also have to change if we are to battle piracy effectively.” LONG-TERM IMPACT As the piracy problem in West Africa is not of the kind to be resolved quickly, some shipping and oil trading players are raising concerns over its long-term implications.The West African region is an extremely significant exporter of crude oil, with Nigeria, Angola, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon the key producers. “If piracy escalates, this could have an impact but we are still assessing it,” a West African crude trader said. “The recent attack on the VLCC might be an isolated incident, but the fear could still spread.”India and particularly Indian refiners like BPCL and IOC are consistent and major buyers of WAF crude, and traders were waiting to see if demand from India might be affected by this incident.However, most trading sources expect piracy to have little effect on the oil trade, considering the sheer size and importance of the region in terms of oil exports.“Maybe shipowners will see some premium added but no impact expected on grade differentials,” a second WAF crude trader said.The impact on shipping could be more significant. Sources said higher freight rates for certain WAF loadings were a possibility given the possible increase in expenses that could soon be faced by shipowners calling at countries such as Nigeria.“This is a very serious situation, it’s the first killing we’ve seen in quite some time so people are nervous. The crew on a ship going to Nigeria is going to want to be paid more because of the danger involved and as a result I think the owners will be asking for higher freight rates,” a shipowner said.According to sources with P&I clubs, higher war-risk premiums for going to West African ports are not on the table yet.“We do keep a close eye on the situation though,” an underwriter said. “If we perceive that the risk to vessels has increased in the area, the premiums are likely to follow.”Source: Platts



Container ships waiting weeks in Puget Sound for slow ports

The slowdown at the ports of Seattle and Tacoma has left some container ships waiting in Puget Sound for weeks. The Coast Guard’s Vessel Traffic Center in Seattle says the places where large ships anchor are mostly full. One Puget Sound pilot, Frantz “Andy” Coe, told KIRO-FM container ships generally don’t anchor; they prefer to go straight to a dock, unload or load and leave. One ship, the Hyundai Global, was forced to anchor for 17 days last month before it was finally able to enter the Port of Tacoma. Work at West Coast ports has slowed during a labor dispute between the Longshore Union and employers with the Pacific Maritime Association. Source: Associated Press

Pacific Basin’s GOLD RIVER moored in Melbourne – Photo : Dale E.Crisp (c)

Banco do Brasil President set to become Petrobras’ CEO

Following resignations by the majority of its top management, including the CEO Maria das Graças Silva Foster, Petrobras is today set to turn the page by revealing its new Chief Executive Officer. According to Brazil’s O Globo newspaper, the oil company engulfed in several corruption scandals, will name Aldemir Bendine, President of Banco do Brasil, as the successor to Maria das Graças Silva Foster, following a meeting being held at the company’s Sao Paulo office.To remind, earlier this week, Petrobras’ CEO and five of seven executive directors resigned following a widespread corruption scandal involving Petrobras officials, contractors and politicians. Source : Offshore Energy Today Staff

UASC expands in South America United Arab Shipping Company (UASC), a leading container shipping line and emerging global carrier, has today appointed The Ultramar Group as its local liner shipping agency partner in Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. This appointment is the latest milestone in UASC’s expanding presence in South America and will be instrumental to UASC’s growth plans.Ultramar has a long-standing, successful history in South America providing agency, ports and logistics

http://www.shield-group.eu/�



services in 16 countries and covering all the main ports. UASC’s decision to select Ultramar as its local agency partner in Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay marks a significant expansion in the relationship between the two companies. This news also follows the November 2014 announcement of UASC’s long-term general cooperation agreement with The Hamburg Sόd Group, providing UASC’s customers with broad access to the East Coast of South America. Serving all major ports along the Brazilian East Coast and the River Plate, UASC’s customers will have access to an enhanced product offering for the South American East Coast. Under the Hamburg Sόd cooperation, UASC’s services from North Europe to South America East Coast and Mediterranean to South America East Coast will commence in mid-April. The first sailing from Asia to South America East Coast is scheduled for the beginning of July. Jørn Hinge, President and CEO at UASC, commented: “We are delighted to announce the latest landmark on our road to establishing UASC’s presence in the South America trades. From our existing relationship with Ultramar we know that we will be working with a trusted and committed partner. Ultramar has an outstanding track record in South America and we are confident that it can support our near and medium-term goals for this marketplace.“The East Coast South American markets of Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay provide significant opportunity for UASC and its customers. As an emerging global carrier that places customer service at the very heart of our operations, we are continuously exploring enhanced geographical reach and improved products, whilst always safeguarding reliability and service excellence. This development marks the next stage of our evolution in South America and gives a flavor of our longer term aspirations.”This announcement follows news of UASC’s growing reefer fleet, which was recently boosted with an order for an additional 2,000 reefer units from Daikin. With an average age of just three years, UASC’s reefer fleet is one of the youngest in the industry and this latest order will directly support enhanced access to the South America trades for chilled and frozen cargoes.UASC’s growing presence in South America forms a key element of the company’s ambitious expansion strategy. The company’s strategic alliances with The Hamburg Sόd Group and also CMA CGM and China Shipping Container Lines (OCEAN3) come into play this year. In addition, by the end of 2015 UASC’s fleet will be boosted by the delivery of 11 of the world’s largest and most eco-efficient vessels, thanks to its current newbuilding program, which comprises eleven 15,000 TEU vessels and six 18,800 TEU vessels. Source: UASC

The MU MIAN SONG in Rio Grande – Photo : Marcelo Vieira (c)

China’s commodity imports slow in January after record December

China’s imports of key commodities eased in January after the record high set in December, as expected as the earlier heavy purchases to take advantage of weak prices had swollen inventories, preliminary customs data released on Sunday showed. China’s slowing economy – 7.4 percent growth in 2014 was the weakest in 24 years – has weighed on global markets as it is the world’s biggest buyer of iron ore, coal, copper and soy, and the second-largest crude oil importer after the United States. The sharp falls in commodity imports helped result n a record monthly trade surplus of $60 billion. But analysts urged caution interpreting the trade data, as it would be distorted by the Lunar New Year holiday, which fell in January last



year, and will fall in February this year.Customs data showed imports of iron ore at 78.57 million tonnes in January, down 9.5 percent from December. It recorded a similar decline over January 2014. “Steel demand in northern China has slowed as cold temperatures hampered construction activity along with the continued weakness in the property sector, forcing mills to hold back buying of raw material from Australia and Brazil,” said Hu Xiaodong, an analyst with Nanhua Futures in Hangzhou.Domestic iron ore prices fell 13 percent in January, suffering the biggest monthly fall since May 2013 due to oversupply and high inventories. Some Chinese steel mills have scheduled maintenance in a move to curb production.Imports of crude oil totalled 27.98 million tonnes, or 6.59 million barrels per day, in January, 0.6 percent below year ago levels and nearly 8 percent below December’s total. China’s crude imports had risen nearly 10 percent in 2014, as the government and state oil firms took advantage of steep falls in global prices to build stockpile.Imports of copper, at 410,000 tonnes in January, eased slightly from December but were down by nearly a quarter from a year earlier, as tight bank credit continued to deter smaller buyers even though domestic prices were high compared with those posted on the London Metal Exchange. Coal posted the steepest fall, with last month’s imports 38 percent below December at 16.78 million tonnes, and less than half the level imported in January last year. China’s coal mining was among the worst hit by the economic slowdown with many small mines closed due to the government’s campaign for clean air and efficiency. Imports of soy at 6.88 million tonnes in January were below the record set in December, but above the 5.9 million tonnes imported in January last year. High imports coupled with weaker demand have hurt crushing margins. “Crushers are breaking even or making thin profits. Pork prices and meat consumption are both falling despite peak consuming season,” said analyst Li Lifeng with industry portal www.cofeed.com.Due to weaker-than-expected consumption, weekly meal stocks last week jumped to the highest since September, as feed mills are unwilling to build up stocks on expectation of even lower meal prices later, according to Cofeed data.Source: Reuters (Reporting by China C&E team, Writing by Chen Aizhu; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)

Greatship buys new PSV India’s Greatship has taken delivery of a newly-built 4000 dwt Platform Supply Vessel, GREATSHIP PRACHI. GREATSHIP PRACHI, a DP2 vessel, capable of supporting offshore exploration and production, complies with the SPS Code 2008.With the delivery of Greatship Prachi, GIL and its subsidiaries currently own and operate five PSVs, nine AHTSVs, two MPSSVs, six ROVSVs and three Jack up rigs and have one mobile offshore self-elevating jack-up rig under construction in UAE source : .offshoreenergytoday.

Reported Instances of Bunker Supplier Non-Compliance

Members will be aware that if a bunker supplier provides fuel or documentation that does not comply with MARPOL Annex VI requirements or fails to follow the sampling procedures set out in IMO Resolution MEPC.96(47), the receiving vessel should issue a Note of Protest to the supplier and send copies to the local port state authority, the vessel’s flag administration and the company. A copy should also be retained on board.

http://www.multraship.com/�



Under MARPOL Annex VI, Regulation 18.9 there is a requirement for the flag administration to advise IMO of such matters for promulgation to parties to the Convention and IMO members. In response to this obligation IMO has recently published MEPC.1/Circ.851 Implementation and Enforcement of MARPOL Annex VI which contains a summary of the Notes of Protest received by Cyprus and Liberia between 1 July 2014 and 31 December 2014.Almost all of the reported instances involve fuel which, according to the Bunker Delivery Note, contained a permissible amount of sulphur. However, following independent analysis arranged by the shipowner, a higher level of sulphur was found making the fuel non-compliant. Source: West of England P&I Club

Reef Subsea Files for Bankruptcy Subsea services company Reef Subsea has announced bankruptcy, Norwegian media writes.

Because of this, several hundred employees will lose their jobs. Stavanger-based Hitecvision is a full owner of Reef Subsea, in which it invested around NOK 400 million (approximately EUR 47 million) by the end of 2013 and another NOK 100 million (EUR 12 million) last year.

Reef Subsea is headquartered in Sotckton-on-Tees, England, with a Norwegian address in Bergen. The company is probably the first major oil service firm that has been knocked over after oil prices collapsed. Reef Subsea’s Chairman of the Board, Mel Fitzgerald, said that the tough competition in the market is also one of the main reasons why the company is now going under. Source : Offshore WIND Staff

NAVY NEWS NAVANTIA delivers the second group of

LLC The second group of four LLC (LHD Landing Crafts) for the Royal Australian Navy has arrived Sydney on 5th. February. The landing crafts departed from Navantia Bay of Cádiz last 27th. December and have arrived to the HMAS Waterhen base, where will be commissioned to DMO (Defence Materiel Organization). Navantia delivered the first four units in May 2014. These landing crafts and the last four units, to be delivered in mid 2015, will operate with the ALHD ‘Canberra’ and the ALHD ‘Adelaide’. The main characteristics of the ships are: Lenght overall: 23.30 m. Floatation lenght: 21.27 m. Width: 6.40 m. Depth: 2.80 m. Propulsion: two 809 kW diesel engines, two waterjets propellers Speed: more than 20 knots Autonomy: 190 miles at full load Loading capacity flexibility: Abrams vehicle, several Army vehicles, fusiliers’ company or 20 feet container truck. Source : PortNews

Australian PM throws submarine tender open to domestic shipbuilder

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Sunday promised the country's state-owned shipbuilder the option to tender for a lucrative submarine contract, seeking to shore up support for his leadership ahead of a crucial party vote on Monday. South Australian Liberal Party Senator Sean Edwards had made his support of Abbott’s leadership contingent on government-owned ASC Ltd, based in his home state, being allowed to tender for a job worth as much as A$40 billion ($31 billion).Edwards told local media that Abbott had given his assurance. "I’ve been in discussions surrounding the ability of Australian ship builders to be involved in an open, competitive tender which has been, up until today, something which the government has been somewhat reserved on,” Edwards told The Australian newspaper.Abbott, who had previously pledged that the vessels would be built at the ASC, began back-pedalling in July, signalling cost and schedule were paramount. Late last year his Treasurer Joe Hockey said there wasn’t time to hold an open tender, bolstering the likelihood that they would purchase 12 off-the-shelf stealth submarines from Japan to replace the ageing Collins class fleet. Sources



have said Australia is strongly considering a replacement for the Collins based on the 4,000-tonne Soryu-class ships built by Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy Industries Swedish defence firm Saab France's state-controlled naval contractor DCNS and Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems have all also expressed interest in the Australian project. Such a deal for Japan would mark its re-entry into the global arms market, just months after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ended a ban on weapons exports as part of his efforts to steer the country away from decades of pacifism.Abbott on Sunday said that a decision on the submarine fleet replacement needed to be made by the end of the year at the latest. He denied its was part of a deal to save his political life "What we have always intended to have is a competitive evaluation process," Abbott told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.Former Defence Minister David Johnston embarrassed the government and reduced the likelihood that the ASC would get the option by publicly saying last November that he wouldn’t trust the company "to build a canoe." Johnston later apologised and was subsequently dropped from the Abbott ministry. Edwards said he had been lobbying Abbott since mid-October on the issue and confirmed he would vote against a motion to remove Abbott from the leadership at a meeting on Monday. Source : Reuters (Editing by Lincoln Feast and)

ALSO INTERESTED IN THIS FREE MARITIME NEWSCLIPPINGS ? CLICK HERE AND REGISTER FOR FREE !

SHIPYARD NEWS

Spotted in Kaohsiung (Taiwan) several vessels under maintenance and newbuildings fitting out

Photo : Bram Belder ©

http://www.maasmondmaritime.com/en/subscribe/�

http://www.tos.nl/en/companies/offshore-crew/�



ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES

Khalifa Port Container Terminal Achieves 26% Growth In 2014

Abu Dhabi Terminals (ADT) – Manager and Operator of Khalifa Port Container Terminal – is celebrating its solid performance and achievements in 2014 that saw its volume reach 1.13 million TEUs (20-foot-equivalent-unit containers). This represents a 26% year-on-year growth and sets a new standard in regional growth rates. ADT secured the exclusive right to manage and operate the first Khalifa Port Container Terminal (KPCT) by signing a 30-year concession in 2012 with Abu Dhabi Ports. The port operator garnered a number of achievements in 2014 and its more than 20% year-on-year growth over the past five years can be attributed to the strong relationships with the shipping industry and the trade community. It’s expected that this growth rate will be built on in 2015, and continued strong performance will be reached by year’s end. Besides handling a record number of containers, 2014 saw productivity rise to an average of thirty-four GMPH (crane moves per hour) and KPCT named in the top ten growing container terminals in the world. For December 2014 alone, KPCT handled 132,339 TEUs – the highest number of containers handled in a single month in the emirate – and an increase of 26.7% compared to 2013. _MG_3822“2014 has been the busiest year at Khalifa Port Container Terminal and the fifth straight year that our compound year-on-year growth has risen more than 20%,” according to Martijn van de Linde, Chief Executive Officer, ADT. “While we are incredibly pleased with this progress and everything we have achieved, we continue working on more expansion plans and further automation of our operations in 2015,” he added.In November 2014, ADT signed a loan agreement of AED 300 million with Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) for the ongoing development of KPCT, showing the sustained commitment to long-term investment in the facility. A contract signed with Borouge in June 2014 will see ADT design, construct and operate a state-of-the-art packaging facility for Borouge’s export products at KPCT, set to begin operating this March. Supporting these milestones of achievement is ADT’s diversification of supply chain services that sees it offer a full suite of logistics services to benefit trade and shipping lines. This includes the packing facility for polymers as well as an offshore depot for empty container inspection and repair We are fully committed to constantly and consistently investing and improving our operations at KPCT. Our achievements and success in 2014 proves the quality of our services, our commitment to the health and safety of employees and compliance with client and legal requirements,” says Martijn van de Linde, Chief Executive Officer, ADT. “We are delighted to be setting a new standard of excellence and our mission is to continue this into the future,” he added. Source: Abu Dhabi Terminals

Marine Atlantic Inc. chooses Imtech Marine/Radio Holland ship to shore VSAT

solution for Canadian ferries

http://www.redwise.com/�



Marine Atlantic Inc. (MAI) selected Imtech Marine Canada to replace its ship to shore wireless communication system. Given a short timeframe, installation took place in just three weeks. Owned by the Canadian government, Marine Atlantic Inc. operates four of the largest ferries in North America and sails between the Provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia on a daily basis.

In the government tender for the contract Marine Atlantic Inc. requested a ‘reliable, up-to-date and scalable ship to shore communications platform. Imtech Marine, through its service and navigation/communication brand Radio Holland, provided a completely integrated system - the hardware, but also the VSAT and a backup Fleet Broad Band Satellite Airtime.“When we began the RFP process, one of our key objectives was to not only find a service provider but a business partner; a company we felt could support our existing vessel communication needs, also providing strategic advice and input as we continue to modernize many of our business processes across the fleet,” said Colin Tibbo, CIO of Marine Atlantic Inc. “Our service needs will continue to evolve as we work to strengthen onboard services to both customers and crew and we will continue to look to Imtech/Radio Holland for their expertise to ensure we have the systems in place to support our business.”

Henk VanHeuveln, Area Manager at Imtech Marine Canada, comments: “The Imtech Marine Managed Solution ensures that MAI has 100% coverage - from dock to dock.”

Adaptable, private VSAT network Marine Atlantic Inc. has its own private network and doesn’t share the bandwidth with other companies. A big advantage of the Private VSAT Network is that it is completely adaptable; if one ship makes a longer trip, it is easy to give more bandwidth to this particular vessel. Reliable PoS terminals Additionally, the new system ensures that the Point of Sale terminals on board (debit/credit card machines) are reliable and are always available for customers. Pre-engineering Imtech Marine/Radio Holland worked very closely with the IT/IM Department of MAI and pre-engineered the complete system in its Halifax office beforehand. This meant that it was possible to install the systems while the vessels carried out their regular operations.

Through its service and navigation/communication brand Radio Holland, Imtech Marine has worked closely with Marine Atlantic Inc. since 2011 when it started maintaining the navigation and communication systems on all four ferries.

see also : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1R4Hb0S7Ikc#t=101

Unique System LLC (USA) Announces its Participation at Underwater Intervention 2015 A division of the Unique Maritime Group (UMG) which is one of the world’s leading integrated turnkey subsea and offshore solution providers, Unique System LLC (USA) is participating at the Underwater Intervention show (UI 2015) to be held from February 10th to 12th, 2015 at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, USA. Unique System will be present at booth number 116. Underwater Intervention is an industry conference and exhibition, jointly owned by the Association of Diving Contractors International and the ROV Committee of the Marine Technology Society. Over the past 22 years, the event has grown to encompass many industries in addition to Commercial Diving and Remotely Operated Vehicles. Underwater Intervention now includes Manned Submersibles, Instruments and Sensors, Sonar and Acoustics, Ocean Engineering, Marine Salvage and Shipwrecks, AUV and UUV Technology. Unique System LLC (USA) is a part of the Unique Maritime Group (UMG) based in New Iberia, Louisiana and Houston, Texas. The company extends the capabilities of UMG to companies operating within the North American

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1R4Hb0S7Ikc#t=101�

http://www.m3marine.com.sg/�



subsea oil and gas, mining and construction sectors. From New Iberia, Louisiana, the company offers diving equipment rentals and sales, saturation systems, new builds, refurbishments, project management and mining & construction tunnel boring machine airlocks. From Houston, Texas, the company embraces hydrographic survey rentals and sales. The major focus for UMG at the show will be the introduction of Unique System LLC (USA) as a stocking distributor of JCM Loadcells. In addition to launching our distributorship with JCM, our other primary focus for diving is highlighting our continuing effort to manufacture equipment that cater to statutory and IMCA compliance. This year we will be displaying one of our common Group products, the Man Riding Winch which complies with all of the IMCA requirements for launch and recovery systems. The winch is a good example of a quality product that the Group has in the market. Our focus is also to present our US Gulf of Mexico with an option to the existing models that has led to a great deal of controversy in our industry toward braking systems.On account of its participation at the show, Arjun Ramchandani, CEO @ Unique System LLC (USA) commented, “We are happy to be participating yet again at the UI show. During the three-day course of the event, we look forward to meeting our existing clients in the region as well as making new clients in order to expand the sales and rentals of the equipment we have on display at our booth. With our participation, we also expect to continue our expansion in the equipment sales and diving & survey equipment leasing share in the US Offshore Market.”

Too BIG to sail? Container ship giants veer off course in battle of the mega vessels

Container shipping lines have gone astray in serving global trade amid their craze for mega vessels By : Jing Yang

Being recognised as the biggest in the world must have its attractions, but it cannot be fun knowing from day one that a competitor is on track to eclipse your record.That has been the experience of China Shipping Container Lines, which had the world's biggest container ship, CSCL Globe, for a little over a month until the arrival of the MSC Oscar, operated by Geneva-based Mediterranean Shipping Co.The 400-metre CSCL Globe, longer than four soccer pitches, can carry 19,100 standard containers. The MSC Oscar, delivered last month, is slightly shorter but is able to carry 124 more containers, allowing it to gain the title of the world's largest container ship. But the MSC Oscar's time in the limelight will also be limited. Another leviathan, the Barzan - owned by Dubai-based United Arab Shipping Co - will break the record when it is delivered by South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries in April. UASC has yet to reveal the Barzan's capacity but it told the South China Morning Post that it would be bigger than any existing container ships.

Such rapid record-setting has never been seen before in container shipping, which has been instrumental in helping global trade take off. Before the revolution known as containerisation - packing a variety of goods in standard metal boxes on ships and ensuring they could withstand rough conditions at sea and be handled efficiently at ports - the absence of a cheap, efficient and safe mode of transport was the main hindrance to trade growth. In The Box, Marc Levinson tells of a 1954 study that found a ship carrying about 5,186 tonnes of cargo, mostly food and household goods, from Bremerhaven, Germany, to Brooklyn in the United States contained 194,582 individual items of every size, and it cost US$5,031.69 alone in lumber and rope to hold everything together on board and took longshoremen 10 days to load and unload.

After decades of striving for greater efficiency, shipping lines and marine engineers transformed the face of global trade through bigger container ships. Today, most ships plying Asia-Europe and Asia-US sea lanes, the busiest in the world, carry 8,000 to 18,000 teu (20-foot equivalent units). A container can hold about 48,000 bananas."In the 1970s, the largest container ships were of 2,000-teu capacity and it cost US$4,000 to ship a container from Asia to the US, which in today's money terms would equal US$20,000," said Andy Lane, a partner at Container Transport International Consultancy. "With ship upsizing, it costs only US$1,000 now."

Such economies of scale have made logistics costs almost negligible in a manufacturer's sales planning. The cost to ship a T-shirt made in Asia and sold for US$10 in American stores, for example, is only 50 US cents. In his book, Levinson described containerisation as a development with "sweeping consequences for workers and consumers all around the globe"."Without it," he concluded, "the world would be a very different place."

But a series of developments in the past few years have seen the industry increasingly veer off course as an enabler of global trade. Captivated by a craze for big ships and desperate to survive, the world's major container carriers embarked on an arms race, ordering newer and larger vessels that could not be filled by cargo as trade growth



slowed, leaving most with losses, debts and disgruntled customers who complain of ever more frequent shipment delays.

The current fad for ultra-large container ships started in 2011, when industry leader Maersk Line, whose 15,550-container Emma Maersk had held the biggest ship title for five years, ordered 20 bigger ones with a capacity of 18,000 teu. The ships, dubbed Triple-E class by the Danish company, each cost US$190 million.

Just before the first Triple-E was about to be delivered in May 2013, CSCL ordered the even larger 19,100-teu series.

Meanwhile, France's CMA CGM upgraded its existing orders to 18,000-teu capacity. Lloyd's List reported that Taiwan's Evergreen Marine Corp was behind 11 orders for 20,000-teu container ships three weeks ago, which when delivered in 2018 will break the Barzan's record. Even Hong Kong's Orient Overseas Container Line, a conservative player in the battle for size, is contemplating joining the "big league".

"When Maersk planned the Triple-E investment, they didn't foresee and didn't believe anyone would have the ability to follow," a Maersk executive said. "I don't think anyone expected what is happening now and at such speed." Jonathan Beard, who heads global ports and logistics research at US consultancy ICF International, said: "The rationale for shipping lines is that economies of scale will deliver lower unit costs and restore profitability. But over the past 10 years, shipping lines have endlessly invested in newer, larger vessels, yet the industry's profitability and return on capital have remained pitiful. Supply-demand [balance] is still the key determinant and until the market clears … failing shipping lines and shipyards go out of business, there will be little improvement." Trade growth no longer justifies such massive capital expenditure. Data from British maritime consultancy Drewry shows the gap between fleet growth and trade growth has widened since 2006.

Carriers now face a dilemma: without using the newest and largest ships to lower operational costs, they risk losing business; but by investing in a state-of-the-art fleet, they exacerbate a supply glut and poor freight earnings and may eventually struggle to stay afloat. "Flooding the market with additional capacity is counterintuitive, and I believe all shipping lines know that," Lane said. "It has, however, become a case of 'you are damned if you don't, you are damned if you do'."

In order to fill their ships, carriers have opted to befriend their foes. After obtaining antitrust clearance, most of the world's top 20 container lines grouped last year into four major alliances, or operational blocs with joint networks, sailing schedules and exchanges of vessel space.As a result, port operators and shippers - those who commission freight with shipping lines - are feeling the pinch. Last year, a number of ports in Asia, Europe, the US and Africa experienced worse-than-usual congestion. Although reasons for the gridlock varied between ports, the underlying cause was related to the expanding size of ships and the alliances using them.

"The reasons for congestion last year were mixed, partly due to big ships, partly due to other factors," said Neil Davidson, Drewry's senior ports and terminals analyst. "The concerns going forward are the number of big ships coming to service won't make it any easier. It will become harder for terminals to handle these ships. The likelihood of congestion will increase as a result." SeaIntel Maritime Analysis, a Copenhagen-based consultancy monitoring the punctuality of container shipments, reported only 72.2 per cent of vessels arrived at ports on time last year and only 58.2 per cent of containers were delivered on schedule in December.

"If I send something via DHL or FedEx, I know exactly where my package is. But when I send a container with a shipping line, I pray to God that it arrives at the time the shipping line told me," the head of logistics at a leading European retailer said."In the 1990s, before the creation of the big vessels, I at least had around 80 per cent punctuality."As shipping alliances get bigger, I become smaller comparatively and have less bargaining power. Shipping lines don't bother if I switch my freight contract to their competitor."Lane said container ships could not grow infinitely and cost savings from upsizing would soon begin to plateau.

"Going forward, risks will outweigh gains," he said. "Physical geographic restrictions, ability to fully utilise, product offerings, transit times, inflexible fleets, insurance, etc, are all significant risks associated with deploying a new generation of ship." Source: South China Morning Post

Grupo CBO selects Huisman winch packages for new AHTS vessels

In January 2015, Huisman, the worldwide specialist in lifting, drilling and subsea solutions, and Brazilian shipping company and shipyard group Grupo CBO, signed a contract for the delivery of four anchor handling and towing winch packages for four new Havyard 843 AHTS vessels. The winch packages will be built by Huisman’s new production facility in Navegantes, Brazil, and delivery is planned for 2016 and 2017. The winches will be delivered with 50% Brazilian content. The Havyard designed 843 AHTS vessels will be built by Estaleiro Aliança (2x) and Estaleiro



Oceana (2x). The four Huisman electric driven anchor handling and towing winch packages each consist of one 400mt Anchor Handling, one 400mt Towing and two 120mt Secondary Winches. Besides the typical winch functions the anchor handling and towing winches are fitted with water cooled clutches integrated in the drive train, enabling ‘overload protection’, ‘high speed pay-out’, and ‘emergency release’ functionalities.

In 2013, Huisman started the construction of their new production facility in Navegantes, Santa Catarina state, in the south of Brazil. The facility will be used for the manufacturing of offshore equipment for the Brazilian market. It is located along the Itajai-Açu river, enabling fast installation of Huisman equipment onboard sea going vessels. In April 2015 the facility will be opened. The Brazilian Huisman production facility has already been awarded contracts for the delivery of six 65mt Lattice Boom Cranes and four 65mt Knuckleboom Cranes for Sete Brasil and cranes and pipe storage baskets for two 340mt Tiltable Pipelay Systems for Technip-DOF.

PLEASE MAINTAIN YOUR MAILBOX, DUE TO NEW POLICY OF THE PROVIDER, YOUR ADDRESS WILL BE “DEACTIVATED”

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

your address again You can also read the latest newsletter daily online via the link :

http://newsletter.maasmondmaritime.com/ShippingNewsPdf/magazine.pdf

China lifts three-year ban on Valemax cargo ships

By ; Jing Yang

A new government circular on the design of dry bulk cargo ships released on Monday indicates that mainland China has lifted the ban on Valemax, the giant iron ore carriers developed by Brazilian miner Vale that was forbidden to dock at mainland ports for three years.

The Ministry of Transport said in its Circular 9 that an amendment had been made to the Design Code of General Layout for Sea Ports that enlisted dry bulk cargo ships of 400,000 deadweight ton (dwt) capacity. The design code previously only covered bulk cargo ships up to 350,000 dwt. The amendment effectively eliminated a three-year old ban on Valemax class ships, which were designed by Vale to lower transportation costs from Brazil to China when competing with Australian-produced iron ore. The ministry initially allowed Valemax, the world's largest cargo ship, to enter China on a case-by-case basis in 2011, until a circular promulgated in January 2012 suspended the practice, effectively prohibiting the vessels from mooring at mainland ports. The 2012 circular cited safety concerns as the reason for the ban, which was widely believed to protect the interests of national carriers such as China Ocean Shipping Group (Cosco). Cosco and China Shipowners' Association have repeatedly said these vessels were not safe enough for mainland ports to handle, an allegation that Vale rejected. Vale investor relations chief Rogerio Nogueira said in a conference call two weeks ago that the obstruction facing Valemax's has been overcome, according to Reuters. Vale couldn't immediately be reached for comment.The latest statement was largely "within expectation" following the agreements between Vale and two national carriers last year, said Jiang Ming, a transport analyst at Haitong Securities.Vale last year struck 25-year freight contracts with Cosco and China Merchants Energy Shipping to carry iron ore imports into China, the first signs of a thaw in the standoff."After the deals with Cosco and China Merchants, the government's statement is only the last piece to the puzzle. It can be expected other national shipping firms, such as China Shipping and Sinotrans, will follow suit to ink freight deals with Vale," said Jiang. "Although this is good news for the state-owned firms, it may be negative for the entire dry bulk shipping market. The national shipping firms may move to order more Valemax carriers, worsening the dire market outlook due to oversupply. This will likely put downward pressure on the [Baltic Dry Index]," he said. The BDI fell to 577 last Friday, the lowest since July 1986. Source : South China Morning Post

Click HERE for the LIVE STREAM WEBCAM in Hoek van Holland Berghaven

mailto:[email protected]�

http://newsletter.maasmondmaritime.com/ShippingNewsPdf/magazine.pdf�

http://www.maasmondmaritime.com/en/webcam-feed/�

http://www.maasmondmaritime.com/en/webcam-feed/�



MARITIME ARTIST CORNER

Recent watercolor from Hans Breeman shows this Offshore Ship named "DEEP HELDER". This impressive ship is the newest "Seamar" vessel. Her gross tonage is 1200. She uses 4 X Caterpillar C32 Diesel engines usisng 995 kw. The Vessel is build at the Shipyard "De Hoop Foxhol". www.hansbreeman.nl

OLDIE – FROM THE SHOEBOX

A lot of former Dutch and German built coasters ended up in the Caribbean. Some of them were used to smuggle drugs. This was the sorry fate of the former " GEESTSLUIS ". Built in 1962 at the Vuijk shipyard in Capelle aan de Ijssel as the GEESTSLUIS [54.7m oa, 487gt] renamed in 1973 in DOUWE S. followed iby BAHAMA ADVENTURE in 1977 in 1991 in DAVYTON followed in 1992 by SHORELINE TRADER 1993 in MAGGY 1 and the same year in VALERIE 1 in 2002 the vessel disappeared from the lists photo : Harry Stott ©

http://www.hansbreeman.nl/�



…. PHOTO OF THE DAY …..

Bacia de Santos Brazil : TS MARRENTO squeezes in between... Photo : Capt Peter Franse PLSV TOP Coral do Atlantico ©

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

UNSUBSCRIBE / UITSCHRIJF PROCEDURE To unsubscribe click here (English version) or visit the subscription page on our website.

http://www.maasmondmaritime.com/en/unsubscribe/

Om uit te schrijven klik hier (Nederlands) of bezoek de inschrijvingspagina op onze website. http://www.maasmondmaritime.com/nl/uitschrijven/


http://www.maasmondmaritime.com/en/unsubscribe/�

http://www.maasmondmaritime.com/uitschrijven.aspx?lan=nl-NL�

http://www.maasmondmaritime.com/nl/uitschrijven/�

daily collection of maritime press...

Documents