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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 197

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Number 197 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Sunday 19-07-2009 News reports received from readers and Internet News articles copied from various news sites.

BBC Shanghai seen swinging off the berth at OTP, Walker and heading to Dunkirk Photo : Kevin Blair (c)

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EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS

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SCHEEPSSPOTTERS ACHTER DE HEKKEN Scheepsspotters in Hoek van Holland hebben het door het toedoen van vandalen letterlijk het nakijken

Terreinen aan de Berghaven bij Stena Line en het Loodswezen zijn sinds kort afgezet met hekken, waardoor de hobby fotografen met de zeevaart als bijzondere liefhebberij op deze plekken niet meer dicht bij het water kunnen komen voor het maken van hun opnames Het plaatsen van de hekken heeft de wrevel gewekt van Piet Sinke, editor van deze nieuwsclippings en zelf al meer dan 40 jaar scheepsspotter. In een brief aan de deelgemeente noemt hij het plaatsen van de hekken sarcastisch “ een grandioos idee “ Jarenlang kon je gewoon langs het water komen en konden mensen hun familieleden en vrienden, vertrekkend met Stena uitzwaaien. Bovendien komen talloze Engelse en Schotse spotters iedere zomer



special voor hun hobby naar Hoek van Holland. Ze moeten nu uitwijken naar de DSM fabriek of de boulevard totdat ze daar ook hekken gaan plaatsen. Volgens Paddy Roomer, voorzitter van de Hoekse deelgemeenteraad, is vandalisme de boosdoener. Stena heeft tienduizenden (??) euro’s uitgegeven om vernielingen ongedaan te maken, maar het bleef maar doorgaan. Het bedrijf was daarop wel genoodzaakt om maatregelen te nemen, aldus Roomer. Pim de Lange, directeur van Stena wij konden niet anders dan hekken plaatsen. Keer op keer is de schade hersteld en de boel schoongemaakt. Er was daar ook een vrij toegangelijk openbaar toilet. Dat is nu ook achter de hekken geplaatst zodat alleen nog reizigers er toegang toe hebben. Roomer wil samen met de hobbyfotografen zoeken naar een goede plek waar zij hun camera’s kunnen opstellen. Bron : De Telegraaf – Foto’s : Piet Sinke

Lloyds List: onward to signing of the "Rotterdam Rules"

During a number of weeks, Lloyds List, the only and most authoritative global daily for shipping and transport, was the platform for discussion on the so called ‘Rotterdam Rules’ . The critics, especially the Brussels’ association European Shippers Council (ESC) were given ample opportunity to convince the readers and editorial staff on its objections. The final conclusion was published under the heading ‘Onward to Rotterdam”. The editorial comment ended with the words ‘The rules represent shipping’s better future, and will, if ratified, add heft to the argument that industry can support global solutions. It’s Rotterdam, or bust’. Lloyds List emphasizes the importance of a global modernization of outmoded trade rules as is supported by a/o the American shippers (NITL), the international Chamber of Commerce and the European shipping lines. They prefer the new convention above an equivalent regional liability regime the ESC and the EC seek to present. The shipping paper does not deny that objections of the ESC, especially the complexity and possibly higher insurance costs for non-ship players are without any ground. “As valid those worries may be, they reflect regional self-interest in opposition to a global approach. The latter demands compromise but has the potential to deliver higher economic benefits to all. The ESC’s late entry into the fray suggests complacency. Negotiations over the rules have transpired over eight years and have even succeeded in prompting the often recalcitrant US to shelve its own proposal for a new domestic cargo liability regime. The rules represent shipping’s better future, and will, if ratified, add heft to the argument that industry can support global solutions. It’s Rotterdam, or bust’. Source: portofrotterdam

The CASTILLO DE PLASENCIA (ex STOLT ASPIRATION-08, GOLDEN ANGEL-87) seen in Rio Grande Photo : Marcelo Vieira (c)



Baltic Dry Index Up for the Week, Still Way Down for Year

The Baltic Dry Index of dry bulk freight rates ended the week July 17 with an increase of 18.7 percent over rates a week earlier, according to the morning transport note published by Dahlman Rose & Co. The index, which hit 3,542, was still down 61 percent from the 9,092 level a year ago, when freight rates were soaring. Despite recent increases in the index, dry bulk shipping lines continue to face financial problems. Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said July 17 that it lowered its long-term corporate credit rating on Indonesian shipping company PT Arpeni Pratama Ocean Line Tbk. to 'B-' from 'B+'. S&P said the outlook is negative. Arpeni is a bulk carrier of coal business for private and government-owned companies within Indonesia, which accounted for 82 percent of its 2008 revenue. "The rating on Arpeni reflects the company's increased exposure to short-term refinancing risks, higher debt for funding its growth, pressured operating margins, derivatives losses, and weak cash flow generation," said Standard & Poor's credit analyst Manuel Guerena. "The negative outlook reflects Arpeni's significant short-term debt at a time when operating margin and working capital are being pressured. Along with the mark-to-market valuation of its derivative contracts, they have pressured liquidity," Guerena said. Source: Journal of Commerce

The ELMER M seen in the port of Los Angeles - Photo : Bob Duckson (c)

BREAKING: MV VICTORIA, owned by the German company Intersee GmbH, has been released overnight against a ransom payment of US$ 1.8 mio. The release was long overdue. Media-wires had falsely reported the release of another German ship, which is still held. Seized on May 5, 2009, the Antigua and Barbuda- flagged cargo vessel was hijacked by eight pirates in the Gulf of Aden on the way to the port of Jeddah. The 146-metre ship has a crew of 11 Romanians, aged between 22 and 64 including one woman, who are all reportedly all right, giving the circumstances. The vessel had been an the final release leg since two weeks. The female seafarer Ruxandra Sarchizian, a deck officer



who serves on the MV VICTORIA together with her father, the ship's chief mechanic Hartin Sarchizian, is happy that the nightmare is finally over. Source : Ecoterra

Monarch salvage continues: Divers work in Cook Inlet's extreme conditions

Imagine your house is flipped on its side, then being blindfolded and asked to find the bathroom. Put the house 60 feet underwater, and that's exactly what salvage divers face every day as they conduct fuel removal operations on the M/V Monarch, which sank in Cook Inlet on January 15. Underwater, there is zero visibility, said Jim Butler, spokesman for Ocean Marine Services Inc., the company that owns the Monarch. In the area where 166-foot vessel sank, near the Granite Point platform about 16 miles from Nikiski, there is a lot of

turbidity caused by sand. "The sand itself creates sight problems," Butler said, "and it also blocks any natural light from getting down below." Because divers are working blind, it takes multiple dives just to pump out one tank. "It can take one dive just to find it," Butler said. Divers only have about an hour and a half each day to work on de-fueling the remaining eight tanks of the vessel that rests on the inlet's seabed. "We can get up to three dives a day," Butler said. "We're working on about 25- to 35-minute dives at slack water. We really don't have a lot of time." Although de-fueling operations are not uncommon, they are in hostile environments such as Cook Inlet. Taking into account zero visibility, extreme tides and an upside-down boat, which is resting next to an oil platform, it's a bad situation, to say the least. Then insert the added difficulty of maintaining a 150-foot vessel's position near an oil platform in water moving at a rate of seven knots. Due to the aforementioned circumstances, Butler said everyone involved in the project is slowing down and taking their time. "It's kind of an interesting scenario," he said. This is the first de-fueling operation conducted in Cook Inlet's waters, Butler said. As it stands right now, the Monarch seems to be in the same place as when it sank six months ago. "We have no indication that the vessel has moved. Nothing's changing. It's not moving, it's not leaking," Butler said. When the ship went down, it was carrying an estimated 35,000 to 38,000 gallons of diesel fuel. Approximately 3,500 gallons is believed to have spilled as the Monarch sank. Last month, the 207-foot vessel Perseverance docked at Granite Point and divers began to de-fuel the tanks. However, with a boat that size, Butler said crews faced difficulty maintaining the ship's position. A smaller dive support vessel, The Sand Island, was then brought in to focus on prep work. Currently, operations are on hold as crews, which finished preparatory work about a week ago, are waiting for the arrival of new de-fueling equipment.



Along with the additional equipment, a new ship, Polar Bear, will come to the inlet for the next phase of the de-fueling project. The Polar Bear is scheduled to arrive on Tuesday. It takes about four days to get the equipment rigged to the vessel, Butler said. De-fueling should commence sometime at the end of next week. The project should last until middle to late August if everything goes as planned. But with the type of conditions Cook Inlet has, no one is counting on that. "It's hard for people to understand the complexity of it," Butler said. "Each tank is a little bit different for getting into." Also, it's unknown how much fuel remains in each of the eight tanks, not to mention the damage. "The access points are what's damaged," Butler said. The access point, too, to every tank is different, he said. The same team of divers is being kept on the project to ensure familiarity with it, Butler said. "Literally, every dive is different," he said. "We're trying to recognize that."

Nine VLCCs storing fuel oil and crude in Malaysian waters in July

Nine very large crude carriers are currently being used as floating storage for crude and fuel oil in Malaysian waters, two more than in January, industry sources said Friday. The new entries are Southernpec's 284,000 mt Nan Fang Sanhao, 285,000 mt Brilliant Jewel and sister ships Front Lady and Front Highness, each 85,000 mt, chartered to Titan Petrochemicals. Two of January's fleet have bowed out: The 255,000 mt Taurus is reportedly vacant after being leased to Glencore earlier in the year, and the 260,000 mt Gemini is out of service for maintenance, sources said, In other changes since January, Vitol has taken Font Highness and Brillant Jewel and stopped leasing the 300,000 mt BW Nisa and Gemini, and Mercuria has reportedly leased Front Lady after earlier sharing the 265,000 mt Neptune with Glencore. BW Nisa is being converted into a floating storage and offshore production unit. Six of the current fleet are berthed at the port of Tanjung Pelepas, while three are floating at Pasir Gudang. The cost of leasing a VLCC-sized floating storage vessel is around $20,000/day, but can vary, sources said. Trading sources said floating storage was increasingly proving an economical, long-term alternative to landed storage in Malaysia or nearby Singapore, Asia's largest oil trading hub, as storage demand exceeded supply in the region. Floating storage had the advantage of being able to berth VLCCs, trade sources said, although Universal Terminal was the only terminal in Singapore able to take a fully-laden VLCC, and it has been fully leased for some time. At least five VLCCs deliver fuel oil to Singapore from the West each month on average. But while Singapore's landed storage capacity for fuel oil has increased to 33-35 million barrels, or 5-5.38 million mt, with the completion of three new storage terminals in the past three years, it has done little to ease demand, having been immediately fully booked for storage or blending. Source: Platts

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Cosco Busan pilot gets 10 months prison John Joseph Cota, the pilot who caused the Cosco Busan, a 900-foot long container ship, to collide with the San Francisco Bay Bridge and discharge approximately 53,000 gallons of oil into San Francisco Bay, was sentenced to serve 10 months in federal prison by U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston for the Northern District of California. U.S. District Judge Susan Illston imposed the maximum term proposed in the plea agreement that Capt. John Cota accepted in March, but rejected a prosecution request for a $30,000 fine. She noted that Cota, along with the ship's owner and operator, are still defendants in multimillion-dollar lawsuits from the spill. Cota, 61, is scheduled to report to prison Sept. 18 according to the San Francisco Chronicle which reports his lawyer, Jeffrey Bornstein, as saying that Cota is the first ship's pilot in U.S. history to be sent to prison for an accident. The following is from the U.S. Department of Justice statement on the case: Cota, who was a licensed bar pilot at the time of the collision, gave commands that caused the 65,131-ton Hong Kong-registered ship to collide with the bridge on Nov. 7, 2007. Cota was sentenced according to an agreement in which he pleaded guilty to negligently causing discharge of a harmful quantity of oil in violation of the Clean Water Act (CWA), as amended by the Oil Spill Act of 1990 - a law passed in the wake of the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster - and to violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, by causing the death of protected species of migratory birds. In papers filed in court, prosecutors told the judge that Captain Cota should receive a sentence of incarceration because he was "guilty of far more than a mere slip-up or an otherwise innocuous mistake that yielded unforeseeably grave damage. Rather, he made a series of intentional and negligent acts and omissions, both before and leading up to the incident that produced a disaster that, as widespread as it was, could have had even worse consequences." "Captain Cota abandoned ship by not following required safety procedures which then resulted in an environmental disaster" said John C. Cruden, Acting Assistant Attorney for the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division. "The court's sentence of John Cota should serve as a deterrent to shipping companies and mariners who think violating the environmental laws that protect our nation's waterways will go undetected or unpunished," said Joseph P. Russoniello, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California. "They will be vigorously prosecuted." Prosecutors provided the court with a list of Cota's errors that included the following: Captain Cota left in extreme fog that was so thick that the bow of the vessel was not visible from the bridge. Captain Cota made the decision to leave in the fog while the pilots of six other large commercial vessels decided not to depart in the heavy fog which was less than 0.5 nautical miles. Having made the decision to leave port in impenetrable fog, Captain Cota took no action to assure the fortification of the bridge or bow watch or review the passage plan with the master and crew of the Cosco Busan. In particular, Cota failed to have a master-pilot exchange to review the transit plan. Captain Cota has subsequently claimed that he found both radar unreliable, but he did not notify the master or the Coast Guard that a required piece of equipment needed to safely navigate the ship had failed. Meanwhile, the captured images of the radar retained on the ship's computer show that the radar was fully operational. The tape recorded conversations from the ship's bridge show that Captain Cota was confused regarding the operation of the electronic chart system upon which he chose to rely including the meaning of 2 red triangles that marked buoys marking the tower of the bridge that he eventually hit. At no time during the voyage after leaving the berth at 8:07 a.m. and prior to 8:30 a.m. did Captain Cota, or any of the ship's crew, consult the ship's official paper navigational chart or take a single positional fix. Captain Cota did not



ask any crew member to take any fixes or verify the ship's position despite the lack of visibility. After the incident, Cota told the Coast Guard he did not request fixes because it is like "driving your car out of a driveway." Prosecutors also filed papers showing that Captain Cota had failed to disclose his medical conditions and prescription drug use on required annual forms submitted to the Coast Guard. The discharge of heavy fuel oil from the Cosco Busan fouled 26 miles of shoreline, killed more than 2,400 birds of about 50 species, temporarily closed a fishery on the bay, and delayed the start of the crab-fishing season. Monetary damages to the bridge, ship and private parties were in the tens of millions of dollars. Clean-up costs have been estimated to exceed $70 million. The birds killed include Brown Pelicans, Marbled Murrelets and Western Grebes. The Brown Pelican is a federally endangered species and the Marbled Murrelet is a federally threatened species and an endangered species under California law. Cota was licensed by the Coast Guard and California as a Bar Pilot, according to the indictment. He was a member of the San Francisco Bar Pilots and had been employed in the San Francisco Bay since 1981. In California, large ocean-going vessels are required to be piloted when entering or leaving port. The grand jury indictment also charges Fleet Management Limited (Hong Kong), a ship management firm, with the same alleged offenses as well as false statements and obstruction of justice charges. Trial in that case is set for Sept. 14, 2009. An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty at trial beyond a reasonable doubt. The investigation has been conducted by the Coast Guard Investigative Service, the EPA Criminal Investigation Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Game, Office of Spill Prevention and Response. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey Geis and Jonathan Schmidt and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Tribolet of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California, and Richard A. Udell, Senior Trial Attorney with the Environmental Crimes Section of the U.S. Department of Justice. Source : MarineLog

The MSC BLACK SEA seen outward bound from Antwerp -Photo : Stan Muller (c)

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Ship In A Storm It used to be murky waters; it is now a storm. The Philippine ship is adrift, not because there is no crew, but because its crew is suspect. A captain and his crew man a ship so that the vessel can sail towards its destination safely with its passengers and cargo. While captain and crew have the highest authority at sea, authority which is almost absolute, this authority is anchored on the purpose of why there is a ship in the first place. In other words, there is a mission and a destination to accomplish and the ship is the main mechanism for attaining both. Our ship is the ship of state. Our captain and crew are the political leadership and the government bureaucracy. Our ocean is the world, and the world is encountering a serious storm that could grow to be a hurricane of untold proportions. Our ship and our crew hold our lives and our future in their hands. And they do not know what they are doing. The passengers are hungry and cold, except those who sup at the captain's table and the officer's dining room. Many of the crew themselves are also hungry and cold, and compete with the hungry and cold passengers for the little rations they have. Now, a storm is challenging the stability and safety of the ship and there is no port that can provide not only safe harbor but provisions as well. It is a bad time to be an ordinary passenger, a low-ranking crew. The leadership itself is in a bind. Going towards its original destination meant a new captain and a new set of officers would take the helm of the ship. Unfortunately, the captain and the ship's leadership have looted the treasury of the ship and carted off much of the cargo picked up along the way, depositing these in the different countries they had passed along the way. Turning over the leadership of the ship means accounting for everything, and this is a fate seen as worse than death for those who had stolen and lied. The guilty had long been planning to avoid the inevitable fate of having to surrender the ship to another leadership. They are motivated by both greed for more and fear of paying for their wrongdoing. As the ship was proceeding towards its destination, the captain and his officers were plotting on how to sabotage the vessel so it could not reach home according to schedule. Somewhere along the way, the ship would have to pass by another foreign port, have itself fixed, and time is gained to plan the next stage. Of course, more trade, more goods stolen or filched, more dirty money deposited in unseen accounts can be done. The plan to sabotage the vessel, enough for it not to sink but for it to stop at another port before going home, was being implemented when the storm came. Now, the ship is not at its best shape, and the captain and officers are not used anymore to working for welfare of passengers and cargo. But the storm demands the best of ship and crew, and



fear is gripping the passengers. They are sensing that the storm could wreck the ship and the crew cannot lead them to safety. Fear drives discontent, and the lack of food and the cold are making many of them desperate. It is a bad time for everybody, what with the leadership of the ship both greedy and guilty, and a storm that does not allow anyone an easy way out. There are bigger ships in the area watching our ship of state floundering and the ship's leadership. They are all interested in our cargo and our passengers. Most of all, they are interested in the sea lanes we usually use and so close to our ports. While our captain and crew are busy trying to go around the world, the world is busy trying to control ours. The 7th Fleet, the Chinese armada, the British and Malaysians, the Indonesians, they are all interested in our ship and our sea lanes. They think there is a gold mine everywhere in Mindanao, and oil field everywhere in Palawan, other minerals besides, like nickel, copper, silver, and land where anything and everything grows. Everyone is interested at what we have, not only our captain and the ship's crew. Everyone. And everyone is getting a slice of the pie, everyone but Juan de la Cruz, everyone but our children and our children's children if the greed and the betrayal go on. Everyone is interested in getting what is there, and so few are interested in giving, and preserving for tomorrow. With a ship in distress, what can passengers do? Many recommend that we elect a new captain and a new set of officers. That is, if we get to shore, our shore. We are in a storm, and we may never get anywhere but to the bottom of the ocean. Or, the bigger ships will come to our aid, offer to lighten our load, take some passengers and all the cargo, and make us sign an IOU we can never repay except with our blood and our future. If the bigger ships cannot be allowed to rescue us because the cost of salvaging our nation is too much to bear, who can do the job? Who can love us and our motherland in a way that sacrifice and heroism are what they can give together with their lives? Who can save us but ourselves? It is not selecting, or electing, leaders that will save us. It is making leaders, however they attain leadership, follow and pursue the common good. But no leadership will stay the course of the narrow but true and noble unless we, the people, provide them with the motivation and support to do so. We are not leaders but can make leaders follow us. We are only ordinary citizens, but the land belongs to us, our future belongs to us. We must do what we have to do, and we can do it only in solidarity, enough of us in the spirit of one people determined to build a future full of hope. Source : Philippine Daily Inquirer

The INDEPENDENCE OF THE SEAS seen in the Bay of Biscay from the JO SPRUCE, the passengerliner was enroute Southampton - Photo : Izaak Broere (c)

Arctic marine shipping season kicks off More ships are starting to move through Arctic waterways, as this year's northern shipping season gets into full swing. The Canadian Coast Guard says 19 vessels are in Canada's eastern Arctic, with more on the way. Most of the ships are sealift vessels and tankers so far, said Daniel Racine with the coast guard radio station in Iqaluit.



There are five coast guard icebreakers in the area, with another coming up from British Columbia via Alaska. Racine told CBC News that August will likely be the busiest time for Arctic marine traffic. "Last year we had about 50 ships," he said Thursday. "For now we have no idea how many ships we'll have to expect." One cruise ship is currently in the North, located near the Nunavik region of northern Quebec. More cruise ships will be heading to various destinations in the Canadian Arctic in coming weeks. Racine said the shipping routes in the eastern and lower Arctic still have about 40 per cent ice on them. Source : CBC

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Openingstijden (Pasen t/m 31 oktober)

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Massale vaccinatie tegen mazelen op schip Alle 2100 bemanningsleden en passagiers van het cruiseschip Equinox, dat momenteel in de Eemshaven in Groningen ligt, worden ingeënt tegen de mazelen. Het zeer besmettelijke virus werd eerder deze week bij twee medewerkers van het schip vastgesteld. Om verdere besmetting te voorkomen is besloten alle mensen aan boord een vaccin aan te bieden, zo maakte de Hulpverleningsdienst Groningen vrijdag bekend Source : Elsevier

CASUALTY REPORTING Two ships lost in two days in Black Sea

accidents A St. Vincent ship sank in the Black Sea, but the crew were rescued, the Turkish Maritime Undersecretariat said on Friday. Turkey's Maritime Undersecretariat released a statement in which it said that a St. Vincent-flagged cargo ship was off northern province of Sinop when it had signalled "May Day" around noon. Turkish authorities sent a Turkish ship to the spot after the signal of the cargo ship "ELISA-Z", the undersecretariat said. The Turkish ship rescued five Turkish and six Georgian crew members of the St. Vincent cargo ship. The ELIZA-Z ship totally sank in the Black Sea, off Sinop. The St. Vincent cargo ship which was 3,038 gross tons in weight and 82 meters in length was carrying iron from Batumi port of Georgia to Turkish city of Istanbul. The Maritime Undersecretariat said on Thursday that a Maltese-flagged "Emma" ship was "semi-sunk" in the Black

Sea, but eleven crew members, including seven Turks, were rescued.

BRIDGE COLLAPSES IN MEXICO



Rescue personnel and other people inspect a collapsed bridge at the Tonala River outside the city of Agua Dulce in the state of Veracruz, Mexico July 17, 2009. At least eight people ware killed and three ware injured on Friday after five

vehicles plunged into a river when a bridge collapsed, local newspapers reported. Photo : Xinhua/AFP Photo

NAVY NEWS House panel adds two ships to Navy budget Congressman John P. Murtha, Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, announced today that the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense has completed and marked-up the Fiscal Year 2010 Defense Appropriations Bill. The subcommittee mark up includes $15 billion for the procurement of 10 Navy ships, two above the request (one DDG-51 Guided Missile Destroyer; one SSN-774 Attack Submarine; four Littoral Combat Ships--one more than request; two Intra-Theater Connector Ships [Joint High Speed Vessels]--one more than request; and two T-AKE Auxiliary Dry Cargo/Ammunition Ships). This is the first time since 1992 that the shipbuilding account was funded for 10 or more ships. The mark up also includes $539 million for the continued development of the DDG-1000 Guided Missile Destroyer. Source : MarineLog



The Dutch AOR A 836 AMSTERDAM seen departing from Willemstad – Curacao Photo : Kees Bustraan (c)

Navy, Army Name Joint High Speed Vessels

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus and Secretary of the Army Pete Geren announced the names of the first three Joint High Speed Vessels as Fortitude (JHSV 1), Vigilant (JHSV 2) and Spearhead (JHSV 3).

A cooperative effort between the Navy and the Army, JHSVs will be used for fast intra-theater transportation of troops, vehicles and equipment. The program highlights a Department of Defense acquisition objective of leveraging the expertise of one military branch to assist another. The Army is procuring Fortitude and Spearhead, while the Navy is procuring Vigilant, and each service will be responsible for operating and maintaining its ships following delivery. JHSVs will be capable of transporting 700 short tons 1,200 nautical miles at an average speed of 35 knots, and can operate in shallow-draft ports and waterways, interfacing with roll-on/roll-off discharge facilities, and on/off-loading a combat-loaded

Abrams Main Battle Tank (M1A2). Other joint requirements include an aviation flight deck to support day and night air vehicle launch and recovery operations. JHSVs will have airline style seating for 312 embarked forces and fixed berthing for 104 more. Joint military combatant commanders will have the flexibility to use JHSVs in a variety of roles to include supporting overseas contingency operations, special operations forces, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and emerging joint sea basing concepts. Constructed by Austal USA in Mobile, Ala., the detail, design and construction contract covers 10 ships, five for the Army and five for the Navy. Long lead time material options for the first three ships have already been exercised. Construction on the first JHSV will begin following a successful Production Readiness Review (PRR), currently



scheduled for fall 2009. The JHSV PRR will be a review of design maturity, availability of materials and components, and the shipbuilder's readiness to successfully start fabrication. Source : MarineLink

Middle East navies eye new submarines Submarine warfare seems to be in vogue in the Middle East these days, with Israel leading the way. Iran, Algeria and Egypt are also planning to acquire new submarines that could operate in the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. Israel's surprise deployment of one of its German-built Dolphin boats, the 1,500-ton Leviathan, in the Red Sea in late June underscored the regional trend. The Type-800 boat's highly visible transit from the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal to the Red Sea was widely seen as a message to Tehran that the Israeli navy would participate in any pre-emptive strike against Iran's nuclear facilities. Israel bought the Dolphins under a $1 billion contract in 2000 and wants to buy two more from Germany. That would allow it to keep at least one of its submarines, possibly even two, on patrol in the Arabian Sea from where cruise missiles, possibly nuclear-tipped, could be launched at targets in Iran. The Israeli navy rarely discusses its submarine operations, but given the need to refuel and maintain them, there has been speculation for some time that Israeli is seeking a base in the Red Sea or the Indian Ocean for its submarines. Israel's relations with India and Sri Lanka are good. Israel is now India's second-ranking arms supplier after Russia. But diplomatic sources say it is unlikely that either would risk accommodating Israeli Dolphins. Another possibility would be the Dahlak archipelago in the Red Sea off Eritrea, which owns the islands. The Soviet navy had a submarine base there, but it was abandoned after the Soviet Union collapsed. In the meantime, Russian defense industry sources report that Iran, fearful of an Israeli attack, is thinking of buying advanced Russian submarines to add to its flotilla of three Kilo-class diesel-electric boats it acquired a decade ago from Moscow. The focus is on Project 636- and Amur 1650-class submarines being developed by Russia. State-owned arms export agency Rosoboronexport said the fourth-generation diesel-electric boats, considered to be among the stealthiest in the world, could be exported by 2015. Iran and Algeria appeared to be among the leading prospects. According to sources in Moscow, Algeria agreed in 2006 to buy Project 636 submarines, advanced versions of the Kilo-class Type 877EKM currently in service with Algeria and Iran. Jane's Navy International reported July 8 that Algeria will take delivery of the first of two Project 636 subs in December from Admiralty Shipyards of St. Petersburg. A spokesman for Russia's Rubin Design Bureau said during the recent International Maritime Defense Show in St. Petersburg that Egypt was also considered a possible customer for the new Kilos. Egypt operates four Romeo-class Soviet-era submarines. Turkey, a major military power at the eastern end of the Mediterranean, signed a deal for the purchase of six European submarines on June 2. Under the $3.5 billion contract, the Turkish navy will co-manufacture U-214-class submarines with a consortium headed by Howaldswerke-Deutsche Werft of Kiel, Germany, which builds the Dolphin boats used by Israel. Turkey currently has 13 German-built submarines, six Atilay-class Type 209/1200s and seven Preveze/Gur Type 209/1400s. Libya operates two Soviet-era Foxtrot-class submarines, but it is not known if these are operational. The only other Arab state with submarines is Syria, but none of its three Soviet-era boats has left port for many years. Source : UPI com



The USS ARLEIGH BURKE seen arriving in Simonstown (South Africa) Photo : Ian Shiffman (c)

Russia to continue Bulava tests after examining latest failure

Tests of Russia's new Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missile will continue after the cause of the latest failed launch is established, local media reported on Friday. The Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday that a Bulava missile self-destructed on Wednesday due to a malfunction during the first stage of its flight after its launch from the nuclear-powered submarine Dmitry Donskoi in the White Sea off Russia's northwest coast. "The failed launch of the Bulava will certainly be examined thoroughly. I believe the situation with the missile is not hopeless. Such problems are unavoidable during the tests of new missiles," a source from Russia's Military-Industrial Commission told Interfax and RIA Novosti news agencies. A commission was set up to investigate the cause of the failed test. RIA Novosti cited a security official as saying that security-related agencies could join the investigation because the incident might be the result of sabotage. Six of the 11 test launches of the Bulava have ended in failure. A test last December failed when the missile exploded in mid-air after launch. The Bulava, which is capable of carrying 10 individually targeted nuclear warheads and has a maximum range of 8,000 km, is designed to be deployed on Russia's newest Borei class of submarines. The sea-based missile is expected to become a key part of the Russian military's future nuclear arsenal. Source : Chinaview

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Northrop Grumman Authenticates Keel for Newest Large-Deck Amphibious

Assault Ship America (LHA 6) Northrop Grumman Corporation celebrated a significant milestone with a keel authentication ceremony for America (LHA 6), the Navy's newest class of large-deck amphibious assault ship, at the company's Pascagoula facility. A photo accompanying this release is available at: http://media.globenewswire.com/noc/

"There could be nothing more exciting to me than to be a part of this ship," said Lynne Pace, ship sponsor for America and wife of retired U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In step with Navy and maritime tradition, Mrs. Pace had her initials welded onto a ceremonial steel plate noting the ship's keel had been "truly and fairly laid." "Today I'd like to thank the Northrop Grumman shipbuilders who will put

their heart and soul into building this ship and making it the best in the world," she continued. "You have incredible talents, skills and craftsmanship that are needed to build the tools to help keep our country safe. For your dedication and patriotism, I thank you." LHA 6, the fourth U.S. Navy ship to bear the name America, replaces the aging Tarawa-class and represents a conscious decision to increase the aviation capacity of future big deck amphibious ships in order to maximize the Navy's investment in future aircraft. "I can think of no more fitting place or time to celebrate this new ship and all she represents on the heels of our nation's 233rd birthday in a city and a shipyard that strongly reflect the values of this great nation," said Art Divens, executive director for Amphibious & Auxiliary Ships and Craft, executive director for Program Executive Office, Ships. "Today's ceremony is especially noteworthy, for not only are we acknowledging a critical milestone in the Navy's newest ship of the line, but we are also celebrating a monumental leap forward in the strength, capability and flexibility of the Navy's amphibious fleet," Divens continued. "This ship can go in harm's way to project combat power ashore and is perfectly suited to support humanitarian assistance and other contingency missions on a moment's notice." America will be 844 feet long and 106 feet wide and weighs 44,854 tons. Its propulsion system will drive it to speeds in excess of 22 knots. It will accommodate 1,204 crew and 1,871 troops. "LHA 6 will be built by the best shipbuilders in the world," said Irwin F. Edenzon, sector vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding - Gulf Coast. "It will be built by thousands of Northrop Grumman men and women who are proud to be shipbuilders. We work everyday to design and build quality ships. The Sailors and Marines who sail in them and protect our nation's freedom deserve nothing less."



"America will carry her finest into harm's way, and her ability to return them safely will depend directly on the extraordinary efforts of this Gulf Coast shipyard," said U.S. Navy Capt. Robert Howell, executive officer and director of contracts, Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Gulf Coast. "To the men and women of Northrop Grumman, whether you realize it or not, you proudly wear the cloth of this great nation. Your uniform of denim and coveralls, often covered in soot and dust after a long day at the shipyard, represent a level of commitment that few will ever truly understand. The sweat from your brow from the long hours in the heat is the sacrifice you make so that your Navy and Marine Corps brothers and sisters will be less likely to bleed in conflict. "Never let it be forgotten that it is your deft hands and skilled craftsmanship that are the key enablers to keeping the Global War on Terrorism from our shores," Capt. Howell added. America will have an extended hangar deck with two higher hangar bay areas, each fitted with an overhead crane for aircraft maintenance. The ship will also provide increased aviation fuel capacity, stowage for aviation parts and support equipment. In addition, America will be able to embark and launch the MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, cargo and attack helicopters, the AV-8B Harrier and the short take-off vertical landing (STOVL) variant F-35B Lightning II Strike Fighter. Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide.

Rederij Groen’s latest, the MARIA G seen in Singapore (Loyang) Photo : Dirk Klok (c)

S.Korea: Shipbuilders to See Turnaround in 3rd Quarter



South Korean shipyards will see a turnaround in their profits during the third quarter, helped by stabilizing steel prices, inventory clearance of other key materials and a steady growth in offshore-related projects. Although it seems too early to say whether Korean shipbuilders will gain more orders from big ship owners amid the uncertain outlook for the global economy, analysts in Seoul said that leading local shipyards' profits will bottom out in the second quarter. "Stock prices of the nation's leading shipbuilders have fallen steeply so far this year. On the back of impressive earnings performances, shipbuilding stocks will show a recovery," Sung Ki-jong, an analyst at Daewoo Securities, said Friday. "As steel prices have been steadily falling, shipbuilders can save costs in producing ships, which is also another positive sign," according to Sung. The price for steel plate per ton has decreased to 820,000 won from 1.2 million won in the first quarter, according to data from research firms. "South Korean shipyards could get new offshore-related plant orders possibly from September as deep sea oil exploration technologies have recently been highlighted, helping shipbuilders boost their operating profits," Kim Yong-soo, an analyst at SK Securities, said. South Korea is home to the world's three biggest shipyards ― Hyundai Heavy, Samsung Heavy and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering. The trio will release their second-quarter earnings reports during the last week of the month. Sung expects the shipbuilders to see improvements in sales and operating profits thanks to enhanced production efficiency and a clearance of key materials for ships. But pessimists say it is too early to project a turnaround as there are no clear signs of new orders. They say buying shipbuilding stocks seems risky for the time being. "Some European owners have said that they will expand their fleets. But the outlook is less than optimistic about whether this is a turning point," said an analyst at Woori Investment. "Stock moves of shipbuilders are mainly dependent on order books, not quarterly sales. It will be uncertain whether Korean shipbuilders will get massive orders until the first half of next year," the local brokerage said. The economic downturn has hit shipbuilding hard, with new orders having contracted by up to 90 percent amid increasing cancellations, which is likely to result in a significant excess in shipbuilding capacity, said the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in a recent statement issued from Paris. The OECD said the outlook was unlikely to improve for some time. "Shipbuilding has experienced a boom over the past decade, and most yards have strong order books. Although shipbuilders are now under pressure from ship buyers to cancel or defer contracts, the order books have to some extent cushioned the immediate impact of the crisis," it said. Source: Korea Times

The MOL Strength seen out bound for Tokyo from Vancouver BC on July 17, 2009. Photo : Alan Haig-Brown (c)



Japanese Ship Orders Drop Nearly 80 Percent

Japanese export ship orders during the first half of this year sank to the lowest level for a January-June period in 16 years, indicating a recovery in shipowners’ flagging demand for new vessels is not yet on the horizon. Japan, one of the world’s top shipbuilding nations along with South Korea and China, received orders for export ships totaling 2,343,750 gross tons between January and June, down a staggering 79.3 percent from the same six-month period in 2008, according to figures released by the Japan Ship Exporters’ Association. Japanese shipbuilders received orders for 55 export ships during the January-June period. Of the 55 ships, 40 are bulk carriers totaling 1,462,900 gross tons, 12 are oil tankers totaling 794,850 gross tons, one is a general cargo vessel of 72,000 gross tons and the remaining two are other ships totaling 14,000 gross tons. The 55 ships total 1,155,380 compensated gross tons. During the same six-month period last year, Japanese shipbuilders received orders for 255 export ships – 213 bulk carriers, 32 oil tankers and 10 general cargo vessels. The JSEA figures also showed that Japanese export ship orders tumbled for the ninth consecutive month in June on a year-on-year basis, plunging 72.9 percent to 636,990 gross tons. Japanese shipbuilders received orders for 13 export ships in June. Of the 13 ships, nine are bulk carriers totaling 383,790 gross tons, three are oil tankers totaling 181,200 gross tons and one is a general cargo vessel of 72,000 gross tons. The 13 ships total 313,687 compensated gross tons. Japanese export ship orders suddenly started to plunge in October 2008, when the global financial turmoil that had erupted the previous month began to take its toll. The June decline followed drops of 83.9 percent in October, 79.7 percent in November, 91.1 percent in December, 75.9 percent in January, 84 percent in February, 81 percent in March, 73.8 percent in April and 89.8 percent in May. Source: Journal of Commerce

Above seen the LUX flag sail passenger ship ROYAL CLIPPER leaving Valletta bound to Gozo on anchors with 156 passengers onboard and piloted by Cpt. Paul Camilleri.

Photo : Cpt. Lawrence Dalli - www.maltashipphotos.com ©



Vigo yard unions blast Barreras SPANISH union accused shipbuilder HJ Barreras of moving up to 1,000 shipyard workers to Portugal's Viano do Castelo yard to complete newbuilding orders. Both the socialist UGT and communist CCOO complained that workers and three ships have been moved to Portugal, prompting concern about work cuts for Spanish workers in Vigo, in northwestern Spain. Both HJ Barreras and Portuguese shipyard Envc (Esaleiros Navales de Viano do Castelo) declined to comment to Fairplay about the transfer accusations. A strike at the Vigo yards remains suspended, but yard executives warned earlier this week that orders would not be completed on schedule unless employees worked extra hours to compensate for the production losses growing out of the recent strike in Vigo. HJ Barreras faces the prospect of paying penalties on late deliveries of newbuildings. Source : Fairplay

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First ESV moves down river from COSCO Nantong Shipyard

Remedial Offshore (Remedial Cyprus PCL) has announced that COSCO Shipyards Ltd has moved the Remedial ESV Solution, the industry’s first Elevating Support Vessel or ESV unit, downriver to the COSCO Qidong shipyard from its berth quayside at Nantong for final steps in the vessel’s construction. The move will allow COSCO personnel to finish installing the ESV's 425ft legs and thrusters and the remaining system commissioning. Once the activities are complete, the vessel will perform sea trials prior to delivery to Remedial. Remedial's iinovative ESV design, a self-propelled '300 Class jack-up is optimised for heavy well intervention in water depths to 325ft (100m). Each ESV unit (two are under construction) combines the capabilities of a jack-up platform, an ocean-going vessel, a workover drilling rig, heavy lift cranes and an offshore accommodation platform in a single package.



The IVER PROGRESS seen approaching Rotterdam-Europoort Photo : Leo Varekamp (c)

First `balikbayan' boxes arrive in Subic port A first batch of balikbayan boxes from the United States arrived at Subic's new Container Terminal 1 on Thursday, marking the entry into this free port of balikbayan cargoes from Filipinos in the United States. Joel Longares, president of the US-based Atlas Shippers, said the shipment, which left the US last on June 24, contained more than 400 boxes for delivery to Northern Luzon. He said shifting port destination from Manila to Subic for part of his company's balikbayan cargoes started only in March this year. He said he was happy with the ease with which an agreement was reached between his 10-year-old cargo firm and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority. He said he expected other cargo companies to also locate in Subic soon because of this free port's status, excellent location and modern facilities."With all these plus factors, it will be easy for other balikbayan cargo companies to follow us," he said in brief program marking Atlas Shippers' maiden shipment. Edgardo Pamintuan, chair of the Subic-Clark Advisory Development Council, welcomed the feat as "a small but significant step" toward making Subic and Clark a the logistics hub in the Asia-Pacific region. He said another firm, Alpha Cargo, has expressed interest in partnering with Atlas in providing cargo forwarding services for balikbayans here in Subic Source : Inquire

Construction of Falmouth port to begin next month

Work on the Falmouth port should start by the third week of August, according to president and chief executive officer of the Port Authority of Jamaica, Noel Hylton. "The contractor is mobilising now and I expect the ship with the equipment and some of the material to arrive here within ano-ther month and I expect the dredge to arrive here sometime towards the middle of August," Hylton said yesterday. He was speaking at the opening of the Falmouth Fishermen's Beach, near Uriah Park. He noted that the pier would be built first but that it and all accompanying facilities should be completed by October to November of 2010. The first vessel should arrive in May next year but has been delayed to December 2010. Source : cgi.wn.com



The CARNIVAL SENSATION seen in Nassau (Bahamas) - Photo : Crew URSA (c)

Kamco will buy 17 idle ships to aid local firms

Three months after promising support for the ailing shipping industry, Korea’s fifth-largest export revenue source, the government said yesterday it would use funds worth 480 billion won ($378.8 million) to help. The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs said it approved the purchase of 17 ships by Kamco Ship Investment Management, a subsidiary of the state-run Korea Asset Management Corporation, from two local shipping companies. The purchases will be made through 17 separate funds worth 480 billion won, one for each ship, the ministry said. They will be the first funds of their kind. In April, the ministry said it would spend up to 4 trillion won to buy idle ships from local companies to provide them with liquidity and stop the loss of national wealth. During the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s, 112 ships belonging to cash-strapped local shipping firms were sold to foreign investors at cut-rate prices. “The government and Kamco will continue to buy ships as soon as further talks with shipping firms and financial firms on the sales are completed,” said the ministry in a statement. Around 190 billion won, or 40 percent of the purchase amount, came from the corporate restructuring fund managed by Kamco. Hana Bank and Korea Exchange Bank



contributed 20 percent, while the other 40 percent was invested in by the shipping companies themselves, the ministry said. According to the ministry, Kamco will lease the 17 ships to their previous owners when needed, with the lease price to be set at one-third of the market average or less. The Baltic Dry Index, which measures the profitability of global shipping, hit 3,324 Tuesday, compared with 11,793 in May 2008. Source: JoongAng Daily

The BRITISH HARMONY seen departing from Rotterdam Photo : John van der Linden (c)

MEED: Van Oord wins Subiya dredging work in Kuwait

MEED reported that Van Oord has won a contract for the deepening of a seawater outlet canal to serve the Subiya power and water plant in Kuwait. The company was the low bidder for the contract with a price of KD4.3m ($15m). Van Oord's local representative is Saud Abdulaziz al-Rashed & Brothers. The Electricity & Water Ministry is the client. The ministry is evaluating bids for the construction of a 2,000MW power plant at Subiya. The US' GE submitted the lowest price for the scheme in June

FreeSeas Announces New Charters for Four of its Handysize Vessels



FreeSeas Inc., a transporter of dry-bulk cargoes through the ownership and operation of a fleet of seven Handysize vessels and two Handymax vessels, announced Friday new charters for four of its vessels, the Free Impala, the Free Envoy, the Free Knight and the Free Maverick. The M/V Free Impala, a 1997-built, 24,111 dwt Handysize vessel, has completed its scheduled dry-docking and has been fixed at a daily rate of $7,500 for a spot time charter trip. The trip is expected to be completed by the end of July 2009. The M/V Free Envoy, a 1984-built, 26,318 dwt Handysize vessel, has been fixed at a daily rate of $8,300 for a spot time charter trip after completion of its period charter. The new charter is expected to be completed by the beginning of August 2009. The M/V Free Knight, a 1998-built, 24,111 dwt Handysize vessel, has been fixed at a daily rate of $7,600 for a spot time charter trip of between 45 to 60 days. The M/V Free Maverick, a 1998-built, 23,998 dwt Handysize vessel, has been fixed at a daily rate of $8,650 for a spot time charter trip of approximately 45 days. In addition, the Company announced that it expects off-hire days relating to technical and operational occurrences during the second quarter of 2009 to reduce the Company's income from operations for the quarter by approximately $1 million to $1.5 million in the aggregate. The Company intends to seek to recover a portion of this amount, although there can be no assurances that it will be successful in recovering all or any portion of it. The Company also announced that it has received an extension of its loan covenant waivers received from First Business Bank S.A. FBB has agreed, subject to execution of appropriate amendments to the loan documents, to extend the previously provided waivers of the vessel value to debt ratio covenant and the parent company leverage ratio covenant from January 1, 2010 to July 1, 2010. Source: Freeseas Inc.

The SAFMARINE NILE seen approaching Rotterdam-Europoort Photo : Ruud Zegwaard (c)



Pipelay & construction vessel SEVEN SEAS shortlisted for prestigious Lloyd’s List Global Awards “Ship of the year”

Photo : Capt Gijs Dijkdrenth (c)

The prestigious “Ship of the year” award of Lloyd’s List is granted in recognition of a vessel delivered in the past year that has set a benchmark in terms of design, innovation and efficiency. The Pipelay & Construction vessel SEVEN SEAS, built by IHC Merwede Offshore & Marine division, has been shortlisted for the award. The winner will be revealed during the year’s event at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London on 8 September 2009. Source : IHC Merwede

The OPDR LISBON seen passing Zoutelande enroute Antwerp Photo : Rob van Deijk (c)



…. PHOTO OF THE DAY …..

Above seen the Highland Rover in foggy conditions during her survey operations in Broad Haven Bay Ireland during the Shell/Corrib project. The picture is taken from the PLV Solitaire. With her ROV the survey vessel Highland

Rover monitors the touch-down point of the pipe during pipe lay operations. On the background the hills of the Irish coast are still visible.

Photo : Arjen Perdok (c)

WARNING

As I know that during summertime a lot of English and Scottish shipsspotters / photographers are visiting Hook of Holland and booking hotels far in advance to take photos of ships in the morning hours at the

riverside near the STENA LINE ferry terminal or from the playground between the STENA LINE and the Berghaven, I regret that I have to

inform you that STENA LINE and the Dutch Pilot association (Loodswezen) have decided to place fences far from the water front, and it is NOT

POSSIBLE anymore to take photos of ships from this above mentioned locations, the only places left for photos are now ( until they also place fences at that locations ) near the DSM factory and at the boulevard /

northern breakwater.



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