the silver shadow moored in a misty skagway (alaska) photo...

DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 197

Distribution : daily to 30100+ active addresses 16-07-2014

Number 197 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Wednesday 16-07-2014

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

The SILVER SHADOW moored in a misty Skagway (Alaska)

Photo : Willem J.M. Kappert o/b Zaandam ©

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EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS

The Dutch Fire Fighting vessel ZUID-HOLLAND navigating the Beneden Merwede River

Photo : Ad Stam www.acsfotografie.nl

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What it Takes to Deal Deals Done in China: Merger Reviews and MOFCOM

The MAERSK NIMES outbound from Rotterdam. Photo : Cees van der Kooij ©

China has a relatively young antitrust regime, going back just five years, in comparison to the U.S. and the EU. Linklaters partner Jonas Koponen explains the reasons behind China's recent prohibition of a European shipping alliance between A.P. Moeller-Maersk A/S, Mediterranean Shipping Co. and CMA CGM SA, which did not get any challenges in the U.S. and the EU. He advises western firms to "put China high on the agenda" and understand there will be long reviews that may take twice or three times what they take in the EU. Kopnen suggests keeping up the pressure on international collaboration and convergence between regulators. The Deal's Renee Cordes reports from Brussels. Source : Yahoo Finance

Families protest partisan split over bill to probe ferry disaster

Political parties remain deadlocked over the legislation of a special bill aimed at addressing issues resulting from the ferry disaster in April, prompting victims’ families to stage a hunger strike on Monday to urge the immediate formation of a probe team. The families have been conducting a sit-in at the National Assembly since Saturday to criticize lawmakers tasked with writing the “special Sewol bill,” named after the ferry sinking that left more than 300 dead or missing. They are demanding that the probe team be given the right to investigate the maritime disaster and indict those responsible under the special law.

Lawmakers have listened and the prospective legislation will involve reparation payments to victims’ families and the formation of a special team to determine the causes of the accident. But partisan bickering over how much

legal authority should be granted to the fact-finding team has been stalling the bill’s passage, angering families. Monday’s hunger strike put pressure on lawmakers to give the team both investigative and indictment powers. “Ever since the April 16 ferry disaster, the government, parliament, and rescue teams have all asked us to wait. We are tired of waiting. We are here to ask the National Assembly to promptly pass the Sewol bill,” a father of a victim said. Victims’ families and opposition parties say the team should have the power to probe public institutions such as the Coast Guard and the Navy. The families charge that investigators should have indictment powers as well, although not all opposition lawmakers agree. Ruling Saenuri Party legislators say the fact-finding team should be limited to determining the causes of the disaster. They say giving investigative and indictment powers to the team would overstep the principle of the separation of powers between the judicial and legislative branches of government. Another thorny issue in the Sewol bill centers on the surviving students at Danwon High School. Most of the victims of



the ferry accident were students of the high school in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province. Some conservative as well as liberal parliamentarians say the surviving students should be given special admission to colleges. Danwon students deserve this special favor because they fell behind in schoolwork after the accident, lawmakers said. The Saenuri Party has proposed giving financial incentives to colleges if they widen special admissions to accept students from Danwon High School. Opposition parties have suggested ordering universities to accept Danwon students in excess of their annual acceptance quotas. Lawmakers say this would prevent Danwon students from “taking the places” of potentially more qualified students in college admissions. The Education Ministry has declined to commit to any legal plan, partially because of public criticism that Danwon students do not deserve special treatment. “I understand they are victims. But this does not justify their receiving special treatment in college admissions,” one Internet comment read. Source : Korea Herald

Detentions of Damas de Blanco Activists in Cuba

On Sunday Cuban authorities rounded up and detained over one hundred courageous members of the Damas de Blanco as they sought to peacefully commemorate the loss of life on the tugboat 13 de Marzo, sunk by the Cuban Government 20 years ago this past weekend. We strongly condemn the Cuban Government’s continued use of this intimidation tactic to silence its critics and disrupt peaceful assembly. We urge the Government of Cuba to end these practices and respect the universal human rights of the Cuban people. Source : Imperial Valley News

Khabarovsk region to have bimonthly direct service to Okhotsk

A new regular direct freight service linking Khabarovsk and Okhots is launched on July 15, the regional government press office said. The line is launched in the framework of an agreement between the Government of Khabarovsk Krai, the Okhotsk administration and Khabarovsk River Trading Port. Cargoes will be shipped by mixed "river-sea" class vessels. The port has acquired a sea-going tugboat and two barges to transport directly to Okhotsk more than 2 million tonnes of cargo two times a month. The barges will have on board two refrigerated containers for perishable goods. The voyage from Khabarovsk to Okhotsk takes about a week. The Ministry of Industry and Transport of the region said there had been several disruptions in goods delivery with insufficient volumes to the northern villages. OJSC Khabarovsk River Trading Port was founded in 1992. The company is included in the list of strategic enterprises of Russia. The port assets include six berths of total quay wall length of 565 m, three cargo yards equipped with 11 gantry cranes, access rail and roads lines, indoor warehouses and outdoor storage area, and

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production and repair facilities. The port operates 18 vessels, including tugboats, inshore boats and special ships, 27 non-self powered dry cargo and bulk oil barges and five floating cranes, etc. Source : PortNews

Ferry worker dies at federal detention center SEATAC — A ferry deckhand from Port Orchard questioned about taking pictures of young girls two weeks ago died of an apparent suicide Saturday at the Federal Detention Center. The Federal Bureau of Prisons said in a news release that inmate Steven Allen Dailey was discovered unresponsive in his cell. Staff tried to revive him, but he was pronounced dead by outside medical personnel. Foul play is not suspected, according to the news release, which didn’t say why it’s believed to be a suicide. The FBI is conducting the investigation. Dailey, 50, had been in custody at the facility since Thursday for a possible parole violation. A week earlier, July 3, someone complained about Dailey, a deckhand on the ferry Tillikum on the Southworth-Vashon Island-Fauntleroy route, taking photos of young girls. King County sheriff’s deputies interviewed him, but they found no cause to arrest him. They seized his phone as evidence, and the case was assigne “Our case is closed now,” Gates said Monday. “The alleged suspect is deceased so we do not take the case any further. As far as the phone, we won’t be doing anything with it. Within a few days, Dailey wound up in the federal detention center. The Sheriff’s Office didn’t talk to federal authorities about interviewing Dailey, and Gates doesn’t know who might have. Nonetheless, federal court documents said he committed the crime of voyeurism July 3 in King County. A warrant for his arrest was issued July 8 for having contact with minors without approval of the probation office, for possessing a smartphone (which the court said was an unauthorized electronic device) for committing the crime of voyeurism, and for failing to notify his probation officer within 72 hours of his July 3 contact with law enforcement. Dailey appeared Friday in U.S. District Court where the judge was asked to find him in violation of his probation. The judge remanded him to federal custody until a July 22 hearing to determine whether he broke the terms. In November 2009, Daily was charged with one count of child pornography in the U.S. District Court of Western Washington. Court documents say he had subscribed to a commercial website that offered access to child pornography via subscriptions. Federal agents searched his home and found hundreds of images of child pornography and dozens of videos. He later admitted to being in possession of thousands of images.



Washington State Ferries spokeswoman Marta Coursey said Dailey had been placed on administrative leave after the photo incident pending the outcome of an external investigation. Source : kitsapsun.com

The MEGA EXPRESS TWO arriving in Toulon – Photo : Jan van Vuuren ©

Costa Concordia wreck raised from under-sea platform

The wrecked Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia has been successfully raised from the under-sea platform it has been resting on for the past year, salvage workers say. The wreck - the target of one of the biggest maritime salvage operations in history - is now floating about 2m (6ft) off the platform. In all, the refloating operation is expected to take six or seven days. The ship will then be towed to its home port, Genoa, where it will be scrapped. The Concordia struck a reef off the Italian island of Giglio in January 2012 and capsized, killing 32 people. Workers are slowly lifting the

vessel by pumping air into tanks attached to the ship. The wreck was hauled upright in September but was still partially submerged, resting on six steel platforms. The BBC's Alan Johnston at the scene said that by midday a weed-covered streak of the hull had become visible as the previously submerged part of the ship gradually rose above the waves. Salvage workers cheered with delight as they returned to Giglio's port. "The ship is upright and is not listing. This is extremely positive," the engineer in charge of the salvage, Franco Porcellacchia, told a news conference. He

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said the sixth deck of the ship had begun to emerge on Monday, and once that was fully above water the other decks would become visible in quick succession. "When deck three re-emerges we are in the final stage and ready for departure," he added. Tugboats attached to the ship by cables have moved it a short distance away from the shore. A search for the remains of Indian waiter Russel Rebello, whose body was not recovered from the wreck, is due to be carried out. The Costa Concordia's owners, Costa Crociere, estimate the operation to remove the wreck from the reef and tow it for scrapping will cost 1.5bn euros (£1.2bn; $2bn) in total. An engineer with Costa Crociere described the salvage efforts as "unprecedented". "As with anything being done for the first time, there are risks. But we are confident," Franco Porcellacchia said. Hundreds of divers and engineers have been involved in operations to salvage the Concordia, which is twice the size of the Titanic. Towing the ship to Genoa - about 200 nautical miles (370km) away - is due to begin on 21 July and take about five days. "The operation began well but it will be completed only when we have finished the transport to Genoa," Italian Environment Minister Gian Luca Galletti told reporters on Monday. Local residents have said they are glad the wreckage will be removed. "I am happy they are taking it away because to see a ship like that always there, with the deaths that happened, it gives us the shivers," Italo Arienti told Reuters news agency. The captain, Francesco Schettino, is on trial for manslaughter and abandoning ship, charges he denies.Source : BBC Click HERE for the time laps movie of the operation at DAY 1

Two dead, two missing after Vanuatu ferry sinks

Two people were confirmed dead and another two were missing after an inter-island ferry sank in the Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu on Friday, with survivors forced to endure more than six hours adrift, officials said. The ferry carrying 30 passengers and 13 crew sank in the early hours of the morning as it was sailing from Malekula to the capital Port Vila, Vanuatu Red Cross chief executive Jacqueline De Gaillande said. "The accident happened at 2am this morning and we were aware of it at 8am," she told AFP. "By 10am the boat had completely sunk in 800 feet (240 metres) of water." "Right now, we have 28 passengers safe and 11 crew. The bodies of two women passengers have been recovered and there is one crew member and one child missing." De Gaillande said the cause of the accident was unknown but the ferry had capsized before sinking. "We had divers looking under there for the missing but when it started to go down they had to give up," she said. She said the survivors were "very weak" after spending so long in the water and many were being treated for unspecified injuries in Port Vila. Ferries are a common form of transport in Pacific archipelagos such as Vanuatu, a chain of about 80 mountainous islands. Source : Global Post

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Companies pleasantly surprised by large amount of ideas for clean oceans and sustainable industry

On June 3rd Our Oceans Challenge (www.ouroceanschallenge.org ) launched an online brainstorm platform for new ocean ventures. This initiative of large corporates and knowledge institutes called to the world to share ideas for clean and healthy oceans. Ever since, over 50 ideas have been shared and nearly 300 people signed up. Due to this great success the closing date for sharing ideas will be postponed from July 18th to August 1st.

The main goal of Our Oceans Challenge is to kick-start business concepts for clean and healthy oceans by connecting them to the expertise of leading industry partners. Concepts and ideas range from generating energy from waves, turning holiday islands into a solution instead of a source of the plastic problem, transforming offshore platforms to multifunctional sustainable hubs and scaling up seaweed farming. Connecting the maritime sector and knowledge institutes with start-ups, entrepreneurs and offshore experts, Our Oceans Challenge aims to accelerate business development, stimulating innovation and sustainable use of the ocean as a resource for new business. Our Oceans Challenge has experienced that tapping into the crowd and connecting networks is a great way to bring brilliant ideas to the next level and create a real impact. The new deadline for submission will be August 1st, Our Oceans Challenge is inviting everyone to join the platform and share their idea or expertise.

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The BREAMAR spotted from the MSC POESIA in Stockholm

Photo : Peter Szamosi ©

ClassNK Acquires Canada’s Helm Operations

ClassNK announced the acquisition of Victoria, Canada-based maritime software company Helm Operations. The deal was hailed by both parties as two world-class companiesjoining forces to improve safety and operational efficiency in the marine industry, while greatly enhancing the success and capabilities of both organizations. Tokyo-based ClassNK

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is one of the world’s largest classification societies, providing safety and certification services for more than 8,600 ships, representing about 20% of the global merchant fleet. Founded in 1999, Helm Operations has grown to become a leading provider of manning, maintenance, dispatch, and HSQE software to the workboat and offshore industries, and Helm software is currently used on some 1,000 vessels belonging to some of the most respected workboat companiesin the world, including SVITZER, Seaspan, Blessey Marine and Florida Marine Transporters. “This is a very exciting day for Helm,” said Ron deBruyne, CEO and Founder of Helm Operations. “Since our founding, Helm has always been about providing great software to the maritime industry. We’ve been able leverage the incrediblytalented IT community here in Victoria, which has also drawn the attention of global leaders like Amazon, and Ebay among others, and combine that with the know-how and experience from the workboat industry to create intuitive, user-friendly systems that contribute directly to improving the safety, efficiency, and profitability of workboat companies. In ClassNK, we’ve found a partner who shares our vision of providing the maritime and offshore support sectors with the best software possible, and we’re incredibly honored and excited by the potential for new developments that this new partnership will create. By working together, we’re convinced we can create a world-class software platform for the global maritime industry.” Yasushi Nakamura, Representative Director and Executive Vice President of ClassNK, praised the purchase, saying: “At ClassNK our mission has always been to ensure that global innovation is put to use for the benefit of the entire maritime industry. Commencing with the acquisition of NAPA earlier this year, and the acquisition of Helm now, we are bringing together a team of leading software companies from around the world in order to help achieve that goal. We’ve witnessed the impressive growth and success of Helm’s software systems over the years, and have seen first hand the incredible value that Helm’s software provides to workboat companies. Helm CONNECT for example makes HSQE management a simple and intuitive process for owners and operators, and we’re convinced that linking maritime companies and classification on a single, easy to use platform will be a huge contribution to the maritime industry. Through this acquisition we can provide Helm with the resources and reach to even further develop their industry-leading software systems for all aspects of ship operations, and in turn make them available for everyone in the industry around the globe. We very much believe that Helm’s innovative solutions can contribute greatly to the improved safety and efficiency of shipping companies– and are excited about being able to ensure these technologiesare available industry-wide.“

The Cüneyt Solakoglu moored in Toulon – Photo : Jan van Vuuren ©

Moresby 9 cargo stolen The cargo of a small product tanker hijacked in the South China Sea last week has been stolen,

authorities have confirmed.

An estimated 2.5m litres of marine gas oil (MGO) was siphoned from the Moresby 9 (built 1977) in the 4 July incident. Accounts have also emerged of the level of violence used by the robbers in the attack with reports of weapons being discharged multiple times. Latest details about the incident come from the Singapore-based Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) Information Sharing



Centre. The attackers used a small fishing vessel to come alongside the Moresby 9 at about 20:15 local time on 4 July in position 03° 45.93’N, 105° 10.24’E about 46nm northwest of Pulau Anambas. “The crew reportedly heard a gunshot and suddenly nine robbers armed with machetes and three pistols were sighted on the deck of the Moresby 9,” ReCAAP said. “The perpetrators gathered the crew at the starboard bridge wing and then tied and locked them in the engine room.”About 90 minutes later the ship reportedly anchored in position 03° 35.81’N, 105° 12.53’E and a 3,000-gt unnamed orange tanker came alongside. The robbers are said to have then forced the chief engineer and bosun to restart the ship’s engine and pump; and open the cargo valves. Both were then tied up and locked in the engine control room with the other cargo, while the siphoning process was carried out. Some of the crew later managed to escape from the engine control room through the funnel and untied the remainder of the crew. However, there was no sign of the pirates on deck or any vessel alongside. The robbers did however steal the ship’s navigation and communication equipment, the crew’s belongings and damaged the anchor windlass and steering systems. Source : tradewinds

Maersk shuffles key Asia executives A.P. Moller-Maersk Group has embarked on a reshuffle of its key executives in the Asia Pacific region. Thomas Knudsen, previously Asia Pacific Regional CEO for Maersk Line, has now taken the reins at Damco as Regional Head of its Asia business. He takes responsibility for the execution of Damco’s day-to-day business operations in the Asia region, comprising North Asia, South-east Asia and Oceania. Based in Singapore, he will report directly to Hanne Sorensen, CEO. Meanwhile Marc Gijsbrechts, Chief Executive for the West Central Asia region at Maersk Line, has been appointed interim Chief Executive of the Asia Pacific region for the carrier in addition to his current role. “Marc will manage the region until 1 January 2015, before Thomas’ replacement is named,” a company spokesperson told Lloyd’s Loading List.com earlier today.

Knudsen, with more than 20 years of experience within the A.P. Moller-Maersk Group, said Damco would focus on reinforcing its customer focus and becoming a profitable organisation. “I am very excited to be joining Damco, and look forward to working with the strong team we have in Asia,” he added. “The diversity of markets and customer needs in Asia create vast opportunities for Damco to partner with stakeholders in terms of supply chain management and freight forwarding. “For example, we anticipate growth of sourcing activities in Southeast Asia with the increased shift of manufacturing out of China, and regional Free Trade Agreements are also opening up new, exciting opportunities for logistics players like us.” Source : Fresh Plaza

DELIVERY SPANNING THREE CONTINENT, FISHING AWAY.

The Redwise crew on board the Norwegian built Long liner “KAWATEA” paid tribute to the nature of their vessel holding a competition of who would catch the biggest fish, while delivering the vessel from Norway to New Zealand, via the Panama Canal. Naturally the voyage wasn’t only about fishing and the crew did put their skills to good cause, freeing a sea turtle as well during the voyage, but naturally with the main focus and bringing the vessel safe and sound from Maloy, Norway to Littleton, New Zealand.

It was indeed a long voyage on this long liner, stopping at IJmuiden, The Netherlands for bunkering and stores before proceeding via the North Atlantic and Caribbean through the Panama Canal and subsequently via the Galapagos Islands and French Polynesia in the South Pacific, to New Zealand. A voyage of 11.430 nautical miles whereby the vessel, being nearly 25 years old, showed that she was robust, behaving very well in rough seas and stormy weather, very well built and maintained by her previous Owners with excellent sea keeping capabilities. The initial part of the voyage was completed with a full Redwise crew, supplemented from Panama onwards with the future New Zealand skipper who can be very proud of this fine vessel.



Redwise delivers a large variety of vessels, but fishing vessels, live fish carriers and other marine harvest related ships only come by ones or twice a year with often surprising ports of call. They add flavor to the mix that makes the live of professional ship deliverers and a global ship delivery company truly interesting and enjoyable. Although it was a delivery voyage and not a fishing trip, the Master caught a beautiful Wahoo as seen right. To date of this year Redwise Maritime Service BV arranged for management and repositioning of some 26 vessels (a.o.: tugs, OSV’s, AHTS vessels and oil recovery vessels) and confirms another 30 vessels being on their way or in process of getting underway bound for various destinations on the globe.

Redwise for full-service, global ship-delivery (repositioning of ships) as well as professional crewing arrangements. For additional information Click on the banner above or please visit our www.redwise.com or call us!

What happens when a critical engine part on a tanker vessel breaks down?

Dealing with equipment malfunctions is a daily challenge for the crew on board. The logistics are further complicated by the fact that tankers don’t stick to a schedule. Markus Kuhn, Purchasing Manager at Group Procurement Marine, explains: “Two thirds of our fleet is on spot trade, so customers charter a vessel not knowing exactly where the cargo will be discharged – it could be anywhere from Venezuela to Houston.” It all adds up to a very costly and complex logistical operation, with a huge carbon footprint involved. board. And for the procurement team on the ground, the job is to get the parts on to the vessel as fast as possible. This involves a race to locate the part, get it to the next port-of-call and then charter a boat to make the delivery (due to their dangerous cargo, tankers are usually forbidden from entering into the main port area). An experiment now under way aims to tackle these challenges with 3D printing. The idea is to install a 3D on a tanker vessel to allow the crew to ‘print off’ parts they need. Kuhn explains: “The ideal scenario is that you order a spare part from the manufacturer, they email over a digital blueprint, the crew presses a button and it prints out.”

3D printers use laser beams to melt down a raw material, building up the product layer upon layer. In recent years the technology has developed to allow printing in plastic and metal, resulting in a flood of interest from some of the world’s biggest companies which are using it to speed up production and create complex, lightweight parts at a fraction of the cost. Martha Rehnberg at Group Procurement Marine, who is driving the project with fellow students at Copenhagen Business School, believes 3D printing could revolutionise the supply chain. “Today you can print very complex parts you never imagined could be printed before. All you need is the 3D blueprint.” It’s not yet known how far the technology could be used on board, but even printing a few spare parts would have a major impact on supply chain costs. “It can cost up to USD 5,000 just to get one part on board a vessel. 3D printing would eliminate costs of warehouse and packing, airfreight to the port, customs clearance and chartering of the delivery ship,” says Kuhn. Being a very new technology means there are many unknowns, including how to license products from suppliers. The plan is to team up with manufacturers to develop the technology in partnerships. Hans Oxholm Mortensen, Senior

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Manager at MAN Diesel & Turbo which supplies engine parts to Maersk, is enthusiastic about the idea: “We see it as an opportunity to collaborate with Maersk on 3D printing. Either you hop on the train and start learning, or you stay behind and watch the train leave. Materials are another issue. Some 90% of engine parts are metal, but the days of having metal printers on board could be some way off yet. “The technology is there, but it’s a matter of cost,” says Rehnberg. “Today a metal printer costs about USD 1 million, compared to USD 25,000 for an industrial plastic one.” But if the trial proves a success, 3D printing could be used to tackle similar challenges across the whole Group, such as equipment breakdowns on drilling rigs or oil platforms. Peter Steen Olesen, Head of Group Procurement, Marine Tankers believes that the possibilities for using the new technology are limitless. “Why transport something when you can print it out on board? We see exciting opportunities for 3D printing to cut carbon footprint and transport costs, and provide on-demand availability. Only imagination sets the limit as to where this technology could go.” Source : ENGINEERING.com

LIFTBOAT MASTER REQUIRED “International Liftboat operator seeks an experienced self propelled liftboat master for work on board their vessel working off Nigeria. Interested applicants please write to :

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And then there were two Maersk Tankers has parted ways with nearly all of its crude carriers under a broader bid to exit the

segment but still boasts a pair of VLCCs on bareboat charter.

The ILMA passing the Singapore Straits Westbound Photo : Piet Sinke © CLICK on the photo !

The recent sale of four 300,000-dwt tankers to Euronav is fuelling questions about the fate of the last two ships, which have been identified as the Maersk Heiwa and Maersk Hayama (both built 2011).

The MAERSK HAYAMA moored at Jurong Island in Singapore - Photo : Piet Sinke © CLICK on the photo !

In an email exchange with TradeWinds spokeswoman Stine Pedersen said the contracts tied to the duo, which are controlled by Cido Shipping of Hong Kong, aren’t due to conclude for another two years. When asked what Maersk Tankers intends to do with the 297,000-dwt vessels she said they will likely “stay with the company” in the foreseeable future even though it still intends to exit the crude segment altogether. Going forward, Pedersen did not rule out the possibility of a transaction in which the operator would attempt to end the charters by purchasing the ships from Cido before selling them to a third party like it did with the units acquired by Euronav. “I don’t know if this is something we


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are seriously considering at the moment but it would be a possibility provided of course the right opportunity presented itself,” she said. “For now, however, the [Maersk Heiwa and Hayama] are going to stay with us.” Source : Tradewinds

Maersk to divest oil field, write off $1.7 billion in Brazil assets

Maersk Oil, a wholly owned subsidiary of AP Moller-Maersk AS of Copenhagen, has opted to write off $1.7 billion in investments in Brazil's Wahoo and Itaipu fields while divesting its ownership share in Polvo field. Wahoo and Itaipu, which Maersk says hold significant potential resources, were assessed by the company to have lower value than originally anticipated after appraisal drilling (OGJ Online, Mar. 26, 2013). Increased development costs and lower oil prices also factored into the decision. The company expects that the field's operating partners will be able to present commercially viable development plans. HRT O&G Exploracao e Producao de Petroleo Ltda., a Brazilian independent company and operator of Polvo, will acquire Maersk's 40% stake in the field for an undisclosed sum. HRT in 2013 purchased the other 60% interest in Polvo from BP PLC for $135 million cash (OGJ Online, May 7, 2013). The three fields, each part of the Campos basin, were acquired in 2011 by Maersk from South Korea's SK Energy Co. Ltd. for $2.4 billion. "The SK Energy investment was made at a time when the outlook for the oil industry and oil prices were more positive than today and we had growth ambitions for our Brazilian oil business," said Nils S. Andersen, Maersk Group chief executive officer. Following the transaction, Maersk will no longer pursue growth or operatorship for its business in Brazil. "We have now adapted our strategy to the situation we see today, but it is of course clearly unsatisfactory that the oil volumes in the acquired fields Itaipu and Wahoo after appraisal drilling has proved to be in the low end of our original expectations," Andersen said. Jakob Thomasen, Maersk Oil chief executive officer, said the company plans to take its experience in Brazil into consideration as it formulates plans to expand the business."In the short term, that means we will reduce our planned exploration spending whilst we reload the acreage and prospect portfolio," Thomasen said. Maersk says that its revised assessment of its Brazilian assets will have no effect on the company's long-term production plans. Source : oil & gas journal

Lifeboat launched after ‘body’ seen in Lune

Morecambe’s RNLI hovercraft was launched to recover a ‘body’ from the River Lune which turned out to be a mooring buoy. The Coastguard requested the lifeboat launch after sightings of what was believed to be a body in the River Lune at 12.45pm. Launching from Snatchems, the inshore lifeboat went to the scene and crews were able to identify that the ‘body’ was in fact a mooring buoy which had broken loose from its anchorage. The buoy was recovered and both craft returned to station. RNLI volunteer Senior Hovercraft Commander, Harry Roberts MBE said: ‘The call was made in good faith. “Due to discolouration and the weed attached to the buoy’s mooring rope, it is easy to see why someone viewing it at a distance would believe they had seen a dead body. “Recovery of bodies is the least pleasant aspect of our work and we were pleased that on this occasion it was a false alarm with good intent.” Source : Lancaster Guardian

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Gulf of Guinea piracy ‘a growing concern’

Cape Town - A British shipping industry think tank is urging international action against piracy along the west African coast in the Gulf of Guinea after a marked increase in violent attacks on ships in the area. The UK Chamber of Shipping released a report last week on research it had done on the security situation in the Gulf of Guinea, specifically involving Nigeria. According to the chamber:

- 62 acts of piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea in 2012 and 51 last year were reported. - Between 2002 and 2012, 45 seafarers were killed and 459 seafarers held hostage. Of these, 20 percent took place in international waters.

- Last year, 60 percent of attacks took place in Nigerian waters.

- Last year, 36 seafarers were kidnapped, and 13 ships were fired upon.

- The Gulf of Guinea represented 19 percent of all maritime attacks worldwide.

- The EU Institute for Security Studies estimates that only a third of attacks were reported.

- These figures were representative of a consistent level of criminality over the past 30 years and there was a trend of increased levels of violence within attacks. Shipping industry sources in South Africa have revealed that the Gulf of Guinea is now considered a greater problem than the Somalian threat. This was because of the fact that the west African region attracted its own shipping traffic and marine services due to growing trade and oil industry involvement in the region. Somalia, on the other hand, held no commercial attraction and was just a littoral state situated on a busy sea route. “The impact of the increased risk to seafarers due to the increasing levels of violence is most important; maritime crime has a very significant human impact,” the chamber said in a paper based on the research. “The economies of the Gulf of Guinea countries have shown consistent and substantial growth in the last decade. “In 2012, typical real terms GDP growth was 6.7 percent (Nigeria) and was as high as 15.2 percent (Sierra Leone).

“Despite these positive figures, the area remains economically developing, characterised by high birth rates, low life expectancies, rapidly expanding cities and high dependence on agriculture. “Some of the area is claimed to suffer from the oil-resourced ‘paradox of plenty’: Nigeria may have the eighth-largest oil reserves in Opec, but two-thirds of its 160 million population live in poverty, and it has the largest number of children not in school in the world. The chamber said Ghana was a “notable” exception. “(Its) oil resource has been complemented by developing democratic governance, tackling graft and acknowledging and addressing maritime security. “Ghana is an example of how maritime security can be successful. Investors in Ghana provide directly to maritime security projects, and this public/private partnership has been seen to be another example of success.” Source : Cape Argus

Iran’s Navy Foils Pirate Attack on Oil Tanker near Oman

The Navy's 30th fleet of warships rescued an Iranian oil tanker form a pirate attack off the coast of Oman on Sunday, commander of the force said. Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said on Monday that servicemen aboard the 30th fleet carried out the anti-piracy operation in an overseas mission in waters between Oman and Yemen. He said the pirates, sailing 9 vessels equipped with light and semi-heavy assault weapons, were forced to flee the scene after the timely presence of Iranian forces. According to the commander, it was the fourth confrontation between the 30th fleet and pirates in the international waters. In three other cases, Iranian ships have been rescued by the fleet, which also saved an Indian-flagged ship from pirate attacks. Sayyari also noted that the 30th fleet berthed at the port of Salalah in Oman on Monday. Comprised of “Alvand” destroyer and “Bushehr” logistic warship, the fleet was deployed to the international waters in April. The fleet is planned to sail across the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the northern parts of the Indian Ocean as part of missions to protect the Iranian vessels against pirate attacks in various shipping routes. In recent years, Iran’s naval forces have increased their presence in the international waters to protect naval routes and provide security for merchant vessels and oil tankers. In line with international efforts to combat piracy, the Iranian Navy has also been conducting anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden since November 2008 to safeguard the vessels involved in maritime trade, especially the ships and oil tankers owned or leased by Iran. Source : tasnimnews



Vietnam lauds US resolution requesting China to withdraw oil rig

Hanoi on Friday applauded a U.S. resolution that calls on Beijing to remove an oil rig and its escort vessels from their current positions in Vietnamese waters in the East Vietnam Sea and to return to the status quo as it existed before May 1, 2014. In a statement sent to the press on July 11, Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh said the Southeast

Asian country welcomes the resolution S.RES.412 passed by the U.S. Senate which requests China to withdraw its Haiyang Shiyou 981 oil rig and associated maritime forces from their current positions, to refrain from maritime maneuvers contrary to the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS).

The Vietnamese spokesman also hoped that countries in and outside Asia-Pacific, including the U.S., will continue their strong, practical, effective and constructive contributions to peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the region. The resolution S.RES.412, which was unanimously passed by the U.S. Senate on July 10, reaffirms the strong support of the United States government for freedom of navigation and other internationally lawful uses of sea and airspace in the Asia-Pacific region, and for the peaceful diplomatic resolution of outstanding territorial and maritime claims and disputes. Under this newly-passed resolution, the U.S. condemns coercive and threatening actions or the use of force to impede freedom of operations in international airspace by military or civilian aircraft to alter the status quo or to destabilize the Asia-Pacific region. The U.S. calls on China to return to the status quo as it existed before May 1, 2014.

Washington also urges Beijing to refrain from implementing the declared East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), which is contrary to freedom of overflight in international airspace, and to refrain from taking similar provocative actions elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific region. S.RES.412 affirms that it is the policy of the United States to call on claimants to clarify or adjust claims in accordance with international law, to support efforts by ASEAN and China to develop an effective Code of Conduct in the East Vietnam Sea, and to encourage claimants not to undertake new unilateral attempts to change the status quo since the signing of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Vietnam Sea, including not asserting administrative measures or controls in disputed areas in the sea.

China violates international law

The resolution says that on May 1, 2014 China’s state-owned energy company, CNOOC, placed its deepwater semi-submersible drilling rig Hai Yang Shi You 981 (HD–981), accompanied by over 25 Chinese ships, in Block 143, 120 nautical miles off Vietnam’s coastline. From May 1 to May 9, 2014, the number of Chinese vessels escorting HD–981

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increased to more than 80, including seven military ships, which aggressively patrolled and intimidated Vietnamese Coast Guard ships in violation of COLREGS, intentionally rammed multiple Vietnamese vessels, and used helicopters and water cannons to obstruct others, the document added. On May 5, 2014, vessels from the Maritime Safety Administration of China (MSAC) established an exclusion zone with a radius of three nautical miles around HD–981, which undermines maritime safety in the area and is in violation of universally recognized principles of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The resolution underscores that China’s territorial claims and associated maritime actions in support of the drilling activity that HD-981 commenced on May 1, 2014 have not been clarified under international law – including as defined by the UNCLOS – constitute a unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force, and appear to be in violation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Vietnam Sea. Beijing has still maintained its drilling rig within Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf since the beginning of May despite vehement protests from Hanoi, which has repeatedly demanded that China withdraw the rig from the area immediately and unconditionally. Source: tuoitrenews

ZIM Embarks on a new path: agreement reached with the state regarding the

“Golden Share”

The ZIM QINGDAO off Haifa – Photo : Peter Szamosi ©

ZIM and the state of Israel have reached an agreement regarding the terms of the Golden Share, allowing ZIM to execute the restructuring agreement. ZIM is preparing to complete the restructuring agreement according to the planned schedule. ZIM President & CEO Rafi Danieli: “the long-expected completion of the debt restructuring, following 18 months of negotiations with creditors around the world, who put their trust in the company, will enable ZIM to embark on a new path, with a strong balance sheet and with a debt structure which is in line with the company’s capabilities. We want to thank the creditors and the Israel Corporation for their trust and support. ZIM will be able from now on to face the many challenges of the global shipping market, focus on profitable trades, adjust lines accordingly and continue with the efficiency and savings programs, as well as achieving the targets of the company’s business plan. We thank our customers around the world, which supported us during this difficult period and had confidence in the company’s ability to recover. ZIM will upgrade and restructure its lines and services to cater for the dynamically changing needs of the customers.” Source: ZIM

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Certification Ship Security Officer Training- STCW 2010

Rood Boven Groen has increased its training portfolio by adding the third security training: Ship Security Officer according to STCW’78 including the 2010 Manila amendments. This course has been recently approved by the Netherlands Shipping Institute. Last year the IMO training Security Awareness and Designated Security Duties conducted by Rood Boven Groen were approved as well. These two trainings are included in the Ship Security Officer course as per IMO specifications.

Rood Boven Groen included many practical exercises using the Ship Security Plan and de ISPS Code to make the dry matter easier digestible. The participants described the course as ‘lively’, ‘educational’ and ‘fun’. The film material is up-to-date and the practical Ship Security Drill Selector was received very positively. Rood Boven Groen is able to offer its courses at a competitive low price because we do not carry costs for a permanent training facility. As it does not matter where the course is conducted, we can adapt to your wishes and conduct the training on board (sailing or in harbour) ‘in company’. Ship owners can thus save on covering high travel costs for the participants in comparison to the single travel cost for the trainer. For interested individuals we can schedule a date as required.

By 2017 all seafarers have to comply with STCW 2010. Some of the ship owners have responded to this obligation by booking their courses already. Apart from the above mentioned course, Rood Boven Groen also offers STCW 2010 Crisis Management & Human Behaviour, Passenger Safety, Cargo Safety and Hull Integrity, Security Awareness, Designated Security Duties, Crowd Management and Safety Training for Personnel Providing Direct Service to Passengers in Passenger Spaces Interested parties can contact us via: [email protected] or tel. +31 517 431077.

Rood Boven Groen is an advisory and service-providing company within the maritime industry and specialized in conducting safety training and STCW maritime customized training. For this purpose the company is ISO 9001:2008 certified. Next to the above, Rood Boven Groen’s main activities concern the development and maintenance of Ship Management Systems, such as ISM, ISPS and MLC regulations and the provision of service and advice in the field of safety at sea and crew matters. Website: www.roodbovengroen.com

Costa Concordia floats again. Dutch Crane barge'' Conquest'' MB1 stays around for assistance.

Now the disaster ship Costa Concordia floats again, the work of the Dutch Conquest MB1 crane ship and her crew is there almost done. The Dutch company Conquest Offshore has in the recent months, in cooperation with a

large group of international companies, installed the sponsoons that will refloat the Costa Concordia. The unique crane vessel (60 people) is characterized by the 1400 ton full revolving crane (360 degrees), the large (36x136m) and strong (min. 20 ton/m2) deck area and the very small working depth (3.5 m). These features make the Conquest MB 1 suitable for the special assignment in Italy. Conquest Offshore is proud of the exceptional team with whom this complicated task is completed successfully. On January 13, 2012 the cruise ship Costa Concordia

with 4252 people on board became world news because it capsized in front of the harbor of the island of Giglio and sank against the rocks. The disaster took 32 lives. A disaster rumbled long after in Italy. The first phase is almost over


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now the ship is floating, and almost ready to be towed to Genoa. The Italian government is sitting on top of it to see if the protected area of Giglio is not damaged. Environment,safety and reputation of the parties play an important role. The salvage of the Costa Concordia had a number of alternatives. The preferred option now implemented – to refloat the ship and tow it to the harbor of Genoa - asked for a special crane vessel. The recently completed multi-purpose crane ship Conquest MB1 is designed for marine and offshore heavy-lift operations. By coincidence, just in time operational to assist in the mega job along the Tuscan island of Giglio. Offshore Conquest combines the strengths of three Dutch companies. It is a joint venture between Concordia Group, Van Es Holding group of companies (ea Jack-Up Barge) and Zwagerman Offshore Services. By combining the knowledge and skill of these three, a unique crane vessel in the world was created, which could be employed directly on the salvage operations of the Costa Concordia.During the trip to Genoa from Giglio, Conquest MB1 is nearby and ready for any needed assistance. Check out the website: www.conquestoffshore.com

NAVY NEWS Navy ship ordered back to Canada

after misconduct by sailors The head of the Royal Canadian Navy has taken the rare step of ordering one of its ships to return from an international exercise because of misconduct by its sailors. Vice Admiral Mark Norman issued the message Monday,

citing three incidents involving the crew of HMCS Whitehorse that took place during Exercise RIMPAC 2014.

The message, leaked to the Ottawa Citizen, also noted that Norman was appointing a senior officer to look at what is behind recent incidents involving the breakdown of professional and personal conduct in the navy. RIMPAC is the world’s largest multinational naval exercise and takes place mainly in Hawaii. But some aspects of the exercise are conducted off the coast of California

and on July 1, HMCS Whitehorse was docked in San Diego. Whitehorse arrived early Monday at its home port of CFB Esquimalt, B.C., navy officials confirmed Monday night. Norman didn’t provide details about the incidents in question. Navy officials, however, told the Citizen that two occurred on board the ship. The other involved the arrest of a Canadian sailor by U.S. police.

In his message, Norman said he recently reflected with tremendous satisfaction about the many recent accomplishments of navy personnel, both at home and abroad. “And so, it is with great disappointment that I must now signal why I took the difficult decision to return HMCS Whitehorse to Esquimalt from Exercise RIMPAC 2014, following three incidents of personal misconduct ashore,” he wrote in the navy-wide message to sailors. “While the actions of a few sailors in Whitehorse was the trigger for my decision, I recalled her home because I am troubled that across the RCN a small number of our personnel have fallen short of the timeless expectations of naval service and have failed in their roles as ambassadors of their navy and country — no matter where they serve.” Norman said in his message he is satisfied that when incidents of personal misconduct occur, they are addressed by individual commanders quickly, firmly and fairly. But he wrote that when such incidents are considered collectively, they raise a deeper concern. Norman noted that such incidents could distract the navy from operational excellence and put the health and safety of individuals at risk.

Because of that, Norman said he is appointing a senior officer to conduct a review of “policies and procedures that underpin the hands-on leadership of our personnel.” That reviewing officer will “ensure that we are doing everything we can, and should, to provide clear expectations and direction for all personnel as it relates to professional conduct and responsibility, both on and off duty,” he added. Norman noted that the actions of sailors reflect not only on themselves but as well on the navy and Canada. Norman will receive the preliminary findings from the review in September. He noted that the vast majority of sailors are “exemplary ambassadors” for Canada but the navy must go further in reinforcing what is and is not acceptable conduct. There have been other high-profile incidents of

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misconduct recently. In May a Royal Canadian Navy officer was given a severe reprimand and a $5,000 fine for deserting his post on a supply vessel after alleging he faced harassment and ridicule. Lieut. Derek de Jong told his court martial that prior to deserting on Sept. 17, 2012, he was subjected to behaviour that at one point involved a female colleague urinating in his cabin. HMCS Preserver was docked at Key West, Fla., when he left the ship. The navy later said it would investigate the urination incident. Canada is contributing a frigate, submarine, aircraft and maritime coastal defence vessels to the RIMPAC 2014 exercise, which ends in August. HMCS Whitehorse is a maritime coast defence vessel. Twenty-two nations, 49 surface ships, six submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC, according to the U.S. Navy. Source : The Ottawa Citizen

UK destroyer joins multinational counter-piracy mission

The British destroyer HMS Defender was welcomed into the multinational counter-piracy mission Combined Task Force 151 (CTF-151) by the South Korean ship Munmu the Great and flagship of CTF-151, while both vessels were docked in Salalah recently. HMS Defender arrived in Salalah to refuel before continuing with her mission as part of CTF-151, while in transit from the UK on her maiden deployment since being commissioned into the Royal Navy.

The task force, part of the 30-nation Combined Maritime Forces in Bahrain, works to protect merchant ships from piracy in a vulnerable stretch of water between Somalia and Yemen known as the internationally recommended transit corridor. Commander Phil Nash, the commanding officer of HMS Defender, invited his Korean counterpart, Capt Kim Jeong-Hyun, aboard his ship.

Appreciating the meeting Commander Nash said, ''Our combined tasking provides a highly visible deterrence to pirate activity and narcotics movements, keeping the sea lanes safe. Although this was a brief visit, I hope, we can work together to develop a longstanding working relationship in the near future.'' Prior to visiting Salalah, HMS Defender transited through the strategically important Suez Canal and undertook additional training in preparation for patrols in the Gulf. The ship's boarding teams conducted fast-roping exercises, gunnery teams fired the ship's small calibre weapons and the embarked flight team conducted winching drills. Source : menafn

"Aybar" patrol boats to protect Kazakhstan's shelf, territorial waters

"Ural Plant Zenit " JSC (subsidiary of " NC "Kazakhstan Engineering" JSC) carried out the launch of the prototype model of high-speed patrol boat of the 0210 "Aybar" project, the press service of the company said. "High-speed patrol boat of 0210 "Aybar" project is the 22th one and is manufactured in accordance with the state defense order. These new project boats are replacing the "Burkit" project boats, produced by the plant before," the report said.

The boat is intended to ensure the protection of state territorial waters of the state border and the continental shelf of Kazakhstan; patrolling with the purpose of illegal shipping, smuggling, piracy and illegal fishing, interception and inspection of ship-offenders. The new boats have improved speed, handling, stability, cruising range. They also have an installed remote-controlled combat module, which will fully provide the necessary conditions for aiming and controlling the weapon. The boats will be transferred to the Caspian Sea by the Ural River, after which it will undergo a series of tests and then delivered to the customer. The "Zenith" factory is a shipbuilding enterprise producing modern military boats and ships. The technical and production capacity of the plant meets all requirements of the maritime register of shipping on the implementation of the design, construction, refurbishment, modernization and repair of ships, hull structures, marine



equipment. "Ural Plant" Zenith" JSC with the support of "NC "Kazakhstan Engineering" JSC within the investment project of the "Development of marine shipbuilding" plans to modernize the production, which will allow to produce specialized ships and boats with dry weight of about 600 tonnes. Source : Trend

Submarine Modernization in East Asia On July 3, South Korea launched its fifth Type-214 submarine, ROKS Yun Bong-gil, a diesel-electric air-independent propulsion (AIP) submarine equipped with the Haeseong-3 missile, a supersonic, stealth precision-guided ship-to-surface missile with a range of 1,500 km. The launch signifies an important aspect of the regional “arms competition” in East Asia – the gradual introduction of new classes of conventionally powered diesel-electric submarines (SSKs), which are increasingly becoming “platforms of choice” – as force-multipliers in diverse missions as well as against superior forces. Notwithstanding East Asia’s economic growth rates and deepening integration into the global economy, the region’s strategic realities reflect contending trajectories. As China expands its national interests in the broader context of “new historic missions,” it seeks to regain a great power status and reassert its geopolitical role in the region. As a result of China’s accelerating military modernization, regional powers are responding by revamping their force modernization priorities, alliances, and overall strategic choices. The economic, political and military rise of China, embedded in three decades of relentless economic growth, has propelled progressive modernization of the Chinese military with major improvements in virtually every capability domain.

China’s Naval Modernization and Submarine Expansion

Notwithstanding weaknesses and limitations in capabilities integration, China’s PLA Navy (PLAN) is gradually transforming into a regional [blue water] defensive- and offensive-type navy with extended so-called anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) capabilities, limited expeditionary capabilities, and corresponding defensive and offensive air power. China calls its comprehensive A2/AD strategy a “counter-intervention,” which is interpreted as denying the U.S. and its allies the freedom of action in China’s “near seas” by restricting their deployments into theatre (anti‑access) and denying them freedom of movement there (area denial). An important aspect of China’s multilayered strategy is the gradual introduction of new classes of submarines: nuclear and conventional. China is currently operating as many as 45 submarines structured in six different classes: two classes of indigenously designed diesel submarines, including the Song class (Type 039) and the Yuan-class (Type 041), and four nuclear classes that include the Shang-class (Type 093), Jin-class (Type 094) nuclear powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBN), and the follow-on Type 095 nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) and Tang-class (Type 096) SSBN. Since 2004, China is believed to have launched 12 Type 041 Yuan-class conventional submarines, which have been progressively modified to carry more advanced high-frequency sonar, upgraded weapons systems, noise reduction, and air independent propulsion (AIP) technologies. The PLA Navy may procure up to 20 additional Yuan-class submarines based on technologies imported from Russian boats. Since the mid-1990s, China has procured as many as 12 Kilo-class submarines from Russia, and is reportedly negotiating the purchase of at least four fourth-generation Amur (Lada)-class or possibly a fifth-generation Kalina-class, both featuring advanced AIP systems.

Regional Responses

In Northeast Asia, Japan and South Korea are prioritizing the procurement of new types of submarines. South Korea’s latest launch of its fifth Type-214 submarine in July, ROKS Yun Bong-gil, comes less than a year after the introduction of the 1,800 ton Son Won-ill class in September 2013, featuring AIP and advanced combat management systems. South Korea now operates 14 submarines: nine Type 209 Chang Bogo and five Son Won-ill class submarines. Meanwhile, in October 2013, the Japan Marine Self Defense Force (MSDF) launched its newest submarine, the Kokuryu – the sixth of ten planned Soryu class boats first commissioned in 2009. With its range, endurance, sensors, weapons load, and other systems, including the Stirling AIP propulsion system and Harpoon anti-ship missiles, the Soryu class is regarded as the most advanced in Japan’s conventional submarine fleet of 16 submarines. In Southeast Asia, the relatively high acquisition costs and maintenance requirements have traditionally precluded a quantitative diffusion of submarines. However, the recent introduction of more capable coastal diesel-powered submarines provides unprecedented capabilities. Most recently, Vietnam received two of six Kilo-class (Project 636) diesel-electric submarines from Russia in 2013-2014, designed for diverse reconnaissance and patrol, anti-submarine, and anti-ship missions. Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore are also planning to expand or upgrade their submarine fleets. From 2007-09, Malaysia took formal delivery of two French-built Scorpene-class submarines, equipped with underwater-launched Exocet anti-ship missiles. Both submarines are based at the Kota Kinabalu Naval Base in Sabah, East Malaysia, indicating their primary mission is to protect Malaysia’s sovereignty in part of the South China Sea. Meanwhile, Indonesia has ambitious plans to expand its submarine fleet to at least six, and ideally to 12 by 2024, a key element in the “Minimum Essential Force” (MEF) and declared goal of developing a “green-water” navy. In 2012,



the Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL) announced a $1.1 billion contract for three Type-209/1400 diesel-electric submarines, constructed by South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering. In November 2013, Singapore announced a contract with German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp to acquire two advanced Type-218SG submarines that will augment existing Archer-class boats and replace ageing ex-Swedish Challenger-class by 2020. Type-218SG, designed for littoral, shallow sea operations, is a customized design that will integrate features from Type 214 and possibly Type-216 ‘concept submarine’ fitted with fuel-cell AIP system.

Strategic Ramifications

Over the past decade, the operational utility of submarines in East Asia has widened: from anti-submarine warfare to force protection such as close submarine escort missions, intelligence surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), support of Special Forces, and other complementary deterrence and defensive tasks supporting territorial defense. At the same time, the introduction of submarine-launched anti-ship and land-attack cruise missiles, anti-submarine sensors and weapons, as well as air independent propulsion systems have increased their stealth capacity to remain undetected shortened their target-identification-and-attack cycle, and ultimately, improved their flexibility, mobility, endurance, reach, and lethality.

For smaller, defensively oriented navies in East and Southeast Asia, these attributes enable “sea-denial” capabilities aimed at preventing an opponent from using the sea, rather than providing a degree of sea control to use the sea for own power projection. Submarines will therefore become an increasingly valuable strategic asset in the region, particularly with installed AIP systems. The key difference, however, will be in the experience, training, and skill set of their operators. Source : The Diplomat

SHIPYARD NEWS

Damen Shipyards Cape Town introducing two new tugs for the Navy

Damen Shipyards Cape Town, are currently under construction to produce two new tugs for the Navy. The Cape Town-based shipyard, part of the Dutch shipbuilding company, will be building the pair of tugs with more than half the total product sourced locally. The tug are based on a Royal Navy approved design and is powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce US205CP engines for its work of towing, mooring and firefighting.When complete they will have a displacement of 370 tons, a length of 28.7m, a beam of 9.9m and a draught of 4.8m. Its bollard pull is specified at 40 tons.

Tugs are an important part of naval operations and the SA Navy welcomes the two new workhorses to replace the ageing ones currently in service. The tugs, the first of which is scheduled for delivery in 16 months and the second eight months later, will replace De Noord (51 years old) and De Mist (39 years old). While their work will generally confine them to Simon’s Town harbour and immediate surrounds, both tugs can accommodate up to eight people if the tugs’ service is needed elsewhere along the coastline. When completed the new additions will join the tug Umalusi as the movers and positioners of frigates, submarines, mine counter-measures vessels, the supply ship SAS Drakensberg, the hydrographic ship SAS Protea as well as other naval vessels calling in at the home port of the SA Navy. Damen Cape Town has also produced a facility called Shed Six. When complete this facility will provide close to 13,000 square metres more production space at the Table Bay Harbour facility.Damen Cape Town builds offshore

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patrol vessels, dredgers, tugs, naval craft and platform supply vessels for African clients. Source : Cape business News

STX shipyard hoping to land cruise liner construction deal

German ship builder Meyer Werft on Tuesday has confirmed its successful bid to construct two large vessels for Norwegian Cruise Line. However it’s still uncertain whether the ships will be built on Finnish or German soil. Earlier this month Meyer Werft announced its plan to buy out Turku’s beleaguered STX shipyard, raising hopes that Finnish job cuts could be avoided. The shipping company announced that the two giant cruise ships, designed for 4,200 passengers, are scheduled for completion in mid-2018 and the second half of 2019. The economic impact of the order is noteworthy – it’s worth some 1.6 billion euros. While hopefuls are viewing the successful bid as a potential boon for Finnish employment prospects, details of the buyout itself are not yet cut and dried. Many sources have flagged potential difficulties in the division of ownership rights between the German company and the Finnish state, which is also party to the deal. Furthermore, it remains unclear whether or not the vessels would be constructed in Finland, in the Turku shipyards.

The Ministry of Employment and the Economy announced in late June that negotiations for the sale of the STX shipyard's were underway. The Ministry said that there was a buyer for the Korean-owned shipyard and that preliminary agreement on the terms of the deal had been reached. However, a cloud of questions still hung over the transaction. One of these likely centres on actually obtaining work for the shipyard. If STX Turku is to land new owners, it’s probable that they’ll also want the yard to actively have orders to fill Source : yle.fi/uutiset

KDB criticized for handling of STX and Dongbu

Korea Development Bank (KDB), a state-run institution in charge of supporting businesses undergoing restructuring and funding various public projects, has come under fire for its lax supervision of companies for which it is the main creditor. According to the financial industry yesterday, KDB, the main creditor of cash-strapped Dongbu Group and STX Group, is being criticized for its loose oversight of the companies and for issuing them loans in an unfair manner.

The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) is reportedly planning to punish the state-run bank after investigating it twice carrying out a special probe in May. In its latest investigation, the FSS found that KDB raised the credit levels of STX affiliates for no apparent reason and gave a 300 billion won ($294 million) loan in 2009 to STX Offshore and Shipbuilding even though the company had a high risk of accounting fraud.

“The FSS is currently deliberating the result of the probe into the unfair loan issuance by KDB,” said an FSS official. “We will notify the bank right after the deliberation process is complete.” Kang Duk-soo, STX Group’s former chairman, was indicted in May for accounting fraud adding up to about 2 trillion won. Kang said on the first day of his trial on Friday that he didn’t orchestrate the scheme and wasn’t even aware of it. The prosecutors accused him of ordering the shipbuilder’s operating profits to be inflated in its financial report for the period from 2008 to 2012.

For its part, the KDB said the loan was issued in a legitimate way based on financial reports from the company. “The bank decided to provide the loan based on a financial report written by the company’s auditor,” a KDB official said. “When the authority investigated the bank twice last year, they found no problems.” The official also said the bank considered the group’s influence on the domestic market when it decided to expand its financial support. A former KDB executive was sent to oversee an affiliate of the group, the financial authority also found. “As the main creditor of a business that is under massive restructuring with huge financial support, it is right to dispatch its employees to the company to see whether it is carrying out its plan well or not,” said Lee Jung-sung, head of public relations at KDB.

The FSS says KDB isn’t involved enough in Dongbu’s restructuring, either. The “Dongbu package,” which refers to the combined sale of Dongbu Steel’s Incheon plant and Dongbu Power Dangjin Corporation, was unfit for the market and the deal has been a failure, insiders say. After steelmaker Posco decided not to buy the package, KDB and other Dongbu creditors then decided to supervise the group’s steelmaker in order to speed up its debt clearance process.

However, industry insiders are skeptical of the creditors’ abilities. KDB proposed the Dongbu package sale and asked Posco to buy it. “It seems like the KDB failed to read the market,” said a steel industry insider. Source : koreajoongangdaily



ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES

Investment at Algeciras By Jake Frith

A 73 million USD investment to upgrade four existing cranes, along with other infrastructure improvements to APM Terminals Algeciras, has helped to make Spain’s largest container port the busiest on the Mediterranean Sea, APM has claimed. Algeciras is the busiest terminal (by equity share) in the APM Terminals Global Terminal Network, and handled 3.29 million TEUs last year, accounting for 76% of the port’s container throughput. According to APM, this enabled Algeciras to overtake rival Spanish port Valencia as the top container port in the Mediterranean. The majority of Algeciras’ volume was trans-shipment cargo for Africa and Latin America. Four new cranes were delivered last month to the port by Chinese manufacturer, ZMPC. APM Terminals Algeciras’ Managing Director, Javier Lancha told Maritime Journal; “Our ongoing program of improvements aims to set the standard for operations, safety, sustainability and community outreach.” The terminal, which opened in 1986, now generates approximately 3,000 jobs directly, including 300 office staff and 1900 stevedores handling over 40 vessel calls per week. 300 new stevedore jobs were recently added to handle the growth in business. Shipping line customers include Maersk Line, CMA-CGM, DAL, Mediterranean Shipping, Mitsui-OSK and United Arab Shipping Line - which also has six 18,000 TEU capacity vessels on order. The terminal has also introduced 102 new, advanced fuel-efficient trucks that reduce diesel consumption by 12% while reducing CO2 emissions by 12%. The trucks are from Dutch-based Terberg, with safety features including software which permits only designated, approved personnel to operate the vehicles. APM Terminals Algeciras’ safety performance Lost-Time Injury Frequency (LTIF) rate improved to 4.59 per million man-hours worked in 2013, down from 5.85 in 2012, and representing a 62.8% decline from the 2010 LTIF rate of 12.35. “We are very proud of the teamwork that produced these safety achievements and our plans call for continuous improvement year-on-year.” “Equally important, we are proud to have led the discussions with government leaders in Andalucia and the Spanish Ministry of Development to make our Algeciras stevedore labour partners officially recognized through a professional certification process in Spain. Rigorous training and testing on container handling equipment, safety, productivity and the shipping/port industry are required to complete the certification process. Previously there was no national certification process. This is a first in Spain which APM Terminals Algeciras delivered to improve the lives and professional stature of our stevedores. We are grateful for the support of the Government of Andalucía to make these successes and our continuing successes possible,” added Mr. Lancha. A recent study by the University of Cadiz identified 15% of the total jobs in Algeciras Bay are related to the port business. Source : Maritime Journal

Voith Water Tractor proves its worth: Two additional tugs for the port of Alexandria

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The Alexandria port authority has placed an order for two new tugs with the Egyptian Timsah Shipbuilding Company. Each vessel will be equipped with two VSP 28R5/234-2 Voith Schneider Propellers for a power of 3840kW. Two virtually identical Voith Water Tractors (VWT) were put into operation in Alexandria port and the Suez Canal in autumn 2012. Thanks to their reliability and high performance, the operator is continuing to rely on Voith propulsion for ongoing expansion of the fleet. With a length of 35 meters, beam of 11.5 meters and draught of 5.5 meters, the two VWT will achieve a pollard pull of 55 tons and a maximum speed of 13 knots. Alexandria is a busy metropolis of some four million inhabitants lying directly on the west side of the Nile Delta in northern Egypt. Alexandria port is one of the most important trade ports in the region, and around 60 percent of Egypt’s imports and exports pass through it. It is currently being expanded and is expected to grow even further in coming years. Voith Turbo, a Group Division of Voith GmbH, is a specialist for intelligent drive solutions. Customers from highly diverse industries such as oil and gas, energy, mining and metal processing, ship technology, rail and commercial vehicles rely on advanced technologies from Voith Turbo. Voith sets standards in the markets energy, oil & gas, paper, raw materials and transportation & automotive. Founded in 1867, Voith employs more than 43 000 people, generates €5.7 billion in sales, operates in about 50 countries around the world and is today one of the biggest family-owned companies in Europe.

Dutch firm starts dredging Mersey Estuary as part of £300m Liverpool2 scheme

The specialist HAM 316 Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger vessel being operated in the Mersey Estuary by Dutch firm,

Van Oord – Photo : Anko Staas ©

A Dutch marine engineering specialist has started dredging the River Mersey as part of the £300m Peel Ports deepwater container terminal project. When Liverpool2 opens for business late next year it will see the world’s biggest container ships calling at the Port of Liverpool. Family-owned Dutch firm, Van Oord, won the contract to dredge the Mersey Estuary and has started the work using its specialist HAM 316 Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger vessel.

At the same time, port owner Peel has also announced a £5.5m investment in facilities and processes at the Port of Liverpool container terminal to provide hauliers with even faster and more streamlined service. The investment includes an automated gate system (AutoGate) that will ensure faster turnaround times for vehicles and minimise administration for drivers and operators. The dredging work involves deepening the navigable depth of the “maintained approach channel” creating dredged material, known as ‘arisings’. These arisings will be put to beneficial

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use in the up-filling of the intertidal zone within the Seaforth triangle which forms the new Liverpool2 deep water container terminal. The balance of dredged materials will then be returned to nature and deposited at the offshore licensed disposal sites.

Van Oord has established a track record in delivering complex marine engineering contracts In Hong Kong, Dubai and Rotterdam. Liverpool2 project director Doug Coleman said: “It’s great to have the Van Oord team and their specialist vessel and equipment working in the Mersey estuary and making a start. “Once completed in late 2015, Liverpool2 will be able to accommodate most of the world’s current fleet of container vessel types and will offer shipping lines a unique opportunity to connect directly to the heart of the UK. Van Oord’s credentials speak for themselves.” Source : Liverpool Echo

SMALL TUGBOAT for BRASIL from TURKEY The industry is full of surprises. A tug boat of 13 meter built in Turkey is about to be delivered to her buyers from Brasil. M/Tug “TTHORA I” has resently completed the seatrials and pulling test under Bureau Veritas supervision and ready to serve to the owners in their port facility in Brasil. The cute and strong boat with 13.05 m overall length, 5.00 m beam and 2.40 m hull depth is operating at 1.75 m draft while showing 10.5 tons of bollard pull. The boat is powered by two sets of VOLVO D13MH engines that

are producing 600 BHP at 1900 rpm turning two propellers via Twin Disk Gear boxes. The mentioned propulsion set was giving 13 knots of speed during trials. There is a facility room under fore castle with a rest room, kitchenet and double bank bed. The 11 kw Cummins Onan generator set and 18000 BTU air conditioning unit is placed in engine room. A towing hook with 15 tons of nominal power is placed just after the wheelhouse where the crew can easily control the manouvring. On top of all challanges with the small size and required high performance of the boat, she was also thoroughly inspected and certified by Bureau Veritas with full Maltese cross as a Tug Boat within coastal waters. The boat is carring a Surviva Life Raft for safety of crew. The navigation and communication equipment is delivered by famous and reliable brand Garmin. There are bow fenders and D fenders all around the boat to protect the hull during operations. The boat is produced by Ottomar Marine, a company established and managed by a naval architact lady. Further information can be obtained from [email protected] We wish “TTHORA I” a safe trip to Brasil and successful operations.

Singapore's AAL completes massive heavy lift delivery of LNG tanks

SINGAPORE's AAL (Austral Asia Line) has delivered and discharged at the Port of San Diego, the heaviest pieces ever carried on its Pacific service, two 380-ton LNG tanks and a main engine weighing 384 tons. The two LNG tanks measured 26 metres in length and 8.3 metres in width while the heavier main engine piece was around 12 metres long and five metres wide. The cargo was loaded on board AAL's A-Class vessel AAL Singapore in Masan, South Korea in mid-June. We are happy to have had a chance to secure this cargo after some strong competition from other carriers,"




said AAL managing director Namir Khanbabi. "Our vessels are well suited for such heavy cargoes and our Pacific service offers customers a regular heavy lift liner service." AAL's Pacific service connects North Asia with west coast Canada and the US by deploying modern heavy lift A-Class vessels. The AAL Singapore is one of AAL’s ten 31,000 dwt A-Class vessels with combined cranes lifting capacity of 700 tonnes Source : Asian Shipper

Hamburg Expects Court to Approve Dredging After Years of Delay

Hamburg expects a court to clear the path for dredging the navigation channel in the river Elbe in September, allowing for a rise in cargo volumes at Europe’s second-biggest container port after years of delay. The city believes it will overcome a lawsuit from environmental groups NABU and BUND at hearings at Germany’s highest administrative court in Leipzig starting July 15, Hamburg city Economy Minister Frank Horch said in an interview. “The European Commission has already approved the adjustment of the navigation channel following a diligent examination of the project,” Horch said. “That makes us hopeful that the court acknowledges these very extensive and precise considerations of all environmental standards.”

Hamburg, located about 130 kilometers (81 miles) upstream from the North Sea, says deepening and widening the channel is necessary because ultra-large vessels can’t leave and enter its port fully loaded and face tide restrictions. The global fleet of container ships that can carry 14,000 standard boxes or more is forecast to triple by the end of 2016 with the biggest carrying more than 18,000, according to the June Global Port Tracker report. Hamburger Hafen & Logistik AG, (HHFA) the handler of three in four containers at the port, currently needs extra staff and equipment to deal with peak traffic. Dredging would provide more time to handle containers and increase ship utilization, HHLA said on June 19. Volumes may rise, while HHLA may increase terminal prices, Christian Cohrs, an analyst at M.M. Warburg, said in a July 4 note.

Medieval Times

Hamburg, once a member of the Hanseatic League, has repeatedly adjusted the Elbe’s passage since medieval times. The planning for the current project, which calls for a deepening of the navigation channel by about 1 meter as well as a widening in some sections to allow large vessels to pass each other, started in 2007. The plans have been held up for about five years amid environmental and safety concerns before a court blocked the start of the dredging in 2012, adding to the risk that cargo is diverted to deeper competing harbors such as Rotterdam. “This dredging project would have a lasting effect, as I am convinced that the growth of vessels sizes has come to an end,” said Horch.

About two-thirds of containers handled in Hamburg are carried by ships with a draft deeper than 12.5 meters, according to the UVHH association of port businesses. The court has scheduled six hearings from July 15 to July 24 with an option for three more in the last week of July, according to spokeswoman Ina Oertel. That’s about twice as many days as normally allotted, she said. This may indicate the court is “willing to bring the dispute to a happy end rather than transferring it to the European Court of Justice -- which would imply another delay,” said M.M. Warburg’s Cohrs. He added the outcome still “seems uncertain.” Horch expects a verdict within six to eight weeks after the last hearing. Following a positive result, Hamburg could start some of the dredging, while other works would need to tendered on a European basis, a process of another four to six months, he said. The dredging would need about two years to complete. HHLA said it expects to see the first positive effects a year after the start of the dredging. A dredging can provide “a relief, but no remedy,” Cohrs said. In contrast to Wilhelmshaven and Rotterdam, ultra-large vessels remain dependent on the tide when entering or leaving Hamburg fully loaded, which is a clear competitive disadvantage, he said. To make up for it, Hamburg must maintain its superior positioning for inland train and truck connections and its link to the Kiel Canal, The world’s busiest artificial waterway, the analyst said. Source : Bloomberg

Italy: Italdraghe delivers dredger to Sicily Italdraghe has delivered a new 'mini dredger' to a small fishing harbour near Ragusa on the Italian island of Sicily. The dredger will make an important contribution to the structural improvements planned for the busy port, where the fishing industry is of great signifiance to the local economy. The dredger, commissioned on site by Italdraghe technicians, was supplied complete with dredging pipeline and floats as part of a turnkey package awarded to Italdraghe in 2013. Source : Dredging News Online



Vosta LMG delivers ball joints to customers in Middle East

Vosta LMG has delivered examples of a new type of 'Crossover' ball joint to several customers in the Middle East. The company said the Crossover ball joint is a new and efficient dredge ball joint that provides optimal flow performance. Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), frictional losses and turbulence have been reduced to a minimum. Conventional dredge ball joints act like a ball valve when tilted, causing the flow area to reduce and frictional losses to increase. The patented Crossover design incorporates two wear liners which are shaped to provide full flow area in any tilted position," the company explained. In addition, the two liners provide maximum wear protection for the ball, which no longer suffers from direct wear caused by the flow. “Our customers typically select the Crossover ball joint for the considerable savings in fuel and other cost savings such as a reduction of wear” says Marco Menheere, Product Manager at VOSTA LMG Components & Services. “Savings like these provide a very short return on investment and it becomes even more favourable when the reduced flow resistance results in higher production”. “These deliveries are a milestone in the development of more efficient dredge ball joints," claimed George Teheux, Manager Components & Services. Source : Dredging News Online

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Asia-Europe box volume surges 13.2pc in May to 1.4 million TEU

The MSC GAIA outbound from Rotterdam – Photo Cees van der Kooij ©

ASIA-Europe volumes in May posted a 13.2 per cent increase in head-haul year on year to hit 1.4 million TEU, the latest figures from Container Trades Statistics show. Volume growth for the first five months of the year on the trade lane is eight per cent up on last year, reaching 6.2 million TEU. May recorded the second largest percentage increase so far this year on the trade lane after the 14.6 per cent increase recorded in March because of a post-Chinese new year-related spike. Broken down into the sub-sectors that make up the Asia-Europe trade lane, volumes on the Asia to North Europe trade lane were up 14.5 per cent year on year to 884,559 TEU. Asia to the western Mediterranean and North Africa enjoyed a 16 per cent year on year increase to 247,055 TEU. From Asia to the eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea, May's volumes jumped 5.6 per cent to reach 235,413 TEU. Source : Asian Shipper

…. PHOTO OF THE DAY …..


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West African Ventures ROMA ( ex Retriever ) passing the bridges at Dordrecht

Photo : Jan Beenhakker – BEKO transport Consultants – Werkendam ©

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