newsclippings@gmail.com - You have reached the end of the internet
Transcription
newsclippings@gmail.com - You have reached the end of the internet
DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 173 Number 173 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Thursday 25-06-2009 News reports received from readers and Internet News articles copied from various news sites. The standby rescue vessel VOS TRACKER seen at the location of the PE-K6-PC and the Seafox 2, she's on a close standby position due to over the side work by scaffolders. Photo : Andre van de Langenberg - HLO / Seafox 2 (c) Your feedback is important to me so please drop me an email if you have any photos or articles that may be of interest to the maritime interested people at sea and ashore PLEASE SEND ALL PHOTOS / ARTICLES TO : newsclippings@gmail.com If you don't like to receive this bulletin anymore, kindly send an e-mail with the word “unsubscribe” in the subject line to newsclippings@gmail.com, after receipt of this e-mail I will remove you from the distribution list soon as possible Distribution : daily 8300+ copies worldwide Page 1 www.maasmondmaritime.com/Inschrijven.aspx DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 173 EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS AVRA TOWAGE’S COMPASS ARRIVED IN SUEZ AVRA’s latest new tug "COMPASS" arrived with the hull of Stemat's new selfpropelled workship "Stemat Spirit" in Suez. Both units departed from Shanghai on 30th April 2009 and arrived in Suez Monday. Transit of the Suez Canal is planned to take place later on Tuesday and "weather permitting" this convoy will arrive in Rotterdam on July 21st/22nd, 2009. In Holland, the offshore workship "Stemat Spirit" will be completed by Neptunus Shipyard of Hardinxveld-Giessendam, where they are now finalising the superstructure of this vessel. Photo via Landfall, Capt. Joop Stoer © Sulpicio owner, ship captain face raps A year after the MV Princess of the Stars tragedy, the Department of Justice (DOJ) yesterday announced that it had found probable cause to indict for the loss of hundreds of lives the ship captain who had been declared dead and a top officer of the shipping company. Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera said she had ordered the filing in the Manila Regional Trial Court of charges of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide against Capt. Florencio Marimon and Sulpicio Lines Inc. executive Edgar Go. Bail was set at P320,000 for their provisional liberty. The Bureau of Immigration was also ordered to place Go and Marimon on its watch list to prevent them from fleeing the country. Sulpicio Lines lawyer Manuel Espina declined comment, saying he had not been authorized to issue a statement. Devanadera’s directive followed a yearlong inquiry by a DOJ panel whose recommendation was approved by Senior Assistant Chief State Prosecutor Severino Gana. The Princess of the Stars capsized on June 20, 2008, off Romblon’s Sibuyan Island amid the raging fury of Typhoon “Frank.” The ship carried 864 people aboard, only 57 of whom survived. The tragedy was the worst since the MV Doña Paz, also owned by Sulpicio Lines, collided with the oil tanker MT Vector, leaving 4,000 people dead. “(Edgar Go) is inarguably involved in making decisions on whether a vessel would be allowed to sail out of the Port of Manila,” the DOJ panel said in its 48-page resolution of the complaint by the families of 23 victims and the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption. “Considering the severe weather condition prevailing at that time, prudence should have dictated (Go) to cancel or discourage Voyage No. 392 of the Princess of the Stars,” it added. “There is no shred of doubt that (Marimon) was Distribution : daily 8300+ copies worldwide Page 2 www.maasmondmaritime.com/Inschrijven.aspx DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 173 negligent in navigating along the vessel’s regular route to Cebu when Typhoon Signal No. 3 had already been hoisted in Mindoro and Romblon,” the panel said. “This is bolstered by the fact that ’Stars’ was the only vessel that proceeded on its voyage and did not take shelter after Severe Weather Bulletin No. 9 was issued by Pagasa,” it added. Senior State Prosecutor Emilia Victorio, chair of the DOJ panel, said the department would file the case against Marimon despite reports that he was one of those who perished. “There is no death certificate submitted to us. As far as the panel is concerned, he is still a respondent,” Victorio told the Inquirer. On Sept. 10 2008, the National Bureau of Investigation disaster victim identification team, composed of Interpol and NBI experts, announced in Cebu City that Marimon’s body was among the fatalities recovered. The body was claimed by the family and hurriedly buried later in the day at the Pardo Public Cemetery for fear of reprisal by relatives of the victims. Dr. Renato Bautista, head of the team in Cebu, reconfirmed on Monday that Marimon’s body was identified on the basis of blood samples provided by his son and another close relative. But Maria G-ree Calinawan, regional director of the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) in Cebu City, said her office did not believe that Marimon was dead because the NBI team had refused to issue a document confirming his death. Calinawan also said there were rumors then that Marimon had been seen, but the information had not been validated. The DOJ panel recommended that further investigation be conducted against Sulpicio captains Rizaldy Ponteres and Benjamin Eugenio and Philippine Coast Guard PO1 Felix Rizaldy Sardan in connection with the ship setting sail amid stormy seas. The complaints against other Sulpicio Lines executives—Go family members Enrique, Eusebio, Carlos, Victoriano, Dominador, Ricardo and Edward—were all dismissed “for insufficiency of evidence.” The panel also recommended that the Office of the Ombudsman investigate officers and employees of the Bureau of Customs, the Philippine Ports Authority and the Philippine Coast Guard for the entry into the country of the deadly pesticide endosulfan and its subsequent transshipment on the ill-fated vessel. While the panel declared that there was insufficient evidence to indicate that endosulfan was loaded in the Princess of the Stars without a special permit, it believed that “something was amiss” in the handling of the dangerous cargo. Susan Lisbo, 45, a survivor, warned that the Princess of the Stars tragedy might be repeated unless the government makes the temporary grounding of 18 Sulpicio vessels permanent. “Once the franchise is revoked, Sulpicio Lines can no longer be responsible for any other tragedy. Otherwise, this will go on and on,” said Lisbo, who lost a cousin during the incident. Sulpicio Lines has figured in at least three other major maritime mishaps over the past two decades, including the Doña Paz disaster. In all three incidents, however, the shipping company has been cleared of any criminal responsibility. Also on Monday, PAO chief Persida Acosta said that her office would file a motion to exhume 50 bodies following complaints by relatives that the process of identification was unsatisfactory. “The relatives feel that the victims cannot be identified through DNA,” she explained in a telephone interview. Acosta said there were plans to invite local forensic experts who may be able to establish the identities of the victims through an examination of their bones. “It is also possible that we can look at the personal effects inside the body bags that are recovered along with the victims,” she added. Acosta said relatives had complained they were not given access to the recovered bodies. “Only representatives of the (NBI) and Sulpicio Lines were allowed inside the funeral parlors,” she said. Muntinlupa Rep. Rufino Biazon said that while the DOJ was now moving against Sulpicio Lines, much-needed reforms such as the Coast Guard bill, the Maritime Code, and the creation of the National Transportation Safety Board as well as other proposals of past Board of Marine Inquiries remained pending. Distribution : daily 8300+ copies worldwide Page 3 www.maasmondmaritime.com/Inschrijven.aspx DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 173 “After the heat of the news about the Princess of the Stars tragedy died down, Congress has likewise forgotten these bills which would institute reform in the maritime industry. In 1997, when the Bureau of Marine Inquiry investigated the sinking of the Princess of the Orient, it warned that if reforms were not effected, sea tragedies would continue to occur. Prophetically, it did happen again with the Princess of the Stars,” Biazon said in a text message. Source : Philippine Daily Inquirer Shipping industry takes measures to avert further damage from recession The Hellenic Shipbrokers Association (HSA) concluded its Pireas 2009 conference, bringing important industry delegates from all over the world, with one important message under their belts; the shipping industry is already implementing measures to limit the losses currently sustained as a result of the global recession, which has inevitably affected the market. Among the measures discussed is the setting up of the proper controls which will prevent similar disasters from “bubbles” breaking. Also, one of the industry’s foremost advantage which will prove itself once more is the good human relations established over the year. Mutual trust is critical in these days, especially between banking officials and their shipping counterparts. During last week’s conference it was made clear once more that shipping as a whole has been directly affected by the recession, since the industry was always subject to the laws of supply and demand. Mr. Alkis Korres the President of the Union of Maritime Economists of Greece, outlined in his speech that is it necessary to establish the proper mechanisms that will prevent a similar crisis and will allow the industry to deal with its “cycles”. On a similar note, Mr. John Pachoulis, President of the Hellenic Shipbrokers Association mentioned that everybody’s hopes lie with the potential recovery of the US economy after the latest measures implemented. Mr. Yannis Tzoannos, Secretary General of the Ministry of Mercantile Marine mentioned the “immoral” tactics of the financial sector and added that nothing alike should ever occur in shipping. He also said that each side (banks and ship owners) shouldn’t exploit their advantageous position over the other side on occasion. Mr. Constantinos Giziakis, professor of maritime studies in the University of Piraeus stressed out that the problem in the shipping markets is a direct result of a slump in demand for goods worldwide and in some degree to the overcapacity of ships. Meanwhile, Mr. Stavros Tsolakis, Vice President of DST Shipping Inc noted that this era calls for ship owners to use a small part of their super profits of the previous years to support their companies. Similarly, Mr. Tzortzis Gavriel, general manager of Golden Union Ship Agents said that the current market offers big investment opportunities for ship owners to exit the crisis successfully. Those ship owners that managed their huge profits of the past four years in a proper manner, will be in the position to take advantage of these opportunities, which come as a result of the huge drop of ship values, as soon as the market is stabilized. Source : Nikos Roussanoglou, Hellenic Shipping News The HOEGH CHIBA (ex MAERSK WILKIN) at the Westerscheldt River Photo : Henk de Winde (c) Distribution : daily 8300+ copies worldwide Page 4 www.maasmondmaritime.com/Inschrijven.aspx DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 173 Evergreen, NOL deny Taiwan fraud charges Evergreen Marine and Neptune Orient Lines are denying charges by prosecutors in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, that their employees were involved in falsifying data on cargo volumes passing through the port in order to collect Taiwanese government incentives. "Evergreen Marine did not falsify any data," said Barbara Yeninas, an Evergreen spokesperson. "The Kaohsiung case resulted from different calculation methods used by the prosecutors and harbor authorities," Yeninas said. "The container throughput of Evergreen Marine Corporation in Kaohsiung was in accordance with the standard calculation published by Taiwan Transportation authority and Kaohsiung Harbor. The data also had been verified without fault by Kaohsiung Harbor." NOL, the parent of container line APL, said in a statement, "The company denies any involvement in this matter. It said that while three employees of APL and one former employee had been indicted or are to be indicted on corruption and fraud charges, "none of the NOL group companies (including APL) has been indicted on such charges." The two shipping lines were responding to Thursday's indictments by prosecutors of 46 executives from some of the world's biggest liner shipping companies and the Port of Kaohsiung on charges of fraud for allegedly inflating cargo volumes to claim government incentives. Those indicted include executives of Evergreen Marine, Wan Hai, Yang Ming, APL, NYK Logistics and the director general of the Kaohsiung harbor bureau, Shieh Ming-Hui. Kaohsiung prosecutors accused Shieh and more than 10 of his staff of helping five shipping lines claim a total of $10 million in government rewards over the past three years. The indictment alleges that Kaohsiung harbor bureau officials colluded with ship line executives to collect the bonuses. Prosecutors say their own calculations show that actual throughput by the five companies' ships fell short of those reported by the Kaohsiung harbor bureau by more than 10 percent of the port's stated container throughput in 2006 and 2007, when container traffic at Kaohsiung peaked at 10.2 million 20-foot containers. Shieh said the port had its own system to gauge cargo volume and he was not aware of the difference between that and the figures ship lines reported. Wan Hai said it had "actively sought to claim all reasonable and legal benefits in accordance with national policy and for the benefit of its shareholders." It had evidence its staff followed regulations in reporting throughput, and added, "There is clearly a misunderstanding." Kaohsiung began an incentive scheme for shipping lines in 2006, offering rental concessions and other rewards for those bringing additional traffic to the port. Source: joc.com Distribution : daily 8300+ copies worldwide Page 5 www.maasmondmaritime.com/Inschrijven.aspx DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 173 ALSO INTERESTED IN THIS FREE MARITIME NEWSCLIPPINGS ? PLEASE VISIT THE WEBSITE : WWW.MAASMONDMARITIME.COM AND REGISTER FOR FREE ! Maersk to cut investment in ships A.P. Moller-Maersk, the parent of the world's largest shipping line, plans to invest its capital in more profitable areas than in Maersk Line in future, its chief executive, Nils Smedegaard Andersen told Denmark’s’ Berlingske Tidende newspaper. The newspaper quoted Andersen as saying that the heavy investment in Maersk Line over the last two decades means that the company’s fleet simply can’t get any larger. The MAERSK SALALAH – Photo : Fred Vloo (c) That, coupled with falling profits, means the Copenhagen-based group will focus its future investments on its oil and terminal activities. ‘We must spread our investments in the areas where we will get the best returns,” Andersen said. “Maersk Line has given bad yields in the last few years, and it is a complex area to make money in. Where investments are concerned, our main focus in the future will be directed towards oil and terminals, among others,” he said. In recent years, the Maersk Group has invested up to $11.2 billion in new ships and projects, but now wants better returns from areas of “great potential.” “Our oil business and terminals, together with other business interests, continue to grow significantly faster than the market,” the Maersk CEO said. He confirmed that even when global economies stabilize again, the group does not intend to order new ships for Maersk Line, but charter container ships for varying periods to increase flexibility. Maersk Line has 70 container ships Distribution : daily 8300+ copies worldwide Page 6 www.maasmondmaritime.com/Inschrijven.aspx DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 173 on order with a total capacity of 365,338 TEUs, which equals 17.9 percent of its existing fleet, according to the latest statistics compiled by AXS-Alphaliner. Source: joc.com Maersk shares fall 4 percent on downbeat shipping outlook Shares in oil and shipping group A.P. Moller-Maersk fall 4 percent to 30,200 Danish crowns ($5,641) after the head of its shipping unit Maersk Line tells Bloomberg he expects the unit to make "considerable" losses in 2009 and 2010, traders say. The MAERSK STOCKHOLM seen outward bound from Rotterdam Photo : Rik van Marle (c) A.P. Moller-Maersk spokesman Michael Storgaard says Eivind Kolding has told Bloomberg: "We will have a substantial loss this year and next year will be equally difficult." Maersk Line is the world's biggest container shipping firm. "It's the news Maersk Line will lose money in 2009 and 2010 and the lower container ship volumes, which Eivind Kolding is quoted on (that moves the share)", says Mads Zink, chief trader at Danske Bank. A.P. Moller-Maersk swung to its first group loss since World War Two in the first quarter amid slowing global trade, and warned the full year might end in deficit too. Source: uk.reuters Two St. Petersburg bridges to be drawn up for yachts finishing Volvo Ocean Race on June 27 Within the framework of the Finish of Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009 to be held in St. Petersburg on June 27-28, 2009, the Blagoveshchenski and Dvortsovy bridges will be drawn up to let the yachts pass from 17:00 to 17:30 (local time) to the mooring site at temporary berths (southern shore of Hare Island, near the beach of the Peter-and-Paul Fortress, Volgo-Balt SBA reports. Volvo Ocean Race is one of the leading projects of sport community in terms of both the scale and the technologies used to cover it by mass media. The first start of the Volvo Ocean Race (formerly the Whitbread Round the World Race) was in 1973 in Great Britain. From 1997, the race bears its current name - Volvo Ocean Race and is held every four years (from 2005 – every three years). It is one of five largest sport events in the world. The race of 2008-09 is the tenth in its history. The current race started in Alicante, Spain in October. Distribution : daily 8300+ copies worldwide Page 7 www.maasmondmaritime.com/Inschrijven.aspx DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 173 The COSTA ATLANTICA seen in Flam (Norway) - Photo : Hans Voskuil (c) Air France crash searchers say no black box found Investigators have not yet found flight recorders of an Air France airliner that crashed this month, France's air accident authority said on Tuesday after a report that signals from the recorders had been picked up. The website of France's Le Monde daily reported that signals had been detected and a mini submarine had been launched to try to locate the "black box" recorders that could contain vital clues to explain the June 1 crash, in which 228 people died. But the BEA, the French air accident authority, said searchers had not heard any signals they could be sure came from the black boxes. "No signals transmitted by the flight recorders' locator beacons have been validated up to now," it said in a statement. "In the context of the sea searches that are under way, work is undertaken on a regular basis that is aimed at eliminating any doubts related to any sounds that may be heard, and any findings will be made public," it said. Everyone aboard died when the Air France Airbus 330 crashed into the Atlantic en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris on June 1. A BEA spokeswoman noted that many sounds are detected on the seabed and said investigators had picked up numerous signals that had turned out to be false leads. Locator beacons, known as "pingers", on the flight recorders send an electronic impulse every second for at least 30 days. The signal can be heard up to 2 km (1.2 miles) away. French vessels involved in the search operation include a nuclear submarine with advanced sonar equipment and a research ship equipped with mini submarines. Distribution : daily 8300+ copies worldwide Page 8 www.maasmondmaritime.com/Inschrijven.aspx DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 173 The remote location in the Atlantic as well as the depth and surface of the ocean floor have made the search especially difficult and the wreckage could lie anywhere between 1 km (0.6 miles) and 4 km (2.5 miles) down. Source : Reuters CASUALTY REPORTING The POSH-Semco tug SALVALIANT enroute from China to Rotterdam with the loaded barge MARGARET lost her tow in bad weather off the South African coast, the loaded barge ran aground at the coast of the Jacobsbaai / Saldhana as can be seen at the photos. Photo’s : via Aad Noorland Unkranian ferry collided with berth in port Kavkaz Distribution : daily 8300+ copies worldwide Page 9 www.maasmondmaritime.com/Inschrijven.aspx DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 173 Ferry Kerchenskiy-2 collided with berth No6 in Kavkaz port, Kerch Strait, at 09.15 LT June 23. Damages to berths No 5,6 and vessel. Two passengers injured, assisted in emergency ambulance of Kavkaz port. Investigation under way. Ferry Kerchenskiy-2 – dwt 382 tonns, built 1978, flag Ukraine, manager Kerch Ferry Co. IMO 7741017 Source : Mike Voitenko m/v Turkmenistan wrapped propeller in buoy chain, Volga-Caspian Channel m/v Turkmenistan sailing Volga-Capsian Channel at 14.30 LT June 22 collided with the buoy No8 – buoy chain wrapped on a propeller. Vessel anchored in Buoy No4 area and didn’t report incident to authorities, first report came at 12.10 LT June 23, salvage agreement signed with SKU ASPTR (Federal salvage company) for underwater inspection and repairs. Salvage will start June 24 after midday. m/v Turkmenistan – dry cargo, dwt 3152 tonns, built 1992, flag Turkmenistan, owner International Sea Port Turkmenbashi, IMO 8891924. Source : Mike Voitenko The SVITZER INTREPID seen in Harwich - Photo : Marius Esman © Distribution : daily 8300+ copies worldwide Page 10 www.maasmondmaritime.com/Inschrijven.aspx DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 173 NAVY NEWS Historic ship may end up as Portsmouth attraction A historic ship that survived World War II battles may have a new home in Portsmouth. The Zuni Maritime Foundation wants to dock the 66-year-old Navy salvage tug on the Portsmouth waterfront. The Zuni is currently docked at Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base in Norfolk after it was passed down to the foundation seven years ago. Officials say the foundation needs to raise about $300,000 to restore the ship. It is the only ship out of about 800 that remains from the Battle of Iwo Jima. Source : Examiner ADSB starts work on Bahrain vessels Ship Building (ADSB) has begun work on the first of two steel landing craft being built for the Royal Bahrain Naval Forces. The contract for the 42-metre vessels was won against stiff competition from international shipyards, further confirming ADSB's position as the region's leading provider of support services to GCC navies. It is ADSB's first new building contract for Bahrain and also includes two 16-metre Seakeeper landing craft built with composite materials. A traditional keel-laying ceremony was held at ADSB's shipyard at Mussafah, Abu Dhabi, to mark the start of work, attended by Staff Colonel Hassan Ahmad Mohammad, Head of the Planning Department, Royal Bahrain Naval Force, who praised the standard of construction at ADSB. Source : Gulf News Royal Navy destroyer goes into service without missile system A state of the art Royal Navy destroyer is to enter service without its vital missile system working in a move branded as "disgraceful" by a committee of MPs. The new Type 45 destroyer will become operational without being able to fire its advanced Sea Viper air defence missiles because of a series of failings by the Ministry of Defence, according to the Public Accounts Committee. The destroyer, which has been suggested to provide air defence security during the 2012 Olympics, is expected to enter service this year but it will not be until 2011 that its defence systems will be fully functional. "What is disgraceful is that it will enter service with not one of its main anti-air missiles having been fired from the ship," said Edward Leigh, MP, the PAC chairman. The project has been hit by "cost overruns and time delays" and the ships will enter service three years late and £1.5billion over budget. Distribution : daily 8300+ copies worldwide Page 11 www.maasmondmaritime.com/Inschrijven.aspx DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 173 The committee said the situation was "deeply worrying" and had serious implications for Britain's air defence capabilities. The new Type 45s will not have their full capability "until well into the next decade" which will result in the veteran Type 42 destroyers being "patched up and kept in service for longer" at a cost of almost £200 million despite having limited capabilities, it found. The Navy would have to rely on "just five ageing Type 42s, in particular, their greater vulnerability to sea-skimming missiles and their ability to deal with the most up to date threats from a modern sophisticated enemy". Liam Fox, the shadow defence secretary, said: "This report highlights the extraordinary risk that this Government is taking with our nation's defences in an increasingly volatile world. Its appalling incompetence has left the Royal Navy having to "juggle and hope" with only half the new ships it was supposed to have, and a fleet of exhausted Type 42s that are more than three decades old." The Type 45 is said to be the most sophisticated destroyer in the world and has radar equipment which means it can target a cricket ball travelling at three times the speed of sound. The MoD had originally planned for a fleet of 12 but this was reduced to just six. The PAC report found that equipment which will enhance the Type 45s ability to conduct anti-air warfare operations will not be fitted until after the ship enters service in some cases. The 7,350-tonne destroyers will also go to sea without key communications equipment such as Bowman and Skynet, which enable the warships to share information more effectively with other military units, particularly when the US Navy's Co-operative Engagement Capability is installed. "As with so many other Defence projects, the problems on Type 45 Destroyer result from the Department's unrealistic and over-optimistic assessments of the likely costs and timescales to deliver technically complex equipment," the report said. The report condemned the overspend and delays that have been "a feature of so many major defence projects". It also warned that it was "essential" for the MoD to learn from the failures and successes in the project so that they could be avoided in the future particularly in the carrier programme. Despite being a cornerstone for the defence of the two new aircraft carriers, expected next decade, there will only now be six Type 45s from an original 12 ordered, although the MoD insisted it would be able to put five at sea at any time. Daring, the first Type 45 to be built is due to enter service in November 2010, three years later than originally planned, although the MoD is working to an earlier 'target' date of December 2009. The current forecast cost of the project is £6.46 billion, an increase of 29 per cent on the original budgeted cost when the main investment decision was taken. Quentin Davies, the defence minister, said by the time Daring enters service she would have proven a level of anti-air warfare performance “significantly higher than any other ship”. “Against this background the government is surprised and disappointed that the Committee does not recognise the extensive trials that have taken place. In these circumstances, the use of the word 'disgrace’ obviously makes no sense at all and is absurd.” Source : telegraph.co.uk Ukraine military says Sea Breeze-2009 exercise called off There will be no Sea Breeze naval exercises with NATO forces in Ukraine's Crimea this summer, a source in the Ukrainian Navy command said on Monday. A military exercise with the participation of foreign troops requires parliamentary permission, but the Ukrainian parliament has refused to even consider the matter. The source said the U.S. military command had informed Ukraine last week that the Ukrainian-U.S. naval exercise would not take place this year. Sea Breeze-2009 was due to be conducted in July. Sea Breeze exercises have been held annually in the Crimea since 1997, and have been subject to occasionally violent anti-NATO protests in recent years. Last year's Sea Breeze drills saw protesters set up camps along the Black Sea coast, and reportedly attempt to prevent foreign warships, participating in the exercises, from leaving the port of Odessa. Source : en.rian.ru Distribution : daily 8300+ copies worldwide Page 12 www.maasmondmaritime.com/Inschrijven.aspx DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 173 Royal Navy targeted for more cuts The Royal Navy faces the prospect of further deep and painful cuts to its capabilities this year as part of an MoD wide initiative to balance the budget. According to various defence sources with knowledge of the current planning round, the Royal Navy and RAF are together considering cutting the Joint Harrier Force, while the Navy may scrap some of its Type 42 destroyers earlier and delay the Future Surface Combatant (FSC) by up to 20 years. Each service will be expected to make drastic sacrifices in order to meet the £2bn cut coming to the defence budget next year. But the Royal Navy is rumoured to be among the biggest losers. The MoD has refused to comment on planning round discussions and everything is speculation at the moment. Completely axing the Harrier force would be a drastic and dramatic step but it seems unlikely at this point unless the MoD is also planning to cut the new aircraft carriers from the budget. Without the Harrier Force the current carriers would not have any fixed wing aircraft for operations until 2018 when the Joint Strike Fighter comes into service. Cutting a few of the Type 42 Destroyers is a possibility, but completely axing all of them from the fleet in the next few years is also unlikely. The Type 45 Destroyers are slowly coming into service so a complete cut to the Type 42 fleet would leave the Navy with a major capability gap for up to five years. As a compromise the Navy may agree to bring forward the out of service dates on one or two of the ships. Delays to the FSC seem the most likely at the moment. The MoD has repeatedly refused to give details of an FSC timeline and requirements. It is unclear what they actually want in terms of a replacement for the Type 22 and 23 frigates and how many they will need. Ministers have said that decisions will be taken in the next few years and have avoided questions from MPs on the subject. As a result the Type 22 and 23s will have their lives extended which could prove to be more costly in the long run due to the need for major upgrades and maintenance programmes to keep the ships afloat. Source : defencemanagement.com Navy seals 45,000-cr deal: seven warships India has cleared its largest ever indigenous defence contract worth Rs 45,000 crore to manufacture seven advanced stealth frigates for the Navy at shipyards in Kolkata and Mumbai. The P17A warship project, which will be India’s most advanced and stealthy frigates, has been cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on Friday. Sources said that brushing aside a request by the Navy that two of the indigenously designed frigates may be manufactured abroad, the DAC has decided that all seven warships will be manufactured in India by the Mazagon Dock Limited, Mumbai (MDL) and the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. The Defence Ministry has allocated a budget of Rs 45,000 crore for the project and the work will be divided between the two shipyards. The P17A frigates will be even more advanced than the P17 Shivalik class warships that are currently being inducted by the Navy. Source : indianexpress.com Taste of Portsmouth for sailors of India Hundreds of Indian sailors got their first taste of Portsmouth when they arrived in the city on a European tour. Indian destroyer INS Delhi and frigates INS Beas and INS Brahmaputra are berthed at the naval base ahead of a six-day exercise off the south coast. On Saturday the visiting crew will work with the Royal Navy to share tips and expertise on tackling piracy and terrorism. But before the hard part they are taking time to see the sights. The visitors loved a trip to the Spinnaker Tower and were all excited about seeing the dockyard. Distribution : daily 8300+ copies worldwide Page 13 www.maasmondmaritime.com/Inschrijven.aspx DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 173 The man in charge of India's western fleet, Rear Admiral Surinder Cheema, said his group had been impressed with their welcome. He said: 'We have completed a joint exercise with the Royal Navy since 2004 in Indian waters, and we are excited to be here in the UK. 'We have had a very warm welcome in Portsmouth, and we hope to profit as much as possible from this experience.' Piping aboard the dignitaries yesterday were Seaman 1st class Alex Vinoth Arul, 22, and Leading seaman Sudhir Kumar, 24. They said they had never left India before. Mr Kumar said: 'This is my first visit to any country other than home – it's very exciting.' Greeting the Indian party was Commodore Simon Ancona. He will lead the Portsmouth frigate HMS Westminster, the frigate HMS Northumberland, a nuclear submarine, support ships and a patrol plane in Exercise Konkan. He said: 'We have an incredibly relaxed relationship with the Indian Navy, partly because of our history and partly because of our ongoing common focus. 'We are both maritime nations who look over the horizon, we can share our knowledge of coastal security, keeping sea lanes open and tackling piracy. 'In many ways the Indian Navy has kept our traditions going better than we have, such is their commitment to etiquette and custom.' Working on deck, Petty Officer Shailesh Kumar said he was impressed with the Spinnaker Tower. He said: 'It is fantastic, I would love to go up the top and see the view.' Source : portsmouth.co.uk SHIPYARD NEWS Photo : Scheer fotografie © The lengthening on board the MV Tor Ficaria, the first out of three Ro-Ro vessels from DFDS Tor-Line, one of the biggest conversion work presently in Europe has started at MWB Motorenwerke Bremerhaven Shipyard. The work on each vessels consist off: lengthening by 32 meters / 1300 Ton - lengthening of the Ice Belt - widening of the internal ramps - installation of a new and bigger rudder (except the Tor Begonia) - thruster power increase The last ship shall leave MWB at the end of September. Source : Martin Luitwieler - MWB Motorenwerke Bremerhaven AG Distribution : daily 8300+ copies worldwide Page 14 www.maasmondmaritime.com/Inschrijven.aspx DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 173 www.tos.nl TOS Rotterdam (+31)10 – 436 62 93 E-Mail info@tos.nl ABG Shipyard makes counter offer for Great Offshore ABG Shipyard Ltd said on Tuesday it has made an open offer to buy stake in Great Offshore Ltd at Rs 375 a share, countering a previous offer by rival Bharati Shipyard. ABG Shipyard and its unit Eleventh Land Developers Pvt Ltd have made an open offer to acquire 12.57 million shares, or 32.12 per cent of Great Offshore's diluted share capital. They already own 2.02 per cent stake in the company. Earlier this month, rival shipbuilder Bharati Shipyard had made an open offer for 20 per cent of Great Offshore at 344 rupees a share, after it acquired just under 15 per cent stake in May. ABG's offer opens on August 13 and closes September 1. The last date for a competitive bid would be June 24, it added in a news paper advertisement. Source : Times of India There is a poster from Allseas with three vessels: “SOLITAIRE”, “LORELAY” and “TRENCHETTER” with this title: “Three times a lady” above seen something similar, “Three ladies at the same time”; the three big catamarans belong Balearia “JAUME I”, “JAUME III” and “PATRICIA OLIVIA” inside the big graving dock of CERNAVAL in Algeciras for normal drydocking jobs. Photo : Pablo de Celis (c) Distribution : daily 8300+ copies worldwide Page 15 www.maasmondmaritime.com/Inschrijven.aspx DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 173 AGREEMENT WITH DAEWOO FOR THE BUILDING OF TWO NEW VESSELS FOR THE GREEK MARKET The Board of Directors of Attica Group S.A. is pleased to announce the agreement with Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Co. Ltd. (DSME), Korea for the building of two new fast car-passenger ferries. The signing of the shipbuilding contracts will take place on Thursday 25th June 2009. The ships will have overall length 145.5 meters and speed of 26 knots and the capacity to carry 2,400 passengers and 450 private vehicles or 50 freight units and 150 private vehicles. Source : Attica Group The newbuilding TSHD ARTEVELDE seen shifting back to Sliedrecht for outfitting from the drydock in Schiedam Photo : Michel Kodde (c) STX-Petrobras ponder new shipyard in Brazil South Korea's STX Corporation is reportedly mulling constructing a new shipyard in Brazil in co-operation with Brazil's state-owned oil major Petrobras. South Korean shipbuilding rivals appear to be nervous about the news as they concentrate their energies on winning the drillship orders expected to be placed by Petrobras. A local source reported that STX had decided to construct a new shipyard in Brazil in addition to STX Brazil Offshore SA and it is considering establishing a joint venture for operating the yard in the country together with Petrobras. According to the report, STX plans to build a shipyard on a site owned by Petrobras while STX securing more than 50% stake in the JV shipyard to have management right. A spokesperson at STX Offshore & Shipbuilding is quoted as saying, "Petrobras is saying that it will order newbuildings only at local shipyards. We have decided to construct an additional shipyard in Brazil to get the inside track for winning the offshore unit orders." At present, STX Europe subsidiary STX Brazil Offshore SA is operating a shipyard located in Niteroi, Brazil but the yard has limited capacity even in building two to three midsize ships at once. Meanwhile, an STX official said, regarding the issue, nothing has been decided yet and the company is just seeking to win new orders through a variety of means. Distribution : daily 8300+ copies worldwide Page 16 www.maasmondmaritime.com/Inschrijven.aspx DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 173 The JV shipyard construction proposal is STX's idea and no discussions on the matter are underway with Petrobras, he added. However, STX chairman Gang Duk-soo is said to be planning to visit Brazil in early July to decide on the potential Brazil project. Source : The Motorship ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES REDWISE MARITIME SERVICES B.V. Amersfoortseweg 12-E 3751 LK Bunschoten-Spakenburg The Netherlands Phone : +31 (0) 33 42 17 860 (24 hr) Fax : +31 (0) 33 42 17 879 info@redwise.nl www.redwise.com Above seen on Saturday afternoon (20/6/09) , at the Singapore Eastern Anchorage, KARLA-OMAYRA (ex Thor Scan) and KLAMPENBORG (ex Project Arabia). Possible the first (?) and last time these ex Mammoet ships will be seen together? Photo : Krispen Atkinson (c) Two more ferries serve BintanSingapore route PT Bintan Resort Cakrawala (BRC), the management of Lagoi, an international tourism destination in Bintan, Riau Islands, provided Monday two additional ferries worth US$ 21.2 million to serve a route linking Bintan to Singapore. Riau Islands Governor Ismeth Abdullah and Singapore's Senior Minister for Trade and Industry and Education S Iswaran witnessed the inauguration of the ferries, which have a capacity of 300 passengers each. Armed with the new ferries, BRC is targeting a 11 percent increase in tourist visit to 400,000 visitors this year from some 360,000 tourists last year. BRC President Director Chin Chow Yoon said the company's investment in the ferries was part of its efforts to develop Lagoi. Distribution : daily 8300+ copies worldwide Page 17 www.maasmondmaritime.com/Inschrijven.aspx DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 173 “The ferries have new technology and can tackle big waves to ensure passengers' comfort,” he said. BRC had been operating three ferries to serve the Tanah Merah, Singapore-Lagoi route since 1991. The three ferries mostly transported foreign tourists from Europe and America with a combined capacity of 856 passengers. Riau Islands Governor Ismeth Abdullah said the additional two ferries in Lagoi can help his government reach a target of 1.9 million foreign tourists visit this year, up from 1.7 million last year. Source : Jakarta Post CMA CGM announces rate restoration program between India/Pakistan and Europe In a continued effort to provide its customers with the same reliable and efficient services to which they are accustomed, the CMA CGM Group has decided to restore freight rates between India/Pakistan and Europe to a sustainable level. New rate increases will apply to all cargo and commodities moving westbound and eastbound between India, Pakistan, Europe and the Mediterranean, effective July 1, 2009. Source: cma-cgm.com DOCKWISE SWIFT loaded with 2 Jack Up barges was spotted in Tenerife taking bunkers. Photo : Marco van der Hijden (c) Shipping Corporation of India postpones fleet expansion Shipping Corporation of India has deferred plans to buy eight vessels - including four very large crude carriers (VLCC) in this financial year as it waits for freight demand to pickup and ship prices to decline further, writes Dow Jones Newswires. "Looking at the current market conditions, we are not exercising the order for four very large crude carriers in this financial year," K.S Nair, director at the state-run company's bulk carrier and tanker division, told DJN. The slowing global economy has hit world trade, sharply contracting freight rates. This has also led to reduced demand for ships. Global tanker rates have declined 30% since the last financial year, Nair said. He said the cost per VLCC has declined to $120m from $160m last year. "We are waiting for the rates to fall further," he said. "We may cancel these bids and invite fresh tenders." The nation's biggest shipping company by fleet is also deferring an order to buy four capesize bulk carriers - which are of about 170,000 dead weight tons, or DWT - in the fiscal year that began April 1. Distribution : daily 8300+ copies worldwide Page 18 www.maasmondmaritime.com/Inschrijven.aspx DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 173 He didn't disclose the cost for purchasing the bulk carriers but cited the decline in their prices as the reason for the deferment. The company had floated tenders for the eight ships last year and received responses from several shipbuilders. It is yet to shortlist the bidders, Nair said. It had planned to finance as much as 80% of the cost through borrowings and the remainder from its cash flow, he said. Shipping Corp. has a fleet of 78 vessels and accounts for a third of the total tonnage carried by India's shipping companies. It also manages 58 ships for state-run organizations such as the Geological Survey of India, Oil & Natural Gas Corp. and the National Institute of Ocean Technology. Shipping Corp. has ordered 31 ships since 2006 for a total of 75 billion rupees ($1.54 billion) Nair said, adding, the ships are due for delivery until 2012. Nair said the company will take delivery of a VLCC worth $129 million this month and two MR product tankers - which are of 45,000 DWT worth $45 million each in October and December. Source: seatradeasia-online The Beluga Formation loaded with the 1036 mT STP (Submerged Turret Production) buoy departed from Batam to the US Gulf of Mexico Cascade field where it will be installed in 2500 mtr waterdepth by Heerema’s Balder Photo : Willem van Woercom (c) GDF Suez and Hoegh to issue FSRU tender European energy giant GDF Suez and Hoegh LNG are expected to issue a tender shortly for a purpose-built LNG floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) for their Triton project of Italy. Four shipyards, Daewoo, Hyundai Heavy Industries, STX Offshore & Shipbuilding and Samsung, have been prequalified for the job of building the 170,000m3 unit which would be stationed in the Adriatic about 30 kilometres (18.6 miles) off the Marche region shore. The price of the job will depend on the specifications detailed in the tender but indications are that it could be around $300m or slightly less. The partners need to opt for a newbuilding since there are no existing vessels of this size. Informed sources describe the planned unit as something of a hybrid between a regasification vessel and an FSRU in that it is likely to have a higher gas send-out rate than a regas ship but offer greater propulsion speeds than an FSRU. Shipbuilders were originally expecting to receive the tender for the job last month but this slipped back to mid-June, with the latest indications being that it will be issued this month. The business, which would represent the first LNG FSRU newbuilding, would provide welcome work for yards that have been starved of orders since the downturn. After yards submit their proposals, two are expected to be shortlisted before a final selection is made. The project is currently scheduled to be sanctioned early next year with the FSRU due to be operational by 2013. Distribution : daily 8300+ copies worldwide Page 19 www.maasmondmaritime.com/Inschrijven.aspx DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 173 Gaz de France (GdF) and Hoegh signed a joint-development agreement to design, build and operate an FSRU for the Triton LNG project in May 2008. When they first detailed the project, the partners specified a base-load regasification capacity of five billion cbm, which could be doubled with the addition of a second FSRU. Under this plan, GDF Suez would own the unit and lease it to its joint-venture partnership with Hoegh. The Norwegian company would operate the FSRU and GDF Suez would supply the LNG. GDF Suez LNG North America and Hoegh are working together on US offshore-import project Neptune LNG, which is due to be commissioned late this year or early next year using shuttle and regasification vessels. Last year, Hoegh, which is trying to progress a number of other FSRU projects, hooked up with Italy's Enel to develop an LNG floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) unit. Source : The Motorship www.mammoetsalvage.com One step closer to deep-water port in Arkhangelsk The administration in Arkhangelsk Oblast is forming a working group to speed up the project on connecting the Northern Sea Route with the Russian national railway transport system. The working group will elaborate a time schedule for this project which includes construction of a new deep-water area in the port of Arkhangelsk port and development of the Belkomur railroad. The deep-water port will probably be built by the island Mudyug outside the town of Arkhangelsk, Regnum.ru reports. Belkomur is a huge project which includes a railroad connecting Arkhangelsk with Komi and Perm. This will shorten the way between Siberia and the White Sea ports by 800 kilometers and open new efficient ways for cargo flows from the Urals and Siberia industrial zones to Europe. The administration of Arkhangelsk Oblast is now preparing a project for a deepwater port by the island Mudyug outside The town of Arkhangelsk. General Director of the Belkomur Railway Development Company Elman Khudazarov believes the railway line will materialize ahead of schedules. While the Russian federal transport strategy opens up for construction start in 2016, Mr. Khudazarov himself believes the construction can start already in 2011, BarentsObserver reported. Source: Barents Observer Iridium OpenPort Wins Award Iridium Satellite LLC and Cambridge Consultants announced that Global Telecoms Business (GTB) has awarded its 2009 GTB Innovation Award to the two companies for excellence in the Wireless Network Infrastructure Innovation category. The award recognizes the groundbreaking Iridium OpenPort system, which is the world’s first and only global high-speed voice and data service for the maritime market. With its small footprint and light weight, the Iridium OpenPort omni-directional antenna array can be quickly installed in any convenient location on deck. It does not require a stabilization platform and is virtually maintenance free. With Distribution : daily 8300+ copies worldwide Page 20 www.maasmondmaritime.com/Inschrijven.aspx DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 173 no moving parts, the array reduces the risk of failure or downtime and lowers the total cost of operations. Iridium OpenPort delivers up to three phone lines for simultaneous use and features always-on data with speeds up to 128 kbps – on an all-IP backbone. Source : Iridium The ANGELES B seen departing from Willemstad (Curacao) Photo : Kees Bustraan (c) Far Scorpion delivered Far Scorpion, a UT731 CD anchor handler, was delivered by STX Norway Offshore AS, Langsten on June 22nd to Farstad Supply AS, a wholly owned subsidiary of Farstad Shipping ASA. The vessel will trade the spot market in the North Sea. A long-term facility of NKr 415 million has been drawn with Nordea Bank Norge ASA to finance the vessel. Source : Offshore shipping online Seabourn Accepts Delivery of New Luxury Vessel, Odyssey The Yachts of Seabourn has taken delivery of the cruise industry’s first ultra-luxury vessel to launch in six years. Built at T.Mariotti shipyard in Genoa and with a gross tonnage of 32,000, Seabourn Odyssey will be launched and named in Venice on June 24 before embarking on her maiden voyage. Distribution : daily 8300+ copies worldwide Page 21 www.maasmondmaritime.com/Inschrijven.aspx DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 173 “This is certainly a very historic day for our company, as today we took delivery of our beautiful new yacht, Seabourn Odyssey,” said Pamela Conover, president and CEO of Seabourn. “This moment marks a milestone occasion in Seabourn’s history; Seabourn Odyssey is the first of three new sisters to be introduced over the next two years and sets a new standard for the ultra-luxury cruise industry. We hope our guests will be as delighted as we are and we look forward to welcoming them aboard to enjoy a new era in Seabourn’s yachting life.” The $250 million Seabourn Odyssey will be launched in an intimate ceremony with the unmistakable skyline of Venice as the backdrop. In a twist from traditional naming ceremonies, all guests sailing on the Maiden Voyage will be named ‘godparents’ with the breaking of a bottle of Italian Prosecco to mark the occasion. An ingenious bottle breaking mechanism has been designed especially for the event. Following the on-deck event, all ‘godparents’ will receive a commemorative certificate and their names will be affixed to a plaque displayed onboard. Source : Cruise Industrie News The COMORES STREAM seen moored in Zeebrugge Photo : Henk Claeys (c) NOL's box volumes, rates seem to be bottoming out THE plunge in Neptune Orient Lines' (NOL) container volumes and average rates seems to finally have bottomed out in the May reporting period, with both figures rising slightly from the month before, although they are still down over 20 per cent from the corresponding period the year before. For the four weeks of period five from May 2 to May 29, container shipping volumes declined 21 per cent to 159,100 forty-foot equivalent units (FEUs) from 201,700 FEUs in May 2008 while average revenue per container fell 23 per cent to US$2,326 from US$3,023 in the same period last year. The decrease in volume was due to the decline in demand on all major trade lanes, NOL said. Lower average revenue per FEU was due to lower core freight rates and lower bunker recovery. For the year-to-date, container shipping volumes declined 25 per cent to 798,400 FEUs from 1.07 million FEUs up to the same point the year before. Meanwhile, average revenue per FEU also declined 18 per cent year-to-date to US$2,415 from the previous year's levels of US$2,952. Distribution : daily 8300+ copies worldwide Page 22 www.maasmondmaritime.com/Inschrijven.aspx DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 173 Month-on-month however, volumes and rates actually rose slightly from 157,800 FEUs and US$2,322 respectively in April. This itself is a slight 1.5 per cent increase over the 155,400 FEUs NOL carried in the March reporting period, as the sharp plunge from around the fourth quarter of last year started to flatten out. Source : Business Time Hanjin terminal could be two years late The Hanjin Shipping Co. Ltd.’s $208 million terminal at Dames Point could open two years later than originally planned. Jacksonville Port Authority Executive Director Rick Ferrin said the terminal could open as soon as late 2012 or as late as June 2013. The terminal construction timetable has been pushed back due to a lengthier permitting process and the company’s requirement that the terminal’s design was bid separately from the construction work, which takes longer than the design-build approach. The process is also slowed down by the authority having to front the costs of the construction because Hanjin doesn’t want to put the expenses on its books, Ferrin said. The South Korean company will pay the authority back for the design, permitting and construction costs through the rental and cargo throughput rates. The authority plans to spend about $5 million of its $69 million capital budget for fiscal 2009 on the design and permitting process. Hanjin is expected to match the amount. Source: bizjournals.com SVITZER OCEAN TOWAGE Jupiterstraat 33 Telephone : + 31 2555 627 11 2132 HC Hoofddorp Telefax : + 31 2355 718 96 The Netherlands E-mail: oceantowage.sales@svitzer.com www : www.svitzer-coess.com The 2003 built Hong Kong registered bulk carrier Pos Auckland loading logs at Port Chalmers, New Zealand for Asia. The vessel has a gross tonnage of 17679 Photo : Ross Walker (c) Distribution : daily 8300+ copies worldwide Page 23 www.maasmondmaritime.com/Inschrijven.aspx DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 173 Petrobras to Reel in More Rigs for Offshore Santos Basin Brazilian state-run energy giant Petrobras (PBR) expects to bring up to four more drilling rigs to a prospect in the offshore Santos Basin in the second half of the year. The ultra-deepwater rigs will be used to "attack" areas in the subsalt region in the Santos Basin, Petrobras' Mario Carminatti told the local Estado news agency. The Santos Basin is home to the Tupi field, the Western Hemisphere's largest oil discovery in more than 30 years. The rigs will be used to complete studies of the Tupi, as well as other subsalt drill targets, Petrobras' executive manager for exploration said. "We have other areas of interest in the Santos Basin, all in the subsalt," Carminatti added. Tupi is estimated to hold recoverable reserves of between 5 billion and 8 billion barrels of oil equivalent. It's located in the BM-S-11 block, part of a cluster of exploration blocks loaded with oil prospects hidden more than 7,000 meters under water, shifting salt and rock. Carminatti's comments followed the announcement earlier Friday that Petrobras had reached a deal with Exxon Mobil (XOM) and Norwegian driller Seadrill (SDRL.OS) to take over control of Seadrill's West Polaris rig. The West Polaris was drilling for Exxon in the BM-S-22 block, site of the Azulao and Guarani prospects. Similar deals could be reached with other foreign oil majors with drilling rigs operating offshore Brazil, Carminatti said. The idea is to utilize downtime between contracts to squeeze in some drilling. "This was already done with Repsol (REP), with Anadarko (APC) and now with Exxon," Carminatti said. Source : Rigzone All ferries back in operation at Likoni All five ferries that the Kenya Ferry Services (KFS) operates between Mombasa Island and the mainland were back in service on Saturday. KFS managing director Kashero Deche said that three ferries that had been withdrawn for repairs were back in operation. Normally four ferries — mv Kilindini, mv Harambee, mv Nyayo and mv Pwani — ply the Likoni route between the island and the south coast, carrying a daily average of 3,000 vehicles and 200,000 passengers. Mv Mvita carries only passengers on foot from the island across Mtongwe Channel to the south coast. But the vessel was deployed to Likoni after mv Kilindini was withdrawn for repairs last weekend during rush hour. Mr Deche, who was forced to take charge at the Likoni crossing point last weekend, said there had been congestion problems after mv Harambee and Pwani were also withdrawn because of problems, and all the the foot traffic that usually crosses at Mtongwe had moved to Likoni. Source : nation.co.ke …. PHOTO OF THE DAY ….. Distribution : daily 8300+ copies worldwide Page 24 www.maasmondmaritime.com/Inschrijven.aspx DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 173 The TSHD SHOREWAY and HOEGH CHIBA seen in Rotterdam Photo : Wouter van der Veen © Naval Books From Maritime Books Lodge Hill, Liskeard PL14 4EL Tel 01579 343663 ANOTHER NEW PILE OF NAVAL BOOKS JUST IN........ YESTERDAY’S NAVY – A selection of RN Ships histories of World war II Hardback Well Illustrated 218 pages (Warlow) £22 BISMARCK _The final days of Germany’s greatest battleship (Zetterling and Tamelander) Hardback Illustrated 320 pages £21.99 MOUNTBATTEN OF BURMA Captain of War – Guardian of peace (McGeoch) Hardback Illustrated 274 pages £21.99 I SANK THE BISMARCK ( Moffat) Memoirs of a second World War Navy pilot Hardback Illustrated 294 pages £18.99 THE WOLF – How one German raider terrorised the southern seas during the First World war. Hardback Illustrated 366 pages £19.99 THE WAR OF THE GUNBOATS (Coper) Hardback Illustrated 224 pages £21.99 THE MILK COWS – THE U BOAT TANKERS 1941 –5 (White) Hardback Illustrated 260 pages £21.99 Distribution : daily 8300+ copies worldwide Page 25 www.maasmondmaritime.com/Inschrijven.aspx DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 173 THE FLAT PACK BOMBERS – The Royal navy and Zeppelin menace (Gardiner) Hardback Illustrated 164 pages £21.99 The compiler of the news clippings disclaim all liability for any loss, damage or expense however caused, arising from the sending, receipt, or use of this e-mail communication and on any reliance placed upon the information provided through this free service and does not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the information. If you don’t like to receive this bulletin anymore kindly send an e-mail with the word “unsubscribe” in the subject line to newsclippings@gmail.com after receipt of this e-mail I will remove you from the distribution list soon as possible Distribution : daily 8300+ copies worldwide Page 26 www.maasmondmaritime.com/Inschrijven.aspx