VLIERODAM WIRE ROPES Ltd.

Transcription

DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 002
Number 002 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Wednesday 02-02-2008
News reports received from readers and Internet News articles taken from various news sites.
VLIERODAM WIRE ROPES Ltd.
wire ropes, chains, hooks, shackles, webbing slings,
lifting beams, crane blocks, turnbuckles etc.
Nijverheidsweg 21 3161 GJ RHOON The Netherlands
Telephone:
(+31)105018000
(+31) 105015440 (a.o.h.)
Fax :
(+31)105013843
Internet & E-mail
www.vlierodam.nl
info@vlierodam.nl
The QUEEN VICTORIA seen moored in the port of Lisbon
Photo : Albert Kappers ©
Distribution : daily 3650+ copies worldwide
Page 1
1/1/2008
DO YOU HAVE PICTURES OR OTHER SHIPPING RELATED INFORMATION FOR THE
NEWS CLIPPINGS ?? PLEASE SEND THIS TO :
newsclippings@gmail.com
Seaway Heavy Lifting
Offshore installation
•
•
•
Platform installations and removals
Globally available
5000 mt crane capacity
Seaway Heavy Lifting
c/o Chroomstraat 30, 2718 RR Zoetermeer
The Netherlands
Tel + 31 (0) 79 363 77 00
www.shl.nl
EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS
The SEAWAYS 10 seen off the Angolan coast
Photo : Jan Plug ©
90th anniversary of famous sea rescue
RUSSELL CLAYDON
IT was the largest single rescue undertaken in the waters off the East Anglian coast, with 92 people plucked to safety
from a stricken ship in treacherous conditions.
Page 2
1/1/2008
Passengers and crew tied themselves to the engine room of their ship after it ran aground at Walton in high winds and
eventually broke in half.
But they were all lifted to safety - 90 years ago - by brave rescuers in what has since become the world's oldest
motorised lifeboat. Now, on the 90th anniversary of its finest moment, the James Stevens No.14 lifeboat, used
from 1900 until 1928, is said to be “very close” to being restored to a seaworthy condition.
On December 29, 1917, the SS Peregrine of London,
run aground on the Long Sand Head, off the Essex coast
at Walton, in a force nine gale. The coastguard informed
the Walton Lifeboat Station at 9.30pm of the emergency
on the ship, which was carrying 59 passengers, including
children and 33 crew, mainly Belgian refugees from the
fighting in Flanders.
An epic rescue mission, lasting almost 14 hours, then
took place against a backdrop of easterly gales, heavy
lashing seas, rain and sleet. The Peregine's Captain Bill
Branthwaite had driven the ship across the sunken bows
of the Swedish steamer Iris - which had been wrecked the day before, and whose crew had been rescued by the
Clacton lifeboat - after sending out an SOS through wireless telegraphy.
Knowing that his ship might rupture at any time, the captain persuaded the passengers to move to the boat deck,
where they were tied to the engine room skylight and funnel and covered in blankets and tarpaulins.
With the ship's ribs breaking and time running out, the James Stevens No.14 reached them at 4am following an
arduous search and used the help of a nearby Government patrol vessel, Clacton Belle, to begin the difficult transfer
of passengers to safety.
Shortly after the lifeboat left, the Peregrine broke in two. The crew then took shelter on the fore part of the wreck
under the bridge until the lifeboat was able to return at dawn. On his return Coxswain William Hammond found
considerably more dangerous conditions, with the Peregrine locked into the wreck of the Iris.
It took six teams pulling the lifeboat alongside the bow of the Iris, competing with the heavy seas, to carry out the
rescue of the remaining panic-stricken crew, who were all amazingly saved free of injury.
The severely damaged lifeboat reached Walton quay at 12.15pm, where a large crowd had gathered to greet the
survivors after the miraculous rescue. Praise for the rescue crew followed, culminating on January 12, 1918, when a
letter was received from RNLI HQ confirming an award of the Silver Medal of the institution to the Coxswain Hammond
and Bronze to the Second Coxswain, Mr J C Byford.
John Steer, who wrote a history book on the Walton lifeboats, said: “They were lucky to survive. “A few months later
a smaller ship went ashore and was seen by everyone but by the time they got there everyone was lost.”
Mr Steer is among volunteers at the Frinton and Walton Heritage Trust who are continuing their work to restore the
James Stevens No. 14 to be used as an exhibit and for cruises.
The lifeboat was fitted with a petrol engine in 1906, becoming one of the first motor lifeboats in the RNLI. During its
service it was launched 126 times and 227 lives were saved. Source : East Anglian Daily Times
See also : www.james-stevens-no14.org.uk/home.html
T&T Bisso salvages tug offshore Texas
Page 3
1/1/2008
T&T Marine Salvage's 600-ton (544-tonne) capacity derrick barge Big T and Bisso Marine's
700-ton (635-tonne) capacity derrick barge Cappy Bisso made a tandem lift of a 105-foot (32m) sunken tugboat off Port Arthur, Texas.
T&T Bisso, an alliance between T&T Marine Salvage of Galveston, Texas, and Bisso Marine of
Houston, initially responded to the sunken vessel with the George T, a salvage support barge
used for the diving survey and rigging operations. Once the diving survey and rigging
operations were complete, the Big T was connected to the bow rigging and the Cappy Bisso,
which mobilized from New Orleans, was connected to the stern rigging. The two derrick barges
then lifted the tug, which was successfully salvaged, refloated and delivered to its owner.
The T&T Bisso alliance offers a strategic partnership to provide emergency, salvage, hazardous materials response, oil
spill response, marine firefighting, diving response and OPA 90 coverage. Source : Energy Current
HAL’s AMSTERDAM seen in Bonaire.
Photo : Alex van Roon ©
Cruise ship hits Antarctic iceberg
A NORWEGIAN cruise ship with more than 300 people on board struck an iceberg as it drifted in the waters of
Antarctica after an engine failure.
The MS Fram carrying 256 passengers and 70 crew members suffered a breakdown in its propulsion system on
Friday, said marine police in the port of Ushuaia on the southern tip of Argentina.
"None of the passengers or crew were injured, there was no reported damage to the hull or spills, and there is no
danger of sinking,'' a spokesman said.
Page 4
1/1/2008
The ship "was carried into a wall of ice'' after it suffered a two-hour blackout in the area known as Browns Buff, north
of the Antarctic Peninsula.
The incident was earlier confirmed by the ship's owner Hurtigruten which said it had suffered "no major damage".
The Fram headed for Chile's Eduardo Frei Antarctic base under its own steam for inspection and is to return to
Ushuaia, some 3580km south of Buenos Aires, arriving on Wednesday.
The Fram had set out on a Christmas Antarctic voyage and is among a record 30 cruise ships expected in the area
during the southern summer. The incident comes after a Liberian-registered cruise liner hit an iceberg in the freezing
waters off Antarctica in November.
The Explorer sank after all its 154 passengers, crew members and other employees had been evacuated into
lifeboats.
Source : The Australian
The LILIAN NGOYI seen entering the port of Cape Town
Photo : Glenn Kasner ©
The Lilian Ngoyi, was the first of three inshore environmental protection vessels, and was launched in November
2004.
In May 2002, the Department of Environmental
Affairs and Tourism placed orders for the
construction of one 83 m offshore and three 47 m
inshore fisheries and environmental protection
vessels. A South African company, Farocean
Marine (Pty) Ltd of Cape Town was building the
three inshore vessels, which were designed by
Damen Shipyards of Gorinchem, in the
Netherlands.
Photo : Piet Sinke ©
Lilian Ngoyi and her two sister ships carry 13
crew and two fishery inspectors. They are 47 m in
length, have a beam of 8 m and a range of 3 500
nautical miles at a speed of 15 knots. They are
capable of remaining at sea for 14 days. In
addition to the fishery protection duties, the
Page 5
1/1/2008
vessels are also equipped to conduct oil spill countermeasure operations. The vessel is further equipped for Search and
Rescue work, fire fighting and limited towing duties. All three ships are certified for operations up to 200 nautical miles
from the shore. Although based in Cape Town, all three vessels are deployed around the South Africa coastline and will
do tours of duty at various ports for several months at a time.
They are monitoring a wide variety of resources, including rock lobster, abalone, line fish, squid, etc. and also carry
out inspections of the demersal and pelagic fleets. In addition, they are capable of operating throughout the SADC
region and will play a significant role in regional compliance initiatives.
The ship is powered by two MTU 16V 4000 engines
of 2720 kW each, driving two Wartsila Lips variable
pitch propellers. On sea trials a speed of 25 knots
was attained.
To increase manoeuvrability, there is a 75 kW
transverse bow thruster. Electrical power is via two
180 kW generator sets. The Engine room is
unmanned and the engineers on duty stand their
watch in the wheelhouse, assisted by a locally
developed machinery control and alarm system.
Bridge equipment includes two Arpa radars, an ECDIS chart system,
differential GPS, a full GMDSS communication system and the
standard array of navigation aids.
The after part of the Wheelhouse is used by the fishery inspectors as
an Operations Room. The core of the surveillance system is a Vistar
350 infra-red and low-light camera, (photo left) used in conjunction
with a slave radar display in the Operations Room. Other surveillance
systems are still under development. The 7.5 m inspection boat,
which was locally constructed to double as the SOLAS Rescue boat,
has an inboard diesel driving a water jet. Launching is via a
Vestdavit over the starboard quarter.
The second vessel, is named Ruth First, and was delivered in March 2005 and the Victoria Mxenge followed in June
2005.
Contaminated fuel disables containership
The U.S. Coast Guard has been continuing to monitor a drifting container ship that lost power Wednesday about 90
miles southeast of Nantucket, R.I.
The Agaman, a 331-foot general cargo container ship, owned by the Komrowski Shipping Company based in
Hamburg, Germany, was on a voyage from Cuba to Canada when contaminated fuel seized its engines and
generators, rendering the ship powerless and adrift in 15-foot seas. There have been no reports of injuries.
Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, Mass., HU-25 Falcon jet crews made two trips to the Agaman, and two AMVER
participating merchant vessels have remained alongside the Agaman since Wednesday. Both ships remained alongside
Agaman as a communications conduit to the Coast Guard and as an immediate rescue platform should the Agaman
Page 6
1/1/2008
crew need to be extracted from their ship. The first ship to come to Agaman's rescue was the 524-foot bulk carrier
Dual Confidence that arrived almost immediately Wednesday. It was relieved Thursday by the 598-foot Greekflagged tanker Aegeas.
With help from the Aegeas chief engineer, the Agaman chief engineer was able to make repairs to provide limited
power to operate the radios, but was unable to restore heat for the crew. "The crew of the Agaman will not have
enough food to last the voyage and is keeping warm by wearing extra clothes and tending a fire on the poop deck,
where they are cooking food," said Karavidas Georgios, the master of the Aegeas.
The Aegeas remained on scene with the Agaman until the Moselle, a 595-foot Danish tanker, relieved them at 5:00
p.m. The sea state has subsided to less than 10-foot swells, but is expected to pick up gain Saturday.
DonJon’s ATLANTIC SALVOR seen moored in Venice (Louisiana) after hurricane Katerina
Komrowski Shipping has contracted for the Atlantic Salvor, a 151-foot ocean-going tug from Hillside, N.J., based
DonJon Marine Company, to take supplies to the Agaman crew and tow the disabled ship more than 170 miles to
the Port of New York for repairs. The Atlantic Salvor arrived alongside Agaman at about 6 p.m. and took the vessel
in tow.
"The assistance rendered by these Amver vessels has helped us immensely," said Lt. Michael Nalli, the Coast Guard's
command duty officer in Boston. "Because the Agaman is presently in no danger of sinking, the Amver vessels'
assistance allows us to keep our cutters focused on protecting the homeland, enforcing our nation's fisheries
regulations, and rescuing those in peril."
The merchant vessels Dual Confidence, Aegeas and Moselle are Amver participating ships. Amver is sponsored by the
U. S. Coast Guard, and is a unique, computer-based, and voluntary global ship reporting system used worldwide by
search and rescue authorities to arrange for assistance to persons in distress at sea. Rescue authorities can
immediately identify the nearest participating merchant ship to assist anyone reporting a distress, anywhere on our
world's oceans.
"These Good Samaritan ships are exceptional examples of the over 3,200 Amver vessels available to assist mariners in
distress every day," said Benjamin M. Strong, Amver Maritime Relations officer. "In fact, the Aegeas enrolled in Amver
just this past May and has already earned a participation award for rendering assistance," he added.
Page 7
1/1/2008
Mystery container found on beach
Experts are trying to identify a huge metal container that has been washed up on a beach in the Western Isles.
The tank, which is 27m high,
has no markings and is thought
to have fallen from a ship before
being washed up on the west of
Benbecula.
It was discovered by a dog
walker on Poll Na Crann beach known locally as Stinky Bay near Griminish.
Stornoway Coastguard is using
two numbers on the container to
try to find out where the item
has come from.
The beach is known as Stinky
Bay because of the fermenting
seaweed found there.
Alasdair MacEachen, assistant
director of environmental
services at Comhairle nan Eilean Siar told BBC Scotland: "It's certainly generated a fair bit of interest with people
walking on the beach or just travelling along the road, because you can actually see it from the main road along the
west side of Benbecula. "It's a big object so you can't miss it, and it's not often you see something like that on the
beach.
"It would be standing almost 30m tall and really looks pretty much like a silo. I think it's a bulk storage tank of some
sort, possibly for storing some liquids." Mr MacEachen said they may decide to anchor the container to the beach to
stop it from floating out to sea and becoming hazardous to ships, but in the meantime he advised onlookers to keep a
safe distance.
"Although it looks as if it's empty and it's been ruptured, my advice would be not to go too close to it," he said. "It's a
fairly light construction so you don't want it rolling on top of someone, and with that sort of thing you can never tell.
"My advice would be to just observe it from a distance." Source : BBC
Boxship officer missing
A US Coast Guard plane is searching for an officer missing from a containership, the agency said. The 23-year-old third
mate of Evergreen’s 4,200-teu Ever Refine (built 1995) went missing early this morning about 130 kilometres off the
coast of Virginia.
A C-130 airplane from Elizabeth City, North Carolina, is looking for the Chinese crewmember.
The ship’s crew conducted two thorough searches of the ship before contacting the Coast Guard, the agency said.
Source : Tradewinds
Page 8
1/1/2008
The QUEEN MARY 2 seen departing from Willemstad (Curacao)
Photo : Kees Bustraan ©
Saudis sued for $85m
A US longshoreman who is quadriplegic after an accident aboard a Saudi conro is suing the ship’s owner for $85m plus
interest.
Johnnie Clark was paralysed in the January incident aboard the 4,070-lane-metre Saudi Abha (built 1983) at the port
in Newport News, Virginia. The lawsuit names owner National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (NSCSA), Dubaibased manager Mideast Ship Management and terminal operator Virginia International Terminals.
At the time of the accident, Clark was operating a hustler to pull a trailer loaded with lumber onto the Saudi Abha,
according to the civil complaint filed in a state court in Portsmouth, Virginia.
The SAUDI ABHA - Photo : Simon Brown ©
The Saudi Abha’s he began to descend a steep ramp, he was unable to stop his vehicle and crashed into a bulkhead
wall,” the lawsuit says.
He received numerous injuries, including the paralysing spinal cord damage, which may be permanent. The complaint
claims that the injury occurred because the ship’s owner and manager were negligent.
Page 9
1/1/2008
But in a response to the complaint, attorneys for NSCSA and Mideast Ship Management denied all claims of
negligence. They also denied having control of the ramp and of its incline.
“NSCSA and MSM deny that they are indebted to plaintiff for any sum,” the document says. The attorneys also have
denied that Mideast Ship Management controlled the Saudi Abha.
The case has been transferred to the US federal court in Norfolk, Virginia, after attorneys claimed the terminal
operator was added as a defendant only to keep the case out of the federal courts.
Sunken tugboat to stay in water
Vessel sank off N.C. coast Jan. 18, killing 3 crew members
A tugboat that sank off the N.C. coast a year ago, killing three crew members, may become another attraction for
divers and fishermen in the Graveyard of the Atlantic.
The owner of the tugboat Valour scrapped plans earlier this year to salvage the 135-foot vessel from the sea floor
about 35 miles southeast of the Cape Fear River. Now the company, Overseas Shipholding Group, is planning to leave
the boat in the water and is working with the Coast Guard to remove pollution and navigation hazards.
The Valour has been under water since Jan. 18, when it was pulling a barge with 5.5 million gallons of fuel and
foundered in 15-foot seas and 40-knot winds. The barge broke loose, threatening to run aground on the shoals. That
could have created a major environmental disaster if the heavy fuel oil had spilled into the ocean.
One of the tug's crew members died of a heart attack and two others were lost at sea.
The incident is still under investigation. The Coast Guard has not determined what caused the Valour to sink.
To date, contractors have removed 18,000 gallons of petroleum and have marked the shipwreck with lighted buoys,
Ensign James Litzinger, a Coast Guard spokesman in Charleston, said. The next step is to dig a trench in the sea
bottom and push the tugboat into it to lower the profile.
"Once the proposed operation is complete," Litzinger said, "the Valour will be free of any significant quantity of fuel."
The tug sits upright in 100 feet of water near an area of underwater sandbars called Frying Pan Shoals. Litzinger said
the shipwreck has already attracted fish and some interest from private divers. "That's going to be a great dive site,"
he said.
But he said the vessel has not been officially abandoned, and the Coast Guard currently advises against diving on the
site. The project is currently on hold because of weather and rough sea conditions, Litzinger said. Work is scheduled to
resume this spring and summer. Source : Charlotte.com
Putin pushes the new Cold War
Charles Miranda in London
IN FRONT of television sets right across Russia, people stared at grainy moving images of an ocean floor and a minisubmarine strobed occasionally with blue lights.
A voiceover on the Russian state television network Rossiya news program told viewers that the submarine, which was
more than 4km below the ice, was about to plant a flag claiming the Arctic ocean floor for Russia. As a mechanical arm
from the submarine apparently planted the banner flag, the television commentator declared that the estimated 10
billion tonnes of hydrocarbons beneath the ice could now be mined and the riches passed to the Russian people. After
a humiliating decade of debt default, the Kremlin was about to reward its people.
Page 10
1/1/2008
Flag-waving Russians took to the streets and cheered as days later, in early August, the expedition crews returned.
But on the other side of the continent, a 13-year-old Finnish boy made a startling discovery. The photograph of the
event on the front page of his daily newspaper looked remarkably similar to the opening scene from a DVD he had just
watched: the 1997 blockbuster Titanic in which a mini-sub searches the ocean floor for the hidden wreck of the great
ship.
Sure enough, Russian film producers had stolen scenes from Titanic to pass off as the Russian expedition to the North
Pole; the truth caused howls of laughter in the West but was never reported in the East. Like any good war, it all
begins with propaganda. Win the hearts and minds of the people first, then any irrational action you take afterwards
will only ever be greeted with air-punching support.
But what normally follows is a deadly game of brinkmanship and for the past six months, that is what Russian
President Vladimir Putin has been playing. It is brinksmanship that, by his own words, has now pushed the world to
something like a Cuban-style missile crisis stand-off that threatens to blow out of all proportion.
While the Titanic footage was laughable, what is not so funny is the mobilisation of Russia's troops and nuclear
weapons along its border; aggressive posturing by the Americans; breakdown of diplomatic ties with Britain and the
European Union; and the suspension of a key post-Cold War arms treaty that for decades has kept East and West
apart.
Relations between Britain and Russia started to break down last November when former KGB agent-turned-Britishdefector Alexander Litvinenko was fatally poisoned in London with a toxic radioactive gas.
Scotland Yard believe he was killed by another ex-KGB man, Andrei Lugovoi, but Moscow has refused to hand over
Lugovoi for questioning. Instead, Putin claimed on television that 30 people wanted by Russia for serious offences
were hiding in London.
Russian companies then set about demonising oil, gas and other foreign companies operating locally, for dumping
toxic waste, for deforestation and other environmental "acts of terrorism". Foreign companies were urged to make
financial or other concessions to the state.
From last May, Russia stepped up its campaign of intimidation. The RAF was forced to scramble fighter jets for the first
time in years to intercept Russian nuclear bombers flying near British airspace above the Scottish North Sea.
The same happened in July and August; then in September a squadron of eight fighter jets and an airborne earlywarning aircraft had to be scrambled to intercept eight Tupolev-95 Bear bombers.
Norway also scrambled its fighters as the bombers cruised along its air border. Submarines were then detected off the
British coast. It was a co-ordinated exercise with similar bomber mobilisation about the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic
zones.
Russia's new-found confidence stems from its booming economy. When Putin – who has been named Time magazine's
Person of the Year – succeeded Boris Yeltsin in December 1999, the country was near collapse, with millions of people
unemployed, state-employed bureaucrats, soldiers and scientists unpaid, and the pension scheme bankrupt.
The nation split; former Russian states including Estonia, Lithuania and Hungary sided with the West. But the nation
thrived as gas and oil exports drove economic growth at almost 8 per cent a year. Defence spending is now up by a
quarter to $A35 billion a year. A new fleet of warships will be built, and supersonic bombers, fighters and missiles will
be bought.
By 2009, Russia will have one of the most advanced jet fighters in the world. On November 21, probably the most
serious aggressive posturing was played out when Putin accused NATO of threatening Russian security and ordered his
military to place the country's strategic nuclear arsenal on a higher state of alert.
Page 11
1/1/2008
He accused the NATO alliance of increasing military resources next to his borders. About the same time, the US
announced plans to set up a missile shield operation including 10 interceptor missile launchers and a radar in Poland
and/or the Czech Republic.
The Cold War has begun to ice again. Source : Queensland Newspapers.
HIGH
CASUALTY REPORTING
DEEP
HEAVY
EURO DEMOLITION BV
Lijndenweg 5, NL 1948 ND BEVERWIJK
www.eurodemolition.com
Eight missing off Brunei
Search still on for missing crew of Thai log-carrier which capsized in rough conditions last week. Eight crew members
remain missing after their Thai vessel capsized in rough seas off the Brunei coast last week.
Six crew from the 961-gt general cargo ship Emerald (built 1968) have so far been recovered alive, four apparently as
long as four days after the ship sank.
NAVY NEWS
The former Belgian A 961 ZINNIA seen getting scrapped at the Van Heyghen Recycling facilities in Gent (Belgium)
Photo : Jasper van Raemsdonck ©
Taiwanese navy celebrates 20th
anniversary for submarines
GROWING THE FLEET: The two Dutch-made vessels were the focus of naval celebrations as a budget for more subs
has been stalled by KMT legislators
Page 12
1/1/2008
By Jimmy Chuang
New ships don't come easily for the nation's Navy. While commanding officers were celebrating the 20 years of service
for the nation's two Dutch-made Zwaardvis-class diesel-electric submarines earlier this month, they must have been
hoping for speedy legislative approval of a budget proposal for eight new US diesel-electric submarines.
The budget remains blocked in the legislature by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). KMT Legislator Su Chi has said
that the KMT legislative caucus would continue to debate the submarine purchase next year, while fellow Legislator
Kuo Su-chun said the KMT would always support reasonable arms procurement, but continue to block unreasonable
purchases.
While attending the celebrations on Dec. 18 marking the 20th anniversary of the SS-793 Sea Dragon and SS-794
Sea Tiger at Mercury Port at the nation's largest naval base in Tsoying, Kaohsiung, President Chen Shui-bian
expressed appreciation for the US government's promise of the eight new vessels, and expressed the hope that the
budget proposal would be approved by the legislature as soon as possible so the deal can be carried out.
Mercury Port houses the Navy's full complement of four submarines, which include two US-made Guppy-class (World
War II era) vessels -- the SS-791 Sea Lion and SS-792 Sea Leopard -- as well as the two Dutch-made vessels.
The Navy's submarine fleet
commander Rear Admiral Huang
Shu-kuang said it was extremely
difficult for the Navy to purchase
proper submarines for defense
purposes. As a result, the Navy
has to do all it can to maintain
the fleet while the Military of
National Defense continues its
efforts to buy more ships.
Left : The crew of the SS-793
Sea Dragon submarine stand at
attention on the submarine's 20th
anniversary on Dec.18. 2007
PHOTO: CHANG CHUNG-YI ©
"I would venture that we still
have quality submariners despite
the age of our vessels. I am also
confident that our remaining
submarines are all in very good shape and capable of accomplishing all our necessary missions," Huang said.
Just last month, the Sea Tiger and its crew completed a challenging long-term mission. But because of the sensitive
nature of the exercise, the Navy could not provide any details.
Naval Commander-in-Chief Admiral Wang Li-shen and family members of the Sea Tiger's crew gathered at Mercury
Port to welcome the sailors upon their return. Naval tradition has it that when a big welcome like this is arranged it
means that the vessel has been out at sea for more than a month.
Retired Rear Admiral Ding Chien-ching, a former commander of the Navy's submarine fleet and the first captain of the
Sea Tiger, said that to serve on a submarine is a tough job.
The first group of sailors that was assigned to the two Dutch-made submarines had it even tougher as they
participated in the entire building process of the two vessels. "I am quite proud to say that we know every single nut
and bolt on those vessels," Ding said.
Page 13
1/1/2008
The retired captain said he and his fellow sailors arrived in Holland in 1983, when construction was just beginning on
the two submarines. Every one of them participated in the process and they also did the final tests on their own when
the two vessels were completed.
"Our only hope was to finish the job as soon as possible so the two submarines could begin service as soon as
possible," Ding said.
In the Navy, submariners are regarded as hard-working and low-profile navy boys, he said. "That is because most of
the time on board a submarine, we have to get a lot of things done instead of wasting our time complaining," Ding
said. "That is what we were trained for and also the spirit of submarine personnel -- just shut up and do it."
Ding's remarks were echoed by Captain Chan Ying-chi, current captain of the Sea Dragon. "People ask me what it
takes to become a submarine captain. I tell them the spirit of `follow me' is the key in leading the crew," Chan said.
As a leader, Chang said he always tries to encourage his fellow seamen by doing it first and doing it himself.
"Gradually, you become a role model and the rest of the sailors will follow you," Chan said. "Do not complain. Just do
it." The Zwaardvis Class (Swordfish) is a conventional attack submarine that replaced the Dolfijn Class in the Royal
Netherlands Navy. It is based on the US Barbel Class with a teardrop hull design. Taiwan ordered two modified
Zwaardvis Class submarines in September of 1981.
A repeat order for four additional vessels was turned down by the Netherlands in 1992 following pressure from China.
The Zwaardvis, which is 66.9m long, weighs 2,376 tonnes on the surface and 2,660 tonnes when submerged. It has
six torpedo tubes. Top speed is about 20 knots (37kph). It carries 67 sailors, including eight officers and can dive to
240m. Source : Taipei Times
SHIPYARD NEWS
SVITZER OCEAN TOWAGE
Jupiterstraat 33
Telephone
: + 31 2555 627 11
2132 HC Hoofddorp
Telefax
: + 31 2355 718 96
The Netherlands
E-mail: smitwijs.sales@svitzerwijsmuller.com
Increase in ship reconstruction building
at Colombo Port
Reconstruction and building of large scale ships and other maritime vessels inside the Colombo Port have recorded a
tremendous increase during the first 11 months of this year.
Colombo Dockyard Limited (CDL) at the Colombo Port repaired 125 various vessels during the first 11 months of 2006.
This has increased up to 157 during the first 11 months of 2007 marking a percentage of 25.6 per cent.
Page 14
1/1/2008
Colombo Dockyard Limited (CDL) at the Colombo Port
repaired 157 vessels during the first 11 months of 2007.
CDL has repaired these 157 vessels as 39 general cargo vessels, 37
tankers, 31 fishing trawlers, five dredgers, 20 tug boats, six
passenger vessels, 14 container vessels and four cement carriers.
All these repaired ships and vessels belong to the public and private
sectors of India, Pakistan, Maldives, Bangladesh, Singapore,
Greece, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Netherlands and
Thailand.
Besides these repair activities, CDL has also newly built and handed
over two pilot launches, two fisheries patro vessels and one tug
boat making a total of five new buildings.
Meanwhile, besides general vessel operations, the Port of Colombo has marked a growth of 48.4 per cent in receiving
vessels for repairs and construction, water and food as well as to obtain bunkering facilities. During the first 11 months
of last year, 62 vessels arrived at the Colombo Port and in 2007 it increased to 92.
“The efficient and successful implementations of repair and construction activities of maritime vessels according to
international standards inside the Colombo Port has effected towards the growth of the arrival of vessels into the Port
of Colombo,” a spokesman said.
It is expected to implement the ship repair and constructions at a wider scale once the Hambantota Port Project is
completed. Source : Sri Lanka Daily News
ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES
RCL offloads oldie
Regional Container Lines (RCL) has sold its 560-teu feedership Hari Bhum (built 1981) to Indonesian interests for
$4m. The Thai intra-Asian operator said it expects to book an accounting gain of about $3.4m from the sale to PT
Tanto Intim Line.
Delivery of the ship is due to take place in January and will cut RCL’s fleet to 32 ships with an average age of 10 years.
The Bangkok-listed shipowner said the proceeds from the sale would go towards the acquisition of replacement
tonnage. Earlier this month RCL ordered a pair of 950-teu containerships at South Korea’s Dae Sun Shipping &
Engineering for $24.4m a piece. Source : Tradewinds
Page 15
1/1/2008
SMIT acquires remaining 50% in URS
Smit Internationale N.V. agreed with Fairplay Towage to acquire Fairplay Towage’s 50% interest in URS. Through this
acquisition SMIT will become 100% shareholder of URS, the leading towage provider in Belgium. The total
consideration for this transaction amounts to EUR 182.5 million. The transaction will be paid partly in shares and partly
in cash. The calculation is based on SMIT’s share price at closing of Euronext Amsterdam of 28 December 2007 of EUR
68.34. SMIT will increase its outstanding shares by issuing new shares to an amount of 9.99% of its outstanding
shares, as per today which represents an amount of EUR 108 million. The cash consideration amounts to EUR 74.5
million. Closing of the transaction is expected in the first quarter of 2008 and is subject to regulatory competition
authority filings and works council advice.
CEO Ben Vree of SMIT says that URS in Antwerp is of strategic interest in SMIT’s network of harbour towage activities
while the Antwerp harbour is expected to grow continuously. With this acquisition SMIT will be able to realize a
number of synergies between its Rotterdam and Antwerp activities.
NOTE
For the TUGSPOTTERS in the Rijnmond area the next :
Friday January 4th the tugs UNION RUBY and UNION EMERALD will depart from Antwerp and one of them will tow
most probably ( weather pending ) the tug FIGHTER from Terneuzen, bound for Rotterdam, the same time the tugs
UNION CORAL and UNION PEARL will depart from Zeebrugge, and all tugs will meet in Rotterdam, where the 4
tugs will be moored near the BANCKERT, most probably at the Parkkade in Rotterdam City centre where the tugs will
be “on spec” for some time, most probably a good opportunity for the tug spotters to take some good pictures of
some of the latest additions of the URS over the last few years, all together on 1 photo ??
Page 16
1/1/2008
The "ship of the year 2007” awarded Deo Volente seen moored in Harlingen.
Photo : Sipke Hogendorp ©
$50M set for Oakland harbor deepening
President Bush signed an omnibus appropriations bill this week that included approximately $41.3 million for the Port
of Oakland's harbor deepening Project. The bill also provides a little over $8.2 million for annual dredging operations
and maintenance.
The total funding, nearly $50 million, goes to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers which is the federal agency responsible
for the project. "With the Port of Oakland's already completed maritime infrastructure improvements combined with
the Oakland Harbor Deepening Project and plans for new rail access at the port, we will be able to grow our cargo
business," Port of Oakland Maritime Director James Kwon said in a written statement.
Oakland is one of the primary ports providing cargo service to Hawaii and the harbor deepening project is seen as
critical for handling more cargo from overseas. The Oakland seaport is the fourth-busiest container port in the United
States. Source : San Francisco Business Times
The CS SOVEREIGN seen moored in Portland
Page 17
1/1/2008
Thoresen orders at PT Pal
Thoresen Thai Agencies has ordered four handymax bulkers at Indonesian shipbuilder PT Pal in a deal worth $157.6m.
The Thai shipowner said it expects to take delivery of the vessels in July and October 2009 and April and July 2010.
For the two ships delivering in 2009 Thoresen is paying 10% of the cost on contract signing and the remaining 90%
on delivery. For the second pair 90% of the costs will be paid over four installments during the construction period
with the final 10% on delivery.
Thoresen says it stands to make a paper profit of $35m on the ships when they are delivered based on valuations by
Simpson Spence & Young. According to estimates from the London broker the ships delivering in 2009 will be worth
$50m each and those in 2010 $47.5m. Including these latest bulkers Thoresen now has nine newbuildings on order for
delivery between 2009 and 2011.
These include three handymax bulkers on order at Vietnam’s Vinashin and two 53,350-dwt bulkers at Japan’s Oshima
Shipbuilding. Source : Tradewinds
MOVEMENTS
Tel: +31 115 645000 - www.multraship.com
The PROGRESS ACE seen departing from Rotterdam-Europoort
Photo : Arie Verheij ©
Page 18
1/1/2008
The CMA CGM FORTUNA seen enroute Rotterdam during her maiden voyage
Photo : Henk van der Heijden ©
MARINE WEATHER
THIS SECTION IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY :
Internet: www.spos.eu Tel : +31 317 399800 E-mail : sposinfo@meteo.nl
Today’s wind (+6Bft) and wave (+3m) chart. Created with SPOS, the onboard weather information &
voyage optimisation system, used on over 1000 vessels today.
…. PHOTO OF THE DAY …..
Page 19
1/1/2008
The LNG BENUE seen moored in Cape Town
Photo : Aad Noorland ©
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 want to no
longer receive this bulletin kindly reply with the word “unsubscribe” in the subject line.
Page 20
1/1/2008

VLIERODAM WIRE ROPES Ltd.

Transcription

Similar documents

Proceeds go to support NJROTC scholarships and the Port

To a brochure about our facility, resources

Find info: Online 88 Pokies

Maritime Press Clippings

u.s.s. PIEDMONT AD-17 At that time, if I amnot mistaken, the ship

File

- GTMaritime

Seaway Heavy Lifting - Welkom bij Maasmond Maritime

Number 301 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS

No.15 | May 2012

Part 3a

May 2010 - Digital Ship