Please Note
Where is the Weekend ?
These long days after the holidays …… really get to me !!
Regards
Snooper
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THE ZAC SUTHERLAND UPDATE
Zac's Blog
My name is Zac Sunderland and I am 17 years old. I departed 14th June 2008 from Marina del Rey, California in an attempt to become the youngest person to circumnavigate the world alone by yacht.
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Further tales from our long haired solo sailor !
Photo : Jen Edney,
Caption : Well, that be ME !!!
No Update.
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Visit www.zacsutherland.com
YouTube Videos http://www.youtube.com/zacsvideos
Blog http://www.zacsunderland.com/blog/
Email zacsworldadventure@yahoo.com
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Mike Perham aged 16, the youngest person to sail across the atlantic solo now has his eye's on an even more adventurous challenge.
To become the youngest person to sail around the world solo in an open 50 racing yacht.
Showerin’ in the Rain - 08 01 09
Last night was pretty full on with 35knots of wind which would drop to four knots then back up to 35 then four and so on. On top of this, a large group of hefty rain clouds decided to pester me, so what with the ever-changing conditions, my progress hasn't been great. I started the day off with a few buckets over the head on the foredeck and some special sea shampoo. This is fantastic as you dry off in minutes in the sunshine.
I decided to drop the mainsail just after lunch as one of the mast track car fittings which joins the battern/sail to the mast had decided to break. When we designed the mainsail we put rings in the sail by each of these fittings, so if one of these broke it was just a case of using a simple lashing between the ring and the car instead of the normal fitting.
This small job only took five minutes, but getting the main back up proved to be the hardest part. Sailing downwind, the sail just refused to go up without catching in the lazy jacks. Usually anything from three reefs up she is completely fine but getting the sail up from the bottom can be quite an exercise. Eventually, I decided to put up the Genoa, drop the spinnaker, sail closer to the wind and then finally hoist the sail right up. After this I bore away, hoisted the spinnaker and put the Genoa away.
This took a while but it was well worth it. I was down in the cabin grabbing a quick snooze when I woke up, looked up ahead at the clouds and thought they were pretty dark. I came on deck and thought, ‘Yeah that's another of those big fellas’. It was around ten minutes away at a guess, and I immediately set about putting away the gennaker I had up at the time.
This done and one reef in the main I was happy that I’d be fine in the squall. Sometimes in squalls the wind can reach gale force but other times they leave you with no wind whatsoever, just loads of rain.
This turned out to be one of the rainy squalls - just what I was hoping for. I threw on my oilies and boots, went into the pouring rain and within ten seconds was drenched...’Aha, now that's an idea,’ I thought. I ran inside stripped off, grabbed the three buckets that were to hand and some normal shampoo. I jumped up onto the foredeck, being careful not to stub my toes, and crouched under the mainsail, filling the three buckets with the fresh water that was pouring off it.
And I had the best freshwater shower ever! Bucket after bucket over the head, shampoo, and then another three buckets over to wash the shampoo away. Just in time; the squall started to abate and left Totallymoney.com all nice and clean - with a clean Mike onboard too! I stood in the sun and for the second time today savoured the feeling of drying off within minutes.
I added a fresh set of clothes, which was great, grabbed a drink, put the music on and set about having a nice relaxing fifteen minutes on the bean bag in the slowly setting sun.
Visit : http://www.totallymoney.com/sailmike/
Blog : http://www.totallymoney.com/sailmike/?cat=5
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Shipping line denies “grand shipbuilding project” report
Taiwan’s Evergreen Marine Corp has rejected a local media report that it plans to spend more than R55.5-billion to build 100 new boxships by 2012, according to Lloyds List.
Chinese newspaper Economic Daily News reported that the shipping line expects steel prices would hit bottom in 2011 and the firm plans to wait until ship price falls to R100 000 per teu to place new orders. It cited unnamed sources saying that Evergreen plans to order the ships from Japan and South Korea and of the 100 ships, 40% would be 5,500 teu vessels and 30% would be 8,000 teu ships.
The paper also said Evergreen Group chairman Chang Yung-fa had announced this “grand shipbuilding project” at the firm’s year-end dinner.
However, Liwen Liu from Evergreen’s public relations department said that Dr Chang had not given any speeches or announced such plan at the company’s year-end dinner.
Story By : Alan Peat
Date :1/8/2009
http://www.cargoinfo.co.za/newsdetails.asp?&newsid=7133
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HMS Dauntless completes first sea trials
(Photo: Royal Navy)
21:25 GMT, January 6, 2009 HMS Dauntless, the second of the Royal Navy's new powerful Type 45 destroyers, returned to her home on the Clyde just before Christmas 2008, after successfully completing her first set of sea trials.
During the four-week period of the trials, the 7,350 tonne vessel was put through her paces during blustery and wintry conditions, which provided a rigorous environment for testing her power and propulsion and Combat System.
The sea trials, conducted by prime contractor BVT, together with the MOD, Royal Navy and other industry partners have allowed her to demonstrate her speed and manoeuvrability, and she performed so well that the crew was also able to complete additional Combat System trials.
Commenting on the ship's return, the MOD's Type 45 Programme Director, David Twitchin, said:
"The successful completion of HMS Dauntless' first set of sea trials ends 2008 with a particularly hectic period of activity for the Type 45 programme on the Clyde. In the last four months the first Type 45, HMS Daring, has completed her final set of Industry-led sea trials and has been Accepted off Contract.
"The fourth Type 45, HMS Dragon, has been launched and now HMS Dauntless has completed a very successful set of initial sea trials. This year has witnessed the Joint Industry/MOD team delivering unprecedented success on a major warship programme.
"This is down to the hard work, dedication and innovation of the joint MOD, RN and Industry team closely working together at all levels to overcome problems and achieve a common goal."
BVT's Type 45 Programme Director, Angus Holt, added: "The Type 45 programme has already achieved one major milestone this week, but to achieve another in less than 48 hours is unprecedented.
"This is a great achievement and I am delighted that HMS Dauntless' trials have been such a great success.
"The team work between BVT, MOD, Royal Navy and sub-contractors has ensured that despite the many challenges set, she has returned to Scotstoun on schedule, with all trials achieved."
HMS Dauntless is in very good shape and ready to commence preparations for her second set of sea trials, due in July 2009, which will focus on Combat System testing and Acceptance activity.
Dauntless was launched in January 2007 at the Govan shipyard.
Dragon, the fourth Type 45 was launched on the Clyde on 17 November 2008 and Daring, the first ship in the Type 45 programme, was officially Accepted Off Contract by MOD from BVT on 10 December 2008 and has commenced 12 months of MOD-controlled (Stage 2) trials and integration activity.
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/4690/
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APL shifts Americas HQ to Phoenix
By Marcus Hand in Singapore - Thursday 8 January 2009
APL is shifting its America’s headquarters into the desert in Phoenix, Arizona in a bid to save costs.
Neptune Orient Lines announced in mid-November last year that it would be shifting the headquarters for the Americas region of liner unit to APL, out of Oakland to a yet undecided “more cost effective” location, as the company shed 1,000 jobs worldwide.
The company announced today that it would shift from Oakland to Phoenix, Arizona by the third quarter this year.
“The greater Phoenix area will be a cost-effective base of operations for us and we’re going to a state that is well-known for its support and encouragement of business,” said NOL regional president for the Americas John Bowe.
Mr Bowe claimed that in addition to being cost effective Phoenix would be a “very convenient location from which to manage our operations throughout the Americas”.
APL has been headquartered in Oakland since the 1970s and around 350 staff are expected to loose their jobs as a result of the move.
It is the latest in a series of moves by NOL to slash costs as it warns it will face a loss for the fourth quarter of 2008, and difficult operating conditions this year as global container trades slump sharply.
In October last year the company announced it was reducing its containership capacity by up to 25% on some trades, laying-up vessels and returning ships to charterers, in an effort to save $200m in operating costs.
The companies North America operations were hardest hit by the plan to cut 1,000 jobs worldwide as this is also where its cost base is highest.
http://www.lloydslist.com/ll/news/apl-shifts-americas-hq-to-phoenix/20017605432.htm;jsessionid=C574A76AB5D077EF4B800D52CAB7C4F9
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Gulf Coast, Fog Halts Ships
1/7/2009 10:25:33 AM
According to a Jan. 5 report from Reuters, Fog hampered shipping Monday afternoon along the central U.S. Gulf Coast. Houston, Galveston, Texas City and Beaumont and Port Arthur in Texas and Lake Charles, Louisiana were all affected.
(Source: Reuters)
http://sname.marinelink.com/snamestory.aspx?stid=214072
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Nigeria - Gunmen free Bourbon Leda
David Osler - Wednesday 7 January 2009
BOURBON Leda and its crew of nine - seized near the Niger Delta at the weekend - have now been released, a brief statement from the French offshore vessel operator has confirmed.
“Bourbon wishes to thank everyone involved in the satisfactory outcome of this situation, for their support and efforts, and in particular the Nigerian authorities.
The crewmembers will be rapidly reunited with their families and friends,” the company said.
A spokeswoman declined to specify whether or not a ransom had been paid or to discuss any other aspect of either the capture or the release, citing the need for secrecy in such matters.
But according to unconfirmed news agency reports, those on board included five Nigerians, a Cameroonian, two Ghanaians and an Indonesian, with the personnel taken by unknown gunmen in speedboats on Sunday, at a location off the coast of Akwa-Ibom state.
Experts on the region said that efforts to broker a peace between the Nigerian government and the rebel groups presumed to be behind the incident are currently floundering, and the outlook is for further hijacks.
Thoko Kaime, head of Africa division at Lloyd’s market-oriented risk forecaster Exclusive Analysis, commented: “The motivation for these attacks is still there and we are likely to see more of the same, at least for the first half of this year.”
Nigeria’s oil output has been slashed by around 20% since 2006, mainly as a result of the activities of gangs acting from a mixture of political and criminal motives.
However, US oil company Chevron confirmed on Tuesday the resumption of oil production at its main Nigerian terminal, which had been shut down since November following the sabotage of the main pipeline feeding the Escravos terminal.
http://www.lloydslist.com/ll/news/gunmen-free-bourbon-leda/20017605020.htm
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Port of Rotterdam notes rapid end of year downturn
The Port of Rotterdam Authority (PRA) has reported a “rapid” downturn in throughput at the end of last year but remains confident about its future, reports Shipping Gazette.
In its annual figures PRA reported its throughput had reached a record level of 420-million tonnes, including 10.8-m teu, last year.
However growth had slowed to 2.7% compared to an increase of 6.4% in 2007, container traffic remained static at 10.8m teu and from late September volumes slipped below 2007 levels.
Story By : Alan Peat
Date :1/8/2009
http://www.cargoinfo.co.za/newsdetails.asp?&newsid=7135
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Contract, Removal of MSC Napoli Stern
1/7/2009 10:14:10 AM
A major contract to remove the stern of the container vessel MSC Napoli has been awarded to the newly-established company Global Response Maritime B.V.,based in The Netherlands.
The contract, placed by the vessel owners, calls for the clearance of a stern section with an estimated weight of around 3,800 tonnes.
MSC Napoli became a casualty during a violent Channel storm in January 2007. The vessel was beached deliberately, in order to prevent her sinking in the English Channel. Subsequent operations, by other contractors, included recovery of bunkers, containers and the forepart of the ship.
The work scope under the new contract involves the total removal of the stern, including main engine, together with delivery of all scrap to the recovery facility of Scheepssloperij Nederland B.V. at Gravendeel, in The Netherlands.
The equipment required for removal of MSC Napoli's stern includes the crane barge "Anna" of subcontractor Hapo International Barges, two 140 m flat-top barges equipped with heavy mobile cranes and two tugs. The task also requires diving and drilling spreads and a series of 24 chain-pullers.
The project method involves drilling under the stern and the positioning of lifting chains. This part of the operation is subcontracted to DISA in Beerse, Belgium, using crane barge "Anna" as the main work platform. Chain pullers will be installed on the two lifting barges. These will be moored parallel to the stern section. The chains will then be connected up to the pullers and tensioned. The barges will be ballasted down, to compensate for the forces acting on the pullers and reduce movement in the swell.
With all preparations completed, the stern will be lifted clear of the seabed, freeing the starboard bilge keel from the trench in which the stern is embedded. At this point, the two barges will be in catamaran configuration, with the stern section suspended between them. Next they will be rotated bow into swell.
The barges' mooring systems will be reinforced with grout anchors. It will be possible to set down the stern, should this be necessary in hostile weather.
Scrapping will commence when the pullers bring the wreck to the surface. Sections with weights of around 100 tonnes will be cut and lifted onto the main decks of the barges, utilising the two cranes. This operation will continue until the weight is reduced to around 1,200 tonnes. A decision will then be taken as to whether to lift this as one unit with the assistance of a sheerlegs or continue cutting until it is within the capacity of the larger of the two cranes (rated at 500 tonnes). This crane will also recover the poop deck, rudder and propeller - which are already detached from the stern.
Monitoring the project on behalf of the Government, the Secretary of State's Representative for Maritime Salvage and Intervention, Hugh Shaw said "I am delighted that the Owners have placed another contract for the removal of the final section of the MSC NAPOLI. From the onset of the incident they have shown tremendous resolve and commitment to remove the bunkers, cargo and the wreck. This contract marks the final piece of the jigsaw and I look forward to a successful operation."
http://sname.marinelink.com/snamestory.aspx?stid=214067
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Brazil and France sign multi-billion arms deal
12:09 GMT, January 7, 2009 In the very last days of 2008, France and Brazil announced that their respective governments have finalised an agreement on a huge defense deal worth a cumulative € 8.8 billion ($11.9 billion). The deal, which is reported having been clinched at President's level between Nicolas Sarkozy and Ignacio Lula da Silva, includes two separated elements. In the first element, announced December 23, the Brazilian government signed a contract with a consortium formed by Eurocopter and Helibras on the local production of 50 EC-725 military transport helicopters (see: http://www.defpro.com/news/details/4588/). The second contract was signed with DCNS and Odebrecht for four conventional diesel-electric submarines and a nuclear-powered boat
(see: http://www.defpro.com/news/details/4594/), to be built in a new yard to be created at Rio. Both contracts involve significant transfers of technology to foster the further growth of the national defence industry.
Helicopters
The helicopter contract was signed by the Commander of the Brazilian Air Force, Lieutenant-General Juniti Saito, representing the three Armed Forces and the chief executives of Helibras Brazil Helicopter Company and Eurocopter, respectively Jean-Noël Hardy and Mr. Lutz Bertling.
The 50 EC-725 helicopters will be built in a variety of versions and configurations for the Army Aviation (16), the Naval Aviation (16) and the Air Force (18), with deliveries expected to start in 2010. Brazil thus stands to become the largest operator of the EC-725 model, which is also in service with the French Air Force and several other countries.
The assembly work will be carried out by Helibras, which is owned 45% by Eurocopter (a daughter company of EADS) at its Itajuba factory, in Minas Gerais state, while their turboshafts will be built at Turbomeca‘s facility in Rio de Janeiro. A substantial part of the avionics will also be built in Brazil.
This historic contract is part of the joint declaration on defense cooperation signed by the French and Brazilian defense secretaries on June 30, 2008 – a date which also marked the 30th anniversary of Helibras. Eurocopter said that at $2.6 billion, this is the biggest helicopter contract ever signed in South America.
“This is an important achievement for Eurocopter, Helibras and the Brazilian government,” announced Eurocopter President Lutz Bertling. “This contract is the result of the close industrial partnership and the long-standing relationship that we have with Brazil, and we are particularly proud that the EC725s will be produced in this country. This contract heralds a new era for Helibras, which will become an outstanding center of aeronautical excellence in South America.”
Louis Gallois, CEO of EADS, Eurocopter‘s mother company, added: „EADS considers Brazil as a priority country in its long term partnership strategy. Our group has been developing its different activities there for many years: Airbus, ATR, military transport aircraft, space and security equipments. This major contract is fully in line with our strategy“.
The EC725 is the latest addition to the Cougar family. Prior to the signing of this contract, 96 EC725 and EC225 helicopters (its civil version) had been ordered by 17 different countries. The EC725 is a twin-engine helicopter with a five-bladed main rotor in the medium-lift category (11 metric tons). The aircraft has an exceptional fuel capacity and boasts a flight endurance of five-and-a-half hours. The EC725 has been designed to perform various missions, including combat search and rescue, long distance tactical transport, emergency medical services, logistics support, and naval assignments. It was this multi-role capability that made the EC725 the logical choice for the Brazilian armed forces.
Submarines
The $9.3 billion submarine contract covers the establishment with French assistance of a new shipyard in Rio. DCNS will manage the yard until completion of the programme, after which control will revert to the Brazilian authorities. The yard will be responsible for two distinct programmes:
- Four diesel-electric submarines, to be designed by DCNS based on the Scorpene type and incorporating the specific requirements of the Brazilian Navy. The first submarine is scheduled to enter active service in 2015;
- A nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN).
DCNS will act as prime contractor for the four conventional-propulsion submarines to be built by the Joint Venture that will be set up by DCNS and Brazilian partner Odebrecht. The submarines will be designed in cooperation with Brazilian teams under DCNS design authority to meet the Brazilian Navy‘s specific needs: They will be ideally suited to the protection and defence of the country‘s 8,500-kilometre coast. DCNS will produce key advanced-technology equipment in its own plants.
DCNS will also provide design assistance under the Brazilian Navy’s design authority - for the non-nuclear part of the Navy‘s first nuclear submarine, which will be built by the Joint Venture to be set up by DCNS and Odebrecht. The entire nuclear power plant will be designed and built in Brazil, based on a $880 million investment programme approved last year.
Finally, DCNS will provide prime contractor assistance to Odebrecht for the construction of the naval shipyard that will build the five submarines covered by today‘s contract, as well as a naval base for the Brazilian Navy.
DCNS Chairman & CEO Jean-Marie Poimboeuf commented: „We welcome the decision by Brazil‘s highest authorities in favour of DCNS and our Brazilian partner, the Odebrecht Group. This success confirms our capabilities as an overall prime contractor, as well as our technological and competitive standing on the international market. It also confirms our ability to establish partnerships to handle in-country project work, just as we have done in other countries around the world.”
Fighters too?
The strong strategic partnership between France and Brazil that is being created through this twin agreements could also influence the outcome of the ongoing FX-2 competition for the procurement of 36 (+40 options) new-generation multi-role fighter. The Dassault Rafale was shortlisted in October 2008 together with the Boeing F-18 E/F Super Hornet and the Saab Gripen NG, and a decision is expected later this year.
Given the top-level agreement clearly in place between the two Presidents, many commentors expect the Rafale to be the most likely choice. However, Defence Minister Nelson Jobim said that the tender is totally open. Each of the three finalists offers "engineering of the highest sophistication," he said to Agencia Estado.
http://www.defpro.com/daily/details/211/
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US Coast Guard phases out old analog technology
As the door closes on 2008 and the new year offers a new start, the Coast Guard is urging mariners and aviators to start the year off right and make the switch to a digital emergency beacon.
Beginning Sunday, Feb. 1, the Coast Guard and other search and rescue personnel will only receive distress alerts broadcast using digital 406 MHz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons.
Search and rescue satellites will no longer process older model analog EPIRBs that only transmit on 121.5 or 243 MHz.
Because satellites will no longer receive analog transmissions, Rescue Coordination Centers will no longer receive transmissions from 121.5 EPIRBs, said Rick Arsenault, a search and rescue specialist at the First Coast Guard District Command Center in Boston.
The 406 EPIRB's signal is 50 times more powerful than the 121.5 beacon's, allowing satellites to better detect its signal and provide a more accurate search area for rescue crews. "With 121.5 beacons, an initial position uncertainty can result in a 500 square mile search area," Arsenault said. "With a digital beacon, that initial search is reduced to 25 square miles." Furthermore, a GPS-embedded 406 EPIRB can shrink a search area to about 100 yards and can also pinpoint the position of a distressed mariner within minutes.
Additionally, the number of false alerts with digital beacons is significantly lower than analog beacons. Satellites are not capable of distinguishing between beacon and non-beacon sources using analog frequencies, making only about one in five alerts actually coming from a beacon. Many false alert signals come from ATMs, pizza ovens and stadium scoreboards.
With analog beacons, the only way to determine if an alert is an actual emergency is to send rescue crews to the area, which costs thousands of dollars, takes resources away from actual emergencies and puts the lives of responders at risk needlessly.
EPIRB owners are required by law to provide emergency contact information and a vessel description by registering their beacons with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This lets search and rescue personnel quickly confirm if a distress signal is real, and identify who and what type of boat or aircraft to look for. It also means accidental activation of an EPIRB may be resolved quickly with a phone call to the owner. EPIRB registration needs to be accurate, complete and current, Arsenault said.
When buying a used beacon, the new owner needs to register it with the new information. "Otherwise we may be looking for the wrong boat and contact the wrong person if we receive a distress signal from the EPIRB," said Arsenault.
EPIRB users can register their beacons in the U.S. 406 MHz Beacon Registration Database at www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov or by calling 1-888-212-SAVE. Beacon registrations must also be updated at least every two years or when information such as emergency contact phone numbers and other vital information changes. Registration information is only available to authorized search and rescue personnel.
http://www.jamestownpress.com/news/2009/0108/news/039.html
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Wednesday, January 7, 2009
A Fatal Fire on Admiral Kuznetsov
The Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov is having some problems in the Med, and we are only getting partial details...
The fire, lasting about two hours, was caused by a short circuit in the ship's wiring and the sailor died from smoke inhalation late on Tuesday, RIA news agency reported.
The accident occurred while the ship was docked in the Turkish port of Aksaz Karagac. It will stay in Turkey until Jan. 8 before continuing maneuvers in the region, RIA reported.
On Jan. 2, the Greek Defense Ministry said the carrier was due to carry out a series of military exercises near the islands of Rhodes and Crete from Jan. 3-11.
First, it is a tragedy anytime a sailor dies fighting fire on his ship. This is the second incident recently where Russian sailors have apparently died in accidents involving breathing equipment.
The first time it is a problem, the second time it is a pattern.
Some Russian news sources are suggesting a cargo aircraft (helicopter) caught fire on the flight deck during flight operations, and the sailor died while fighting the fire. According to the Russian news, the accident occurred during training exercises with Greece, and the aircraft carrier pulled into port in Turkey following the accident. It is unclear if the exercises will continue, or are continuing with other Russian naval vessels.
The pattern for Russian Navy stories lately has been that the information flow starts slow and is generally confusing early, and my read is the news is only 3-4 hours old. I expect some early reporting to be inaccurate before building momentum towards a clear picture of what happened.
In time, we'll know more.
Posted by Galrahn at 4:53 PM
http://informationdissemination.blogspot.com/
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Somali pirates free hijacked ship, says lawyer
A lawyer for a Turkish company involved in negotiations with Somali pirates who hijacked a ship owned by the company announced yesterday that the vessel had been released by the pirates on Tuesday night.
The M/V Yasa Neslihan, owned by the Yasa Maritime Company, was hijacked on Oct. 29. Twenty crew members were aboard the ship when it was seized.
Fehmi Ülgener, a lawyer for the Yasa Maritime Company, told the Anatolia news agency that negotiations with pirates yielded positive results, with an agreement on the ransom amount. The ship was released after the ransom was paid, Ülgener said, without elaborating on either the amount or how the company handed it over to the pirates. The ship sailed off from Somalia toward China, he noted, stressing that the crew was in good condition. The crew will soon be replaced and those who were aboard the ship when it was hijacked will soon be brought to Turkey, he said.
Two other Turkish ships are still being held by Somali pirates. One of them, the Karagöl, owned by the YDC Maritime Company, was hijacked on Nov. 12 with a 14-member crew on board. It was heading to the Indian port city of Mumbai when it was seized by pirates off the coast of Yemen.
The other ship, an Antigua-flagged cargo vessel operated by the Ýsko Marine Shipping Company of Turkey, was seized off the coast of Yemen by pirates on Dec. 16.
Pirates attacked 111 ships around the Gulf of Aden in 2008, hijacking 42 of them and earning tens of millions in ransom. Fifteen ships with more than 260 crew members are still in the hands of pirates, according to the International Maritime Bureau.
The pirates have been able to operate so successfully because Somalia has not had a functioning government since warlords overthrew a dictator in 1991 and then turned on each other.
Late last month, Kubilay Marangoz, a lawyer for the YDC Maritime Company, said ransom negotiations with the pirates for the release of the Karagöl with its crew aboard were continuing, while refusing to elaborate on the amount of the ransom being asked for and how it would be delivered to the pirates.
"However, we are approaching the end in bargaining with the pirates. We may be able to provide some information on these issues after rescuing the crew," Marangoz said at the time.
Also last month, the UN Security Council voted unanimously to authorize nations to conduct land and air attacks on pirate bases on the coast of Somalia. The council authorized nations to use "all necessary measures that are appropriate in Somalia" to stop anyone from using Somali territory to plan or carry out piracy in the nearby waters, traversed each year by thousands of freighters sailing between Asia and the Suez Canal. Officials said Turkey may join European Union operations against piracy. While not clearly ruling out staging operations against Somali pirates, officials indicated that Turkey is likely to avoid unilateral action vis-àvis this issue.
08 January 2009, Thursday
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=163476&bolum=100
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Indian government plans reservation policy for ships
Thursday, 08 January 2009
Alarmed at the way business has been suffering, the shipping ministry is exploring the possibility of introducing a cargo reservation policy that would allow Indian flag vessels to ferry a majority of import and export trade commodities. “The shipping ministry is in talks with various industries to understand the feasibility of implementing the new policy,” a senior shipping ministry official said. Like other major maritime nations, such as the US, China and Malaysia that have already implemented similar laws, the domestic shipping industry is also lobbying for the same, added the official.
YD Khatau, MD, Varun Shipping, said, “The cargo reservation policy will help the industry in getting easier access to equity, cheaper loans and a most conducive fiscal environment. Moreover, a cargo reservation policy will help long-term employment of Indian vessels, which in turn would help restore the confidence of financial investors in the prospects of the industry.”
The policy initiative is in line with the current freight market turmoil, which is a result of the financial meltdown. According to S S Kulkarni, secretary, Indian National Shipowners Association (Insa), “The industry is passing through its worst situation. It is, therefore, essential that a certain percentage of all the government controlled cargo should be set aside for a minimum level of employment for the domestic players.”
The share of Indian flag vessels in the carriage of India's international cargo was as high as 40% in the 1980s but is just 12-13% at present. With the current composition of the Indian fleet, the share of Indian ships is at just 24.7% in chemical products, 6.3% in the dry bulk segment and a much lower 3.6% in the general cargo segment, which includes containerised cargo. Thus, the present situation has forced shipping companies to urge a separate cargo policy to run their business properly.
Source: Economic Times
http://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31259&Itemid=79
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Mauritius, Seychelles, Maldives accused of dealing in illegal fish
APA-Port Louis (Mauritius) Three countries in the Indian Ocean —Mauritius, Seychelles and Maldives – have been accused of dealing in fish illegally captured by Somali pirates in the territorial waters of that country.
In a report made available to the press on Thursday, the High Seas Task Force in the Somali capital Mogadishu says the fish laundering is generating hundreds of millions of US dollars for the Somali insurgents and that apparently it is not considered as criminal as money laundering.
According to an official of the fishing industry in Mauritius, the problem of illegal fishing has existed for many years in that part of the Indian Ocean.
He said that although measures have been taken, including the setting up of a special police unit at the port to control fishing vessels, it has up to now been impossible to eradicate the problem.
He said some 1,000 fishing vessels berthed in the Port Louis port in 2008 for transshipment, repairs and maintenance and that it is extremely difficult to control the origin of the fish cargo that is being transshipped.
Illegal operators take possession of fish coming from Somali waters on the high seas as the country lacks the technical facilities to control the origin of fish, he said.
2009-01-08 07:25:19
http://www.apanews.net/apa.php?page=show_article_eng&id_article=85060
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Tanzanian Government moves to protect deep sea fishing
DAILY NEWS Reporter
Daily News; Wednesday,January 07, 2009 @21:15
The government is in the final stage of preparing rules and regulations of the Deep Sea Fishing Authority Act. If later passed in parliament, the legislation will play a major role in combating illegal fishing along the Lake Victoria and the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the country.
The minister for Livestock Development and Fisheries Mr John Magufuli said yesterday that the President has already assented to the Act."My ministry and other relevant authorities in both the Mainland and Isles are putting final touches on the proposal that will ensure effective implementation of the new act," he said.
Mr Magufuli stated that the act would among other things, impose stringent measures against owners of ships and other water vessels involved in illegal fishing in the country.
The new Act will oblige vessels to report to specific centres such as Tanga, Dar es Salaam and Mtwara ports, to strictly contain all forms and manifestations of illegal fishing.
The minister reiterated that illegal fishing had inflicted heavy loss to the country's national economy, including loss of revenue and continuous depletion of fish stock in Lake Victoria and other affected areas in the country. Mr Magufuli said his ministry had recently discovered that some of the ships that were involved in illegal fishing in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) have been dumping almost 90 per cent of the fish stock that were not targeted before.
Last year, the government cancelled fishing licences for all 69 vessels that were operating in the country's deep seawaters, and directed them to apply afresh for new licences. Most of the vessels were from Europe, Japan and far-east countries. Local experts say illegal fishing such as dynamite fishing costs the country about 100bn/- in loss in revenue annually. Over 70 ships are said to be operating illegally, targeting tuna, kingfish, lobsters and prawns.
Meanwhile, Minister Magufuli said that three countries namely- Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania have jointly signed an agreement to fight illegal fishing across the East African region. The minister said that all standard operating procedures, code of practices and fish inspector guide had already been prepared and implementation of the joint plan was expected to take off by today.
http://dailynews.habarileo.co.tz/sports/index.php?id=9374
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Shipping hit by global downturn
Thursday, 08 January 2009
THE international shipping trade has been hit by the global economic slowdown that looks set to have a knock-on effect on the Port of Liverpool. Container traffic, in particular, is sharply down, which may have repercussions for Peel Ports’ plan for a £100m post-Panamax container terminal at Seaforth. Peel says it will take account of economic and financial conditions when it makes a final decision about the in-river engineering project in May.
The company has obtained a Harbour Revision Order to enable the work to go ahead if the plan proves viable.
Frank Robotham, Peel Ports marketing manager, said: “We are still doing detailed work on the engineering and costings, which won't be finished till next May. It is only then that we will look at the total costs and take a view on timescales.
“This is a project for the future growth of the port, so it would not necessarily be a short-term decision based on current economic conditions.”
Current conditions are far from good. Container traffic is slowing up after three decades of steady growth and orders for raw materials have plunged by 94%.
The construction of a new terminal at Seaforth to handle the world's biggest container ships, knows as post-Panamax vessels, would have huge environmental benefits, taking 800,000 truck movements off the region’s roads.
Current capacity at the Port of Liverpool is 700,000 units. The new facility would more than double capacity to 1.5m units.
Mr Robotham said: “We are not immune from the effects of a slowdown by any means, but the diversity of the port may mitigate the impact.
“If we were just a container port it may be another matter, but we offer a number of services such as ro-ro and various types of import and exports.
“It is difficult to say just what the impact will be at the moment. Our financial year doesn’t end till next March. The position will be clearer by then.”
Mr Robotham said 2008 was a roller-coaster year, with the first half dominated by rising fuel prices followed by volatile exchange rates and a collapse of freight rates.
Hire rates for the post-Panamax ships have fallen alarmingly in recent months. Earlier this year, a typical rate was around $250,000, but that has now fallen to just a few thousand dollars today.
Shipping line Maersk, which has a major base in Liverpool, has laid up eight vessels at its Asian ports this month, with others expected to follow.
Liverpool-based container lines CMA CGM and Mediterranean Shipping declined to comment, but Ian Higby, chief executive of Atlantic Container Line, said: “Business is holding up in the north Atlantic at the moment but it is difficult to predict how things will go.”
Maersk, the world’s biggest container line, says it is better placed than many of its rivals to counter the market downturn because, unlike them, it has virtually no new ships being delivered in 2009 when the world's fleet is set to grow by 13% from 2008.
There are reported to be more than 80 container ships currently laid up, including a dozen larger vessels at anchor off Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai.
The Baltic Dry Index, which measures shipments of raw materials like steel and iron ore, has dipped 94% since June, indicating that demand and trade is grinding to a halt.
The index is seen as a leading indicator for economic growth and productivity because it deals with bulk materials required for manufacturing production.
A SPOKESMAN for Liverpool-based Bibby Line said: “In general terms, the shipping market is suffering badly. The Baltic Index has fallen sharply and one of the reasons is that shipments are based on letters of credit and the banks have stopped issuing them.
“We don’t think this will change in the immediate future. Freight rates have fallen dramatically and a lot of people are in for a lot of pain. If the banks continue to refuse to lend money it may need to take government intervention.”
Every day, the Baltic Exchange, in London, canvasses brokers around the world to ask how much it would cost to book cargoes of raw materials. As such, it is seen as an accurate barometer of global trade.
“It’s a good thing Maersk is trying to react swiftly,” said Steven Brooker, of merchant bank SEB Enskilda. “Definitely the top 10 to 20 carriers globally will try to trim capacity quickly. The last time we had major lay-ups like this was after 9/11. Then it was 3.3% of the global fleet. The number will far exceed that going into 2009.”
Irish Sea services have also been hit by the downturn. Earlier this year, Norfolkline called off plans to splash out millions of pounds on new ships and more frequent services to Ireland from Birkenhead. Its change of heart arose from a combination of recession in Ireland, rising fuel costs and a backdated business rates bill which is likely to cost millions.
The investment in new vessels would have increased freight capacity by 70% and passenger capacity by 25%.
But a slump in trade affecting Norfolkline’s four vessels, serving Belfast and Dublin from Birkenhead’s Twelve Quays, has changed all that.
However, it is not doom and gloom for everyone. Ferry company Seatruck says it plans to cash in on the situation by doubling capacity from Liverpool to Ireland. Its vessels only offer unaccompanied freight movements, thus saving on drivers’ costs.
The Chamber of Shipping is warning the slump in the sector could be longer and deeper than ever before. However, president Martin Watson said recovery was inevitable: “The industry will recover because it is at the heart of world trade,” he said.
Source: Liverpool Daily Post
http://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31261&Itemid=79
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January 7, 2009 -- Updated 1739 GMT (0139 HKT)
Capsized French sailor rescued successfully
By Mike Steere
For CNN
LONDON, England (CNN) -- French Vendee Globe sailor Jean Le Cam has been successfully rescued by a fellow competitor from his capsized yacht in the Pacific Ocean near Cape Horn.
A full-scale rescue mission was launched Tuesday after Le Cam activated his EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) shortly after contacting land-based support crew saying he feared his solo-round-the-world yacht, VM Materiaux, was about to capsize.
Chilean search and rescue aircraft, a nearby freighter and tug, and fellow Vendee Globe racers all helped in the search.
Vendee Globe competitor and fellow Frenchman, Vincent Riou eventually made contact with Le Cam, who was trapped inside the damaged, upside-down vessel.
Although a tug was due to arrive Wednesday morning, Riou managed to rescue Le Cam by circling repeatedly around VM Materiaux and on the fourth attempt he picked up the skipper, who had exited his boat into the freezing waters using a survival suit.
However, on the final approach to save Le Cam, the end of the port outrigger on Riou's vessel, PRB, was damaged against the upturned keel fin.
Neither sailor was seriously hurt, but they had to work to stabilize PRB's mast and were at last report sailing slowly without a headsail.
Both skippers spoke with race organizers late on Tuesday.
The Vendée Globe safety consultant, Alain Gautier, said, "It's an incredible story that has a happy end."
Riou, who stopped his strong race progress for the rescue is still in fourth place in the overall standings, while Le Cam's exit makes him the 17th out of a starting list of 30 to have retired in this edition of the solo round-the-world race.
Michel Desjoyeaux, aboard Foncia, leads the race.
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/01/07/rescue.complete/?iref=intlOnlyonCNN
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Whaling activists head for Hobart
By STACEY WOOD - The Dominion Post | Thursday, 08 January 2009
Activists on the anti-whaling ship Steve Irwin will return to Hobart after their offer to help search for a missing Japanese whaler was rejected.
Hajime Shirasaki, an engine room oiler, was reported missing from the Kyoshin Maru No 2 whaling ship early on Monday.
He is believed to have been washed overboard and drowned in the Southern Ocean when conditions were rough, with four-metre swells.
Captain Paul Watson said from the Steve Irwin that the whalers had declined their offer of help, despite his assurance they would not interfere with their operation while the search was in progress.
The ship stayed on to assist nonetheless, but turned back yesterday morning when the official search ended.
"They have called off the search. There's actually a harpoon boat chasing us now, so they are obviously not concerned with searching for their man any longer," Mr Watson said.
The whalers have accused the activists of hindering the search for their missing man and disrupting their navigation.
Japan has called on the Australian and New Zealand governments to turn away Sea Shepherd activists, but Mr Watson was confident they would be granted a berth in Hobart.
"We are not going to be turned away from Hobart on an Australian ship with a half-Australian crew. They have no cause to turn us away, we have done nothing wrong it is the whalers who are committing the crimes down here."
A spokesman for Foreign Minister Murray McCully said the Government would not comment publicly unless the ship intended to enter New Zealand.
The Japanese whaling fleet had not killed any whales since December 20 and Mr Watson said he was confident his team's efforts had reduced the numbers of whales killed and the company's profits.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4812045a12.html
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Alenia Aeronautica signs contract for four maritime patrol ATR72
13:01 GMT, January 7, 2009 Alenia Aeronautica, a Finmeccanica company, and the Italian Direzione Generale Armamenti Aeronautici (General Management for Aeronautical Armaments) of the Defence Ministry, have reached an agreement for the supply of four ATR72 Maritime Patrol aircraft.
The medium-range, twin-engine turbine airplanes will be delivered to the Italian Air Force starting from 2012, to be used for the maritime patrolling with mixed crews with the Italian Navy. The aircraft is a version of the regional turboprop ATR72, developed ad-hoc by Alenia Aeronautica and offers a greater autonomy as compared to the ATR42MPs already in service with the Guardia di Finanza (Customs Police) and the Coast Guard, which have already in service 7 units for maritime patrol roles such as surveillance of national sea, maritime routes and economic exclusive zone patrol and to counter smuggling and clandestine immigration.
ItAF’s ATR72MPs will be equipped with the SELEX Galileo, a Finmeccanica company, ATOS mission system, which integrates the Seaspray, electronic-scan surveillance radar and the EOST, electro-optical multi-sensor turret, for the identification of boats and persons in any weather condition. The aircraft will also be equipped with last-generation communication systems and, through a datalink system, will be able to transmit information in real time to the ground command and control centres and other platforms, both in flight and on sea, for the coordination and maximum effectiveness of the operations.
defpro.news
Company or Organisation Portrait:
Alenia Aeronautica, a Finmeccanica Company, is the largest Italian aeronautic player which operates world-wide in the commercial and military aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles and aerostructures. Alenia Aeronautica also coordinates the activities of Alenia Aermacchi and Alenia Aeronavali - wholly owned companies – respectively active in the design and manufacturing of military trainer aircraft and in the overhaul, maintenance and modification of military and civil aircraft. With its joint ventures ATR and SuperJet International, Alenia Aeronautica is the world leader in the regional turboprop market and a top player in the regional jet sector. Over 2007 Alenia Aeronautica reported revenues of 2,306 millions Euro, backlog for 8,248 millions Euro and orders for 3,104. The total workforce is 13.301.
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/4708/
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Military: Sri Lankan jets hit rebel boats
By RAVI NESSMAN – 1 hour ago
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lankan air force jets launched a series of attacks against Tamil Tigers, keeping pressure on the beleaguered rebels a day after officially banning the group, the military said Thursday.
The quarter-century-old civil war between the two sides has come to a head in recent weeks with Sri Lankan forces making a deep push into rebel-held territory.
Last week, ground troops took control of the rebel's administrative capital of Kilinochchi and boxed the group into a small pocket of territory in the island's northeast.
Maintaining the pressure on the group, air force jets attacked two rebel boats that were camouflaged and anchored in a lagoon in the north Thursday morning, military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said.
Jets also pounded a group of rebels late Wednesday who appeared to be working to construct new defense fortifications in the north.
The rebels were not available for comment Wednesday; most communications in their region have been severed. Independent accounts of the fighting were not available because the government has barred journalists and foreign aid groups from the war zone.
The attacks came after the Cabinet voted unanimously Wednesday night to officially outlaw the Tamil Tigers, ruling out the possibility of restarting peace talks anytime soon.
The decision came after the guerrillas ignored an ultimatum to allow hundreds of thousands of civilians living in rebel-held areas to leave, Cabinet minister Maithripala Sirisena said.
The government and international rights groups have accused the Tamil Tigers of holding civilians as human shields against the military offensive. The rebels deny the charge.
Government officials already have vowed to destroy the rebel group, so while Wednesday's ban was little more than a formality, it was seen as a symbolic rejection of any possible rapprochement.
The rebels have been fighting since 1983 to create an independent homeland for ethnic minority Tamils, who have suffered decades of marginalization by governments controlled by the Sinhalese majority. The conflict has killed more than 70,000 people.
The Tamil Tigers have been outlawed before, but the government lifted the ban in 2002 when the sides agreed a cease-fire. The deal collapsed amid new fighting three years ago.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gVoaDFmbCYS-Usz9ACDRIengj21QD95IO1NO0
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The Shipping News: BUY
Thursday, 08 January 2009
The overall market in 2008 was a complete washout, as was oil and the commodities complex. But not all was bad; there were positive segments, the U.S. dollar and treasuries just to name two. The chart below sums up the year’s performance in each of these areas rather eloquently. It’s our opinion, however, that real value will not be found in any of these areas in 2009. Sure, we expect the general equities market to appreciate – even to rise with some ferocity. Yet within that realm there’s a smaller sub-sector that should see some fantastic gains. It’s a segment that’s been beaten down mercilessly, literally held underwater, all the life-giving, oxygenating money literally wrung out of it. And in keeping with the adage that the last shall be first, we believe this segment has glorious days ahead.
2009: The triumph of the weak over the strong.
By now everyone is familiar with the chart of the Baltic Dry Freight Index, a number issued daily by the offices of the Baltic Exchange in London that measures the price of moving commodities by sea. Records on the BDI go back some 250 years and have been important to market watchers and economists ever since as a means of measuring the general health of global trade. When the index is high, it means demand for cargo ships is running at greater than average levels (with lots of demand for raw materials); and when it’s low, little demand for materials is in the pipeline.
This year’s BDI chart epitomizes what happened to world markets in 2008, and, as poster child for a worldwide economic recession, describes what we all experienced better than any 1000 words on the topic ever could.
The chart depicts a plunge unlike we’ve ever seen, and tells a tale of woe, woe, woe on the water. Essentially, contracts for bulk shipping evaporated, leaving the oceans filled with nothing but - pirates!
But things have been changing as of late, and though it’s hard to know if they’re on a long term trend upward, we can’t imagine things getting a whole lot worse for these folks. The BDI, after all, cannot go bankrupt.
A Closer Look at the Shipping Business
There are a number of global shippers worth examining, and even a quick search of the sub-sector on a stock screener/filter reveals tremendous value. Here are a few names to consider:
Note that this is just a random selection of shipping companies with screen inputs of:
• P/E less than 10
• Dividend Yield greater than 10
• Yearly loss greater than 30%, and
• Trading below Book Value
It doesn’t claim to be a “buy list.” It’s offered merely to point out that by all the standard metrics of value these stocks are extremely attractive.
Looked at through a more discerning lens, however, one company stands out.
Excel’s fleet of 47 ships carries iron ore, coal, grain and steel products (among others) to worldwide destinations, and the company has grown sales every year from 2002 ($16 million) through last year (2007 – $141 million).
Excel has a relatively small market cap, which makes it conducive to a punchy jump once the market starts heating up. Recent activity on the stock reveals that may already be happening.
Add to this that as late as November of this year, with the company literally underwater, the Board of Directors signed off on payment of the quarterly $.40 dividend. There was no wavering or reluctancy: Excel duly paid its shareholders. If there ever was a sign of management confidence in its stock, that’s it. The size of the dividend is equally appealing: a whopping 20.15%!
A technically solid picture here, with the 49 DMA about to be traversed on better than average volume – and a good deal of accumulation in the last thirty days.
Much of the blame for the drop in the major shippers has to do with the fall of Lehman Brothers and those they did business with in Letter of Credit financing – a uniquely important tool in the shipping business. Now that liquidity is returning to the credit markets and the crunch is easing, we expect to see others rush in to fill the void occasioned by the loss of Lehman.
If you needed anything else to push you overboard, here it is: the company sells at a measly 3x forward Price/Earnings. 2009 is expected to bring $2.70 per share. Current price of the stock is $7.94.
Another Option
For those who live in fear of selecting individual stocks for purchase, you’re in luck. Claymore Funds offers SEA:NYSE, the shipping ETF. Begun just this year in the midst of the BDI’s extraordinary fall from grace, the SEA fund is chartered to correspond as closely as possible to the Delta Global Shipping Index, with “at least 90% of its total assets in common stock, American depositary receipts (“ADRs”) and global depositary receipts (“GDRs”) that comprise [that] Index.”
The fund paid a total of $.442 over the half year, for an extrapolated current yield of roughly 8%. Not bad for letting someone else do the picking for you.
Source: Oxbury Publishing
http://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31269&Itemid=79
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Oil Traders Seek Another 10 Supertankers for Storage
Thursday, 08 January 2009
Oil traders are seeking as many as 10 supertankers to store crude, potentially taking the amount hoarded at sea to almost five days of European Union demand, according to Frontline Ltd., the largest owner of the vessels. About 25 of the carriers, each able to hold about 2 million barrels of crude, were already hired for storage. There are enquiries for 5 to 10 more, Jens Martin Jensen, Singapore-based interim chief executive officer of the company’s management unit, said by phone today. Traders are storing crude to take advantage of higher prices for supply in the future. Thirty-five supertankers represent about 7 percent of the global fleet of very large crude carriers, according to data from London-based Drewry Shipping Consultants Ltd. Storing oil in tankers may buoy rental rates that fell by a record 78 percent last year as slower economic growth sapped demand for energy.
“I’ve never before seen storage demand on this scale,” said Didier Labat, a Paris-based shipbroker at Barry Rogliano Salles who has worked in tanker markets for about 20 years.
Commodities prices fell the most in five decades last year, with crude dropping more than $100 from the peak of $147.27 a barrel in July, as simultaneous recessions hit the U.S., Europe and Japan. Oil demand in 2008 fell for the first time since 1983, according to the Paris-based International Energy Agency.
Traders are seeking to lease ships for three to nine months, Jensen said. Crude oil for December delivery traded at $61.90 a barrel as of 10:49 a.m. in London, $13.66 more than the February contract. Oil companies and traders may be able to profit from storing the oil, assuming shipping, insurance and financing costs are covered.
Supertanker Rates
A supertanker would cost about 90 cents a barrel a month for storage depending on the length of the rental, according to data last month from shipbroker Galbraith’s Ltd.
Iran, the second-largest member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries after Saudi Arabia, idled as many as 15 of its biggest ships in May to store crude oil. That contributed to three consecutive months of higher rental rates for ships.
The cost of delivering Middle East oil to Asia, the world’s busiest route for supertankers, rose yesterday for the first time since Dec. 5, according to the Baltic Exchange in London.
Forward freight agreements advanced. The derivatives are used by traders to bet on the future price of hauling Saudi Arabian cargoes to Japan, an industry benchmark.
The contracts traded at about 46 Worldscale points for the fourth quarter, according to prices from Oslo-based broker Imarex ASA as of 10:34 a.m. London time. They closed at 45 yesterday.
Tanker Index Gains
Worldscale points are a percentage of a nominal rate for more than 320,000 specific routes. They give owners and oil companies a starting point for negotiating hire rates without having to calculate the value of each deal from scratch.
Frontline, based in Bermuda, has advanced 13 percent in Oslo trading this year. The five-member Bloomberg Tanker Index has gained 12 percent.
EU oil consumption averaged 14.86 million barrels a day in 2007, according to data from BP Plc.
Source: Alaric Nightingale, Bloomberg
http://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31279&Itemid=95
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Russian Frigate Comes To Rescue Of Fishing Boat In Gulf Of Aden
(NSI News Source Info)
MOSCOW - January 7, 2009: The Russian Baltic Fleet's frigate Neustrashimy (Fearless) came on Tuesday to the rescue of a drifting fishing boat in the Gulf of Aden flying the Yemeni flag, a Russian Navy spokesman said Tuesday.
Captain 1st Rank Igor Dygalo said the Neustrashimy had received information that the boat was in distress.
The boat's crew of 11 people contained nine Somalis and two Yemenis, including a pregnant woman.
"Competent medical assistance was rendered to those in need of it; foodstuffs and water they strongly needed were provided," Dygalo said.
He said the Neustrashimy is tugging the fishing boat to the port of Al-Mukalla in Yemen.
Dygalo said in December that the Neustrashimy had protected over 50 commercial ships from pirates off the Somali coast in 2008.
The missile frigate has been operating off the Horn of Africa according to international maritime law and agreements since the end of October.
Pirates have been increasingly active in the waters off Somalia, where over 120 ships have been attacked so far this year, with around 40 vessels seized. The navies of at least 10 countries are involved in anti-piracy operations off the coast of the East African nation.
Posted by Defense-Technology News at 2:59 AM
http://defense-technologynews.blogspot.com/
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Somali pirates release Turkish ship
Thu, 08 Jan 2009 01:04:04 GMT
Somali pirates have released a Turkish ship they hijacked in the Gulf of Aden in December after the owner company paid the ransom.
The pirates and the Turkish "Yasa Holding Company" reached a deal and finally "Yasa Neslihan" freighter and its 20 crew were released late Wednesday, a Press TV correspondent reported.
There was no detail about the exact amount of the money the pirates received.
Somali pirates said earlier they had agreed to release the Saudi super-tanker, Sirius Star, withdrawing a 25 million dollar ransom demand.
Other reports suggest that the 'arm-laden' Ukrainian vessel, MV Faina, which was captured by Somali pirates off the Horn of African country in September, might be released within a few days.
Somali pirates have hijacked half-a-dozen ships over the past two weeks and international efforts to stop piracy in the Gulf of Aden have not been effective.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=81148§ionid=351020501
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Shipping company, Exmar, says ransoms encourage piracy
Written by vanguard
Wednesday, 07 January 2009
Shipping companies that quietly pay pirates’ ransoms to recover crew and cargo are only spurring more hijackings, the chief executive of leading Belgian shipping company, Exmar, said.
Ship
“As long as democracy will give in on this kind of blackmail, we’ll never have a solution,” said CEO Nicolas Saverys, whose company ships 40 per cent of the world’s seaborne ammonia and 10 per cent of its liquefied petroleum gas.
Although they are loath to declare it, shipping firms - via their insurance companies - have paid between $35-40 million in ransoms to pirates in 2008 so far, according to an estimate by Roger Middleton, a Somalia expert with London’s Chatham House think-tank.
Saverys did not specify whether Exmar buys insurance to cover hijackings, but said he understands why many firms do. However, deterrents, not payouts, are the only real solution, he told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday.
Tankers like Exmar’s, laden with valuable petrochemicals, are the most attractive to the cash-hungry Somali pirates operating in the treacherous Gulf of Aden.
The Gulf, on the route between Europe and Asia, is one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors, but has been plagued by a rash of armed buccaneers this year.
While Exmar’s insurance premiums have yet to rise exceptionally as a result of the crime wave, the firm lost around $100,000 because one of its vessels, meant to pass through the Gulf of Aden, was delayed for three days while awaiting a protective NATO-organized naval convoy, Mr. Saverys said.
“If the international commu-nity would act much more unanimously and much more strongly against these acts of piracy, they would disappear.”
The Belgian native, whose family has been in the maritime industry since 1828, said that instead of insurance payouts, he would prefer a return to the practices of past centuries, when pirates were hunted.
“I’m not saying we should do it in that way, of course, the guy should receive a fair trial, but if he has participated in the act of piracy, he should be punished,” said Mr. Saverys.
It is for each country to make its own decisions regarding responses to ransom demands, said Lee Adamson, a spokesman for the UNs’ International Maritime Organization.
The IMO estimated that there have been more than 120 acts of piracy and armed robbery off the coast of Somalia so far this year.
At least, 14 ships and 243 crew are still under pirate control, including the Saudi supertanker, Sirius Star, the biggest tanker ever hijacked, which held as much as 2 million barrels of oil worth $100 million. “I’m not saying we should do it in that way, of course, the guy should receive a fair trial, but if he has participated in the act of piracy, he should be punished,” said Mr. Saverys.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/content/view/25689/49/
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The USA’s New Littoral Combat Ships (updated)
The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) is the U.S. Navy’s newest surface combatant class. Optimized for shallow seas and operations within 100 miles of shore, but deployable across the ocean, LCS ships are a centerpiece of the USA’s new focus on littoral warfare. They will help to counter growing “asymmetric” threats like coastal mines, quiet diesel submarines, global piracy, and terrorists on small fast attack boats. They will also perform intelligence gathering and scouting using helicopters and UAVs, offer some ground combat support capabilities, and share tactical information with other Navy aircraft, ships, submarines, and joint units. Swappable “mission modules,” UAV robot aircraft, and robotic UUV and USV vehicles will give these small ships the specialized capabilities they require for each of these roles – and the quick-replace adaptability they need to keep up.
At present, 2 teams are competing for the final LCS design. The General Dynamics team is offering a futuristic but practical high-speed trimaran based on Austal designs and experience. The Lockheed Martin team offers a high-speed semi-planing monohull based on Fincantieri designs that have set trans-Atlantic speed records. Team Lockheed’s efforts have run into serious trouble, including cancellation of the contract for their second ship. The General Dynamics/Austal team hit the same rocks soon afterward, in part because of the US Navy’s unusual proposal for future business arrangements.
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/
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First solar powered container ship sets sail
Japanese shipping firm claims 328 solar panels will provide power to crew's quarters and aid propulsion
Tom Young, BusinessGreen, 05 Jan 2009
The world's first container ship to use solar power to help generate the energy to drive its propellers took to the seas over the Christmas period, in a move designed to cut carbon emissions and reduce fuel costs.
Auriga Leader, a freighter owned and developed by shipping line Nippon Yusen and oil distributor Nippon Oil Corp, was launched last month from a shipyard in the city of Kobe, Japan.
The freighter, which is capable of carrying 6,400 automobiles, has been equipped with 328 solar panels at a cost of $1.68m.
To increase the panel's exposure to sunlight the 200 metre ship also boasts an innovative design whereby shipping containers are stored under a raised deck that limits any shading on the panels.
The ship's operators said that so far the energy generated by the solar array has only been used to power lighting and other applications in the crew's living quarters, but officials insisted the 40KW system could also be used to provide up to 0.2 per cent of power required by the ship's propulsion system.
Nippon Yusen, Japan's largest shipping company, said the move represented a step towards meeting its goal of halving fuel consumption and carbon-dioxide emissions by 2010.
The shipping industry has come under growing pressure to curb carbon emissions in the wake of recent research suggesting it has a larger carbon footprint than the aviation sector, contributing in excess of two per cent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.
In related news, Japanese businesses newspaper Nikkei last week reported that auto-giant Toyota is secretly working on a new car that will be powered entirely by solar power.
The paper claimed the company, which has established itself as a leader in the development of green cars, is working on an electric car that would be recharged using power generated from a solar array. It added that the car would also feature integrated solar panels that would help to top up the battery while it is on the move.
http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2233258/first-solar-powered-container
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International Crackdown on Somali Piracy Gaining Pace
A battle is being waged against the Somalian pirates who've been wreaking havoc in the Gulf of Aden. But as international warships thwart more attacks, the question arises of what to do with the pirates they capture.
Armed and serious: German marines have been called into action as part of the force
The first days of 2009 have seen a spate of pirate attacks off the Somalian coast, but a crackdown on rampant piracy by EU nations as well as the US, China, India, Malaysia, Turkey and Russia means many of the bandits' hijacking attempts are being thwarted.
The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) piracy reporting center in Kuala Lumpur has confirmed five attacks so far this year. The first was on New Year's Day when a Malaysian warship helped Indian seamen fight off heavily-armed bandits attempting to board an oil tanker.
The second came just an hour later, when attackers managed to hijack an Egyptian cargo ship. Several hours later a Greek bulk carrier was fired on, but the captain took evasive measures and managed to escape, said Noel Choong, the head of the IMB reporting center.
On January 2, at least five pirates attacked a German tanker, firing their machine guns at the ship which had 21 crew members on board.
"The captain increased the ship's speed along with other manoeuvres and managed to escape," Choong told news agency AFP.
In a fifth incident, a Greek tanker was fired on but the pirates fled when a Spanish aircraft arrived at the scene.
Danish, French forces capture pirates
Other incidents have not yet been confirmed by the IMB. The Danish navy said one of its anti-piracy warships came to the rescue of a Dutch cargo ship on Friday and rescued five pirates after they were forced into the water. The Dutch foreign ministry has not yet reached a decision on the fate of the pirates, who continue to be held onboard the Danish navy vessel.
Also on Friday, French forces handed over eight pirates to Somali authorities after they responded to a distress signal from a Panamanian cargo ship being pursued by bandits. And on Sunday, a French warship foiled a further two hijacking attempts on cargo vessels, intercepting 19 pirates who will also be transferred to Somali authorities, the French president's office said.
EU marines have been hunting pirates since December
France has been particularly active in the fight against piracy in the vital shipping lanes that link Europe to Asia. Since last April, French forces have arrested 29 pirates.
Foreign trials are risky
Some are in France awaiting trial. But the pirates picked up on Friday were delivered to security personnel in Puntland -- a semi-autonomous region that has become a base for the pirates earning millions of dollars in ransoms.
Some analysts say that bringing the pirates to Puntland is pointless as officials there are complicit in the attacks. But Puntland authorities deny any involvement and point to some 96 pirates in the region's jails.
"There is a diplomatic agreement whereby the Somali authorities are committed to prosecuting and punishing (pirates)," said Christophe Prazuck, spokesman for the French armed forces.
Some nations say trying pirates abroad is also problematic as they might face the prospect of extraditing them to Somalia where piracy carries the death penalty.
British, Spanish journalists freed
In a separate development, two journalists who were in Somalia to report on piracy for England's Daily Telegraph were released on Sunday after almost six weeks in captivity.
British writer Colin Freeman and Spanish photographer Jose Cendon were seized on November 26 on thier way to the airport in Bosasso, Puntland's economic capital. Two Somali journalists who were assisting them were also kidnapped, but there has been no word of their whereabouts.
DW staff
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,3922278,00.html
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Suez Canal ship traffic falls around 50% in December: source
LAGOS
Petroleumworld.com, Jan 07, 2009
The amount of shipping passing through the Suez Canal has fallen between 35-50% in December compared to the previous month and the year-ago month, a shipping source said Tuesday.
"There's a big reduction in the number," the source said, adding that various reasons have contributed to the decline including "piracy, the financial crisis, the marketed volume of goods transiting the canal."
While transits in December typically fall due to the holiday season, the reductions have been greater than in previous years, sources said.
The spike of piracy attacks in the Gulf of Aden throughout 2008 resulted in shipowners avoiding the Suez Canal in the last quarter of the year, according to market sources.
The Gulf of Aden and the coast off Somalia accounted for 111 of the 285 piracy attacks recorded in 2008, according to the International Maritime Bureau.
The attacks led to 42 vessels being hijacked in 2008, with 14 currently still held, and around 828 crew members being taken hostage with 259 still held, the IMB said. Rerouting vessels past the Cape of Good Hope can add 14 days to journey times as well as additional fuel costs, although shippers save the transit fee they would otherwise pay to go through the Suez Canal.
Market sources indicated that because of the reduced traffic the Suez Canal transit fees will remain unchanged for at least the beginning of 2009.
The piracy surge appears to be coming under a degree of control recently after many counties sent naval vessels to the area.
"It looks like it has helped," Cyrus Mody of the IMB said. "But we have to wait and watch at least few more months to be able to see the difference."
Currently the navies of the European Union, Malaysia, India and Russia are operating in the area with Chinese vessels also heading there, Mody said.
Apart from creating problems for ships, the pirates appeared to be threatening fuel supplies to Tanzania, according to local newspaper reports. Some transporters have canceled trips to East Africa due to the hijackings, the reports noted.
Story by Elza Turner from Platts
- elza_turner@platts.com
http://www.petroleumworld.com/story09010706.htm
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OUTLOOK '09: Chemical shipping faces stormy waters
07 January 2009 14:29 [Source: ICIS news]
By Dan Horlock
LONDON (ICIS news)--The chemical shipping industry is facing tough conditions this year with crew shortages, piracy problems and poor market conditions due to the severe economic downturn, industry observers said.
Crew shortages are a genuine reality, according to some operators, which could further stagnate growth in the chemical tanker industry.
There was already a shortage of qualified crews available to operate chemical tankers and the increase of piracy, especially in the Gulf of Aden, was hardly attractive to prospective employees, owners said.
Piracy problems in the Gulf of Aden meant that chemical tanker operators Odfjell, amongst others, would continue to divert their fleet around the Cape of Good Hope, as opposed to using the Gulf of Aden, Red Sea and Suez Canal.
The significant extra cost, which could be as much as $250,000 according to some European brokers, would add to the pressure on ship operators in a quiet market, sources said. The situation would impact delivery times of cargoes from Asia to Europe in 2009, traders working the route said.
The new EU naval patrol force would have to do better in combating pirates for the sake of the industry, ship operators said.
In addition to piracy problems, poor market conditions saw shipping across the regions suffer in the last three months of 2008 with chemical cargoes difficult to secure while crashing product prices were dissuading buyers from entering the market.
In Europe, one North Sea broker noted that benzene pricing had fallen by 75% in recent weeks, which meant that contract cargoes from Hamburg to all North Sea ports were being cancelled with spot cargoes non-existent.
“The unstable market conditions meant that buyers were unwilling to commit to fixed prices,” the source said.
This was one example of a shipping market that European players described as ‘unprecedented’ for its dearth of activity.
Trans-Atlantic trade was not exempt from the downturn as open positions in the US Gulf were noted in spite of production plants coming back on line in October after the damage caused by Hurricane Ike.
The distinct lack of cargoes due to the poor state of the global economy had already seen Svithoid Tankers employ two financial advisers to help save the company from liquidation, and this episode was set to repeat itself across the sector in 2009, according to industry players.
“The case of Svithoid Tankers proves that the industry is becoming more difficult for smaller-to-medium sized owners to operate in,” one ship operator said.
There was some good news, however, with a reduction in price of bunker fuel, a ship operator’s main operational cost.
Fuel costs had dropped 70% from highs of $700/tonne (€518/tonne) FOB (free on board) Rotterdam in July to just over $200/tonne FOB Rotterdam in December. Bunker fuel is directly linked to crude oil and was expected to remain at current price values over the coming months.
The Asia-Pacific region was one area where brokers remained positive as tonnage was seen open in December. Chinese requirements for nitrobenzyl alcohol (NBA), mono ethylene glycol (MEG), paraxylene (PX) and orthoxylene (OX) suggested that demand could return in early 2009, making the route more lucrative, a source said.
However, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicted that growth in 2009 in emerging economies such as China was on the decline and would not compensate for recessions in developed countries.
"The possibility of a global recession is real, we realise something must be done,” IMF managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn said.
($1 = €0.74)
http://www.icis.com/Articles/2009/01/07/9182084/OUTLOOK-09-Chemical-shipping-faces-stormy-waters.html
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Captured pirates in maritime limbo
Thursday, 08 January 2009 11:49 RC
Danish forces in the Gulf of Aden have no clear directive about what to do with five captive pirates
Questions about legal jurisdiction over pirates captured in international waters have again emerged after the crew of the HMS Absalon rescued five Somalis in the Gulf of Aden after their ship was sunk by a cargo ship they were reportedly attempting to board.
On 2 January the pirates attacked the ship, registered in the Netherlands Antilles. An emergency flare fired by the ship struck the pirates' boat, forcing them to abandon ship.
They were fished out of the water by Absalon, but now the Navy finds itself again in a position of having no guidelines on what to do with them.
Although the United Nations gave international forces in the Gulf of Aden permission to pursue pirates on land, criminal prosecution of pirates has become a thorn in the forces' side due to uncertainty over questions of jurisdiction.
On 3 December, Absalon was told by military headquarters in Bahrain not to pursue surrendering pirates - even though the ship's crew was certain the pirates were responsible for the attack on Australian cruise ship MV Athena that day.
Earlier in September, 10 pirates captured by the Navy had to be released because legal experts in Denmark were uncertain they could be prosecuted here and they could not be handed over to Somali authorities due to concerns that they risked capital punishment there.
The Foreign Ministry indicated it has been in contact with Dutch officials about the pirates held by Absalon, but no decision has been made.
http://www.cphpost.dk/news/international/43948-captured-pirates-in-maritime-limbo.html
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UK Defence spending
8 January 2009, 9:20am
The Daily Mail City team explains what's going on regarding defence spending in the UK.
It was a given that the government spends large chunks each year on equipping Britain's armed forces with the latest hi-tech gear they require to be successful on the battlefield.
Is it still the case?
Not really. Although defence procurement is a good way of supporting British industry and keeping skilled engineers in work, and the PM wants to spend his way out of recession with major public sector projects, the defence industry has been shoved out in the cold.
What's happened?
Sir Kevin O'Donoghue, who is in charge of the £16bn-a-year defence equipment budget, last year ordered a spending crackdown with no money for new projects.
Recently, the MoD announced another two-year delay on two £4bn aircraft carriers for the Navy and scrapped a £16bn project to build a new generation of armoured vehicles.
Contractors like BAE Systems have been responding by diversifying abroad.
What's the latest?
BAE yesterday announced a joint venture with India's Mahindra & Mahindra focused on building armoured vehicles for the Indian market.
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/30-second-guides/article.html?in_article_id=464230&in_page_id=53611&position=moretopstories
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GE Shipping cancels two shipbuilding orders
Thu Jan 8, 2009 2:50pm IST
MUMBAI, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Great Eastern Shipping Co Ltd (GESC.BO: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Thursday it has cancelled two new ship-building contracts, citing the highly uncertain business environment.
The company had placed the orders for the construction of two Supramax bulk carriers with a Chinese shipyard in 2007, it said in a statement.
(Reporting by Kaustav Roy)
http://in.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idINBOM38864820090108
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Regards
Snooper
NNNN
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