Snooper News 20090130

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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.


Life, the Universe and Hot Chocolate - 29 01 09

After yesterday's fantastic run of nearly 300miles, the wind dropped away as predicted as I hit the ridge of high-pressure ridge that is heading southeast. I’ll have to wait sometime tomorrow afternoon to be released from its clutches, at which time the wind will build from the south.

I’ve made the most of the lull to continue my TLC of Totallymoney.com by giving her foredeck a wash down and a once over with the deckbrush. I want her looking great for Cape Town! There’s no better feeling than to feel totally at ease with your boat and I've developed the ability to know exactly when Totallymoney.com is feeling a little too pushed or wants a little more sail up.

I had another great shower under the bucket this evening and although it was a little colder than the last one, it was just as refreshing. Afterwards, I treated myself to the luxury of a complete set of clean clothes and sat on the coachroof, as I often do, with hot chocolate in hand, watching the sky darken until total blackness. It’s perhaps hard to imagine the feelings I get being here; it’s just me the boat, the sea and the universe. Last night it was so incredibly starry. There was no moon but the night was lit up as if someone had thrown bright silver glitter dust right across the sky.


Wind and Whales - 28 01 09

Wow what a day I've had on board Totallymoney.com! It's definitely been a pure grin from ear-to-ear-day… the wind picked up early this morning and I've been turbo-surfing ever since. We're power reaching right now, so with the ballast full and the boat set for full speed ahead, we're flying along on a constant surf at thirteen knots and above, peaking at 18.5 knots. It's such a fantastic feeling as Totallymoney.com flies - like there's no water beneath her - and yet she remains totally under control, balanced and happy.

As we flew I spotted a whale around fifteen metres away, ploughing alongside us. This was the first whale I've seen this trip; it really was a spectacular sight watching her/him keep up with us, creating her/his own bow wave! It was only with us for a minute so I failed to get a photo (sorry about that!). However the image will remain in my mind for a long time to come.

I'm firing on all cylinders now, making the best speed I can, blasting eastwards before I reach a ridge of high pressure tomorrow evening. The wind will drop right off, below ten knots as it backs round to the south. After this though, the wind should slowly increase giving me a superfast passage to Cape Town.


Visit : http://www.totallymoney.com/sailmike/
Blog : http://www.totallymoney.com/sailmike/?cat=5

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Last updated January 27, 2009 2:48 p.m. PT
Hearings set on Navy plan for dolphin patrols

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BANGOR, Wash. -- A Navy plan to use dolphins and sea lions to patrol its Hood Canal submarine base is set for environmental hearings next month.

Nearly two years ago, Navy officials announced the start of work on an environmental impact statement for the Swimmer Interdiction Security System at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor.

The resulting draft impact statement, listing five options for securing the four-mile waterfront, is the subject of hearings Feb. 11 in Silverdale and Feb. 12 in SeaTac.

The Navy's preference is for a combination of trained California sea lions and Atlantic bottlenose dolphins to guard against swimmers breaching the base's water perimeter. Other alternatives are to use sea lions only, human swimmers, remotely operated equipment, and no change, although the final option would fail to meet anti-terrorism requirements were adopted after Sept. 11, 2001.

A final impact statement is expected in late July and a final decision by the secretary of the Navy is expected in October, Navy spokeswoman Sheila Murray said.

Under the preferred plan, dolphins would be used only at night and would be accompanied by handlers in small power boats. The dolphins would be trained to return to the boat and alert the handler if they noticed an intruder. The handler would then place a strobe light on a dolphin's nose, and the creature would return and bump the intruder, causing the light to come free and float to the surface as a location marker.

Guards would then be sent to find and subdue the intruder.

Murray said the sea lion-only option was added in response to public suggestions after the use of dolphins was proposed in 2007.

Sea lions would be trained to carry in their mouths a special cuff attached to a long rope and clamp the cuff around the leg of a suspicious swimmer, who then could be reeled in for questioning.

Effects on the environment from the five options range from none to minor and fall within federal and state standards, according to the draft impact statement.

Eight nuclear missile-carrying Trident submarines, two subs with conventional missiles and a spy sub are based at Bangor.

The Navy has been training marine mammals for about four decades, mostly in San Diego, and dolphins are used for patrolling the nation's only other Trident base at Kings Bay, Ga.

In public meetings two years ago, however, opponents of a similar move at Bangor said Hood Canal is too cold for bottlenose dolphins.

Murray said the problem is the temperature of the air in winter rather than the water, adding that the Navy's latest plan is for two-hour dolphin shifts and to keep them in heated enclosures when they are off duty.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420ap_wa_dolphin_sea_lion_patrols.html

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Medvedev sees stronger Russian navy despite crisis
Tue Jan 27, 2009 11:54am EST

By Oleg Shchedrov

ST PETERSBURG, Russia, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Russia's planned expansion of its navy could take longer than expected because of the financial slowdown but will still be implemented in full, President Dmitry Medvedev said on Tuesday.

Moscow, keen to play a more assertive role in world politics, last year announced plans to build new types of weapons, including nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers.

But after a decade of an oil-fuelled economic boom, Russia's economy is forecast to contract this year amid a global financial crisis, calling into question the credibility of official pledges to spend lavishly on defence programmes.

"Without a proper navy Russia does not have a future as a state," Medvedev said to cadets at the Nakhimov Naval Academy in his native city of St Petersburg.

"We had difficult times in the 1990s, but now despite difficulties the government will indeed invest the funds promised for the navy. Perhaps some things will take longer, but (these projects) will be financed."

Russia has sent warships and strategic bombers on Cold War-style sorties around the globe in what the West sees as muscle-flexing by Moscow.

But after Russia's war with former Soviet Georgia last August, analysts pointed to a need for a smaller, more mobile and better equipped armed forces to tackle regional conflicts rather than a Soviet-style army designed to fight NATO.

Military experts also say that while the Kremlin can now spend more cash after years of high prices for its oil exports, many of its military enterprises lack highly skilled workers or technologies to produce the newest weapons.

Russia's navy announced last July that it planned to receive five or six aircraft carriers in the near future. But all of the Soviet Union's aircraft carriers were built in Ukraine which now aspires to join NATO.

Russia now has only one aircraft carrier but it carries fewer aircraft than U.S. carriers and features a steam-turbine power-plant, while all modern carriers are nuclear-powered.

Meanwhile, the introduction of the newest "Bulava" nuclear missile, designed for new submarines of the "Borei" (Arctic Wind) class, has been delayed due to a series of failed tests. (Writing by Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by Richard Balmforth)

http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSLR566446

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Refitted Type 23 frigate HMS Monmouth to conduct sea trials

HMS Monmouth leaving Rosyth. (Photo: Mark Owens)

16:05 GMT, January 26, 2009 Following a major € 12,2 million ($ 16 million / £11.5 million) refit, the Type 23 frigate HMS Monmouth set sail from Rosyth, on Scotland's east coast, to conduct sea trials that will test her new operational capabilities, on Friday 23 January 2009.

Contractors Babcock have spent ten months on the ship performing extensive repair and maintenance, modifying the gearboxes to improve her speed and adding a new transom flap together with replacement propellers and drive shafts which will also improve performance and make the ship more fuel efficient.

They have also made the ship capable of receiving an upgraded Surface Ship Torpedo Defence System which uses highly sensitive acoustic sensors towed behind the ship to pinpoint the location of an incoming torpedo.

Commodore Brian Archibald, MOD Defence Equipment and Support Director of Surface Combatants, said:

"Modifications have been made to the ship's gearboxes so they can handle the maximum power output of the gas turbines and we expect these sea trials to demonstrate that this has given a boost to her top speed. Overall, the work has improved HMS Monmouth's operational capabilities and has equipped the ship well for the next phase of her service life."

The living quarters have also been refurbished with improvements including an updated air-conditioning system which will make operating in hotter climes more comfortable.

Commander Tony Long, for whom this will be the first time at the helm as Commanding Officer of HMS Monmouth, said:

"My ship's company is keen to get back to sea and prove the Black Duke's [HMS Monmouth's] capabilities. For a few, it is their first time at sea and I can sense their excitement and anticipation. For most, however, it is the return to operating from our base port and being that bit closer to family and friends while we advance our engineering trials and weapons skills ahead of our operational deployment."

The Type 23 frigates form the backbone of the Royal Navy's anti-submarine frigate force but they are also versatile ships that can perform a range of operations and are deployed right around the world.

The contract to refit Monmouth was awarded under the Surface Ship Support programme which brings MOD and industry together to allocate work packages and deliver affordable and sustainable complex warship support through an alliancing arrangement. This approach represents best value for Defence while at the same time helping to ensure sustainability and longevity for industry.

http://www.defpro.com/news/details/5115/

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L-3 to aid Navy with advanced technologies
By William Welsh
Jan 27, 2009

L-3 Communications Corp. will furnish advanced technologies and other support services to the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic under a contract potentially worth $87.4 million.

Under the contract, L-3 Services will assist in the development of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems; unmanned aerial vehicle systems; and intelligence operations, the Defense Department said Jan. 26.

The L-3 unit also will provide a variety of key support services for these and other activities, such as software development, remote sensing and imagery analysis. Other services to be provided are information assurance, network security, emergency preparedness planning, technology validation and mission training.

L-3 Services will perform the work in Washington, D.C., and Charleston, S.C. If all options are exercised, the company will continue working on the project until 2014.

http://washingtontechnology.com/articles/2009/01/27/l3-navy-advanced-technologies.aspx

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VT naval exit won't hit shipbuilding -UK official
Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:40am EST

ABOARD HMS DARING, Jan 28 (Reuters) - The top official in charge of Britain's naval shipbuilding programme said on Wednesday VT Group's (VTG.L) decision to exit a shipbuilding venture would not affect its destroyer and carrier programmes.

Britain will not block the move provided the necessary commitments are met, Rear Admiral Bob Love, director general of ships at the Ministry of Defence told Reuters.

VT Group said earlier it would sell its 45 percent stake in its BVT Surface Fleet naval shipbuilding operations to its joint-venture partner BAE Systems (BAES.L) for a minimum 380 million pounds ($536 million).

"We have been happy with the direction at BVT. I think as a new company it is going well," Love said, adding it would reach its target of saving 700-1.2 billion pounds over 15 years.

"Provided the commitment to service and delivery remains strong, then I think it is a matter for industry and the MOD will be content with the necessary safeguards," he said.

He was speaking on board Britain's newest warship, 1 billion pound stealth destroyer HMS Daring, as it prepared to enter its home base of Portsmouth for the first time on Wednesday.

VT said Britain had approved the deal but subject to finalising a 15-year business agreement.

http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUSLS7339220090128

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Indian Navy has key role to guard its ocean boundaries:
Willard
Published: January 28,2009

Mumbai , Jan 28 The Indian Navy has a strategic role to play in ensuring the security of the maritime boundaries in the Indian Ocean, Commander of the US Pacific Fleet Admiral Robert Willard, said today.

"The Indian Navy is advancing in technology and capabilities at quite a good rate. It is truly a ranking navy in the region," Willard who is in the city on his annual visit, said. India was also strategically important for security in Indian Ocean region, he said.

It was a major challenge to ensure seas around the world were safe and apart from naval forces, coastal security agencies like Coast Guard and ministries controlling commercial maritime trade would also need to aid the process, Willard said.The Commander of the US Pacific Fleet visited the Indian Navy’s Western Naval Command headquarters and interacted with senior officials including Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Vice Admiral J S Bedi.

The annual Malabar joint naval exercises were planned between the Seventh Fleet of the US Navy and the Indian Navy and would be expanded or contracted as per requirement, he said.

http://www.indopia.in/India-usa-uk-news/latest-news/488779/National/1/20/1

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Westerhaven Caused US$26.9 million in Damages to Belize's Reef
posted (January 27, 2009)

Two weeks ago tonight, the Westerhaven Cargo Ship loaded with containers crashed into Belize’s barrier reef near Caye Glory. It tore through 11,000 square meters of pristine reef and according to the Department of Environment it caused US$26.9 million in damages. That’s right, the DOE and Fisheries Department yesterday arrived at the final figure. At this hour – we are told the Port Authority and attorneys for the ship are working on a settlement.

That settlement will have to be more than US$26.9 million and can be as much as three times that amount. That is because as we first reported on Friday, the Port Authority found that the captain Fritz Schroeder was negligent.

He has told the DOE that the ship was on auto-pilot when it ran aground. And that may explain why he skipped town on Friday. He left behind his 14 member crew. We are told another captain has taken command of the Westerhaven.

We note that while the sum of damages is large, this is not the largest damage assessment ever recorded. The largest was for the “Transfer” which slammed into Lighthouse Reef in 2005. That ship is still there and no one was ever charged since after the accident – the captain and crew fled.

http://7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=13219

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Two more container lines re-route around the Cape

Further to our report concerning Maersk Line’s decision to re-route some of its eastbound sailings from Europe to Asia around the Cape instead of going through the Suez Canal, two other shipping lines, French carrier CMA CGM and CSCL have announced they intend doing the same with their joint service, also over a set number of sailings.

The first Maersk vessel, the 11,000-TEU ELLY MAERSK (170,794-gt, built 2007) is currently on her way down the western seaboard of Africa on a heading for the Cape of Good Hope. Maersk intends further eastbound sailings round the Cape over the next seven weeks.

The savings on this longer route will be made possible due to slower sailings, meaning less fuel is burned, the avoidance of paying Suez Canal fees (approximately $ 600,000), and by avoiding insurance costs by not sailing through pirate-infested waters. With lower loadings on eastbound sailings the lines have been unable to recoup these additional insurance costs by way of the so-called ‘Aden Gulf surcharge’, which is set in the region of $ 23 per TEU.

CMA CGM and CSCL have indicated they will follow this trend also on a temporary basis with their joint FAL-2 or AEX-7 loop. AXS-Alphaliner reports that the first eastbound sailing via the Cape is to be made with the CMA CGM NORMA (107,711-gt, built 2006). The service will continue in this fashion for a test period of eight weeks on all eastbound sailings, with ships returning westbound via the Suez.

Unlike the Maersk service which has cut eastbound calls at Tanjung Pelepas, Hong Kong and Yantian, the CMA CGM/CSCL joint service will however continue to service all port calls as per schedule.

It is not thought likely that the three lines will maintain the Cape of Good Hope route indefinitely and once the test period the matter is to be re-evaluated. If bunker prices remain at lower levels shipping lines may revert to sailing at higher speeds and then the Suez again becomes an option, but much will also depend on levels of cargo loadings eastwards.

http://ports.co.za/news/article_2009_01_27_2822.html

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Australian company to develop Cameroon’s Kribi bulk port

An Australian company, Sundance Resources has won a $ 160 million contract to develop a new bulk port facility at Kribi, which lies to the south of Douala in Cameroon. See our related report dated 3 August 2008 HERE

The new bulk port at Kribi is intended as the Cameroon’s major multi-user shipping hub to service the Mbalam iron ore project as well as other emerging industries in the region. Other parties involved in developing the multi-purpose port include CamIron SA, Rio Tinto Alcan, the Bollore Group, Petredec/Camship, Vinci/Sogea/Satom/Boskalis International, and Angelkique/SCDP.

The iron ore terminal project won by CamIron SA, the Cameroonian subsidiary of Sundance Resources, is a stand alone project and will be situated close to Kribi. Cameroon will have a 15% stake in the project

http://ports.co.za/news/article_2009_01_27_2822.html

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Thompson Files: Pull plug on the DDG-1000
In naval nomenclature, "DD" means destroyer and "G" means it carries guided missiles. DDG-1000 was supposed to meet the U.S. Marine Corps' need for high rates of fire ashore by carrying guns that could shoot precision rounds 60 miles or more. However, the high cost of the warship -- well over $3 billion each -- made it too pricey to buy in quantity and too valuable to deploy near enemy shores.

by Loren B. Thompson
Arlington, Va. (UPI) Jan 27, 2009

The U.S. Navy has a favorite mantra that concisely captures why maritime strategy matters: 70 percent of the world is covered by water, 80 percent of its people live close to the sea, and 90 percent of its trade travels by sea.

Those facts by themselves explain why having a forward-deployed naval fleet is necessary. But being there isn't enough. The U.S. Navy must have the right capabilities to influence events both at sea and ashore.

The service has done a good job of thinking through how its aircraft carriers and submarines can contribute to near-shore, or "littoral" operations. And it doesn't take much imagination to see why the U.S. Marine Corps requirement for 33 modern amphibious-assault vessels is relevant to the fight ashore. But when it comes to surface combatants, the U.S. Navy has made some missteps.

Surface combatants come in three basic flavors -- frigates, destroyers and cruisers -- with the smaller frigates optimized for shallow-water operations and other, larger combatants operating farther out to sea. The Navy's opening gambit for becoming more relevant ashore after the collapse of communism was a huge destroyer initially called DD-21, then DD(X), and now DDG-1000.

In naval nomenclature, "DD" means destroyer and "G" means it carries guided missiles. DDG-1000 was supposed to meet the U.S. Marine Corps' need for high rates of fire ashore by carrying guns that could shoot precision rounds 60 miles or more. However, the high cost of the warship -- well over $3 billion each -- made it too pricey to buy in quantity and too valuable to deploy near enemy shores.

The concept of operations thus was inherently flawed, because the guns can't hit much unless the warship is close to enemy territory.

U.S. Navy leaders began to have doubts about DDG-1000 two years ago. By that time they had made progress on a replacement for their Cold War frigate, dubbed the Littoral Combat Ship, it looked like a much better match for future military needs. The modular design of the LCS enabled it to perform a wide range of missions without becoming a multibillion-dollar behemoth.

Meanwhile, threats had changed faster than expected in the Western Pacific and elsewhere, with China deploying very quiet diesel-electric submarines, sea-skimming anti-ship missiles and ballistic missiles that might soon have the ability to hit U.S. carriers. So the U.S. Navy decided to pull the plug on the DDG-1000.

Last summer the U.S. Navy told Congress it wanted to halt DDG-1000 production at three ships and instead build an improved version of its Aegis destroyer, along with LCS. The reason why, it said, was that the firepower provided by DDG-1000 could be replaced using other weapons, but it desperately needed to enhance its anti-missile and anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

Aegis destroyers and cruisers are receiving upgrades to their combat systems, already considered the best in the world for intercepting hostile aircraft and missiles at sea. When combined with the anti-ship, anti-mine and anti-submarine capabilities of the LCS, these upgrades will assure fleet survivability for decades to come.

The Obama administration should listen to what the U.S. Navy is saying. The sea services can harvest many of the technological advances developed for the DDG-1000 by redirecting contractors to work on other projects.

Prime contractor Raytheon appears to have done a very good job on the ship's electronic combat system. But the ship itself isn't needed, and it doesn't make sense to reconfigure the vessel for missile defense when only three are likely to be built.

The U.S. Navy needs to focus scarce funding on the vessels that will provide the backbone of the surface fleet -- Aegis destroyers, Aegis cruisers and Littoral Combat Ships -- while assuring a sufficient level of ship construction so that no adverse economic consequences are felt at the yards where surface combatants are built.

(Loren B. Thompson is chief executive officer of the Lexington Institute, an Arlington, Va.-based think tank that supports democracy and the free market.)

http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Thompson_Files_Pull_plug_on_the_DDG-1000_999.html

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Business Times - 28 Jan 2009

Reducing shipping's carbon footprint

The industry must explore ways to save energy by incorporating new systems and approaches into the design of new ships

By DAVID HUGHES

THE biggest environmental issue facing the shipping industry is what it should do, if anything, to reduce its emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), one of the 'greenhouse gases' believed to be responsible for global warming.

Last October's meeting of the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) made considerable progress on developing benchmarks by which emission levels could be judged.

However, it made virtually no progress on some form of market-based instrument (MBI) such as an emissions trading scheme (ETS) or carbon emissions levy.

Immediately after the MEPC meeting, it was not apparent that anything significant had happened regarding greenhouse gases at IMO. However, well-placed industry observers believe that, by default, MEPC 58 was highly significant as it makes the incorporation of shipping into a European Union ETS more likely. It also increases the likelihood of a shipping measure in the replacement convention for the Kyoto Protocol.

There are shipowners - most notably, the Greeks - who believe the outcome of the MEPC meeting was a victory in the battle to prevent shipping being incorporated into either an EU ETS or the revised Kyoto.

Modest reductions

However, others are worried that this battle cannot be won and IMO has now lost the momentum which will allow it to call the shots in regulating CO2 reduction for the shipping industry.

The shipping industry has generally taken the view that in the medium term, only modest - though useful - reductions in CO2 emissions from ships can be achieved but this should be seen in the context of shipping being by far the most fuel-efficient, least environmentally damaging form of transport. The second part of that is certainly true but perhaps there is more scope for increasing energy efficiency in shipping than most have assumed.

Recently, an expert in the field argued that while fuel cells will be a long-term sustainable energy solution for ships, many options are available now for incorporation of new designs to achieve immediate fuel savings, reduced environmental impact and reduced operational costs.

At the Sabanci University Sakip Sabanci Museum (SMM) Istanbul, Zabi Bazari, ship energy services manager for Lloyd's Register Marine Consultancy Services, explored in detail the potential use of new technologies to help in reducing both marine fuel consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

He said that energy savings as high as 40 per cent can be achieved by incorporating new systems and approaches into the design of new ships.

In his speech, Dr Zabi reviewed existing and potential technologies in two main categories: hull and propulsors; and engines and auxiliary machinery.

To achieve a reduction in a ship's hydrodynamic resistance, he advocated options such as optimised hull forms, latest foul-release paints, the use of air cavity or air bubble systems, the use of sails for capturing wind and solar energies.

He underlined how the energy lost in propulsors can be mitigated by the use of contra- rotating propellers, flow-wise integrated propeller-rudder systems and propeller boss cap fins as well as hull-mounted fins upstream of the propeller for streamlining flow at entry to the propeller.

He also said using waste heat recovery systems, alternative fuels and an electronic-control, common-rail, fuel-injection system was the most effective and immediate means of reducing fuel consumption and emissions with existing engines.

Dr Zabi also advocated improvements in measurement and monitoring, especially wide-scale shipboard energy metering to facilitate subsequent operational energy management.

The wider use of smart sensors and control systems - in particular, for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems (HVAC) and lighting systems - are now appropriate for new ships.

In the longer term, he considered fuel cells as the most important and most likely long-term, low- and zero-carbon alternative. He said that after a further three-year period of research and development, we will see a period of adoption of fuel cell technology - primarily to gradually replace auxiliary power generation engines. But full replacement of existing engines/fuel combinations by fuel cells would not be likely for 20-30 years yet, he thought.

Regulatory changes

Dr Zabi's views should provide food for thought for the shipping industry. He stated that regulatory changes will be the main driver for use of energy-efficient and clean technologies.

He said that new technologies will support future compliance and will deliver financial benefits if energy efficiency is taken into account at design stage. That, of course, suggests that the industry must simply accept some form of market-based instrument.

There will be many in the industry, however, who will say that artificial MBIs are not required and might even hinder progress.

They will argue that commercial pressure to cut fuel costs will lead to the adoption of these more efficient technologies anyway, without the need for bureaucratic intervention.

The shipping industry needs to consider this issue carefully. In the end, it may be forced to accept MBIs but, in everybody's interest, it must make sure the full implications of doing so are understood by all involved.

http://www.businesstimes.com.sg:80/sub/storyprintfriendly/0,4582,316194,00.html?

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UAVs - Robots Roam The Mediterranean Skies

January 28, 2009: After four years of testing and development, Israel is replacing manned maritime aircraft, which patrol along its coast, with UAVs.

The current patrol force consists of three Seascan aircraft, which are modified versions of the Israeli made Westwind executive jet. This ten ton aircraft has a seven man crew and is equipped with a search radar, and can carry missiles. The Seascan has an endurance of six hours, and has been used for maritime reconnaissance for over thirty years.

The 1.1 ton Heron UAV, which enters service this year, can stay in the air for 30 hours or more, and has a payload of 500 pounds. This can include a search radar. Using the Heron, instead of the Seascan, will save a lot of money, and provide better coverage. The Seascan aircraft are about at the end of their useful lives.

It was four years ago that Israel first began using some UAVs for maritime patrol. The United States has also been experimenting with this, as it is pretty clear that UAVs are ideal for this job. Maritime patrol consists of many hours in the air looking for whatever among not much. Boring as hell for humans, but ideal work for robots. While the U.S. is experimenting with the large, and expensive, Global Hawk, Israel (which really only has to worry about coastal patrols) is using a new version of the old, reliable, Heron, called the Mahatz I.

One thing that makes UAVs for maritime patrol possible, or at least practical, is cheaper and more capable sensors. In the case of the Mahatz I, the radar used (synthetic aperture radar), works with onboard software to provide automatic detection, classification and tracking of what is down there. Human operators ashore, or on a ship or in an aircraft, are alerted if they want to double check using video cameras on the UAV. Also carried are sensors that track the sea state (how choppy it is).

For this kind of work, one of the most important things is reliability. While the Heron/ Mahatz I is a bit smaller (at 1.2 tons) than the Predator, it is still pretty expensive (over $5 million each.) You don't want to lose them over open water. What the Israeli navy will be doing is finding out just how reliable the Mahatz I is when doing a lot of maritime patrol.

http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htnavai/articles/20090128.aspx


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Business Times - 28 Jan 2009


Bankrupt Danish shipper seeks US protection

(NEW YORK) Atlas Shipping A/S, a Danish commodity-shipping company, asked for United States bankruptcy protection as it seeks to reorganise overseas.

The company on Friday listed as much as US$500 million in debt and up to US$50 million in assets in a Chapter 15 petition in US Bankruptcy Court in New York. Affiliate Atlas Bulk Shipping separately listed as much as US$50 million in debt and up to US$10 million in assets.

Atlas, based in Copenhagen, filed for bankruptcy on Dec 18 in its home city, according to the company's website.

American bankruptcy law allows a company reorganising abroad to seek protection from US lawsuits and organise US assets.

Commodity shipping costs as measured by the Baltic Dry Index fell a record 92 per cent last year, causing at least four shipowners to fail.

Weakening demand for iron ore from Chinese steelmakers and a lack of trade finance to purchase cargoes caused rates to plunge. Other bankrupt owners include Armada (Singapore) Pte, Odessa, Ukraine-based Industrial Carriers Inc and London-based Britannia Bulk Holdings Inc.

Nordea Bank AB in November warned as many as half of commodity shippers will breach loan terms because of the decline in rental rates and ship values.

Owners including DryShips Inc, Genco Shipping & Trading Ltd and Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc are cancelling orders for new ships to save cash.

Atlas on its website cited 'the historic drop in freight rates' since August as a reason for its bankruptcy. The company, founded in 1996, had revenue of US$789 million in 2007 and an operating profit of US$109 million.

The case is In re Atlas Shipping, 09-10314, US Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan). -- Bloomberg

http://www.businesstimes.com.sg:80/sub/storyprintfriendly/0,4582,316128,00.html?

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Intelligence - Chips You Can Trust

January 28, 2009: Because American weapons systems use so many electronics items, and so many of the components (especially the microprocessor type chips, and others of similar complexity) come from overseas (mainly East Asia), there has been growing fear that a hostile nation might slip sabotaged chips into U.S. weapons. Four years ago, this led to the American "Trust in Integrated Circuits" program, which has developed technology and techniques for verifying that chips going into military equipment, are not secretly modified to aid the enemy (by letting enemy hackers in, or failing under certain conditions). The Trust program is not finished yet, and it won't confer absolute protection, but will make it harder for enemy to slip in secret spy chips.

This, however, does not offer protection from another scary problem. It's the increasing sale of counterfeit computer equipment to military organizations. But it's not just about the selling of cheap knock-offs at premium prices, but the espionage potential of this sort of thing. The most vulnerable equipment is network cards. Crooks buy cheap, generic ones from China, then attach authentic looking stickers to make it appear like a top-of-the line item from an American supplier. The intel angle enters the equation when you realize that these cards could have special versions of chips that are hard wired to either allow foreign hackers access to U.S. networks, or "call home" to enable the foreign Cyber Warriors to know where their fake cards have ended up.

There have been plenty of counterfeit cards uncovered, but none yet with the spy chips installed. What's worrisome is that U.S. Cyber War units have apparently already created such spy chips, as these can be installed in legit equipment as well. All you have to do is get the target country to accept the gear and install it. Normally, and for obvious reasons, no one wants to talks about this sort of thing. But the growing number of counterfeit electronics being peddled to the U.S. military, and energetic FBI efforts to catch the counterfeiters, has made it more difficult to keep this form of espionage completely under wraps.

http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htintel/articles/20090128.aspx

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Business Times - 28 Jan 2009


Cargo ships on European routes to get red-tape relief

(BRUSSELS) European Union (EU) regulators proposed to cut red tape for cargo ships travelling between EU ports in a bid to spur maritime trade and bolster the economy.

The European Commission's draft law seeks to ease the administrative burden on intra-EU shipping by reducing reporting formalities at departure and arrival. Separate proposals to abolish systematic customs controls on goods and speed checks on veterinary products will follow under the push to help short-sea shipping, which carries 40 per cent of intra-European freight.

Unlike road, rail and air transport, shipping has no single European market because a vessel sailing between two EU ports is treated as leaving the bloc's territory at departure and re-entering at arrival. Administrative simplification for EU shipping could generate 2.4 billion euros (S$4.8 billion) in benefits, according to the commission, which said the current European economic downturn increases the need for such relief.

'Short-sea shipping is a perfect vehicle for stimulating intra-EU trade exchanges and thus supporting recovery of growth,' the commission, the 27-nation EU's regulatory arm, said recently in Brussels. The draft legislation to reduce reporting formalities at ports needs the backing of EU governments and the European Parliament in a process that can take a year or longer. The EU is seeking deeper maritime-policy coordination to protect the interests of European companies that own 41 per cent of the world fleet by carrying capacity. The new proposal on intra-EU shipping is the legislative component of a package that also includes general maritime-policy recommendations for the next 10 years in areas ranging from employment to the environment to piracy.

The draft law to ease reporting formalities will probably win rapid approval by European governments, which have a 'tremendous interest' in the measure, said EU Transport Commissioner Antonio Tajani.

The separate plan for customs relief should take effect in 2010 under a fast-track EU approval procedure, while the effort to accelerate checks on veterinary and phytosanitary products will take the form of guidelines to be drawn up over the coming year, according to the commission. 'We are taking a great step forward,' Mr Tajani noted. 'We want to reduce some of the bureaucratic practices.'

The commission's longer-term policy recommendations include enhancing the appeal of maritime jobs, reducing ship pollution, improving the safety and security of vessels and pressing at global level for 'open and fair competition'. - Bloomberg

http://www.businesstimes.com.sg:80/sub/storyprintfriendly/0,4582,316183,00.html?

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Japan asks Russia to quickly free seized boat crew

1 hour ago

TOKYO (AP) — Tokyo has asked the Russian coast guard to promptly release 10 Japanese crew members seized aboard their fishing boat while off Japan's northern coast, the top government spokesman said Wednesday.

The crab fishing boat No. 38 Yoshimaru was caught Tuesday night off the northern coast of the Noto peninsula in an area believed to be outside Japanese territorial waters.

Seizures of Japanese fishing boats by Russian authorities in disputed waters between Japan's northern island of Hokkaido and the Russian-held Kurils are not uncommon, although the latest incident occurred in waters several hundred miles (kilometers) away.
The Russian coast guard told Japan's Foreign Ministry that the boat was seized because it was illegally operating in Russia's exclusive economic zone, Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura said at news conference Wednesday.

The ship and the fishermen, who are in good health, were being taken to Russia's far eastern port of Nakhodka for investigation, he said.

Kawamura said Tokyo has asked Russia to release the fishermen "as soon as possible, in light of international law and from a humanitarian standpoint."

He said Japanese officials are still trying to determine the exact location of the boat and what it was doing at the time of its seizure.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jzrNMBi34jqiu9Dc53OmaMwj1_1QD9603PS81

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Ukrainian Purchase of ex-USN Vessels in Doubt
Forecast International | Jan 28, 2009


NEWTOWN: Senior U.S. officials have purportedly expressed doubts regarding Ukraine's ability to acquire ex-U.S. Navy ships under a program originally envisioned to boost Ukrainian naval capacity.

On January 24, Interfax news agency quoted U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor as expressing doubts on Kiev's purchase of U.S. surplus vessels. During a press conference, Taylor noted that the U.S. Department of Defense and Ukrainian Defense Ministry had begun negotiations, but that those negotiations were initiated before the onset of the current economic crisis engulfing Ukraine. Taylor added that, "U.S. naval ships and their equipment are very expensive to maintain, and therefore he does not believe these negotiations will result in a decision in the nearest future."

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry press service originally reported on October 8, that Ukrainian Defense Minister Yuri Yekhanurov and U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates discussed the possibility Ukraine taking possession of secondhand U.S. naval vessels.

Gates said that the American government was considering a possibility of the turning over of those ships to the Ukrainian Navy within the framework of military-technical cooperation between Ukraine and the United States. He added, however, that the issue required the support of the U.S. Congress. According to his information, the next round of consultations on the problem on the level of defense ministries of the two countries will be held in San Diego, California, the Ukrainian defense ministry press service reports.

http://www.defencetalk.com/news/publish/navy/Ukrainian_Purchase_of_ex-USN_Vessels_in_Doubt120016981.php

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MDA's Surveillance Service Operation Begins in Afghanistan
| Jan 28, 2009

RICHMOND, BC: MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd., a provider of essential information solutions, announced today that MDA conducted its first Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flight in Afghanistan on January 1, 2009. Flight operations are now underway from the Kandahar Airfield for the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND).

The service will support Canadian troops by providing critically important intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information directly to commanders and front line soldiers in real time.

In August, DND awarded the contract to MDA for a long endurance UAV surveillance solution to support the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan. Only five months later, this service is operational in Kandahar, Afghanistan and fulfills a recommendation made by the Independent Panel on Canada's Future Role in Afghanistan led by the Honourable John Manley.

David Hargreaves, a vice president within MDA's Information Systems group, said: 'This key milestone demonstrates MDA's ability to rapidly bring very sophisticated, cost effective surveillance services that will improve safety for Canada and NATO and significantly improve operational results.'

http://www.defencetalk.com/news/publish/airforce/MDA_s_Surveillance_Service_Operation_Begins_in_Afghanistan100016985.php

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Marines Provide Protection for Counter-piracy Boarding Teams
US Navy | Jan 28, 2009


USS SAN ANTONIO, At Sea: When boarding teams depart the amphibious transport dock ship USS San Antonio (LPD 17) in rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) to deter piracy in the Gulf of Aden, the Scout Sniper Platoon, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, currently attached to the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), provides protection for the Sailors and Coast Guardsmen.

"The scout snipers' role while attached to Combined Task Force (CTF) 151 is to supply either aerial support from a scout sniper position inside the helicopter or, if need be, we can provide support from the ship to provide over-watch for the visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) team as they go ahead and take out a vessel," said Gunnery Sgt. Jeffery Benkie, scout sniper platoon sergeant.

The nine-member sniper team brings multiple capabilities to CTF 151, including its ability to operate from an aerial platform with a variety of different weapons systems. The scout snipers use a Mk-11, which is the 762 sniper rifle; a 50-caliber M107 special application scoped rifle (SASR); and several different sets of optics to aid them in carrying out their mission.

"We have the ability to stand off of a target, visually see what is on the target and report that information to the VBSS teams so they understand -- before they're boarding -- the number of personnel, if there are any weapons on board, if there are any type of foulings on the deck, if their hook point is obtainable, and, basically, give them a warm and fuzzy feeling that they're not out alone out here, that they have snipers watching over them 100 percent of the time," explained Benkie.

Several of the Marines attended Scout Sniper School, which is an intensive 10-week school in Stone Bay, N.C. It consists of three phases: marksmanship, deployment and basic skills. Several of the scout snipers also completed the three-week Special Operations Training Group Urban Sniper Course.

"It's a very short period of time, three weeks, but they shoot approximately 10,000 rounds during those three weeks, so it's very shooting intensive," said Benkie.

During scout sniper school, Marines must qualify up to 1,000 yards with a Mk-11 sniper rifle. The 50-caliber rifle can reach out to about 1,800 yards, which is a little more than a mile.

When shooting from the scout sniper position in a helicopter, the snipers can put effective rounds on target out to about 800 yards with the Mk-11, depending on the wind conditions, sea state and other variables that go into marksmanship at sea. With the 50-caliber rifle, used for disabling small craft, scout snipers can shoot more than 1,000 yards.

"We were really happy to be chosen to be part of the task force," said Benkie. "We work very hard to prove ourselves as scout snipers. To be operational during this deployment and chosen to be part of this is quite an honor. I am very proud of my men because they all work very hard."

CTF 151 brought the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard team together aboard San Antonio. Those currently embarked include helicopter pilots and support personnel from USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), a Coast Guard boarding team that partnered with San Antonio's own VBSS team and Marines from 'Golf' Company, as well as the Scout Sniper Platoon, from the 26 MEU embarked aboard USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7).

"Being able to bring all those entities together as one to achieve a common mission goal and train up and establish standard operating procedures is quite a unique thing, and the Marine Corps and Navy do a very good job of working together and supporting each other," stated Benkie.

San Antonio is the flagship for Combined Task Force (CTF) 151. CTF 151 is a multinational force conducting counter-piracy operations to deter piracy in and around the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and Red Sea. It was established to create a lawful maritime order and develop security in the maritime environment.

http://www.defencetalk.com/news/publish/army/Marines_Provide_Protection_for_Counter-piracy_Boarding_Teams110016986.php

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European Commission predicts increase in world shipping fleet for next decade
Wednesday, 28 January 2009

The world shipping fleet is headed for a significant rise up to 2018 according to a European Commission study. In a release on maritime transport the EC says that the world fleet will increase from 77,500 ships in 2008 to 100,000 by 2018, a rise of 29 percent. The research covers all vessels more than 500 dwt. Even more serious will be the increase of the world fleet’s capacity, which is expected to reach 2.1 billion dwt in 2018, up by 81.6 percent from 1.15 billion dwt in 2008. But all is not bad, since cargo transportation needs are expected to increase in a similar pace. Sea transport in the EU of 27 member-states should reach 5.3 billion tons until 2018, up by 40 percent from the 3.8 billion tons which was during 2008. This means that port infrastructure and inland connections, as well as all the relative services must be ready to support the added 1.6 billion tons of goods, which will be consumed by the EU states.

Nikos Roussanoglou, Hellenic Shipping News
http://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33764&Itemid=94

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Navy is Full Speed Ahead with Next Generation Jammer Analysis of Alternatives
US Navy | Jan 28, 2009

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER: A Navy plan to evaluate defense industry development options for a Next Generation Jammer was approved Dec. 5 by John J. Young Jr., Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics.

The NGJ Analysis of Alternatives is part of the Navy’s effort to improve its airborne electronic warfare by evaluating options to replace the current AN/ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System, currently installed on the EA-6B Prowler and EA-18G Growler aircraft.
The NGJ AoA is the next step the Department of Defense is taking to meet the requirements outlined in the Joint Chief of Staff’s Initial Capabilities Document (ICD) for Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA).

“Objective AEA capabilities will ensure electromagnetic spectrum dominance over a range of conflicts – including low intensity, hybrid and irregular warfare,” said Ray Coutley, AoA government team lead for NGJ. “The AoA will develop and analyze a wide range of potential acquisition programs that, if pursued, would lead to the development of a system to replace the Navy’s AN/ALQ-99 TJS.”

The AoA will be conducted by a government and industry team that will report to an Executive Steering Committee, co-chaired by Rear Adm. Joseph Aucoin, the chief of Naval Operations Deputy Director for Air Warfare, and Thomas Laux, deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Air Warfare.

“The NGJ AoA will evaluate alternative systems in various warfare scenarios, based on expected threats, concept of operations (CONOPs) and cost/capability trade-offs,” said Coutley. “Our goal is to give decision makers the best information available, based on quantifiable data, by leveraging current investments in analysis capabilities in government and industry.”

In addition to government personnel, industry AoA team members include representatives from Dynamic Analytics and Test (DA&T) and Systems Performance and Analysis (SPA) in Arlington, Va., and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

U.S. commanders recognize the continued requirement for AEA; DoD has responded by increasing the investment in electronic warfare research and development, and has directed the Navy to lead the effort in developing the Next Generation Jammer, said Coutley.

“Next Generation Jammer is the most important AEA effort since the initial deployment of the EA-6B and AN/ALQ-99,” said Cmdr. John Springett, EA-6B/EA-18G requirements officer. “Although we have continually upgraded the Prowler, we now have the opportunity to take advantage of current and emergent technologies to greatly enhance our electronic attack capability and achieve spectrum dominance to protect our aircraft, ships, and soldiers, airmen and Marines on the ground.”

http://www.defencetalk.com/news/publish/tech/Navy_is_Full_Speed_Ahead_with_Next_Generation_Jammer_Analysis_of_Alternatives140016984.php

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Italy holds Turkish Panama-flagged cargo ship
Wednesday, 28 January 2009

A Turkish cargo ship was not allowed to leave the harbor in Venice, Italy since Monday, Turkish officials said on Tuesday. The Panama-flagged "Sema Ana", operated by a Turkish maritime company, was being held at Porto Marghera after arriving from Morocco, Turkish Undersecretary of Maritime Hasan Naiboglu said. The ship was held after port authorities found deficiencies during controls, Naiboglu said. However, he said it was a usual procedure and the freighter would be allowed to leave once the deficiencies were fulfilled.

He also said that Turkish authorities were not in a position to step up since the ship was Panama-flagged.
"We can ask information from Italian authorities but they are not obliged to give any information as it is a Panama-flagged ship. Panama has that right," he said.

The ship has 21 crew on board and 17 of them are Turkish nationals, Naiboglu said.

Source: World Bulletin
http://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33854&Itemid=79

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Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Yuan submarines are in service

The Yuan class submarines, also known as 039A, have been described as an important part of China's growing submarine threat. The first Yuan's photos started popping out in 2004 and it joined service in probably 2005 or 2006. The second Yuan's photos started coming out in 2007 and we saw a slew of photos in 2007 and early 2008. But just as we started to see a new variant, 039B, we stopped seeing pictures again. So, now we get a photo of what appears to be 3 Yuan and 1 039G in a flotilla. Each submarine flotilla has 4 submarines (I think). So, it appears that a fourth 039A hasn't joined service yet, because it would make sense for the first 4 039A to be in the same flotilla. Here is the photo.

It appears that this is a variant of 039G rather than 039G1 from the arrangement of the limber holes. Consider that all 3 039G was in East Sea Fleet, it makes sense that this flotilla is in 039A.

So, it definitely seems that 039As are in service and would be playing a big role in any kind of Taiwan scenario.

http://informationdissemination.blogspot.com/2009/01/yuan-submarines-are-in-service.html

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MOL to scrap 17 ships
Wednesday, 28 January 2009

Japan's second-biggest shipping firm, MOL, will scrap 17 aging ships – 15 automobile carriers and two Cape-size bulkers – by the end of March, a company spokesman said. The scrapping comes in response to a sharp slump in demand for sea transport from automakers and steelmakers amid the global economic downturn, the spokesman said, asking not to be named. Scrapping of an automobile carrier will be MOL’s first in seven years, while that of a Cape-size bulk carrier will be the company’s first in five years, the spokesman said.

At the end last year, MOL was operating more than 100 car carriers. But the number will decline about 30 percent to around 75 vessels at the end of March. In addition to scrapping 15 car carriers, which were built more than 27 years ago, MOL has already returned four leased carriers to their owners and suspended services of more than 10 ships.

Currently, MOL operates about 100 Cape-size bulk carriers. The two Cape-size bulkers to be scrapped were built more than 20 years ago.

At the end of last year, MOL downgraded its original plan to increase its fleet by 126 ships, or 14.4 percent, to 1,000 ships at the end of fiscal 2009 ending March 31, 2010, from 874 ships at the end of fiscal 2007. The target fleet size was lowered by 50 ships to 950 vessels, up 8.7 percent from the end of fiscal 2007.

Rival NYK, Japan’s largest shipping firm by sales, will also formally decide by the end of March to downgrade its current fleet expansion plan amid the rapidly deteriorating global shipping market.

The company's current plan calls for increasing the fleet by 223 ships, or 28.7 percent, to 1,000 ships at the end of fiscal 2010 from 777 ships at the end of fiscal 2007. The target fleet size will be lowered to around 950 vessels.

Source: Journal of Commerce
http://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33852&Itemid=79

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Expect cuts to defense programs, Gates testifies

By Dale Eisman
The Virginian-Pilot
© January 28, 2009

WASHINGTON

Defense Secretary Robert Gates gave lawmakers a carefully hedged defense Tuesday of Navy plans to relocate a Norfolk-based aircraft carrier to Florida and agreed to consider whether the move is worth its price tag of $600 million or higher.

"I do worry about everything being concentrated in one port on the East Coast, which does receive a lot of hurricanes," Gates told the House Armed Services Committee. But any move is "six or seven years in the offing," Gates said, and both he and a new Navy secretary will review the cost and the risk to the fleet before proceeding.

Navy Secretary Donald Winter, who plans to leave office by March, endorsed plans this month to move one of the five Atlantic Fleet flattops to Mayport Naval Station in Florida as a hedge against a natural disaster or terrorist attack on Hampton Roads.

The move would shift about 3,000 sailors from Hampton Roads to the Mayport area, near Jacksonville, and siphon hundreds of millions of dollars annually from the local economy. State and local officials argue that any risk of keeping all the ships together is minimal and that the Navy has other, more pressing needs for its limited funds.

The Navy maintains two carrier ports on the West Coast. Mayport was home to a conventional carrier, the John F. Kennedy, until it was retired in 2007. The $600 million or more needed to move a nuclear carrier to the Florida base - the Navy has no more conventional carriers - would finance construction of special facilities associated with maintaining the ship's nuclear power plant.

In separate hearings Tuesday, Rep. Randy Forbes, a Chesapeake Republican, and Sen. Jim Webb, a Democrat, told Gates that the Navy decided to relocate a carrier to Mayport without a detailed risk analysis. An admiral involved in drafting the Navy plan told Forbes informally that the risk of an event in Hampton Roads knocking out the entire carrier fleet is less than 10 percent, Forbes said.

Webb said the Navy's plan is symptomatic of a planning process "so out of control that we're not focusing on the areas that can truly help the country, like rebuilding the fleet and putting aircraft out there into the squadrons."

He said Navy procurement programs for ships and planes "are in total disarray" and noted that the Navy had gone through the most dangerous days of the Cold War with only one nuclear-capable carrier port on the East Coast.

In other testimony Tuesday, Gates warned lawmakers that some of the military's most coveted new weapons programs could face cancellation this year or next as the Obama administration confronts "hard choices" on defense spending forced by the demands of two wars and the nation's economic crisis.

"The spigot of defense funding opened by 9/11 is closing," he said.

The defense chief gave no hint of which programs are endangered, but he had kind words for a Navy initiative, the littoral combat ship, that has been plagued by cost overruns. The fast and highly maneuverable ship, designed for close-to-shore missions, "is really needed," Gates said.

Some of the Pentagon's costliest new weapons are being developed by the Navy, including the new Ford class of aircraft carriers - being built at Northrop Grumman's Newport News shipyard - and the DDG-1000 destroyer.

The initial Ford carrier is projected to cost nearly $14 billion, including expenses for research, development and design. Navy officials say costs will drop to around $8 billion per hull, comparable to carriers in the former Nimitz class, with subsequent ships.

The carrier program has subcontractors in more than 40 states, creating a built-in constituency in Congress. But the high cost of the ships, and continuing questions among some lawmakers about whether the Navy needs the 11-carrier fleet now set by federal law, could make the carrier program an attractive target for the new administration's cost-cutting.

http://hamptonroads.com/2009/01/expect-cuts-defense-programs-gates-testifies

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LHI designs India's second largest container port
Wednesday, 28 January 2009

Lanka Hydraulic Institute Ltd. (LHI) was awarded the project of mathematical model studies for RRM for improvement of Draughts in Hooghly Estuary, where sediment deposits at the entrance of the river has made India’s second largest container port redundant. Hooghly River is on the west of the town of Hooghly, which is approximately 40 kilometres away from Kolkota.

It is said that Vasco-da-gama, the Portuguese sailor was one of the first Europeans to reach this area which was a river port back then.

The Portuguese used the Hooghly River as a main way of transportation and also as a trading port.

The town of Hooghly, which is more than 500 years old, was soon transformed into a major commercial centre and the largest port in Bengal in the 1500’s and is today considered one of the most economically developed districts in West Bengal due to its main cultivation - industry of jute.

The formation of sand bars has raised the river bed, making the shipping channel shallow.
Many of India’s power companies, steel and chemical plants and refineries are spending massive amounts to divert their cargo through other ports.

In a situation nearing closure LHI was awarded to conduct the mathematical model testing, at their very own laboratories at Katubedda, Moratuwa. Clients can gain visual access to the proceedings through IP Cameras fixed in the flume / basin.
“The model studies are proposed to be carried out using a combination of 1D and 2D modeling techniques to design a suitable model.

The wave impact in the lower estuary of the Hooghly will be studied using the Spectral Wind Wave model. The stirring of sediment of outer bars from wave action is important,” said Senior Engineering Manager of Water Resources at LHI N. K. M. Nanseer. “3 dimensional hydrodynamic software is utilized to identify the stratification and salinity gradient.

In addition, the understanding of the assessment of disposition and optimization of the channel alignments is important which we’re hoping to study through a 3D model”, said Nanseer.

LHI has a team of competent, driven and highly skilled engineers in spheres of Coastal Engineering, Water Resources and Urban Water, who possess knowledge and skills harboured locally as well as internationally. Chief Executive/Director of LHI Malith Mendis said, “during a time of a global financial crisis, every company in the industry, around the world, is aiming to secure projects such as these.

I believe we were able to win the Hooghly River project because of our proven, quality service that speaks louder than words.” “Another project that we worked on quite recently was the Krishnapatnam Port project.

Source: Daily News
http://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33847&Itemid=79

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Anti-Piracy Mission and Taiwan
Wednesday, 28 January 2009

Somali pirates off the coast of Africa are transforming geopolitical relationships in East Asia. First, China decided to take the unprecedented step of dispatching its navy far beyond its coast into the Gulf of Aden to protect Chinese shipping. Now, Japan is drafting legislation to provide a legal framework for it to dispatch warships abroad on anti-piracy missions despite its pacifist constitution.

But perhaps the most profound ramifications of these ostensibly anti-piracy movements is the impact they will have on Taiwan and its relationship with China, which claims the island as part of its territory.

The Chinese government has said that its naval vessels will provide convoy assistance for Taiwan ships as well as those of the mainland and Hong Kong. This has created a sensitive, and dangerous, situation for Taiwan, which insists on its own sovereignty.

Thus, it was extremely awkward for Taiwan when China announced last week that among the first beneficiaries of China's protection was a Taiwan-owned tanker, the FormosaProduct Cosmos, owned by the Formosa Plastics Marine Corporation, as it sailed through the Gulf of Aden.

Taiwan, whose formal name is the Republic of China, does not want to be seen as under the sovereign protection of the mainland, known as the People's Republic of China.

The following day, Chao Chien-min, vice chairman of the cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council, announced at a news conference that the Taiwan government had not been involved in arranging for the Chinese navy's escort of the ship. He said that the tanker was registered in Liberia and was rented out to a South Korean company and so should not be considered a Taiwan ship.

China last month offered to help protect Taiwan ships fearful of coming under attack from Somali pirates but, Chao said, Taiwan is not prepared to accept China's offer. In fact, Taiwan has declined to set up any mechanism for Taiwanese ships to request help from the Chinese navy.

No doubt, Taiwan is fearful that if it were to accept such a service, the international community would in time come to think of the island as part of China, like Hong Kong, and its nationals as being subject to Chinese jurisdiction as well as its protection.

After all, acceptance of Chinese protection would make Taiwan appear little more than a ward of China in the eyes of the world.

The day after the Chinese navy escorted the Taiwanese tanker, the American Institute in Taiwan, Washington's de facto embassy, issued a statement saying that the U.S. Navy had a responsibility to render assistance to any vessel in distress anywhere in the world that requests its assistance. However, AIT made clear that it did not offer naval escorts for Taiwanese merchant vessels.

Thus the United States, which is the ultimate guarantor of Taiwan's security, is not able to match the offer being made by China.

Taiwan has made known its willingness to accept protection from other countries, such as the United States and the European Union. And if Japan does decide to send its navy into the Gulf of Aden, then presumably Taiwan would be willing to accept its help as well.

That being the case, Taiwan has little reason to refuse help from the Chinese navy, if it is seen as part of an international flotilla patrolling the area. There are, after all, about 45 warships from various countries in the area, and only three of them are Chinese.

The problem is that it is one thing to be protected by an international armada, it is quite something else to be taken exclusively under the wing of the Chinese navy.

The ideal solution would be for Taiwan to send out its own navy to protect Taiwanese shipping. But Taiwan's diplomatic isolation makes this difficult.

None of the countries in the surrounding area recognize Taiwan, and so its naval vessels may well have difficulty obtaining permission to use ports along the way for refueling. This technical difficulty may be difficult for Taiwan to overcome.

That is why Taiwan's foreign minister, Francisco Ou, has said that seeking foreign assistance could be a ``more plausible" way for Taiwan to deal with the piracy problem.

This is a formidable challenge for Taiwan. Beijing is offering itself as the protector of Chinese ships and if Taiwan itself is unable to provide this protection or solicit such help from other nations, then it would be difficult to fault Taiwan shipowners if they avail themselves of the help that is being offered.

Source: Korea Times
http://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33849&Itemid=79

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Egypt warns against European warships patrolling off Gaza
27 January 2009, 15:39 CET

(CAIRO) - Egypt warned European countries on Tuesday that sending warships to patrol the waters off the Gaza Strip could strain ties with the Palestinians and Arab countries.

Speaking to reporters after meeting EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said he had urged European ministers in Brussels on Sunday to consider "Arab feelings" on such a deployment.

"They must understand Arab and Muslim feelings," Abul Gheit said he told the ministers.

"We don't envision European countries placing naval units in Palestinian territorial waters, to perform a task that is Israel's responsibility," he said.

He added that he urged them to think of the consequences of sending the ships, which he said might affect the "relationship between (the European countries) and the Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims in the future."

France and Germany have sent frigates to international waters off Gaza after they pledged to help halt weapons smuggling to Gaza, while Britain has also offered to deploy Royal Navy vessels in the area.

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1233064021.12

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Massive cocaine bust in Durban
29/01/2009 23:44(SA)
Durban - A consignment of 230kg of cocaine was seized at the Durban harbour on Thursday afternoon.
This is believed to be the country's biggest cocaine bust yet during which a suspect was arrested, said Director Johan Booysen, head of the KwaZulu-Natal Organised Crime Units.
Recently, a consignment of dagga and cocaine was intercepted at Heathrow Airport in London after having been carried on a South African Airways Boeing.
One of the crew members and a South African security official were arrested in connection with the drugs.
The cocaine found on board the freighter, the Senator, on Thursday has a street value of about R230m.
Suitcases, rucksacks
The drugs were presumably carried on board in suitcases and rucksacks during the previous leg of the ship's voyage.
A crew member of the Senator, a 28-year-old Croatian, was arrested after the packaged cocaine was found in his cabin, hidden in suitcases, drawers and rucksacks.
"It seems that he carried the drugs on board in rucksacks. There are so many rucksacks in his cabin, it looks as if he was going to climb Kilimanjaro," Booysen said.
Police officers from the Organised Crime Units at the KwaZulu-Natal head office, national head office and in Pietermaritzburg were searching the Senator on Thursday morning with the assistance of customs officials.
The entire ship was searched from top to bottom.
Police divers were even checking the ship's hull under water.
Booysen said the raid followed a tip-off they received.
Was SA drugs' final destination?
The Senator is registered in Liberia. It was en route from Croatia and had last stopped in Argentina.
Booysen said the captain and crew, who were being questioned on Thursday, co-operated fully. At this stage no other crew are expected of being involved in the smuggling.
However, further arrests have not been ruled out, Booysen said. The police also wanted to determine whether South Africa was the drugs' final destination.
Superintendent André Laatz, operational commander of the KwaZulu-Natal Organised Crime Units, said in the past seven years South Africa had become a consumer of cocaine. Before that, the country was mainly used as a channel for smuggling the drug from South America to Europe.
Cocaine has become one of the most common drugs in South Africa and forms the basis of crack, especially in Gauteng en KwaZulu-Natal, Laatz said.

http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2461381,00.html

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The more sharks the better, say Breede locals

January 29 2009 at 03:08PM


Cape Town - Cool-headed Witsand residents have accepted their toothy marine neighbour with some pride and are not about to be scared away from their beloved Breede River by any shark, big or small, they say.

Witsand hit the headlines this week after a huge four-metre female Zambezi shark, heavily pregnant with at least four pups, was caught about 5.5km upriver from the estuarine fishing village.

Locals said they were more amazed than frightened at the appearance of the shark, estimated to weigh around 650kg.

For some it was proof of what they had believed for years, after regular sightings of large shadows under the water and mysterious disappearances of fish from fishing lines.

Others commented that it was an indication that the estuary and river are in good shape environmentally.

"We had a flood in November and since then the fishing had been good," said local estate agent Jo Attenborough.

"In fact, we also had a flood last year and after that fishing was good too. And a Zambezi shark was also caught here at the same time last year."

Nathaneal Brophy, general manager of the Breede River Lodge, said people were generally not alarmed about the shark because a number of whales were also spotted in the river every year.

"This is a breeding ground for them. This is Sebastian Bay and the Indian Ocean flows into the Breede River. Last season there was a count of 165 whales here," he said.

The shark has been tagged so that conservationists can monitor its whereabouts.

This article was originally published on page 3 of Cape Argus on January 29, 2009

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=139&art_id=vn20090129115918522C984660

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USS Robert G. Bradley Visits Cape Town
Photo & Story :Alex Van Heerden
30 Jan 2009

The US frigate USS Robert G. Bradley paid a call to Cape Town, arriving 29 Jan 2009. She has completed various visits to West African countries conducting various training programs to assist maritime forces in the region in support of the Africa Partnership Station Theater Security Cooperation mission initiated by the U.S. Navy's Sixth Fleet.

The USS Robert G. Bradley will be in for the weekend and is due to depart 2 Feb 2009.

Own Source

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Regards

Snooper

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