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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,


Saturday, January 31, 2009
Repairs, Racing and Rest

We've been busy working here with not much time to do a lot of sight seeing yet. The repairs have been going well.

We've got a couple guys working on the boat oiling the wood and getting the outside of the boat looking good. The best part is they work for the equivalent of $12 a day and they do a great job. Other than cleaning up Intrepid we've replaced the water pump, fixed a bilge pump, run a new halyard, fixed the life lines, patched up the main and a bunch of other stuff that I can't think of right now.

Jen and I went racing on Wednesday with Erik Bjerring at the Royal Cape Yacht Club Wednesday night races. It was pretty full with the wind blowing in the 30s and with that pushing kites! We ended up broaching and breaking the pole and a stanchion but we had a good race over all.

Last night I met up with my old friend Jed whom I had met while he was cruising with his father at Cocos Keeling. Dad and I went out to dinner with Jed and his mom and then chilled on my boat while our parents stayed at the restaurant and talked about us! It was great to see him again. We are going to a concert on Sunday so it should be good times.

This is Dad's last week here so hopefully we will get out to see some of the sights.

Mike Perham is due to arrive tomorrow morning for a short repair stop. We should hook up somehow.

I've got to go finish sorting out the lazy jacks but I'll update you soon.

Cheers,
Zac

posted by Zac at 8:10 AM

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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.


No Update for Feb 2009 ………….


In the Crow’s Nest - 31 01 09

I managed to get an impressive amount of sleep last night as there weren't too many ships around, none that needed dodging anyway. That was a relief as I wanted to be in top form for tonight’s passage.

When the sun rose, it brought a very pleasant warm morning with it, and the condensation on Totallymoney.com evaporated fairly quickly. Before lunch, I set myself a challenge: to climb halfway up the rig to check out my mast-climbing system whilst at sea. Wind and sea were calm, so it was the perfect opportunity. Going up the rig whilst at sea rather than on the dock is a very different experience – for a start the sails are up and the boat is moving up and down while the wind shoves her from side to side, so I prepared myself to sway about a fair bit.

I use a rock-climbing system that allows me to climb up and down a taut rope using two jummars (a support that protects you while you haul the climbing rope). I also have a back up fail-safe jummar, which is pulled up the rope just below my climbing harness, so if one of my jummers failed I would only have to slide down around 10cm.

To ascend you slide one jummar up, put your weight on that, slide the other one up behind it, change over the weight and then repeat this process over and over again. It’s tricky, but becomes much easier with practice.

I donned my protective gear - upper-body protection pads and helmet. There’s always the risk that you’ll be thrown around the rig and there’s lots of things to crash into. I climbed up about two metres at first and then came down again, just to make sure I was happy with the system. I then grabbed the camera and the remote control for the autopilot and hooked myself back onto the rope for the climb up to the halfway point.
Going up was fairly smooth and uneventful and I briefly stopped at the first set of spreaders to have a glance around at the much broader horizon. Not a single boat in sight, and so I continued up to the halfway point.

I took some photos and shot some video of Totallmoney.com sailing along – what a fantastic angle to see her from! I resisted the temptation to hang around for too long and began my descent. This is much harder than ascending and takes twice as long, but in less than ten minutes I was back down on the deck, happy that I’d really tested the system whilst at sea and that it works like a treat. Now I’m pretty confident I can use it if have to.

This afternoon, I've taken a back seat and have spent some time on deck lying up against the coachroof with a book in hand and the genneker flying, giving Totallymoney.com a little extra sail area to bring us into the final stretch for Cape Town.

It was starting to get dark and I was doing the dishes outside in a bucket when I noticed that the wind had really shifted round much more to the south and I now had my bow pointing too far north for Cape Town - not good! I quickly finished the dishes and set about dropping the genneker before it got pitch black.

The sail furled and came down in record time and once I’d neatly stashed it in its bag and pushed it through the forehatch, I set about getting the sheets together and shoved them into the forepeak. It was so dark by the time the genoa came out that I needed my head torch.

I currently predict my ETA as 12:00 local time, 10:00 GMT. It's currently 22:00 local time and there's 120 miles to go. With these light winds I should make somewhere between eight and nine knots. If the wind picks up, then I could knock one or two hours off.

I'm really looking forward to arriving - and hopefully hooking up with Zac. I’d love to take a look around his boat, share a few drinks, swap stories and have a few laughs!


Just Hanging About… - 30 01 09

When I went up on deck last night for my regular check for any ships and to cast a torch over Totallymoney.com, I noticed the bottom of the mainsail was really slack. ‘That's weird,’ I thought. So I grabbed my powerful spotlight and had another look, only to discover there was a problem with the outhaul at the end of the mainsail. I also noticed that the outhaul running through the jammer had become loose. I then released the clutch to give the line some slack. I decided then that a trip up to the end of the boom was in order to have a closer look. It had started raining, so I threw on my oilies so I didn't get quite so soaked.

So I shinned up the boom in my oilies in the pouring rain, with my head-torch on, and, with perfect timing, a proper little blow arrived. Just what I need when I'm suspended above the ocean at the end of the boom!

I quickly realised that the original Dynema (racing rope) lashing had chafed through somehow and I needed to replace it. So, after shinning in reverse back down the boom I jumped down the forepeak, cut myself a length of Dynema and shinned back up the boom. Then, after cutting away the remains of the original lashing, I quickly attached the new one between the end of the outhaul and the ring at the clew of the mainsail before shinning back. I winched on the outhaul and trimmed the main. ‘Job done!’ I was pretty pleased with myself, especially as doing this job enabled me to check all the other lashings at the end of the boom. I jumped below, grabbed a quick chocolate bar and a drink, and climbed into the bunk for a well-earned power nap.

As I near Cape Town my naps will have to become shorter as the shipping increases. If I’m travelling at ten knots and a cargo ship heads towards me at up to twenty knots, we can reach each other fairly quickly. Currently I have two ships on the AIS with one going almost the same speed and direction, so it looks to be an interesting night.

As ever, I've been doing a few odd jobs about Totallymoney.com, such as replacing a couple of lashings at the back of the boat and also bailing out some water from the aft compartment. Only one bucket, which isn't too bad.

The top of the external iridium antennae, which is mounted on the coachroof quite literally fell off today with the top-half now separate from the bottom half which amused me greatly, as it almost looked comical. However, thanks to the never-ending adaptability of tape, I've strapped it back together and so far it's working perfectly! I'll get another one whilst in port though, in case my repair doesn't hold out.

I have a confession to make. I nipped into next week’s food bag today to grab some extra snacks as I know I can easily restock them once I arrive. A few extra chocolate fingers and Pringles can only be a good thing!

Earlier this evening, I turned the music right up to maximum with some very bass-filled tracks blasting into the night. I jumped outside in the twilight and plastered a giant grin on my face as I must be one of the very few people in the world sailing along out in the ocean with the music cranked up to eleven.

I've now passed the 300miles to go barrier with now only 293 until I reach the fairway of Cape Town where my next waypoint is. It's great to be on my final gybe in without much sail handling ahead apart from a change down of foresails which will start off tomorrow sometime when the wind will pick right up. Currently I'm sailing with the genneker as we're on much more of a reach but I'll need to change down to the Genoa and even possibly the Solent if the wind tops 28-30knots, which it could well do.

It's hard to predict an exact ETA; it all depends on when I really sail out of this high-pressure ridge and into the strong southerly winds that will carry me into Cape Town.

Dad arrived in Cape Town today and is getting to grips establishing new contacts. He's been there once before, whilst in the merchant navy, but seeing as that was only for 6 hours it can't count for a huge amount! There’s a few tricky things he needs to source, including a diver to check the hull and every underwater fitting. Good luck Dad, see you soon!







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

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Falklands : Falklands Duty for Prince William
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 01.02.2009 (Current Article)

The Prince will spend up to three months on the South Atlantic islands when he completes his 18-month RAF Search and Rescue (SAR) course in 2009.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/theroyalfamily/4413409/Prince-William-to-serve-in-the-Falklands.html

Prince William is set to be posted to the Falkland Islands as a search and rescue pilot, a deployment that would keep the second in line to the British throne apart from his sweet heart for a prolonged period, a news report said today.

http://www.indopia.in/India-usa-uk-news/latest-news/492296/International/2/20/2

In his first tour of duty as a search and rescue pilot, Britains Prince William is set to be posted to the Falkland Islands.

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/world-news/wills-to-be-posted-to-falklands-islands-as-search-and-rescue-pilot_100149725.html

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Maersk joins MSC and CMA CGM in slow steaming round the Cape

Maersk has now joined MSC and CMA CGM in re-routing their east-bound Asia-Europe services and slow steaming around the Cape of Good Hope to avoid Suez Canal fees and Somali pirates.

No African calls are planned because the ships will be too big to be accommodated.
Maersk's Asia Europe 7 (AE7) is to reroute round the Cape on its eastbound leg through late January and February, according to a report by PR News Service.

Suez transit costs are about US$600 000 per voyage for an 11 000-TEU vessel based on a full cargo of loaded containers.

Other lines are understood to be considering similar moves, PR News Service added.

Story By : Alan Peat
Date :2/2/2009
http://www.cargoinfo.co.za/newsdetails.asp?&newsid=7353

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US Navy APS to train on both sides of Africa
By Sandra Jontz, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Sunday, February 1, 2009

This week, for the first time the U.S. Navy will have warships on each side of the African continent as part of Africa Partnership Station’s ongoing teaching mission with African nations.

On Tuesday, the frigate USS Robert G. Bradley is scheduled to pull into the Mozambique port of Maputo on the continent’s east coast, while on the west coast the USS Nashville will visit Dakar, Senegal.

"It’ll be the first time that we will have two APS-designated ships operating on both sides of Africa," said Lt. Patrick Foughty, a spokesman for Naval Forces Europe-U.S. Naval Forces Africa.

The Navy’s APS started in November 2007 and is an initiative designed to provide security training to participating African nations — helping them learn skills and methods to combat regional problems such as drug smuggling, piracy, illegal fishing and human trafficking.

The Bradley is also to visit the countries of Tanzania and Kenya, the first U.S. ship to operate there under the APS name, but not the first to pull into Eastern African ports under the auspices of nations looking to benefit from skills taught by U.S. sailors. In April, the Navy toured Madagascar, Mauritius and Reunion under what then was dubbed the Navy’s 6th Fleet Southeast Africa Task Force — a mission that for all intents and purposes mirrored APS.

While in Senegal, the Nashville will hold seminars and workshops and conduct hands-on training with Senegalese counterparts, including sessions on port security planning, small boat maintenance, medical training and oceanographic methods, Capt. Cindy Thebaud, the APS Nashville commander and commodore of Destroyer Squadron 60, said in a Navy news release.

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=60399

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First View - ENSELENI


The Port of Cape Town harbour tug ENSELENI seen approaching her berth at the V&A Waterfront in the Mother City. Enseleni was the second of two new Voith Schneider-propelled tugs built in Durban in 2000 by Southern African Shipyards. Each of these as well as a second order has a bollard pull of around 55 tons.

A third batch of five tugs is currently under construction at the same shipyard with the first being due for launching later this year. Three of the new tugs are destined for the new port of Ngqura and will have bollard pulls of 70 tons each, while the remaining two are intended for Durban to handle the new generation of larger container ships that have already begun enterng service. They will have a bollard pull of 65 ton each.

Another feature of the new batch is that all five tugs are under construction in Southern African Shipyards’ hangar at the same time in an assembly line measuring close to 180 metres.

http://ports.co.za/news/article_2009_02_1_4531.html

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Croatian in dock for R300m drug bust
2 February 2009, 14:48

A Croatian national appeared in the Durban Regional Court in connection with a R300-million drug bust, one of South Africa's largest, the SABC reported on Monday.

Branimir Orac, 31, was arrested after police found 230kg of cocaine worth R300-million on a ship which docked in Durban harbour last week.

The Liberian-registered ship was en route from South America to Namibia.

Orac would remain in custody until his bail application next Monday. Police have not ruled out the possibility of further arrests. - Sapa

http://www.sundaytribune.co.za/?fSectionId=237&fArticleId=nw20090202144223694C665458

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Safmarine responds on naming of container ship Safmarine Bayete

On Thursday last week (29 January) Ports & Ships carried a story about the naming of the new Safmarine container ship SAFMARINE BAYETE

The article reported that a number of readers were raising the question of the suitability of the name ‘Bayete’ for a ship, a word which is normally reserved exclusively as a greeting of respect for his Majesty the King of the Zulu nation.

The article concluded by saying that the matter had been referred to Safmarine. The following response has been received from the shipping company:


“Safmarine has, ever since the formation of the company in 1946, drawn on its proud South African heritage when selecting a name for a new vessel.

“We regard our vessels, which call at ports around the world, as an opportunity to promote our country and our Continent.

“The salutation ‘Bayete’, selected after due process was followed, was chosen because it represented a greeting from the people of South Africa to the people of the world.

“Safmarine has enormous respect for the views of your readers and assures you that its intention in selecting the royal salutation, Bayete, when naming its newest containership, was both honourable and noble.

“We intend consulting His Majesty the King of the Zulu nation on this matter.”

http://ports.co.za/news/article_2009_02_1_4531.html

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Ship damaged at Richards Bay Dry Bulk Terminal


A boom on the Hitachi pneumatic discharge appliance at the Richards Bay Dry Bulk Terminal at berth 609 collapsed suddenly on Thursday afternoon (29 January), falling across the vessel after completing the discharging of a cargo of alumina.

Fortunately there were no injuries to anyone working nearby but damage to the Hitachi was substantial, with the boom a likely write-off.

The ship, the Japanese bulker BLUMENAU (73,992-DWT, built 2000) received damage to the ship’s hatch cover and hatch coaming, while the stevedores’ payloader was also damaged when some pipes fell on it. The ship’s hold had already been emptied so no damage to cargo occurred.

However, the Blumenau was due to move across to the Richards Bay Coal Terminal to begin loading coal and this will now have to be delayed to enable repairs to be undertaken.

Transnet Port Terminals Dry Bulk Terminal utilised one of the cranes being used to dismantle the old Demag, which is on the end of berth 609, to get the damaged boom off the ship. This was done in double quick time.

Initial indications suggest that the accident was a result of brake failure which led to the boom falling. There have been repeated allegations of insufficient maintenance with the port equipment but this cannot be identified at this stage as a cause of the accident.

http://ports.co.za/news/article_2009_02_1_4531.html

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Somali pirates see Ukrainian tank ship free in days
Mon Feb 2, 2009 8:14am GMT
By Abdi Guled

MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Somali pirates holding a Ukrainian ship with 33 tanks on board said on Monday they expect it to be released within days for a $3 million ransom.

The MV Faina -- the highest-profile of a dozen ships being held off Somalia -- was captured in September with its 20-man crew and a cargo of Soviet-era T-72 tanks plus other weapons.

"The negotiations between us and the owners of the ship are in the final phase. We are about to agree $3 million, then we will release the ship, probably after four days," pirate Aden Gelle told Reuters from Haradheere port.

"We are hopeful of wrapping up the affair of this ship as soon as possible," added Gelle, who said he had come ashore from the Faina for a rest.

The seizure of the Faina drew international attention, not only for its dramatic military cargo, but for a regional row over the destination of the tanks.

Kenya said it had bought them for its army, but foreign diplomats said the arms were bound for south Sudan -- a potential embarrassment to Nairobi which brokered a peace pact there.

Fahran Muse, a self-styled spokesman for the gang holding the Faina, also said talks were at an advanced stage.

"The negotiations are going on now and may be completed within several days, probably four," he said. "The owners of the ship make good contacts with us every day."

Somali pirates have captured three boats so far in 2009, after taking a record 42 last year in the busy Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean shipping lanes. Anarchy and an Islamist insurgency onshore have fuelled the upsurge of piracy.

In an unprecedented international response, more than 20 warships from 14 nations are patrolling to try and stop the gangs. Piracy has raised insurance costs and prompted some ship owners to go round South Africa instead of via the Suez Canal.

http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE51106Y20090202

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Durban ship held as police investigate drug bust

The general cargo/container ship SENATOR (13,746-gt, built 1980) is remaining in Durban harbour while police decide on the next step in their investigation into more than 200kg of uncut cocaine, worth an estimated R300 million, which was found hidden in a seaman’s cabin.

Acting on a tipoff from their South American counterparts the Durban police went on board the ship shortly after the Senator arrived from South America last week and conducted a thorough search of the vessel, before the drugs were found under the seaman’s bed and hidden in a cupboard. The cocaine had been compacted and wrapped in plastic and packed in rucksacks.

Since then the ship has been confined to M berth at the Durban Car Terminal, a particularly secure berth where access is closely monitored.

The Croatian seaman involved was due to appear in a Durban court last Friday. Meanwhile it is reported that the ship’s master was co-operating with the police, but at the weekend it emerged that there is a possibility of the ship being arrested and confiscated. This would entail the SA Revenue Services and the SA Police Services bringing charges against the shipping line and/or the ship’s operator or owner on charges of being involved in criminal activity and might be difficult to prove.

A police spokesman said at the weekend that there that evidence that drug smuggling through the South African ports was rife. He pointed out the difficulty of searching each and every ship coming into a port like Durban, which has over 400 ship movements every month. With container movements averaging over 200,000 a month it was even more difficult to prevent some drugs getting through.

http://ports.co.za/news/article_2009_02_1_4531.html

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'I'll rip their harpoon off their deck'

February 02 2009 at 09:45AM

By Kristen Gelineau

Sydney - Japanese whalers blasted conservationists with a water cannon and hurled hunks of metal and golf balls at them in a clash on Monday in icy Antarctic waters, an anti-whaling group said.

Two members of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society were lightly injured in the early morning fracas in heavy seas about 3 200km south-east of the Australian state of Tasmania, said Paul Watson, the group's leader.

A spokesperson for the whalers said he had no information on the claims.

The group - which routinely harasses the Japanese whaling fleet during its annual hunt in the Antarctic Ocean - sent a helicopter and two inflatable boats toward one of the ships in the Japanese fleet.

The whalers began blasting conservationists on one raft with a water cannon, knocking one man off his feet and leaving him with cuts and bruises, Watson said.

Another protester was hit in the face with a large chunk of metal lobbed from a harpoon boat. He was wearing a shield on his helmet, but still suffered bruises, Watson said.

The Japanese also aimed a "military grade" noise weapon that can cause deafness and vomiting at the Sea Shepherd crew, Watson said. Some felt its vibrations but were too far away to be otherwise affected, he said.

Glenn Inwood, the New Zealand-based spokesperson for Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research - a Japanese government-affiliated organisation that oversees the hunt - said he could not immediately confirm or deny the Sea Shepherd's claims.

"All legal means available will be used to protect the Japanese crew and the scientists," he said.

Japan, which has described the Sea Shepherd protesters as terrorists, plans to harvest up to 935 minke whales and 50 fin whales this season.

Under International Whaling Commission rules, the mammals may be killed for research but not for commercial purposes. Opponents say the Japanese research expeditions are simply a cover for commercial whaling, which was banned in 1986.

Protesters aboard the ship, named after the late Australian conservationist and TV personality Steve Irwin, set off from Australia in early December for the remote and icy Antarctic Ocean, chasing the whaling fleet for about 3 200km before stopping two weeks ago in Tasmania to refuel. The group found the whalers again on Sunday and resumed their pursuit.

In December, the protesters lobbed bottles of rancid butter at the Japanese.

"I will not allow them to kill a whale while we're here, and they know that," Watson said. "I'll literally rip their harpoon off their deck if I have to." - Sapa-AP

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=31&art_id=nw20090202093518111C104627&set_id=

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Wreck of renowned British warship found in Channel
MITCH STACY | TAMPA, FLORIDA
- Feb 02 2009 09:46

Deep-sea explorers who found $500-million in sunken treasure two years ago say they have discovered another prized shipwreck: A legendary British man-of-war that sank in the English Channel 264 years ago.

The wreckage of the HMS Victory, found below about 100m of water, may carry an even bigger jackpot. Research indicates the ship was carrying four tonnes of gold coins when it sank in storm, said Greg Stemm, co-founder of Odyssey Marine Exploration, ahead of a Monday news conference in London.

So far, two brass cannons have been recovered from the wreck, Stemm said. The Florida-based company said it is negotiating with the British government over collaborating on the project.

"This is a big one, just because of the history," Stemm said. "Very rarely do you solve an age-old mystery like this."

Thirty-one brass cannons and other evidence on the wreck allowed definitive identification of the HMS Victory, 53m sailing ship that was separated from its fleet and sank in the English Channel on October 4 1744, with at least 900 men aboard, the company said. The ship was the largest and, with 110 brass cannons, the most heavily armed vessel of its day. It was the inspiration for the HMS Victory famously commanded by Adm. Horatio Nelson decades later.

Odyssey was searching for other valuable shipwrecks in the English Channel when it came across the Victory. Stemm wouldn't say exactly where the ship was found for fear of attracting plunderers, though he said it wasn't close to where it was expected.

"We found this more than 50 miles [80km] from where anybody would have thought it went down," Stemm said. Federal court records filed by Odyssey in Tampa seeking the exclusive salvage rights said the
site is 40km to 64km from the English coast, outside of its territorial waters.

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said on Sunday the government was aware of Odyssey's claim to have found the Victory.

"Assuming the wreck is indeed that of a British warship, her remains are sovereign immune," he said on condition of anonymity in keeping with government policy. "This means that no intrusive action may be
taken without the express consent of the United Kingdom."

http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-02-02-wreck-of-renowned-british-warship-found-in-channel

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Cruise ship alerts NSRI to mystery object and body in sea outside Durban

A few hours after sailing from Durban on Friday (30 January), en route for Bazaruto in the Mozambique Channel the cruise ship MSC MELODY alerted Durban Port Control that an unidentified object had been seen floating in the sea seven nautical miles off-shore of Westbrook Beach (Tongaat, north of Durban) which the crew suspected could be an upturned hull of a boat.

According to Clifford Ireland, National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Durban deputy station commander, the crew aboard Melody couldn't quite make out what they had seen but there were apparently suspicions on-board that it could even be a human body floating in the water.

NSRI Durban launched their rescue craft Eikos Rescuer II and Megan II and on arrival on-scene a search commenced. Following an extensive search of the area a FAD (Fish Attracting Device) was found and after a description of what was found was given to the crew of the Melody it was confirmed this was what they had seen.

FAD's are an illegal device and the find was reported to the Transnet National Ports Authority and the Police Border Control has been informed.




Also on Friday at 20h15 the NSRI Wilderness station was alerted to reports of lights being flashed towards shore from a vessel at sea thought to be in difficulty - flashing lights towards shore in a possible attempt to raise the alarm.

Eye-witnesses reported that they had observed men on-board the vessel waving towards shore in what appeared to be distress signals and then lights from the vessel being flashed towards shore in what appeared to be distress signals.

NSRI Wilderness launched their rescue craft Serendipity and NSRI Knysna was alerted and their rescue craft Spirit of KYC III was towed overland to the scene by their NSRI rescue vehicle and launched.

NSRI rescuers dispatched to an observation point confirmed that it appeared that the men on-board were signalling a distress.

Callie Niemann, NSRI Wilderness acting station commander, said that on arrival on-scene the four men aboard the ski-boat Camelot denied that they were in distress.

He said that on enquiring about all the signals observed the men sheepishly denied that they had made the distress gestures leaving Niemann to report that the intentions of the ski-boat men are unknown although their behaviour was suspicious.

The matter has been reported to the Transnet National Ports Authority and will be monitored.

http://ports.co.za/news/article_2009_02_1_4531.html

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Play, not game, for Peter the Great
- Russian sailors ‘recuperate’ on Goa beach after exercise is downscaled
SUJAN DUTTA

New Delhi, Jan. 30: A high-profile India-Russia naval war game has morphed into Goan beach parties for the Russian sailors after it was suddenly scaled down with the two countries pulling out ships and a submarine that were to participate in it.

The latest edition of the Indra (short for India and Russia) series of naval exercises was to start on January 26 and conclude today.

The war game was to take place off the west coast and the Russian ships were to converge in Goa at the end.

The two navies were expected to practise maritime law enforcement, counter-piracy and anti-smuggling drills.

Instead, only one Russian ship, albeit its largest non-carrier vessel from its Northern Fleet, the nuclear-powered Pyotr Velikiy (Peter the Great), had an elementary passage exercise with the INS Delhi, a destroyer from the Indian Navy, for a few hours before it sailed into Mormugao.

The Russian sailors, tired from a long voyage from South Africa, began “resting and recuperating” in a beach resort.

Goa is a favourite destination for Russians.

The Indra exercises began in 2003. Though much of the Indian Navy’s inventory is of Russian origin, the operational practices of the two forces are divergent.

Indeed, the Indian and US navies have developed a far greater capability to carry out sophisticated war games in the last eight years.

This year, India and the US have drawn up a series of even more complex joint drills.

A senior naval officer said the war game was scaled down after the Russians pulled out one of the major vessels in the six-ship flotilla from its Northern and Pacific fleets citing technical reasons. The Admiral Vinogradov, an Udalok-class missile and anti-submarine destroyer that set sail from Russia’s Pacific Fleet base in Vladivostok on December 9, was pulled out of the drill along with its support tugboats and tankers.

An Indian Navy officer said the Russians cited “technical difficulties” and also offered to host another set of drills off the east African coast where the Vinogradov has been engaged in anti-piracy patrols.

Partly disappointed, the Indian Navy, that was not keen on Indra 2009 in any case because it is actively engaged or deployed for its own war games since 26/11, also pulled out a frontline frigate (imported from Russia), a submarine and helicopters that it had planned to use for Indra 2009.

Although the Indian Navy is wary about mentioning it, it is aware that in 2004 the nuclear-powered Peter the Great had developed such problems that a former Russian navy chief feared “it could explode at any moment”.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090131/jsp/frontpage/story_10465832.jsp

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Pirates contact owners of gas tanker
February 02, 2009 Edition 1

BERLIN: The German operators of a tanker hijacked off the coast of Somalia were hoping to stay in touch with the ship after establishing initial contact with the pirates, they said yesterday.

"We hope to stay in dialogue with the pirates on board the MV Longchamp," a spokesman for Bernhard Schulte ship management company said, hours after they had received a first phone call from the captors.

The pirates on board the tanker contacted the Hamburg-based shipping company on Saturday, two days after taking charge of the tanker. "We received a phone call and were also able to talk briefly with the captain," the spokesman said.

The captain had been able to confirm that all 13 crew members - 12 Filipinos and one Indonesian - were in good health.

Bernhard Schulte Ship Management was unable to confirm whether a ransom had been demanded. The company did not know how many pirates were on board the ship.

The tanker, transporting liquefied petroleum gas, was seized on Thursday morning, en route from Europe to the Far East. The vessel belonged to MPC Steamship, a branch of a German investment group, a spokesman for the company in Hamburg said.

MPC Steamship contracted the operation out to the Bernhard Schulte ship management company, a long-time Hamburg shipping operator.

The MPC spokesman said the ship had passed through the Suez Canal and waited for a day to join a convoy under Indian naval protection as it passed through pirate-infested waters.

However, the Indians could not prevent pirates from seizing the vessel. - Sapa-DPA

http://www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4821760

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Underprepared for Maritime Accidents
1/30/2009 10:53:45 AM

The UNH/NOAA said that the existing infrastructure for responding to maritime accidents in the Arctic is limited and more needs to be done to enhance emergency response capacity as Arctic sea ice declines and ship traffic in the region increases, according to new report released on Jan. 29 by the University of New Hampshire and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The report details findings from a panel of experts and decision-makers from Arctic nation governments, industry and indigenous communities convened by the Coastal Response Research Center, a UNH-NOAA partnership housed at the university. The panel, which included representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Arctic Research Commission, assessed the potential threat of maritime accidents in the Arctic and the ability of nations in the region to respond effectively to vessels in distress, oil spills and other situations.

“The reduction of polar sea ice and the increasing worldwide demand for energy will likely result in a dramatic increase in the number of vessels that travel Arctic waters,” said Nancy Kinner, UNH co-director of the CRRC and a professor of civil and environmental engineering. “As vessel traffic increases, disaster scenarios are going to become more of a reality.”

The report’s key recommendations include:
• Strengthening multinational plans and agreements for all types of responses
• Improving logistical support capabilities for disaster responders
• Updating weather data and navigational charts for the Arctic
• Studying the behavior of oil in cold water and improving technologies for spill response in Arctic conditions
• Designating potential ports in the Arctic where damaged vessels can be taken to safeguard them against the Arctic’s harsh environmental conditions and reduce the risk of harm to the environment

The report’s findings and recommendations are based on the panel’s examination of five potential emergency response scenarios: a grounded cruise ship whose 2,000 passengers and crew must abandon the vessel; an ice-trapped and damaged ore carrier; an explosion on a fixed drilling rig north of Alaska; a collision between a tanker and fishing vessel that results in a large oil spill; and the grounding of a tug towing a supplies barge in an environmentally sensitive area near the Bering Strait.

"Now is the time to prepare for maritime accidents and potential spills in the Arctic," said Amy Merten, NOAA co-director of the CRRC. "This report clearly indicates that international cooperation and adequate resources are key to saving lives and protecting this special region."

The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world-class public research university with the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea and space-grant university, UNH is the state’s flagship public institution, enrolling 11,800 undergraduate and 2,400 graduate students.

NOAA understands and predicts changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and conserves and manages our coastal and marine resources.
The report is available at http://www.crrc.unh.edu/workshops/arctic_spill_summit/index.htm

http://sname.marinelink.com/snamestory.aspx?stid=214337

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Premier Fishing The One to Catch
02 Feb 2009 :

WITH local fish catches improving substantially in the past year there looks to be a good chance that the industry could undergo significant consolidation in 2009.

With fuel costs dropping and the rand weakening against hard currencies, the larger local fishings groups – notwithstanding the global economic turmoil – are in a strong position to generate bumper revenues.

The tough industry years between 2002 and 2006 have also seen fishing companies tighten up operational efficiencies, which means trading margins can be tweaked up considerably in buoyant trading conditions.

So any consolidation initiated by the so-called big four fishing groups – Oceana, Sea Harvest, I&J and Premier Fishing – will be from a position of strength.

Already the first tentative steps have been taken with Tiger Brands selling off its controlling 71% stake in hake catching specialist Sea Harvest to a Brimstone led consortium in a deal worth around R540 million.

The reason Tiger Brands sold its stake in Sea Harvest probably revolves around the food giant’s hostile bid for rival food group AVI.

If Tiger was successful in its endeavours to gain control at AVI there could be some unwanted attention from the competition authorities, and the one area of obvious dominance would be fishing.

Besides Sea Harvest, Tiger also owns the controlling stake in sprawling fishing business Oceana. AVI, on the other, hand controls fishing and frozen sea food specialist I&J.

A combined fishing entity comprising Oceana, Sea Harvest and I&J would simply create an entity too dominant in the local fishing sector, where smaller operators constantly (and perhaps justifiably) complain about skewed economies of scale in quota awards.

Naturally, putting Sea Harvest in the hands of astute empowerment operators like Brimstone could really cause some waves in the industry.

With Brimstone’s strong empowerment credentials behind it, Sea Harvest will have considerable scope to pursue joint ventures, partnerships and takeovers of smaller fishing operators.

Currently Sea Harvest’s main business is deep sea trawling for Cape Hake species, and then the processing of this catch into frozen and chilled seafood products for local and export markets.

While Brimstone is securing a well maintained fleet of 14 fresh fish trawlers and a factory freezer ship as well as the Saldanha factory and cold storage facility, there will undoubtedly be a desire to broaden the fishing business into new areas.

It’s not only that Sea Harvest’s factory and cold storage could accommodate other catches for processing and packaging, but also that branding new products (say pilchards or tuna) under the Sea Harvest label could mean big advantages in the local and offshore markets.

But it’s not only Brimstone/Sea Harvest that will be on the front foot.

Oceana – which has over R200 million in free cash - has also indicated a willingness to look for opportunities amongst small to medium sized enterprises.

If Tiger Brands does manage to takeover AVI then Oceana and I&J will no doubt be merged in order to effect sizeable cost savings.

Oceana is by far the most diversified fishing business, incorporating pilchards, horse mackerel, hake, squid and lobster.

Even without I&J on board, there may be a considerable attraction for smaller fishing enterprises – which are often experiencing feast or famine business cycles – to link up with Oceana.

That brings us to Premier Fishing, which is controlled by Cape-based empowerment group Sekunjalo Investments.

Premier also wants to take advantage of consolidation opportunities in the fishing sector – probably in order to lessen the group’s reliance on its lobster businesses.

Recently endeavours in the pelagic sector have not yielded great results for Premier, but fortunes could change if the group is able to bulk up this segment through partnerships, joint ventures or takeovers.

Premier itself has been a bit of surprise package, managing to push profits to close to the R38 million mark in the year to end August after a slow first half.

Sekunjalo has managed to take a chunk of costs out of the business, and there is talk that the medium term goal is to secure profits of between R60 million to R70 million at Premier.

Gut feel is that both Sea Harvest and Oceana might be keen to make a move on Premier.

Sekunjalo, however, would probably prefer to squeeze more profits out of Premier and bulk up operations with new fishing enterprises to ensure that the business can be sold at an attractive price.

If Sekunjalo’s abalone farming operations are added to the mix then Premier really does become an asset worth fighting over.

http://www.cbn.co.za/dailynews/3464.html

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February 2, 2009
Whalers attacking us with 'sound guns' claim conservationists

Richard Lloyd Parry, Tokyo

Radical environmentalists accused Japanese whalers of attacking them with high tech “sound guns” which can cause nausea, disorientation and hearing damage in the latest round of their annual confrontation in the frozen seas off the Antarctic.

Members of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society claimed that crew members of the whaling ship Nisshin Maru used the Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) against rubber launches attempting to disrupt their annual hunt in the Southern Ocean.

The LRAD is a non-lethal weapon used for crowd control by soldiers and riot police, as well as by ships travelling through pirate-infested waters. It consists of a round disc three feet across which directs a beam of shrill sound, extremely loud and off-putting at a range of several hundred yards, and capable of causing permanent ear damage at close range.

“This is a military grade weapon system that sends out mid to high frequency sound waves designed to disorient and possibly incapacitate personnel,” Sea Shepherd said in a statement. “It is basically an anti-personnel weapons system.”

The self-styled environmental “pirates” claimed that two of its crew members were slightly injured over the weekend when the Japanese sailors fired water hoses and threw metal balls at them as they attempted to obstruct the launch of smaller harpoons from the Nisshin Maru.

“It is a very dramatic scene out here as ships zig zag back and forth in thick ice and heavy swells,” said Paul Watson, captain of the Sea Shepherd ship, Steve Irwin. “The whalers are deploying water cannons, concussion grenades, acoustic weapons, and throwing solid brass and lead balls at Sea Shepherd crew members.

“If we were to do any of the things these thugs are doing, we would be denounced as eco-terrorists. There certainly is a double standard where whale killers can use violence without fear of condemnation from their government, and we can't even defend ourselves without condemnation from our governments.”

In Japan, the government’s Fisheries Agency admitted that water sprays and “beeping warning tones” had been used against the environmentalists. A spokesman for the Institute of Cetacean Research, a government funded organisation which campaigns in the whaling cause, did not deny that the LRAD had been put to use. “All legal means available will be used to ensure these pirates do not board Japanese ships or threaten the lives of the crews or the safety of the vessels," Glenn Inwood said.

The hunting of whales was banned in 1986 by the International Whaling Commission after evidence that the world's largest mammals were being driven towards extinction. Japan continues to hunt whales every year in the guise of scientific research, although most of the 935 minke and 50 fin whales which it hopes to harvest this year will be sold as whale meat.

Every year Tokyo has sought to overturn the moratorium to allow a full and uneuphemistic return to commercial whaling; in recent IWC meetings, it has edged closer to the required three-quarters majority.

Opponents of whaling accuse it of using overseas aid to buy the votes of small countries which have no interest in the industry, but great interest in winning the favour of Japan – among the pro-whaling faction expected to be present in Tokyo are tiny island states such as Tuvalu and Kiribati, and Mongolia, which has no coastline.

Captain Watson was a founder of Greenpeace who broke away to form his own more radical group. Sea Shepherd’s confrontational and sometimes violent tactics are opposed even by those who denounce Japan’s whaling programme, including Greenpeace and the governments of Australia and New Zealand.

“What is important, however, is that despite the violence from the whalers, no whales are being killed,” Captain Watson said. “They can't get away from us and if we keep on their tail they can't kill whales.”

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article5641835.ece
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The magic of Merlin helicopters

Merlin Mk3a helicopter (Photo: RAF)

06:22 GMT, January 30, 2009 Having proved itself in Bosnia, the latest addition to the RAF's helicopter family continues to shine in Iraq. The aircraft of choice when flying in low to pick up casualties in confined areas, Merlin is also used for moving troops and to supply the front line.

It is described as an aircraft for the 21st century and when you sit in the cockpit you can understand why.

In a way you feel like a goldfish in a bowl when sitting in the pilot's seat - with near all-round visibility and protection in the form of Kevlar. And with more computer screens and technical wizardry than you would find in most business IT (Information Technology) departments, Merlin is equipped to succeed.
Merlin packs a mean punch when it comes to protection - two 7.62mm General Purpose Machine Guns as standard, with a five-gun fit available. Self-protection is even better with a whole host of defensive aids including missile and laser warning systems and infrared jammers.

And to prove the Merlin's capabilities on operations even further, only last year, the first female to be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Flight Lieutenant Michelle Goodman, was the pilot of a Merlin carrying an Immediate Response Team (IRT) which flew in low over rooftops at night and under heavy fire to save the life of a critically injured soldier in Basra City.

Based on the military utility version of the Anglo-Italian EH101, the Merlins Mk3 and Mk3a can operate by day and night, in hot, high or freezing conditions.

Powered by three Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322 engines, the aircraft can carry three or four crew members and 24 fully-equipped troops at a range of over 1,000km and at a maximum speed of 167 knots.

Alternatively, under-slung loads of up to 4.2 tonnes can be moved. Squadron Leader Pip Harding, Second-in-Command of 78 Squadron, based at RAF Benson, said:
"As soon as Merlin went into theatre people realised how beneficial they would be for that climate and style of operations.

"They coped very well with the dust and sand, coped well with picking up troops, and taking them at speed from one place to another. They handled the IRT role with precision."

With anti-vibration mechanisms fitted, air-cooling and safe and comfortable seating in which troops can sit in their webbing, the helicopters can move troops, or the injured, in a greater degree of comfort. And with everything but the kitchen sink up the front, it is described as a pilot's aircraft.

Sqn Ldr Harding said: "Merlin is the next generation of helicopters - it's a 21st century aircraft. The cockpit is phenomenal."
MOD plans to move the Merlins to Afghanistan once they have completed their mission in Iraq.

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This article by Neale Adams was first published in the January 2009 issue of RAF News – Voice of the Royal Air Force.

http://www.defpro.com/news/details/5207/

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Africa Partnership Station, Nashville Prepare for Senegal
Story Number: NNS090129-11
Release Date: 1/29/2009 3:14:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Charles L. Ludwig, Africa Partnership Station Nashville Public Affairs

USS NASHVILLE, At Sea (NNS) -- The Africa Partnership Station (APS) Nashville team departed Naval Station Rota, Spain, Jan. 28, en route to the mission's first African port stop in Dakar, Senegal.

For the crew of ship's company Sailors, the staff of embarked Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 60 and international Sailors, and various supporting maritime professionals, the trip to Senegal represents the beginning of APS Nashville's in-country mission. APS Nashville is an international initiative developed by Naval Forces Europe and Naval Forces Africa that aims to enhance maritime safety and security in West and Central Africa.

For Team APS, the trip to Senegal comes after a 10-day transit across the Atlantic and a five-day port visit in Rota. Those few weeks together have been productive, said Capt. Cindy Thebaud, Africa Partnership Station Nashville commander and commodore of DESRON 60.

"Our time at sea and in Rota has helped our multinational staff become a true team," said Thebaud.
"We are moving forward with a singular effort to enhance existing friendships and build new partnerships while engaging in a number of maritime safety and security areas with our Senegalese Navy partners."

While in Senegal, the APS mission will hold seminars, workshops and conduct hands-on training with their Senegalese counterparts, including sessions on port security planning, small boat maintenance, medical training and oceanographic methods. All of the activities are based on specific requests from Senegalese officials, Thebaud said.

Senegal Navy Lt. Cmdr. Omar Wade said his nation's navy is looking forward to working with APS Nashville Sailors.

"We see APS as a promising U.S. Navy-led initiative that, along with our international partners, will create the foundation for future regional cooperation in meeting our common maritime concerns," said Wade, part of APS Nashville's embarked international staff.

Nashville Commanding Officer Capt. Tushar R. Tembe believes his crew is prepared for the mission ahead.

"The ship and our Sailors are fully engaged and excited to arrive in Senegal," said Tembe. "Based on visits from senior Navy leadership, we are very aware of the importance of our mission and stand ready to work side-by-side with the APS staff."

While in Rota, Nashville had the opportunity to refuel and replenish needed supplies, along with embarking additional staff members, including a group of Seabees, a group of Spanish marines and members of the Naples Navy Band.

Along with their work in Senegal, the APS Nashville team will make port calls in four other West African countries – Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon and Gabon. APS training will include professional exchanges on a variety of topics, including seamanship, environmental stewardship, fisheries management and maritime awareness, along with numerous humanitarian and civic outreach opportunities.

To learn more about Africa Partnership Station and its mission, please visit the APS website at www.c6f.navy.mil/aps_web/index.htm.

For more news from Africa Partnership Station, visit www.navy.mil/local/aps/.

http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=42184

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090119-N-1688B-300 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Jan. 19, 2009) Capt. Cindy Thebaud, commander, Africa Partnership Station (APS) 2009, receives training on the M-240 machine gun while aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS Nashville (LPD 13). APS is an international initiative developed by Naval forces Europe, which aims to work cooperatively with U.S. and international partners to improve maritime safety and security in western Africa. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Matthew Bookwalter/Released)

http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=68102




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Regards

Snooper

NNNN