May 2006 Archived News Page

5/31/06

5/29/06

COAST GUARD TO MOVE INTO NEW AIR FACILITY
MUSKEGON, Mich.-- Coast Guard Air Station Detroit is moving into the newest Air Facility at Muskegon Airport at 4:00 p.m. today.   The Coast Guard forward deploys its rescue helicopters to this strategic location to increase the coverage area over the Great Lakes during the busy boating season from Memorial day to Labor day. Reported by USCG 9th District

Sinking of old ships likely to raise concerns over age
New York: A string of ship sinking accidents involving old bulk carriers in the past several months may attract attention from the International Maritime Organization, shipowners and brokers said on Friday.
A 30-year-old cement carrier, Portland, sank on Thursday between Canary Island and Tenerife off the coast of Spain, with two of the 11 crew members still missing as of late Friday, said an official from Tenerife maritime rescue group.
This follows the sinking of 17-year-old Alexandros T off the coast of South Africa in early May. The ship was transporting 155,000 tonnes of iron ore when it sank. A cement carrier Margaret sank off the coast of Italy last December during a storm.
Apart from crew safety and potential oil spills, the sinking of older ships could have a bearish impact on freight rates for veteran ships, brokers said.
"Cement carriers may be more susceptible to sinking because of the vessel age," a shipowner in Brazil said, adding that there was a strong vessel traffic flow of cement carriers from Spain to the United States. Spain is the largest cement producer in Europe.
"They are usually older ships of more than 20-25 years, and they are converted from bulk carriers," he said.
Unlike the oil tanker market, dry bulk carrier owners do not face strict phase-out dates for old ships and single-hulled vessels, ship brokers said.
The newer ships tend to ply the US and Canadian routes due to stricter regulations, and the older ships are in the India, China and Southeast Asia, they said. Gulf News

 

5/26/06

LIMESTONE BARGE SINKS IN MOBILE SHIP CHANNEL

MOBILE, Ala.- A barge carrying crushed limestone rock sank eight miles north of Fort Morgan in the vicinity of mile marker #37 of the Mobile Ship Channel the 23rd of May at approx 7:45 p.m. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers survey vessel Irvington, and a marine surveyor have surveyed the vessel position and depth. The following information applies:
As of 1700 5/24:
Divers have completed damage assessment and buoy placement.
USCG has requested USACE to give recommendation for depth for reopening the waterway. USACE and Coast Guard agree that a controlling depth of 28 feet can be established for the east side of the channel with the following restrictions for navigation.
One way traffic in Mobile Ship Channel from gated buoys #33/#34 to #41/#42 , Depth restriction of 28ft, mariners are to be advised to stay to the red side when transiting this area. Sunken barge is reported to be from the green buoy line to center line of the channel.
The barge is marked by following buoys:
On the north and south ends centerline of the barge there are lighted orange and white cylindrical buoys with a triangle that states "Submerged Wreck". On each corner of the barge there is a orange round buoy which is not lit.
Anticipate these restrictions to be in place until 9:00 a.m. 5/26, at that time there will be another closure, due to divers in the water and salvage ops, until completion of salvage. The duration of the closure is not known at this time, Coast Guard will update projected opening of channel pending further developments.
Due to some confliction of the orientation of the barge the Coast Guard is not prepared to open up to deep draft traffic but will reconsider as new information is received.
As of this time Coast Guard has opened the effected portion of the waterway and issued a Broadcast Notice to Mariners identifying the restrictions in transiting the area.
 

BULKER LOST OFF CANARIES.  A dry bulk carrier has been lost off the Canary Islands.  The missing ship is the 30-year-old, Danish-built "Portland".  Two crew members are missing. 

5/24/06

USCG to decommission two cutters

 The Coast Guard has announced its intention to retire the cutters "Storis", (WMEC 38), and "Acushnet", (WMEC 167).  The "Storis" was built for the Coast Guard in 1942 by Toledo Shipbuilding, as the icebreaking stores ship USCGC "Eskimo", (WAGL 38): she was later reclassified as a medium-endurance cutter, (WMEC), and renamed "Storis".  The "Acushnet" was built for the Navy in 1943 by the Basalt Rock Company (what a great name for a shipbuilder) in Napa CA (of all places), as the fleet rescue and salvage ship "Shackle", (ARS 9): she was transferred to the Coast Guard in 1946, reclassified as the oceangoing tug USCGC "Acushnet", (WAT 167), and later reclassified as a medium-endurance cutter, (WMEC).  Reported by USCG

PORT BOARD ISSUES BONDS FOR LEVIS COMMONS EXPANSION

Toledo, Ohio, May 25, 2006 – More than $80 million of private development at Levis Commons, a 400 acre mixed use development on U.S. 25 south of I-475 in Perrysburg, will be accelerated by 12 to 18 months through financing for public infrastructure approved today by the Board of Directors of the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, according to James H. Hartung, president.
Two separate areas within Levis Commons are pegged for development.
Town Square will include a 175 room hotel with a convention center, an “entertainment center” to include retail on the first floor with offices on the floors above the retail, and an additional building for retail, with apartments on the floors above the retail. Total value of the private investments in Town Square are about $60 million.
Preston Place will include 13 buildings of different sizes to accommodate the need for smaller retail stores. Total value of the private investment in this area is about $22 million.
The Port Authority will also provide up to $150 million of taxable bonds to be acquired by the developer’s private financing sources. Those bonds will be used to finance the construction of another hotel and other retail and residential structures.
The City of Perrysburg is being asked to create Special Assessment Districts for Town Square and Preston Place under which property owners will be assessed semi-annually for amounts sufficient to pay off revenue bonds to be issued to finance the cost of public infrastructure such as roads, landscaping, street lighting, parking, and utilities.
To comply with state law, the city also will be asked to lease the land needed for the public infrastructure from the developers at no cost, and immediately lease the land to the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority.
There will be no liability to the city or the Port Authority for the project, Mr. Hartung noted.
He said the Port Authority’s participation in Levis Commons is similar to what the Authority did for developers of Crocker Park, a 76 acre multi-use project in Westlake, Ohio, west of Cleveland in Cuyahoga County.
“For that project, we issued $76 million of revenue bonds to finance public infrastructure including streets, parking garages, landscaping, and utilities, and up to $150 million for private structures. We would provide the same kind of help to any qualified developer in Ohio,” he said.
The Port Authority will issue up to $20 million worth of bonds for the public infrastructure in Town Square, and up to $7.5 million of bonds for public infrastructure in Preston Place. The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority will issue up to $7 million of bonds to complete financing for infrastructure in Preston Place. Construction is expected to begin this summer on both Town Square and Preston Place.
Perrysburg City Council will consider its participation in the project at the June 6 meeting.
Levis Commons opened in late 2004, and continues to provide a unique environment bringing increased office, residential, shopping and dining to the city. Reported by Toledo - Lucas County Port Authority

5/23/06

Fire forces ship's evacuation

PASCAGOULA -- A fire on board a ship under construction at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems forced the evacuation of workers and caused extensive damage to the vessel Saturday morning.
The fire began at 9:15 a.m. on the second level of DDG-103, an Arleigh Burke class destroyer, said Northrop Grumman spokesman Bill Glenn.
The Northrop Grumman Ship Systems fire and rescue department responded immediately to the scene and called for an evacuation of all personnel on the ship, Glenn said.
Glenn, who was unsure how many workers were evacuated, said no one was injured.
The fire began in an area where electronics are stored, and was fully involved when the Pascagoula Fire Department arrived on the scene to help, said acting battalion chief Terry Eiland.
"At first, (Northrop Grumman) had only three firemen fighting it," said Eiland, who arrived with eight Pascagoula firemen. "I could see the smoke from Market Street."
Eiland said it took about 1 1/2 hours to control the fire, which engulfed two levels of the ship.
"Metal conducts heat really well, and that was the big problem we had getting it under control," Eiland said. "Every time we thought we had it out, it flared up somewhere else."
A Northrop Grumman firefighter was treated on the scene for heat exhaustion, Eiland said.
The ship appeared to be in the early stages of construction, Eiland added.
He estimated damage to be in the millions of dollars.
Eiland said his department has helped Northrop Grumman fight two other fires in the last ten years, on another ship and at a warehouse.
The cause of Saturday's fire was not immediately known and will be the subject of a thorough investigation, Glenn said.

By NATALIE CHANDLER
The Mississippi Press
 

5/19/06

Oglebay Norton Company Signs Definitive Agreement To Sell Six of Its Nine Vessels

CLEVELAND,  Oglebay Norton Company announced that it has signed a definitive purchase agreement to sell six of its nine marine vessels. The agreement includes long- term contracts for transporting limestone from the company's Michigan quarries. Closing of the sale is subject to regulatory clearance; therefore, terms of the agreement have not been disclosed. In addition, the company stated that it intends to sell its remaining three vessels and is in negotiations with a potential buyer. Reported by Oglebay Norton

 

Maritime Day 2006

Duluth, Minn., U.S.A.—Maritime Day 2006 will be celebrated Friday, May 19, in the Port of Duluth-Superior.
National Maritime Day, which is sponsored by the Propeller Club of the United States, commemorates the first steam vessel crossing of the Atlantic Ocean on May 22, 1819, by the SS Savannah. National Maritime Day is a day to pay special tribute to the benefits that the maritime industry provides this country and to all who live here.
According to the latest U.S. Army Corps statistics, our nation’s ports and coastal and inland waterways support the annual movement of 2.55 billion tons of domestic and international commerce. They also generate significant local and regional economic development, support nearly 5 million jobs and provide facilities for some 8 million cruise and 113 million ferry passengers annually.
Duluth-Superior is the largest tonnage port on the Great Lakes, moving 40 million metric tons of bulk and break-bulk cargo and receiving more than 1,100 visits by lake carriers and oceangoing ships annually. The Port has 22 major bulk and general cargo docks along 49 miles of waterfront, handling commodities ranging from iron ore to coal, limestone to grain, general cargo to cement. Duluth-Superior is recognized worldwide as the designated route for shippers of heavy-lift and oversized cargo to and from North America. Four Class I railroads and an extensive highway system serve the Port, making Duluth-Superior one of the major intermodal centers in North America.
Duluth-Superior is home for the Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute (GLMRI)—one of only eight national maritime enhancement institutes designated by MARAD throughout the country. Dr. Richard Stewart, Co-Director of GLMRI and Professor-Director, Transportation and Logistics Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Superior, Department of Business and Economics, will be the keynote speaker for the local Maritime Day event, which will begin at 10:30 a.m. aboard the harbor excursion vessel Vista Star (located adjacent to the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center). A seafarers’ memorial service will be included in the program, and Duluth Mayor Herb Bergson and Superior Mayor Dave Ross will each issue proclamation setting May 19, 2006, aside in the Port of Duluth-Superior in recognition of the contributions of waterborne commerce to this community. Reported by Duluth Seaway Port Authority

Great Lakes Dredging Crisis Highlighted

TOLEDO, OH---A new publication is focusing attention on the dredging crisis on the Great Lakes. A handout issued by Great Lakes Maritime Task Force (GLMTF) illustrates how lack of adequate dredging of Great Lakes ports and waterways is affecting cargo movement on the Great Lakes.  "The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' budget for dredging Great Lakes ports and waterways has been inadequate for decades," said James H. I. Weakley, President of GLMTF. "As a result, U.S.-Flag vessel operators on the Great Lakes estimate that three of every four cargos they've carried in the past five years represented less than full loads. This inability to fully maximize the efficiencies of waterborne commerce is affecting every customer of Great Lakes shipping."  The handout features a map of the five Great Lakes, with select ports and the number of inches vessels' loaded draft has been reduced by the shortfall in the Corps' dredging budget for the Lakes. "It borders on scandalous that such major ports as Duluth/Superior (Minnesota/Wisconsin), Indiana Harbor (Indiana Harbor) and Cleveland (Ohio) cannot ship or receive full loads in Lakers," declared Weakley. "Duluth/Superior is the largest coal shipping port on the Lakes, yet 1 ,000-foot-long vessels are light loading by as much as 4,500 tons each trip. Indiana Harbor and Cleveland are major steel producing centers. With domestic steelmakers constantly battling for market share in the global economy, every ton of iron ore that's left behind on the loading dock and delivered on another trip is a cost they cannot bear."  A second graphic shows how much cargo vessels lose for each inch of lost draft. Weakley, who is also President of Lake Carriers' Association, the organization that represents U.S.-Flag vessel operators on the Great Lakes, noted the 1,000-foot-long U.S.-Flag supper carriers forfeit nearly 270 tons when forced to trim loaded draft by just one inch. The mid-sized ships that serve customers along rivers such as the Saginaw River in Michigan surrender 100 tons or so.  Ocean-going vessels trading to the Great Lakes also suffer the consequences of reduced draft. "A Seaway-sized 'saltie' sacrifices 115 tons of cargo for each inch of lost draft," said John D. Baker, 2nd Vice President of GLMTF. "With East Coast ports struggling to handle ever-growing volumes, the Lakes could increase their share of overseas commerce, but light loading is offsetting the advantages our ports offer by being in close proximity to major population centers." Baker, who is also President of the International Longshoremen's Association's Great Lakes District Council, joined Weakley in urging Congress to increase funding for dredging Great Lakes ports and waterways. "Waterborne commerce on the Great Lakes can top 200 million tons a year," said Baker. "Tens of thousands of family-sustaining jobs depend on the efficient movement of cargo on the Lakes. Even more jobs could be created if the dredging crisis was resolved."  Weakley also called for reforming the way the Corps allocates its dredging budget. "It is not fair that a river system receives the equivalent of $1.10 for each ton of cargo handled while the Lakes get half a dollar or so. We need a more equitable funding formula."  The Great Lakes Maritime Task Force was founded in Toledo, Ohio, in 1992 to promote domestic and international shipping on the Great Lakes. It is the largest coalition to ever speak for the Great Lakes shipping community and draws its membership from both labor and management representing U.S.-Flag vessel operators, shipboard amd longshore unions, port authorities, terminal operators, cargo shippers, shipyards and other Great Lakes interests. In addition to restoring adequate funding for dredging of Great Lakes deep-draft ports and waterways, its goals include construction of a second Poe-sized lock at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; preserving the domestic steelmaking infrastructure; protecting the nation's cabotage laws; maximizing the Lakes overseas trade; and opposing exports and increased diversions of Great Lakes water. Reported by Great Lakes Maritme Task Force

5/18/06

As hundreds of veterans looked on solemnly, the Navy blew holes in a retired aircraft carrier and sent the 888-foot USS Oriskany to the bottom of the sea today, creating the world's largest manmade reef.  The rusted hulk took 37 minutes to slip beneath the waves, about 41/2 hours faster than predicted, after more than 500 pounds of plastic explosives went off with bright flashes of light and clouds of brown and gray smoke.  Korean and Vietnam War veterans aboard a flotilla of 300 charter boats watched from beyond a one-mile safety perimeter as the "Mighty O" went down in 212 feet of water, about 24 miles off Pensacola Beach.  Lloyd Quiter of North Collins, N.Y., who served four tours on the ship in Vietnam, played the attention-all-hands signal on his boatswain's pipe, and wept.  "I'm a little stunned. It's a little hard to take," he said.  After the blasts, an acrid smell hung in the air near the ship. The carrier went down stern first, the bow lifting up into the air and creating a giant spray of water as it came down. The blue ocean churned a foamy white as the deck -- bright orange with rust -- slid under. Hundreds of surrounding boats blew their horns in tribute.  The Oriskany (pronounced oh-RISK-uh-nee) became the first vessel sunk under a Navy program to dispose of old warships by turning them into diving attractions teeming with fish and other marine life.  Over the years, other ships have been turned into reefs, including the warship USS Spiegel Grove, a cargo vessel that was scuttled in 2002 off Key Largo. But that was a civilian project, paid for with a combination of county and private money.  Jack Witter of Fort Pierce, who served as an aviation ordnance operator during the Korean War, joined 34 other veterans to watch the Oriskany go down. The group saluted as the ship vanished underwater.  "I felt good about it," Witter said. "I guess there was a little tear in my eye because a good part of my life went down with her, but it was a fitting end for a good ship."  The Oriskany, commissioned in 1950 and named after an American Revolutionary War battle, saw duty during the Korean War and was home to John McCain when the Navy pilot and future senator served in Vietnam. It was also among the ships used by President Kennedy in a show of force during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis. It was decommissioned in 1976.  McCain was shot down over Hanoi in 1967 after taking off from the Oriskany and was held as a prisoner of war for five years.  "It was a small, old carrier that fought very valiantly, and I'm very proud to have been a part of the air wing that served with great courage and distinction," McCain told CNN on Wednesday.  McCain said he had hoped the ship would be turned into a museum, but the artificial reef will "provide a lot of recreation and a lot of good times for people."  The $20 million sinking was delayed for nearly two years by hurricanes and environmental permitting problems. The ship will not be open to recreational divers until at least Friday, so that Navy divers can explore the wreck and check for any hazards.  The Environmental Protection Agency in February approved the sinking of the ship, which had toxins in its electrical cables, insulation and paint. EPA officials said the toxins will slowly leach out over the estimated 100 years it will take the carrier to rust away, and should pose no danger to marine life.  Marine wildlife experts planned to monitor the waters.  Local leaders hope the reef brings a long-awaited economic infusion from sport divers and fishermen. A 2004 Florida State University study estimated Escambia County would see $92 million a year in economic benefits from an artificial reef.

USS ORISKANY slips beneath the surface

5/17/06

The SS NOMADIC, the last of the White Star ships, will return to Belfast in July 2006.
The Northern Ireland Office bought the SS NOMADIC at an auction in Paris for £171,320 in January 2006. Social Development Minister David Hanson said a submersible barge will be used to bring the ship home since that would present "the least risk to successfully transporting the 95-year old vessel". The luxury ferry, built by Harland & Wolff in Belfast in 1911, the year before TITANIC sailed. NOMADIC saw service in both World Wars and was later used as a restaurant on the Seine in Paris. More recently, it has been languishing semi-derelict in the port of Le Havre. A feasibility study by Belfast City Council estimated the cost of buying the ship and bringing it back to the city would be around £750,000. About £7m is needed to restore the ship to its original condition. It is hoped that the vessel will become the centerpiece of a new tourist area dedicated primarily to the TITANIC. Other attractions include the slipway where TITANIC was built, the drawing offices where the blueprints for the ship were drawn and the Thompson Dock and pump house where she was fitted out.

The Nomadic took passengers out to the Titanic  Submitted by Joe Barr

French 'toxic' ship returns home 

The ship is towed home at the end of a long and controversial voyage

The French warship Clemenceau, once the pride of France's navy, is back in its home port of Brest, five months after heading to India to be scrapped.

The French government was forced to recall the aircraft carrier because Indian workers refused to deal with the hazardous asbestos in its hulk.

The issue also thwarted attempts to scrap it in Spain or Turkey.

Tests are now planned to find out exactly how much asbestos is left on board and how France can deal with it.

The obsolete vessel docked amid tight security at the naval port of Brest on Wednesday morning, after a long and controversial journey to India and back.

Dozens of tugboats manoeuvred the aircraft carrier into its berth - the same one it occupied in 1961 when it began 36 years of service with the navy.

Soldiers rushed onto deck and commandos were positioned across the port to block access to the vessel.

Environmental groups and Indian trade unions protested for months to block the transfer of the Clemenceau to a scrapyard in Gujarat because of concerns over the health of the workers who would have had to deal with it.

The Clemenceau, officially known as Q790 since being decommissioned, has proved to be one long toxic headache for France since being taken out of service in 1997.

And it may not be over yet, as the French authorities still have to decide how and where to have the Clemenceau dismantled.

The vessel will be thoroughly examined over the next few months to see how much asbestos - a carcinogenic substance is on board.

Officials put the amount at about 45 tons. Environmentalists estimate that there at least 500 tons in its hulk.

The government has also promised that the ship will not remain in Brest beyond 2008.

The ship was first sold to a Spanish firm, which should have taken out any hazardous asbestos waste before breaking up the vessel.

But the company discovered that could not be done within the EU because of health and safety laws.

The Clemenceau then headed for Turkey but had to be brought back.

A German firm took up the challenge and sent her to India for decontamination late last year.

But disaster struck once again with the journey turning to farce as Egypt stopped the ship after doubts over its safety before finally allowing it to proceed through the Suez Canal.

Once it was in India, it provoked huge controversy.

The Indian Supreme Court asked why workers there should deal with a vessel deemed too dangerous for Europeans to touch. So French President Jacques Chirac was forced to agree that the Clemenceau would return to France until a solution could be found.

The ship is towed home at the end of a long and controversial voyage

CLEMENCEAU IN DETAIL

Built 1955

265m (878ft) long, 51m (170ft wide)

Deployed in 1982 - 1984 Lebanese civil war, 1991 Gulf War among others

Named after French WWI PM George Clemenceau

Featured in celebrated French TV car advertisement

Now known as Hull Q790

Story by BBC

Capt. Cook's Endeavour may be found off Rhode Island

Four ships from a British fleet used during the Revolutionary War have been found off Rhode Island, and one may be the vessel 18th century explorer Captain James Cook sailed on his epic voyage to Australia, archaeologists said on Tuesday.  Researchers with the Rhode Island Marine Archaeology Project said they believe the four ships, and two others previously discovered, are part of a 13-vessel transport fleet intentionally sunk by the British in Newport Harbor in 1778 to keep French ships from landing to aid the Americans' drive for independence.  Using historical materials and sonar, the archaeologists discovered the ships in Narragansett Bay, within a mile of Newport, Rhode Island's shoreline.  Divers found ballast piles about 30 feet underwater, with the ship's keel and other parts embedded in the sea floor. They also found at least one cannon, an anchor with a 16-foot shank and a cream-colored fragment of an 18th-century British ceramic teapot.  According to the team of archaeologists, one of the 13 ships in the sunken British fleet was the "Lord Sandwich," which records show was once the Endeavour, the vessel Cook used to sail the Pacific Ocean, map New Zealand and survey the eastern coast of Australia in 1768-1771.  Cook, acknowledged by historians as one of the greatest navigators of all time, is credited with surveying Australia's east coast on the Endeavour expedition.  Archaeologists said it was unclear which ship could be the Endeavour. Seven of the ships in the British fleet have not been found. But they said the latest find raises the chances that one of the discovered ships is the Endeavour.  "There is a 47 percent chance that we have our hands on the Endeavour," said D.K. Abbass, executive director of the Rhode Island Marine Archaeology Project, a nonprofit organization devoted to studying the state's maritime history.  She added it was unlikely anything on the ships would provide a direct link to Cook.  "Quite frankly, we could be working on her right now and never be able to prove it," Abbass said.  It may take years to fully investigate the shipwrecks found so far, Abbass said.    The shipwrecks are Rhode Island property, Abbass said. There are no plans to raise them. Officials estimate more than two dozen ships from the Revolutionary War period lie beneath Rhode Island's waters. They include British Royal Navy frigates, vessels from the Continental Navy and a French ship.

5/15/06

Toxic ship's entry into India barred

AHMEDABAD: In what may come as a temporary respite for environmentalists protesting dismantling of large ships with toxic waste on Indian shores, the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) has on Sunday decided to bar French cruise liner, S S Norway, from entering Indian waters.
This comes as a fallout of the Supreme Court's directive on Thursday, that the ship's entry into Alang ship-breaking yard and issues relating to hazardous toxic wastes, be dealt with by a court-appointed committee of technical experts.
GPCB member secretary, Sanjiv Tyagi said, "Following directions from the Union government, we have issued notices to all authorities concerned to stop the ship from entering the Indian sovereign jurisdiction, until the committee decides on the matter."
French ship Clemenceau, was caught in a similar controversy over its high levels of toxicity in February this year, because of which it was recalled by the French government.
S S Norway is believed to be carrying three times the toxic wastes of Clemenceau. Popularly known as 'Blue Lady', S S Norway, had recently come under the apex court's radar, following an application moved by environmentalist Gopal Krishna.
The application had sought for directions to stop the ship from entering India's territorial waters. In response to this, a Bench comprising Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice Markanday Katju, had issued notices to the Centre and Gujarat Maritime Board.
The court had also referred the application to a committee of technical experts.
Environmentalists claim that the cruise liner is one of the top 50 toxic ships in the world and carries nearly 900 tonnes of asbestos, along with other globally-banned toxic materials and a cancer causing chemical, 'polychlorinate biphenyis'.
Amid this temporary ban on the ship's entry into Indian waters, activists concede the government needs to develop strong policies in the matter.
National president of Delhi-based, Citizen Forum on Human Rights (CFHR), S K Bhattacharjee alleges that the Indian government is yet to wake up to the issue of safe ship breaking.
Bhattacharjee who was on a visit to Alang recently said, "Even before the Clemenceau controversy could have faded out of public memory, there is a new one. This will keep repeating until the government takes an initiative on the issue." Reported by India Times

Oil tanker replacements call for $7.5b expenditure

By Frank Kennedy, Special to Gulf News 

According to a report by London-based shipbroker E.A. Gibson, shipowners may have to spend as much as $7.5 billion on new oil tankers to replace vessels that will be phased out by 2010.   It estimates that to fill the shortfall and in addition to those newbuildings already ordered, at least 80 oil tankers (carrying cargoes of between 600,000 and two million barrels each) need to be contracted.  The report adds that in 2004, shipowners spent $76.3 billion on renewing their fleet at a time when freight rates for tankers and dry-bulk vessels rose to record peaks and last year $71.5 billion was spent on oil tankers and other ships.   The majority of orders have gone to South Korea at Hyundai Heavy Industries, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, and Samsung Heavy Industries, and these newbuildings will all be delivered by 2009.   The broker also said that there were no strong indications that oil companies or oil-producing countries are about to boost their tanker-owning involvement so it must be assumed that the independent tanker owners and the Far Eastern trading houses are going to spend their profits from the last few years or talk to the bankers in this regard.  In India, the Director-General of Central Excise Intelligence (DG-CEI) has issued renewed notices to shipping companies demanding retrospective service tax on services received and consumed outside India between August 2002 and March 2006. DG-CEI has also issued summons to shipping companies, demanding full details of their foreign exchange payments, including dry docking expenses incurred at foreign ports, for this period.  The notices have reportedly cautioned the shipping companies that failure to furnish the details, will invite further action.  The Indian National Shipowners' Association (INSA) has opposed the action by DG-CEI saying the situation is "unfair and unreasonable" because extra-territorial jurisdiction is conferred by the Legislature by specific language and provision; for example as in the Income-Tax Act, 1981 and the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999. An INSA official said, "There was no specific language or provision conferring extra-territorial jurisdiction for the levy of service tax for the period August 2002 to March 2006"

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5/13/06

Search for survivors sunken ore carrier M/V Alexandros T continuing with the salvage tug M/V Smit Amandla remaining on station after having covered an area of approximately 1,500 square miles since 5 May -- hope now fading that missing seamen will be found alive & current search operation is under review.  See original story from 5/4/06 below.

5/12/06

The BLUE LADY enroute to Alang.

5/10/06

Ship that sank in 1976 may be oozing oil
FREEPORT - A ship that sank in 1976 may be leaking oil off the coast of Freeport, said state officials who are considering using divers to pinpoint the source of the leak.  Officials have been monitoring the leak since late March.  About 300 gallons of oil have leaked into the water, apparently from a ship that sank in a storm in 1976 on its way to be scuttled farther offshore, said Dale Shively, a program coordinator at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.  But state and federal officials were supposed to have removed all hazardous substances before it was towed.  "To us, it's kind of a mystery," Shively told the Galveston County Daily News.  A team from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department took water samples of the oily globs in the water Saturday and sent them to Texas A&M University for analysis.  A U.S. Coast Guard analysis suggested it was fuel oil.  But Shively said other checks indicated it was crude oil.  Crude oil is less toxic than its lighter derivatives, but it remains in the environment longer and can cause more damage.  The Texas General Land Office's Oil Spill Prevention and Response Team has concluded the leak doesn't pose a significant environmental problem, spokesman Jim Suydam said.  Shively said Parks and Wildlife is discussing ways to contain the oil, such as trapping it in a tent-like structure.  The ship sank six miles from the mouth of the Brazos River, about 60 miles southwest of Houston.

5/9/06

SvitzerWijsmuller Salvage contracted for next container/cargo recovery operation, now off the German North Sea coast

After having very successfully recovered sunken containers from the P&O NEDLLOYD MONDRIAAN last 2 months, underwriters have now contracted SvitzerWijsmuller Salvage to also recover 8 with cars loaded containers in the North Sea off Cuxhaven, Germany. These containers, 7 of which are still loaded and 1 has lost her load of cars which now also need to be recovered separately, are lying 5 to 10 meters deeper then the containers recovered north of Terschelling; some 30-35 meter deep. They were lost by the container vessel MSC YORKSHIRE some 6 months ago and need to be removed as per instructions of the German Authorities. The same spread is being used again to include a special recovery vessel with remotely operated equipment. The recovered goods will be delivered ashore at the working base in Cuxhaven.  Reported by Svitzer Wijsmuller Salvage

Salvage crew brings up vehicle from sea floor

USCG and Alaska State Troopers search for missing crewman

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The Coast Guard and Alaska State Troopers are searching for a crewman from the fishing vessel Calico Dog today. The Calico Dog was returning from cod fishing last night and overturned while coming around Priest Rock into Unalaska Bay near Dutch Harbor at about 11:30 p.m.
The 30-foot vessel had 2,700 pounds of cod on deck in three totes. After the vessel overturned one of the two people on board was able to crawl out and onto the top of the overturned hull.
The Alaska State Trooper vessel Stimpson was transiting the area this morning and came upon the crewman waving his arms to signal them. The troopers launched their small boat from the Stimpson and recovered the man at about 11:30 a.m. He was taken to the Dutch Harbor clinic and treated for mild hypothermia. He has been cleared for release.
The Dutch Harbor harbor master sent out a boat with divers to search the inside of the overturned vessel for the second man. The boat was empty and he has not been located.
The Coast Guard cutter Hickory, a Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter and the Stimpson are actively searching the area for the second man. A C-130 from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak is en route.
Neither man was wearing flotation. At this time the vessel is still afloat upside down. The weather on scene is 13-knot winds from the northwest, good visibility and an air temperature of about 37 degrees. Weather at the time of the incident was dark, rain, poor visibility and five-foot seas.
The Calico Dog is based out of Dutch Harbor, Unalaska Island.  Reported by USCG

River Quest, Duluth Harbor

Duluth, Minn., U.S.A.—The 14th annual series of River Quest educational cruises for area sixth grade students will be held Wednesday through Friday (May 10-12) aboard the harbor excursion vessel Vista Star.
St. Louis River Quest, created in 1993, is an educational program designed to instill environmental stewardship in area sixth graders, while helping them understand industrial, commercial and recreational activities in the St. Louis River estuary.
The two-hour boat trips offer hands-on-learning experiences that foster in student participants a sense of awareness of river ecosystems and connection with the river and harbor environment. Through interactive learning stations, students organized into cooperative groups learn first hand about use and preservation of their local harbor.
More than 40 local organizations sponsor the program. This year the six cruises held onboard the Vista Star will accommodate about 700 students from Hermantown, Superior, Morgan Park, Washburn Edison, North Shore Elementary, Proctor, Lincoln and Ordean.
Learning stations provided will include hands-on lessons in water quality, pollution prevention, surface water runoff, dredge material use, boating safety, maritime commerce and environmental “habitattitude.”  Reported by the Duluth Port Authority

Maritime rescue and piracy issues top agenda in successful Africa mission
The commissioning of a regional maritime rescue co-ordination centre as well as meetings with the Presidents of both Kenya and Tanzania were among highlights of a recent mission to Africa by IMO Secretary-General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos.
Mr. Mitropoulos began a busy three days of meetings (3 to 6 May) with a visit to the President of Kenya, His Excellency Mr. Mwai Kibaki in the capital, Nairobi. The two discussed matters of mutual interest, in particular arrangements for the diplomatic conference to adopt a new international convention on wreck removal which Kenya is to host on IMO’s behalf next year.
Mr. Mitropoulos then travelled to Mombasa, where he first visited the Mission to Seafarers. In praising seafarers for their services to the community, he described them as “the soul, heart and brains of a ship”. After addressing the seafarers present, he answered questions on a variety of topics.
Also in Mombasa, Mr Mitropoulos commissioned a new regional Maritime Search and Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC). This is the first such facility to be inaugurated following a resolution adopted by the IMO Conference on search and rescue (SAR) and the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), held in October 2000 in Florence, Italy, proposing the establishment of five sub-regional MRCCs in western, southern and eastern parts of Africa. A second regional MRCC under this initiative is expected to be opened in Cape Town, South Africa, before the end of this year, while three more, on the Western coast of Africa (Nigeria, Liberia and Morocco), are currently at the planning stage.
Along with its associated Maritime Rescue Sub-Centres (MRSCs) in Victoria (Seychelles) and Dar es Salaam (United Republic of Tanzania), the Mombasa MRCC will provide search and rescue coverage in what had previously been identified as one of the areas suffering unduly from a lack of adequate SAR and GMDSS facilities.
Speaking to the staff of the MRCC during the commissioning ceremony, Mr. Mitropoulos took the opportunity to point out the immense importance of the work that lay before them.
He said, “I congratulate you on your employment and on the humanitarian task you will be asked to perform, 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week, 365 days-a-year – the same hard tasks shipping performs in the service of the community.
“The Indian Ocean has many times, most recently with the 2004 tsunami, shown its inhospitable face and has caused many disasters to the detriment of shipping, with the loss of precious human lives and the destruction of the marine environment.”
He went on to speak of the zeal and enthusiasm with which he felt sure the staff would undertake their heavy duties and offered them these words of advice: “Never be complacent, never underestimate the seriousness of any distress incident you handle and never consider any incident to be the same as another – because each has its peculiarities and special characteristics that demand special attention.”
He reminded staff that they would be the last hope of seafarers for whom fate had in store the bitter experience of a shipwreck, but would be the first they would thank once rescued and safe on solid ground, earning their eternal gratitude and that of their families.
Mr. Mitropoulos also stressed the importance of continual personnel training to ensure that the knowledge and professional skills of the staff of the Centre could be kept up to date with developments in the sophisticated satellite and terrestrial communication systems with which the new facility is equipped.
Moving on to the United Republic of Tanzania, Mr. Mitropoulos travelled to the capital, Dar es Salaam, to meet the country’s president, His Excellency Mr. Jakaya Kikwete. He also visited the Mission to Seafarers there, and inspected the site of the Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre that is due to come into operation later this year.
As part of a wide-ranging agenda, Mr. Kikwete and Mr. Mitropoulos discussed matters of mutual concern including the increasing threat of piracy in east African waters. When in service, the Dar es Salaam facility will act not only as a rescue sub-centre but will also undertake personnel training, vessel traffic surveillance and piracy monitoring.
Both the Mombasa MRCC and its associated MRSCs have been funded through the International SAR Fund (ISAR Fund), the establishment of which was approved by the IMO Council in June 2004 to cover, initially, the establishment of the five regional MRCCs and 26 MRSCs in Africa. The ISAR Fund is a multi-donor trust fund, under the auspices of the Secretary-General, designed to assist countries to put into place an adequate SAR infrastructure and, by doing so, boost IMO’s efforts to implement the Global Search and Rescue Plan, agreed at the IMO Conference held in 1998 in Fremantle, Australia. To establish the Mombasa MRCC, funds were also used from the Tsunami Maritime Relief Fund established by IMO soon after the catastrophe suffered by the Indian Ocean countries in the wake of the tsunami of 26 December 2004.
The new facilities have been described by Secretary-General Mitropoulos as excellent, tangible examples of what can be achieved when the need is sufficiently compelling and the will to succeed is sufficiently strong, and that the experience gained from them should serve as examples for other regions to follow.
In his discussions with the two Presidents, he took the opportunity to draw attention to how IMO’s technical co-operation activities could yield demonstrable, effective results that serve the greater good of all. He also highlighted how the establishment of the search and rescue facilities reflected very well the theme for this year’s World Maritime Day, which is “Technical Co-operation: IMO's response to the 2005 World Summit”, through which special emphasis will be placed on the maritime needs of Africa and on IMO’s contribution to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals.  Reported by International Maritime Organization

5/5/06

Empty life jackets, but no survivors

Johannesburg, South Africa    

Rescuers searching for 26 missing crew members of a Greek cargo ship found empty life jackets and a lifebuoy ring among debris floating on the sea near Port Elizabeth on Friday.  But this discovery "has no meaning" as there are often extra life vests on a ship, rescue officials said.  Andre Botes, Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) head of operations, said Friday's search for the missing crew of the Alexandros T yielded no results, and weather off the coast near Port Elizabeth was deteriorating rapidly.  Gale-force winds and high seas were expected, which did not bode well for the crew members who -- although wearing life jackets -- had been missing for about 45 hours by 4pm on Friday.  "They have been in very cold water for a very long time. That's life-threatening and the chances of deaths are very likely," said Botes.  He said the search would probably continue for the rest of Friday, through the night, and much of Saturday, barring further developments.  The tug Smit Amandla, which joined the search on Friday, had found the debris and life vests.  The bulk carrier Fortune Express, which had been two nautical miles from the stricken vessel when it began to break up on Wednesday night, was relieved and is on its way to Durban. An air-force C-130 aircraft is also still in the area.

5/4/06

Bulk carrier sinks off S.Africa

By Henri du Plessis & Terri-Liza Fortein
An air and sea search has been launched for 27 sailors missing at sea after a huge cargo ship broke up and capsized during the night in rough weather off Port Alfred.
Rescuers are racing against the clock to find the missing men before the bad weather predicted for the area sets in.
It is believed the ship broke up in the rough seas. A source confirmed this morning the ship had sunk.
The Alexandros T, a 171 875 ton deadweight bulk carrier built in 1989, was on her way from Brazil to east Asia with a cargo of iron ore when she started taking strain in heavy swells.  A SA Air Force Hercules C130 is standing by to fly out to the search area, about 300 nautical miles from Port Alfred, early on Thursday, but low visibility is expected to make it difficult for expert spotters on the aircraft.
The tug Smit Amandla has been sent to the scene, with owners Smit Amandla Marine holding a Lloyds Open Form salvage contract from the ship's Greek managers.
Only six of the 33 crew have been plucked from the sea so far, five from a life raft and one out of the water.
Another cargo vessel, the bulk carrier Fortune Express, had been standing by the Alexandros T and her crew had been able to save the six men, said Jinx Botes of the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Parow.
"The Fortune Express launched a lifeboat on Wednesday to search for the 27 crew still missing, but the sea conditions forced them to withdraw."
The drama unfolded as weather reports warned of a threatening storm around the South African coast from St Helena Bay all the way to the east coast from Friday.
The masters of both ships reported swells of five metres and more shortly before the Alexandros T went down, a factor which could have made launching life rafts difficult.
The ship first reported problems late on Wednesday afternoon and the Fortune Express rushed to her aid, reaching her at about 7.15pm.
Two hours later, the master of the Alexandros T reported a sudden increase in the vessel's list from 8¼ to 15¼ and ordered his crew to
abandon ship.
One survivor had said that as the crew were racing to abandon ship by life raft, the vessel had broken up and begun sinking fast, said Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre's staff dealing with the emergency.
"Five of the crew made it to life rafts, despite all crew having been standing by ready to abandon ship.
"The rest appeared to have been forced into the sea. Only one of the 28 crew who went into the sea has so far been found.
"All of the 27 missing crew are wearing lifejackets."

Alexandros T

India ship scrap yard has that sinking feeling

BY KIM BARKER

Chicago Tribune

ALANG, India - Ramesh Patel still sells treasures from old ships - boots, life preservers, an empty Chilean whiskey bottle, a rusted can of Russian cockroach spray.  But increasingly he's faking it, stacking his shelves with binoculars, tools and cameras bought in a town an hour away. Business is bad. He's passing off new goods as being from salvaged boats because many fewer vessels are docking at the nearby ship-breaking yard.  "It's very tough to do business now," said Patel, 55, who opened his shop two years ago. "The ships just aren't coming anymore."  Only a few years ago, Alang was the world's biggest ship-breaking yard, a place where aging cruise liners, fishing trawlers and toxic warships came to die and be torn apart, their parts and cargo sold for profit. Now, largely because of pressure from environmental groups, the town itself is dying.  The decision in February to turn away the Clemenceau, an asbestos-lined, decommissioned French aircraft carrier, has only brought more attention to the shipyard and caused a further drop in business, both for the companies that dismantle the ships and for ship profiteers like Patel, who sell what once was on board.  The Clemenceau controversy could even mean the end of the industry in India. The French president recalled the ship after mounting protests, especially in India, where environmental groups and major trade unions rallied against dismantling the hazardous ship and the courts indicated that it might not have smooth sailing in Indian waters.  The fate of the one-time boom town of Alang highlights what will happen increasingly in India as it moves from being a Third World country to being a major player in the international marketplace. Dangerous jobs from the old economy, from dismantling ships to taking apart old computers, will disappear, often because of competition from countries less worried about environmental issues.  India will stop being seen as a dumping place for the world's toxic waste, replaced by countries such as Bangladesh, experts say. And the new economy - call centers for overseas credit card companies, information-technology firms that juggle human resources and consulting - will continue to thrive.  But the transition will not be an easy one.  In Alang, for example, workers still travel from across India for the chance to earn as much as $4.50 a day, breaking apart ships for 12 hours at a stretch. It's a good wage in India. It's also the only choice for many workers.  "It's for our survival," said Gama Yadav, who makes about $2.75 a day as a "cutter," taking apart steel hulls with a blowtorch. "What can we do? Back home, there's no work. There's no question of me being happy or sad. It's a question of me being able to eat."  In Alang, the numbers tell the story of a dying industry. In the fiscal year ended in June 1999 - the height of the ship-breaking business - 361 vessels came to Alang to be dismantled by 40,000 workers.  In the year ended in June 2005, 196 ships arrived.  And in the past four months, since the Clemenceau controversy heated up, only 33 ships have docked in Alang. About 3,500 people now work at the yard.  Officials worry about the drop in business, blamed mainly on environmental groups, higher taxes and competition from countries such as Bangladesh and Pakistan. But they hope Alang will recover.  "At the moment, it's a bad period," said Capt. Kiritsinh Gohil, Alang's port officer, who believes the key to good business is improving safety and environmental standards. "But as long as ships are built, they'll have to be broken down."  Officials said they never had heard of a single case of cancer in Alang workers and that accidents happen in any field.  But a report issued in December says that many ship-breaking workers worldwide are hurt by accidents, explosions and contamination from hazardous materials. Several thousand workers die every year - not counting those who suffer from long-term contamination, according to the report by Greenpeace and the International Federation of Human Rights Leagues. The federation called the ship-breaking system a "form of contemporary human sacrifice."  Gohil said new safety standards have sharply reduced injuries and deaths at Alang.  In the year ended in June 1999, 25 workers were killed in fires and accidents, Gohil said. In the year ended in June 2005, only three died, a drop that could also be attributed to the decrease in dismantled ships.  "Even if you're walking on the road, you can get hit by a car," Gohil said. He said workers now know how to use safety equipment, and those who dispose of toxic materials are properly trained.  The Alang shipyard is sensitive about publicity - signs outside ship-breaking plots proclaim "Visitors not allowed." The government allows foreign journalists inside only if accompanied by a guide, who refused to allow interviews of workers or photographs of their working or living conditions. Men swept the roads, but no one cleaned up the workers' shanties, which looked like a patchwork quilt of scrap metal and wood. Although Indians are charged $1.14 to enter the yards, foreigners are charged $25 - almost twice as much as it costs to visit the Taj Mahal, the jewel of India.  On a recent Saturday, Yadav helped take apart the Reef Zanzibar, a 1,767-ton ship that docked in Alang on March 7 with the remnants of its final cargo, cashews. Yadav and the other workers at the Diamond Industries plot No. 84 cut the ship apart like slicing a loaf of bread - a piece at a time. The workers then cut each piece of metal into flat sheets.  The yard smelled like a mix of oil, gas and chemicals, despite being on the edge of the ocean.  Workers were supposed to wear safety gear - helmets, goggles, boots and overalls. But in the stifling heat, many men wore sandals, and only a few wore goggles. Instead, they tied bandannas around their faces as they used blowtorches. Despite the risks, no one was very interested in finding a new job.  "We enjoy the work," Ghanshyam Chauhan said. "Only a person with the will to work hard can make it here. To cut steel, you have to be made of steel."

Dhaka Court Bans Entry of Toxic Ship

Agence France Presse

DHAKA, 4 May 2006 — A Bahamian-registered ship that environmentalists say is “toxic” and was due to be dismantled in Bangladesh has been banned from entering its territorial waters by the Dhaka High Court, lawyers said yesterday. Alfaship, which arrived in the outer anchorage of the country’s southeastern Chittagong Port, is one of 50 ships on a “watch list” of vessels being monitored by Greenpeace.  The High Court issued the ruling yesterday after the Bangladesh Environment Lawyers Association (BELA) challenged the legality of the vessel’s entry into the country’s waters.   “The bench banned the ship from making any further move into Bangladeshi territorial waters for two months,” BELA Executive director Rizwana Hassan told AFP.  Greek-managed LSP Tanker Corporation which owns the ship said yesterday that standard industry “decontamination” procedures had been carried out before the vessel left port in Greece.  “Prior to commencing her final voyage, the Alfaship was made gas free and emptied of oil cargo residues,” company spokesman Nicholas Brown said in a statement.  “Alfaship is no different from hundreds of tankers and other merchant vessels sold for demolition in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan in recent years.

“The fact that the ship appears on a list on the website of Greenpeace appears to be completely arbitrary,” he added.  The company said it would continue to cooperate fully with the Bangladeshi authorities to ensure it met all its requirements.  The High Court ban follows a temporary order last week by the Bangladesh government’s Mercantile Marine department refusing permission for the oil tanker to be scrapped.  “The entry of Alfaship is illegal because it’s a toxic ship,” Hassan told AFP earlier, without elaborating.  The Bangladesh government has not given any detailed reasons for refusing permission for the vessel to be scrapped.  Ship-breaking yards in Bangladesh dismantle up to 80 ships, mostly oil tankers, each year. The metal is sold for recycling into iron rods for construction and other purposes.

5/3/06

Great Ships Initiative: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) approved a $1.2 million grant to the Great Ships Initiative to establish the Great Lakes region’s first ballast treatment technology research & development center in Superior, WI. These funds will be combined with other funding totaling over $3.2 million to begin the project this summer. The Port of Toledo’s contribution to the Great Ships Initiative was $10,000.  Reported by Toledo Port Authority

New MRCC helps close gap in Indian Ocean SAR coverage
A massive gap in the effective search and rescue coverage along the east coast of Africa and out into the Indian Ocean is to be filled with the inauguration (on 5 May 2006) of a new Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) in Mombasa, Kenya. The MRCC is to be commissioned by IMO Secretary-General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos during an official visit to Kenya and Tanzania.
The regional search and rescue system that has been put in place is the result of a resolution adopted by the IMO Conference on search and rescue (SAR) and the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), held in October 2000 in Florence, Italy, proposing the establishment of five sub-regional MRCCs in western, southern and eastern parts of Africa. A second MRCC under this initiative is expected to be inaugurated in Cape Town, South Africa, before the end of this year, while three more, in West Africa, are currently at the planning stage.
Along with its associated Maritime Rescue Sub-Centres (MRSCs) in Victoria (Seychelles) and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), the site of which Secretary-General Mitropoulos will also visit during his stay in Tanzania, the Mombasa MRCC will provide search and rescue coverage in what had previously been identified as one of the areas suffering unduly from a lack of adequate SAR and GMDSS facilities.
The successful fruition of this project has been based on a broad co-operation between the three host Governments, IMO and stakeholders from the international and non-governmental sectors. The contribution of the host countries, which have provided the housing facilities and personnel for the operation of the centres, has underpinned its success. Private donors (through Inmarsat plc and IMSO) have contributed equipment, while IMO, as project leader within the framework of its Integrated Technical Co-operation Programme, has collaborated with all parties concerned, co-ordinated the various responsibilities in the provision of expert advice, training and infrastructure and provided the overall supervision.
The Mombasa MRCC and the two MRSCs have been funded through the International SAR Fund (ISAR Fund), the establishment of which was approved by the IMO Council in June 2004 to cover, initially, the establishment of the five regional MRCCs and 26 MRSCs in Africa. The ISAR Fund is a multi-donor trust fund, under the auspices of the Secretary-General. It is designed to assist countries which do not have the resources to put into place an adequate SAR infrastructure and, by doing so, boost IMO’s efforts to implement the Global Search and Rescue Plan, agreed at the related IMO Conference held in 1998 in Fremantle, Australia. To establish the Mombasa MRCC, funds were also used from the Tsunami Maritime Relief Fund established by IMO son after the catastrophe suffered by the Indian Ocean countries in the wake of the tsunami of 26 December 2004.
Secretary-General Mitropoulos described the new facility as an excellent example of what could be achieved when the need is sufficiently compelling and the will to succeed is sufficiently strong. He said that the experience gained should serve as an example for other regions to follow.
He added, “It also provides an excellent example of how IMO’s technical co-operation activities can yield demonstrable, effective results that serve the greater good of all – and, incidentally, it reflects very well the theme for this year’s World Maritime Day, which is “Technical Co-operation: IMO's response to the 2005 World Summit”, in which we intend to place special emphasis on the maritime needs of Africa.”
The Secretary-General took the opportunity during his visit to thank personally the President of Kenya, His Excellency, Mr. Mwai Kibaki, for his Government’s construction and hosting of the MRCC facility, as well as to meet Ministers and senior maritime officials from both Kenya and Tanzania.  Reported by International Maritime Organization
 

5/2/06

Ebay Dive Helmet Scams

As a public service to the diving and maritime collectors community, we police the diving helmet auctions on Ebay for scam artists trying to rip-off unsuspecting buyers.  We started this service approximately 2 weeks ago and have had amazing, yet disturbing results.  In the two weeks of watching the auctions we have had 5 fraudulent auctions removed, and informed 4 other sellers that their helmets were reproductions.  Two of those people were completely unaware of their mistakes and thanked us for the correction.  The biggest scam going right now is the "copycat" auction.  These predators will pull the information from a previously completed auction and add their information to it.  They will usually have a very short auction time, like the 3-day auction, then ask for immediate payment.  They run with your money and you have nothing but an empty wallet to show for it.  Another indicator of a scammer is; they are a "new" ebay member with little or no feedback.  Be careful when attempting to buy a helmet on ebay.  Ask the seller questions, whether you know the answer already or not.  The scammers usually will not answer any questions, nor will they supply you with additional/specific photos.  You can also do this with the legit sellers that are trying to sell reproduction helmets as authentic.  Ask for close up photos.  Ask for the history of the helmet.  Ask the weight of the helmet.  You can also visit our section on helmets.  Just go to the "DIVING OPERATIONS" tab on the main menu, then click on "HARDHAT DIVERS".  We keep a close track of the helmets being sold on ebay and will list information that hopefully helps keep our industry honest.  Reported by Sea-Corps News

5/1/06

OVERDUE BOATERS UPDATE

STANDISH, Mich. -- Station Saginaw Bay found a 17-foot bass boat unmanned adrift in Wigwam Bay west of Saginaw Bay Sunday around 12:30 p.m.  The case has changed to a search for three missing persons in the water.  The Coast Guard would like to remind prospective boaters to wear a life jacket and carry a marine radio or cellular phone at all times.  Reported by USCG 9th District.

COAST GUARD SEARCH FOR THREE OVERDUE BOATERS

BAYPORT, Mich. -- The Coast Guard is searching for three overdue adult males, who departed Saturday around 8:30 a.m. in their 17-foot bass boat near Saginaw Bay.  A Station Saginaw River air/ice boat, Air Station Detroit HH-65 and a Huron County airboat have launched to locate the men.  A brother of one of the boaters called the local police when they did not return, and Huron County EMS notified the Coast Guard.  A Canadian C-130 with the Joint Rescue Coordination Center is also assisting with the search.  Reported by USCG 9th District.

M/V HYUNDAI FORTUNE Arrives in Oman

On Friday April 28th, at 09.15 LT the convoy including the HYUNDAI FORTUNE anchored offshore the Oman coast and in Oman territorial waters just south of the U.A.E. port of Fujayrah. The casualty was towed by SvitzerWijsmuller Salvage partners' tug MAHANUWARA with a SvitzerWijsmuller Salvage towmaster in command of the transport. A fire fighting tug escorted the tow and was used by the salvage team for boarding and control purposes during the voyage.  The M/V HYUNDAI FORTUNE had a violent explosion and subsequent fire at her aft end container storage area on March 21, 2006 in the Gulf of Aden.  The vessel was contracted by the vessels owners to salvage the ship and recover lost containers that were lost over the side of the ship during the explosion.  Remarkably, there was no loss of life aboard the container vessel.   See Shipping Disasters Page for dramatic photos of the explosion aboard ship.

SMIT takes another step in the renewal and expansion of its fleet with 18 newly built vessels

Division Harbour Towage and Terminals
SMIT has reached an agreement with Damen Shipyards from the Netherlands for constructing 11 newly built vessels.
Two of these vessels (type ASD 3211, 65 tons bp) have been awarded with a long-term contract for the Terminals Division in Equatorial Guinea and will be delivered in respectively September and December 2007.
Four vessels (type ASD 2810) are replacements for the Harbour Towage fleet in Rotterdam. These vessels will be equipped with a substantially higher bollard pull (60 tons bp).
Two of these vessels will be delivered in respectively 2007 and 2008.   An additional five vessels of the ASD 2810 type (60 tons bp) will be deployed as replacement for and expansion of the divisions’ worldwide fleet. Two vessels will be delivered in 2007 and three in 2008.

Division Transport & Heavy Lift
Also SMIT has reached an agreement for the purchase of 7 newly built workvessels from Hadi H. Al-Hammam Est. of Saudi Arabia. These vessels of approximately 75 tons bp are a modified version of the ‘Smit Kamara’ and ‘Smit Komodo’. The first two vessels of this new series will be delivered during this year and the last one is expected to be delivered in 2008. They will be managed by the SMIT Singapore organisation.
This investment comprises both replacement as well as expansion. Three of these vessels have already been awarded with long-term contracts for the oil & gas sector to work for Saudi Aramco in Saudi waters through Hadi H. Al-Hammam Est.
Both Hadi H.Al-Hammam Est. and SMIT have declared their intent to jointly pursue additional opportunities in Saudi Arabia.  All fleet renewals and expansions fit into SMIT’s strategy of moving to the top-segment of the market with long-term contracts, autonomous growth, fleet renewal and optimalisation.  Reported by SMIT Salvage

NEW COMMANDER OF THE NINTH COAST GUARD DISTRICT TO VISIT BUFFALO

BUFFALO, NY- The new commander of the Ninth Coast Guard District will arrive on May 10, 2006 to inspect the personnel and facilities at Buffalo's Coast Guard Base. This will be Rear Admiral Crowley's first visit to Western New York since taking command of the District of April 18, 2006 from then Rear Admiral Robert J. Papp. Vice Admiral Papp is currently serving as the Chief of Staff to the new Commandant of the Coast Guard.   Admiral Crowley will meet with Captain Scott J. Ferguson, Commander of Sector Buffalo, to discuss what the future hold s for Sector Buffalo, the Ninth District and the Coast Guard. During the visit he will attend the Armed Forces Week Luncheon, visit local Coast Guard units and become familiar with the missions and environment Coast Guard personnel face in this area. Sector Buffalo is responsible for over 600 miles of international boarder, consisting of the St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario, the Niagara River, Lake Erie and the Erie Canal System.    At 12:30pm on May 10, 2006 a media outreach event will be held with Admiral Crowley to discuss Coast Guard missions and issues relevant to Sector Buffalo and the Great Lakes. this event will be held at the Coast Guard Base in Buffalo, 1 Fuhrmann Blvd, Buffalo, NY 14203. please contact LT Chris Sweeney at 716-843-9340 for further details.  

MIS Is Set To Launch 'New-Build' Jack-Up Rig Program
 DUBAI — Maritime Industrial Services Co. Ltd. Inc. (MIS) has signed a contract with Mosvold Jackup Ltd., a Cayman registered Offshore Company with Norwegian based initiators, to build two Friede and Goldman Ltd. designed Super M2 Jack Up Drilling Rigs at MIS yard in Sharjah with options to build a further two units in the future.   The award is the culmination of a series of meetings, presentations and discussions with many different International Companies all interested in filling the vacant slots in the Worldwide Jack Up drilling market.  As the conventional New Build yards of Singapore, China and US Gulf Coast have filled their order books and reached capacity, the focus has turned on the newcomers as yard space worldwide is now at a premium, and MIS, with their 200,000m2 capacity yard in Sharjah, are well placed to join the ranks of the Worlds New Build Yards.  The company is now rapidly gearing up to take on this new venture which will see the delivery of the completed units in June and October of 2008.         Reported by Khaleej Times

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