MarEx Newsletter - May 29 2008

May 29, 2008 | Vol. 6, No. 22 In this issue: It's the Energy, Stupid. Featured MarEx Print Article: Kommer Damen Uniquely Manages "Risky Business" Jack Taylor is MMA's Maritime Person of the Year GulfMark Offshore and Rigdon Marine Announce Signing of Purchase Agreement Help Wanted: U.S. Maritime Industry St. Lawrence Seaway Releases Mixed Cargo Results for YTD 2008 Maritime Accident Casebook: The Case of the Bosun's Omen USCG Marine Safety Performance Plan Issued GAO Releases Report Outlining Challenges to Maritime & Supply Chain Security and Related Customs Issues U.S. Coast Guard to Host Northeastern Small Vessel Security Summit U.S. Maritime Liaison Office (MARLO) Bahrain Issues Advisory on Warning and Exclusion Zones Hawaii Superferry Carries Record Loads Over Memorial Day Weekend Panama Canal Authority Releases Fiscal Year 2008 2Q Metrics Another Ship Hijacked by Somali Pirates Ships of Drinking Water Sent to Barcelona It's the Energy, Stupid. Managing Editor Joseph Keefe's Editorial, first published in our April 2007 print edition, is rebroadcast in its original form for MarEx readers. Not much has changed except, of course, the price of gasoline and crude oil. Read More>>>Back to Top Featured MarEx Print Article: Kommer Damen Uniquely Manages "Risky Business" This week's archived print article deliberately precedes the soon-to-be released May/June print issue of THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE. Our next issue places the bright spotlight on the world's shipbuilding and repair businesses, along with, of course, all of our usual features. This article, which first appeared in the April 2008 Maritime Executive edition, is entitled, Damen Shipyards: Uniquely Managing "Risky Business". Read More>>>Back to Top Jack Taylor is MMA's Maritime Person of the Year Maritime Person of the Year award presented to Mr. Jack Taylor (MMA '80), Deputy Commander of the US Military Sealift Command on National Maritime Day at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzard's Bay, MA. Read More>>>Back to Top GulfMark Offshore and Rigdon Marine Announce Signing of Purchase Agreement GulfMark Offshore, Inc. (NYSE:GLF) today announced it had entered into a definitive purchase agreement to acquire Rigdon Marine Corporation (RMC), a major operator of technologically advanced offshore supply vessels. Read More>>>Back to Top Help Wanted: U.S. Maritime Industry American Operators Report Trouble Finding Enough Qualified People Read More>>>Back to Top St. Lawrence Seaway Releases Mixed Cargo Results for YTD 2008 Results compare Montreal, Lake Ontario and Welland Canal numbers for year-to-date results 2008 and 2007; cargo figures show a 15 percent drop overall from last year. Read More>>>Back to Top Maritime Accident Casebook: The Case of the Bosun's Omen In its latest podcast, The Case Of The Bosun's Omen, Maritime Accident Casebook suggests that it is time to review how Safety Management Systems work, or don't. Read More>>>Back to Top USCG Marine Safety Performance Plan Issued Safety Plan – intended to establish measures of effectiveness and linkages among mission, strategic goals, objectives, and actual performance – is now available for comment. Read More>>>Back to Top GAO Releases Report Outlining Challenges to Maritime & Supply Chain Security and Related Customs Issues Report on supply chain security specifically looks at the Customs - Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) program and cites security gaps in supply chain. Purpose of the program, among other things, is to prevent terrorist from shipping WMD into the United States in cargo containers. Read More>>>Back to Top U.S. Coast Guard to Host Northeastern Small Vessel Security Summit Free conference at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay, MA is open to all small vessel stakeholders and is designed to allow attendees to discuss how to reduce risks and threats to smaller vessels on the water and to communicate security concerns in ports and along waterways of the northeast. Read More>>>Back to Top U.S. Maritime Liaison Office (MARLO) Bahrain Issues Advisory on Warning and Exclusion Zones May 19th Advisory: WARNING AND EXCLUSION ZONES AROUND THE KHAWR AL'AMAYA OIL TERMINAL (KAAOT) (29-46.8N 048-48.5E) AND THE AL BASRA OIL TERMINAL (ABOT) (29-40.8N 048-48.5E) Read More>>>Back to Top Hawaii Superferry Carries Record Loads Over Memorial Day Weekend More than 5,500 passengers and 1,500 vehicles travel between Maui and Oahu over four-day holiday period Read More>>>Back to Top Panama Canal Authority Releases Fiscal Year 2008 2Q Metrics Passenger, Dry Bulk Transits Up; Total Transits and Tonnage Decrease Slightly Read More>>>Back to Top Another Ship Hijacked by Somali Pirates Ship's owner trying to negotiate with pirates for release of nine crewmembers of captured freighter. Read More>>>Back to Top Ships of Drinking Water Sent to Barcelona Spain's port city on the Mediterranean suffering worst drought in 60 years, which is a public relations nightmare as tourist season begins. Read More>>>Back to Top Copyright © 2007 The Maritime Executive. 3200 S. Andrews Avenue, Suite 100 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316 To Unsubscribe, click here.

MarEx Newsletter - May 22 2008

May 22, 2008 | Vol. 6, No. 21 In this issue: National Maritime Day: Real Dialogue + Heightened Awareness = A Good Start ExxonMobil Sues Alaska over Oil Leases Spotlight on Freight Management: The Road to Cost Control Gas Leak Aboard Vessel Kills 3 at Port Everglades Mass. Maritime Academy Presents: "Port Management in Singapore" MarEx Mailbag: Reader Response to Last Week's Editorial… New Piracy Events EEOC Settles Case Involving Discharge of Seven Middle Eastern Crew Members from the Cruise Ship "Pride of Aloha" MARAD Proposed Authorization Act Offshore Ship Designers launches near-zero emission tug Cummings Statement on Coast Guard Marine Safety Hearing Featured MarEx Print Article: "Off the Clock but Still Plugged In" Successful Coast Guard Inspections in the Shipyard Environmentalists and Alaska Natives Sue to Stop Arctic Exploration USCG's TWIC Program FAQs: April 2008 National Maritime Day: Real Dialogue + Heightened Awareness = A Good Start 2008 National Maritime Day Seminar – focusing on "The Environmental Imperative" - connects industry, legislators and, perhaps – you… Read More>>>Back to Top ExxonMobil Sues Alaska over Oil Leases Exxon files lawsuit against Alaska Department of Natural Resources for $800 million. Read More>>>Back to Top Spotlight on Freight Management: The Road to Cost Control The perspective from JPMorgan: written from an Asian perspective, this piece talks about how Asia lags behind the rest of the world in adopting freight payment and audit services. Read More>>>Back to Top Gas Leak Aboard Vessel Kills 3 at Port Everglades Three dock workers were killed while onboard cargo ship at Port Everglades. Read More>>>Back to Top Mass. Maritime Academy Presents: "Port Management in Singapore" International Maritime Business Center at MMA will proudly host Dr. K. Ragu, Associate Professor, National University of Singapore (NUS) and Deputy Director of the Center for Maritime Studies at NUS on Thursday, 29 May; topic of lecture will be "Port Management in Singapore." Read More>>>Back to Top MarEx Mailbag: Reader Response to Last Week's Editorial… The MarEx 15 May editorial was entitled, "National Maritime Day: Substance or Symbolism Only?: The significance of May 22nd is purely up to you…" MarEx readers weigh in on the matter. Read More>>>Back to Top New Piracy Events The International Maritime Bureau reports the follow events for this week's report. Read More>>>Back to Top EEOC Settles Case Involving Discharge of Seven Middle Eastern Crew Members from the Cruise Ship "Pride of Aloha" EEOC alleged that NCL America discharged seven Middle Eastern crew members from various positions on the cruise ship "Pride of Aloha." NCL America denied that it had acted improperly against these crew members in agreeing to resolve the lawsuit. Read More>>>Back to Top MARAD Proposed Authorization Act Details on the Maritime Administration's proposed Maritime Administration Authorization Act is available for viewing. Read More>>>Back to Top Offshore Ship Designers launches near-zero emission tug WorldWise Marine, a partner in the Offshore Ship Designers group, has launched a new design for a near-zero emission hydrogen powered tug. Read More>>>Back to Top Cummings Statement on Coast Guard Marine Safety Hearing MD Congressman comments on bleak picture of the Coast Guard's marine casualty program; report found that unqualified personnel are conducting marine casualty investigations, investigations are being conducted at inappropriate levels, and substantial backlog of investigations due to ineffective management. Read More>>>Back to Top Featured MarEx Print Article: "Off the Clock but Still Plugged In" This week's archived print article outlines last summer's trip to the Galapagos Islands by Managing editor Joseph Keefe. The article underscores the case for protecting this unique ecosystem and some ways in which that might be accomplished. Read More>>>Back to Top Successful Coast Guard Inspections in the Shipyard Kevin P. Gilheany explains that, as complicated as shipyard visits can be, the last thing vessel owner/operators want to encounter is problems with regulatory personnel, such as the Coast Guard or a classification society. The best way to avoid costly delays and compliance errors is to know what to expect, be prepared for the inspections, and know how to respond to inspectors. Read More>>>Back to Top Environmentalists and Alaska Natives Sue to Stop Arctic Exploration Groups want to stop Shell and BP from seismic exploration. Read More>>>Back to Top USCG's TWIC Program FAQs: April 2008 Summary: TWIC program FAQ's specific to enforcement issues. TSA and USCG are responsible for implementing the TWIC (Transportation Worker Identification Credential) program. Read More>>>Back to Top Copyright © 2007 The Maritime Executive. 3200 S. Andrews Avenue, Suite 100 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316 To Unsubscribe, click here.

MarEx Newsletter - May 15 2008

May 15, 2008 | Vol. 6, No. 20 In this issue: National Maritime Day: Substance or Symbolism Only? CMES Instructor Tom Cannon Honored MarEx Mailbag: Reader Response to Last Week's Editorial & More… USCG Marine Safety Alert: Maintaining Vessel Watertight Integrity Why a Lack of Human Interface Seriously Undermines LRIT Regulations NATIONAL MARITIME DAY 2008: May 22nd 2008 Cantwell, Cummings, Snowe Express Concern Over DD-250 Unified Response Team Concludes Avon Wharf Incident Response Featured MarEx Print Article: "America Should Allow Responsible Development" Marshall Islands Accedes to Five Major IMO Conventions CII Scholarship Renamed for Dick Simpson Bollinger: Building Around Inflation New NOAA Ocean Observing System in Pascagoula Aids Mariners; Keeps Shipping Safe Matt Rigdon Appointed Manager, Sales and Marketing of Rigdon Marine Second Quarter Edition of Safe Voyage Magazine is in Advance Distribution! National Maritime Day: Substance or Symbolism Only? The significance of May 22nd is purely up to you… Read More>>>Back to Top CMES Instructor Tom Cannon Honored Cannon honored by Maritime Administrator Sean Connaughton with rare award, the Merchant Marine Medal for Outstanding Achievement. Medal reflects Tom's forty years of active service, unique career achievements and continued dedication to the U.S. Merchant Marine as an educator. Read More>>>Back to Top MarEx Mailbag: Reader Response to Last Week's Editorial & More… The MarEx 8 May editorial was entitled, "The View from OTC: State of the Industry," which highlighted the annual OTC Conference in Houston. Reader response to that piece was thin, but as always, MarEx readers weighed in on a wide range of (other) issues. Read More>>>Back to Top USCG Marine Safety Alert: Maintaining Vessel Watertight Integrity This Safety Alert addresses two issues: watertight integrity and high level bilge alarms. Read More>>>Back to Top Why a Lack of Human Interface Seriously Undermines LRIT Regulations Up to 30% of vessels non-reporting at any one point says Securewest International. Read More>>>Back to Top NATIONAL MARITIME DAY 2008: May 22nd 2008 Schedule of Events Celebrating National Maritime Day outlined by MARAD Read More>>>Back to Top Cantwell, Cummings, Snowe Express Concern Over DD-250 Legislators send letter to Coast Guard Commandant expressing concern over the Coast Guard's preliminary acceptance of the National Security Cutter BERTHOLF before many of the ship's problems have been adequately fixed. Read More>>>Back to Top Unified Response Team Concludes Avon Wharf Incident Response Response activities associated with the May 14 tug boat allision at the Tesoro Golden Eagle Refinery's Avon wharf ended; fears of large spill prove unfounded. Read More>>>Back to Top Featured MarEx Print Article: "America Should Allow Responsible Development" This week's archived print article, Larry Kiern's WASHINGTON INSIDER article from our December 2007 edition, deliberately coincides with the ongoing primary season. The article underscores the case for responsible domestic energy development. Read More>>>Back to Top Marshall Islands Accedes to Five Major IMO Conventions IMO secretary general Efhtimios Mitropoulos expressed satisfaction with Marshall Islands' action and the hope that many other IMO Members would do the same, at the earliest opportunity, to the benefit of enhanced safety, security and environmental protection. Read More>>>Back to Top CII Scholarship Renamed for Dick Simpson Containerization & Intermodal Institute has renamed its annual scholarship in honor of its former President and Chairman Richard A. Simpson Read More>>>Back to Top Bollinger: Building Around Inflation Although yards are busy and demand for OSV type vessels is high, the next series of boats that Bollinger is undertaking will be built on spec. Usually the sign of slowing times in the industry, these spec boats are building for quite a different reason. With steel prices rising weekly, Bollinger's Robert Socha explained recently, it is virtually impossible to predict what it will cost to build a vessel at the outset of the project. So this set of "spec" boats will not be sold until they are nearly completed and the materials cost are firmed. Read More>>>Back to Top New NOAA Ocean Observing System in Pascagoula Aids Mariners; Keeps Shipping Safe Mariners can now get free real-time information on water and wind conditions for the Port of Pascagoula, Miss., from a new NOAA ocean observing system at the port. Read More>>>Back to Top Matt Rigdon Appointed Manager, Sales and Marketing of Rigdon Marine Billy Guice, Vice President of Sales and Marketing of Rigdon Marine Corporation (RMC) announced the appointment of Matthew Rigdon to the position of Manager, Sales and Marketing. Read More>>>Back to Top Second Quarter Edition of Safe Voyage Magazine is in Advance Distribution! Second edition (Spring 2008) of this safety oriented publication is now available for download Read More>>>Back to Top Copyright © 2007 The Maritime Executive. 3200 S. Andrews Avenue, Suite 100 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316 To Unsubscribe, click here.