MarEx Newsletter - January 31, 2008

January 31, 2008 | Vol. 6, No. 5 In this issue: LNG Terminal Security: A Day Late and a Dollar Short UN Maritime Drill Conducted off Lebanese Coast MarEx Mailbag: Reader Response Floods In Chinese Search for Missing Russian Ship Featured MarEx Archive Print Article: Patrol Boats Argentina Hopes to Expand its Maritime Border Commandant's Panel Releases Report on Oil Spill Preparedness Future Events at MITAGS/CCMIT PVA Asks Coast Guard to Exempt Most Domestic Passenger Vessels from Long-Range Tracking Rule Seabulk Towing, Inc. Celebrates Double Christening in Tampa Bureau Veritas and European Commission Confirm Visit by EC Inspectors Intentional Sinking of USNS Vandenberg Scheduled for May 15 Dick Simpson, Transportation Industry Leader, Dies In Jacksonville, FL Rigdon Marine Christens and Delivers "SLAM DUNK" LNG Terminal Security: A Day Late and a Dollar Short Rep. Cummings (D-MD) calls for new LNG terminal security measures -- but has the horse already left the barn? Read More>>>Back to Top UN Maritime Drill Conducted off Lebanese Coast The Maritime Task Force of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFL) conducted a three-day drill intended to "improve cooperation and establish coordination mechanisms between the different naval and land forces involved." Read More>>>Back to Top MarEx Mailbag: Reader Response Floods In MarEx readers weighed in this week on our piece from the last e-newsletter, entitled, "A Leap of Faith: MMA Trolls for Training Ship Money." Read More>>>Back to Top Chinese Search for Missing Russian Ship Chinese maritime search and rescue forces are aiding the search for a Russian ship that went missing east of Shanghai last Thursday. Read More>>>Back to Top Featured MarEx Archive Print Article: Patrol Boats "PATROL BOATS: Plugging the Smallest Holes in Port Security." Read More>>>Back to Top Argentina Hopes to Expand its Maritime Border Apparently, the South American country wants to increase its maritime boundary to include an area that holds a large amount of natural resources. Read More>>>Back to Top Commandant's Panel Releases Report on Oil Spill Preparedness Panel of outside experts formed by the USCG Commandant to study the response to the Cosco Busan oil spill releases the first of two reports it was chartered to produce. Read More>>>Back to Top Future Events at MITAGS/CCMIT The Ship Operations Cooperative Program (SOCP), a Joint Program presentation from USMMA-AF Chesapeake Chapter and The Society of Naval Architects & Marine Engineers, and USMMA-AF Chesapeake Chapter - presents Champagne Jazz Brunch. Read More>>>Back to Top PVA Asks Coast Guard to Exempt Most Domestic Passenger Vessels from Long-Range Tracking Rule Passenger Vessel Association says that the purchase of the GMDSS equipment and training each operator per U.S. Coast Guard requirements would cost vessel owners thousands of dollars. Read More>>>Back to Top Seabulk Towing, Inc. Celebrates Double Christening in Tampa Seabulk Towing, Inc., a subsidiary of SEACOR Holdings Inc. (NYSE:CKH), celebrated a double christening of sister tugs Buccaneer and Gasparilla at the Port of Tampa, Florida on Thursday, January 24. Read More>>>Back to Top Bureau Veritas and European Commission Confirm Visit by EC Inspectors European Commission inspectors investigating BV amid allegations that some ship classification companies may have violated EU rules; in separate press releases, both BV and European Commission confirm inspections on January 29-30. Read More>>>Back to Top Intentional Sinking of USNS Vandenberg Scheduled for May 15 Retired U.S. Air Force missile tracking ship to be scuttled and made into an artificial reef off Key West. Read More>>>Back to Top Dick Simpson, Transportation Industry Leader, Dies In Jacksonville, FL Richard A. Simpson, who made his mark in virtually every phase of international cargo transportation especially his 23 years at Crowley Maritime Corporation, died Sunday following a long illness in Jacksonville, FL, where he had been on business. Read More>>>Back to Top Rigdon Marine Christens and Delivers "SLAM DUNK" Billy Guice, Vice President of Marketing and Sales of Rigdon Marine Corporation (RMC), announced the christening and delivery of the "SLAM DUNK" in Lockport, Louisiana. 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 - January 24, 2008

January 24, 2008 | Vol. 6, No. 4 In this issue: A Leap of Faith: MMA Trolls for Training Ship Money Piracy Incidents Rose 10% in 2007 MarEx Mailbag: Reader Response to MarEx Articles and Industry Events Ice Prince Update This Week's Feature Print Article: MarEx Examines New Coast Guard NMC MSC Napoli: A Year Later Lexington Institute Issues Comprehensive Report on Maritime Security Philippines Hopes to Become Main Source of Maritime Officers for World 4th Annual Marine Money Gulf Ship Finance Conference AAPA: Proposed Rule Change Would Hurt U.S. Cruise Vacationers, Ports & Cities Latest News From SES Buoyant Shipping Markets Will Be Better for Credit Squeeze REC Toledo and REC St. Louis to Transition to NMC RINA Helps Owners Go Beyond Rules Two Job Vacancy Announcements A Leap of Faith: MMA Trolls for Training Ship Money Mass. Maritime President RADM Rick Gurnon puts his unique spin on how cadets should be trained and pleads for additional berths on the T/S Enterprise. Read More>>>Back to Top Piracy Incidents Rose 10% in 2007 The Annual Report on Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships from the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) states that piracy incidents increased by 10% compared to 2006 and grew more violent. Read More>>>Back to Top MarEx Mailbag: Reader Response to MarEx Articles and Industry Events This week's letters involve responses to our opinion piece on the SCA/PASHA lawsuit, as well as the NTSB's report and findings on the Crown Princess grounding. Read More>>>Back to Top Ice Prince Update Latest information on the Greek-registered cargo vessel that sank last week. Read More>>>Back to Top This Week's Feature Print Article: MarEx Examines New Coast Guard NMC From our December 2007 Print Edition: U.S. Coast Guard's National Maritime Center Centralizes and Relocates to West Virginia. Read More>>>Back to Top MSC Napoli: A Year Later Nearly a year after the MSC Napoli first ran into trouble, the first phase of removing its stern has been completed. Read More>>>Back to Top Lexington Institute Issues Comprehensive Report on Maritime Security January 2008 document looks at the broad issue of maritime security in international waters. Read More>>>Back to Top Philippines Hopes to Become Main Source of Maritime Officers for World Already the self-proclaimed "number 1 maritime manpower source of the world," the Southeast Asian nation has recently put into place measures that it hopes will make the country "the main source of quality managers and officers for the world shipping fleets starting this year, 2008." Read More>>>Back to Top 4th Annual Marine Money Gulf Ship Finance Conference The conference will be held on Wednesday, 5th March 2008, Grand Hyatt -- Dubai. Read More>>>Back to Top AAPA: Proposed Rule Change Would Hurt U.S. Cruise Vacationers, Ports & Cities AAPA comments and voices opposition to new U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) proposed cruise ship rules. Read More>>>Back to Top Latest News From SES A trio of press releases from SEACOR Environmental Services. Read More>>>Back to Top Buoyant Shipping Markets Will Be Better for Credit Squeeze Shipping markets are likely to bring continuing rewards for prudent investors in 2008, on the back of record earnings and asset values and a continuing high in the world economy. Read More>>>Back to Top REC Toledo and REC St. Louis to Transition to NMC U.S. Coast Guard continues transition of all REC's to the National Maritime Center; all 17 REC's will have transitioned by the end of the year. Read More>>>Back to Top RINA Helps Owners Go Beyond Rules ITALY-based classification-society RINA has met shipowners' needs to demonstrate that their vessels exceed basic regulatory requirements by providing three new Additional Class Notations. Read More>>>Back to Top Two Job Vacancy Announcements Patriot Contract Services, LLC is currently accepting resumes for Second Mate and Third Mate positions on the "USNS HAYES" and the "USNS WATERS;" the U.S. Coast Guard NMC is seeking applicants to fill its Deputy Director position. 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 - January 17, 2008

January 17, 2008 | Vol. 6, No. 3 In this issue: MM&P Continues Dialogue With U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Total Responds to Erika Verdict NTSB: Crew Mistakes Caused Heeling of Crown Princess Cruise Ship First Great Western Strike Suspended MarEx Readers Weigh In on Last Week's OPED Piece on Jones Act Issues Cyprus and Syria Sign Cooperation Agreement on Maritime Pollution This Week's MarEx Feature Print Article: Focus on Ship Design Rough Weather Sinks Cargo Vessel Commandant's Incident Specific Preparedness Review (ISPR) Team Issues COSCO BUSAN Report A Tribute to Morris Feder PMI's Workboat Mate Program Featured in Tow Bitts Ballast Water Management Standards Enhanced Once Again Peru Institutes Proceedings Against Chile Ship's Chief Engineer Sentenced in Vessel Pollution Case London Club Warns on Heavy Weather Personal Injuries MM&P Continues Dialogue With U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Letter affirming union's desire to work with agency follows December 10th meeting with ADM Thad Allen in Washington, D.C. Read More>>>Back to Top Total Responds to Erika Verdict The French oil giant is "disappointed" that the Paris Criminal Court imposed a fine for the maritime pollution that occurred as result of the 1999 sinking of the tanker Erika. Read More>>>Back to Top NTSB: Crew Mistakes Caused Heeling of Crown Princess Cruise Ship Second officer's incorrect wheel commands, executed first to counter an unanticipated high rate of turn and then to counter the vessel's heeling. Read More>>>Back to Top First Great Western Strike Suspended The 48-hour strike originally planned for January 20 and 21 by the Rail Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) has been suspended after FGW ". . . agreed not to use managers to drive or work trains as guards." Read More>>>Back to Top MarEx Readers Weigh In on Last Week's OPED Piece on Jones Act Issues Article entitled "Federal Lawsuit Challenging Legality of Rebuilt Matson Ship Stirs Up Jones Act Arguments Anew" draws comments from MarEx readers. Read More>>>Back to Top Cyprus and Syria Sign Cooperation Agreement on Maritime Pollution The agreement entails ". . . combating marine pollution, training and rehabilitation, research and the possibility of holding twining among the Syrian and Cypriot ports." Read More>>>Back to Top This Week's MarEx Feature Print Article: Focus on Ship Design Turnkey Synergy: Ship Design Turns the Corner with Improved Production Engineering and Product Data Management (from June 2007 MarEx Print Issue). Read More>>>Back to Top Rough Weather Sinks Cargo Vessel The Ice Prince ran into trouble after its cargo shifted on board due to rough seas and winds; the poor weather also caused problems for two other vessels in the area. Read More>>>Back to Top Commandant's Incident Specific Preparedness Review (ISPR) Team Issues COSCO BUSAN Report Team sends first report on Cosco Busan Incident; public release of report expected in approximately two weeks. Read More>>>Back to Top A Tribute to Morris Feder A Mentor and Legend in the maritime industry. Read More>>>Back to Top PMI's Workboat Mate Program Featured in Tow Bitts A mate-training program in Seattle, supported by Foss and other towing companies, is becoming a much-needed source for deck officers while providing career opportunities for capable cadets. Read More>>>Back to Top Ballast Water Management Standards Enhanced Once Again St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) announced today a further strengthening of ballast water management practices for the 2008 season. Read More>>>Back to Top Peru Institutes Proceedings Against Chile Peru began proceedings in the International Court of Justice with regard to a dispute concerning maritime delimitation between the two states. Read More>>>Back to Top Ship's Chief Engineer Sentenced in Vessel Pollution Case Defendant ignored pollution controls and made false statements to the Coast Guard. Read More>>>Back to Top London Club Warns on Heavy Weather Personal Injuries The London P&I Club reports that recent personal injury cases which it has handled have included accidents in which the ship’s motion in heavy weather has been a causative factor. Read More>>>Back to Top Copyright © 2007 The Maritime Executive. 3200 S. Andrews Avenue, Suite 100 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316 To Unsubscribe, click here.