MarEx eNewsletter - August 20, 2009

August 20th, 2009 Vol. 7, No. 33 TWIC: No Big Deal (Any More) Easy does it. Honest! Hilton Head Island, SC: Stand down. Stand easy. Unlock the doors. I received my TWIC card on Tuesday at about 0912 hours. After twice entering my private, 8 digit PIN code (I'd have to kill you if I divulged it) and then verifying ... Read More>>>Back to Top MarEx Mailbag MarEx Editor Joseph Keefe is on holiday. And, while the mail keeps coming in, we'll need to wait until next week to post it all. Look for this feature in its regular slot next week! Read More>>>Back to Top Tanker Fire Extinguished Nine crew members still missing The fire aboard the Taiwanese owned, Liberian-registered, MT FORMOSA PRODUCT BRICK, has been put out after the ship burned for two days in the Malacca Strait. The vessel was transporting 58,000 tons of naphtha, a petrochemical feedstock, and was bound for South ... Read More>>>Back to Top DOT Proposes Fine for Sunoco Pipeline, L.P. for Pennsylvania Accident On Nov. 25, 2008, the National Response Center alerted PHMSA to a Sunoco Pipeline, L.P. hazardous liquid pipeline failure in Murrysville, PA, about 20 miles east of Pittsburgh, while workers conducted maintenance activities. The U.S. Department of Transportation announced today it is issuing a probable violation and ... Read More>>>Back to Top 2009 Retail Import Volume to Be Lowest Since 2002 The 12.3 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units forecast for 2009 compares with 15.2 million TEU last year and is the lowest level since the 11.6 million TEU seen in 2002. One TEU is one 20-foot container or its equivalent. WASHINGTON, August 19, 2009 – Import cargo volume at ... Read More>>>Back to Top MACS Founder Bob Couttie Weighs In on Piracy Bob Couttie, administrator of the "The Maritime Accident Casebook," questions commonly held notions about piracy and asks a few questions of his own in this editorial offered to MarEx. Piracy attacks off Somalia and the Horn of Africa have doubled this year compared to 2008 – or ... Read More>>>Back to Top MarEx July/August Edition Is on the Street The latest MarEx print edition, featuring another decidedly international theme on the cover, also provides unique focus on global maritime training and education efforts currently underway. As always, you get our now familiar regular features, too. The latest edition of THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE is on the ... Read More>>>Back to Top McQuilling Services, LLC Weekly Note: Number 19 The McQuilling Services Weekly Note No. 19 focuses on "The Turkish Straits & TD 6." This McQuilling note is the third in a series focused on the global choke points in marine transportation. In an economic market where ton-mile demand is weighed against vessel supply, any alteration ... Read More>>>Back to Top Maritime Industry Job Camp! WGMA announces maritime-related Job Camp scheduled at West Gulf Maritime. All job seekers or those companies with positions available are encouraged to attend. As we all know, our world economy and our maritime industry in particular are in a recession. For many, these are difficult times with ... Read More>>>Back to Top MSC Ships Train to Support U.S. Troops Ashore Two Military Sealift Command ships conducted a training exercise off the coast of Yeosu, South Korea, Aug. 17-18, where they rehearsed the U.S. military's unique ability to deliver fuel to ground forces ashore from a tanker anchored up to eight miles from the coast. The cornerstone of ... Read More>>>Back to Top DOJ: Cosco Busan Operator Admits Guilt in Causing Oil Spill Fleet Mgt. Ltd. Agrees to Pay $10 Million for Pollution and Obstruction Crimes. WASHINGTON (13 August) Fleet Management Ltd., a Hong Kong-based ship management firm, pleaded guilty today to a criminal violation of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 for its role in negligently causing the discharge ... Read More>>>Back to Top Liberian Registry Produces Best-Practice Anti-Piracy Program THE Liberian Registry has taken a lead in the fight against piracy by producing an innovative computer-based program specifically designed to train seafarers and company security officers in the practices necessary to avoid, deter or delay acts of piracy. The decision to produce the Best Management ... Read More>>>Back to Top DOT: 70 Shipyards Awarded ARRA Grants Small Shipyards Grant program provides up to 75 percent in ARRA funds for a project and requires the remainder be matched by the shipyard. The Department of Transportation has announced 70 grants totaling $98 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds that will be used ... Read More>>>Back to Top Germanischer Lloyd Classes Its Largest Tanker Athenian Sea Carriers christens first of four mega-tankers. The christening of the VLCC "ATHENIAN VICTORY" took place in the world's largest shipyard, Hyundai Heavy Industries, in Ulsan, Korea. Germanischer Lloyd (GL) will be classing the four 318,000 dwt VLCC tankers owned by the Greek shipping company Athenian ... Read More>>>Back to Top EMAIL UNSUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2009 The Maritime Executive. 3200 S. Andrews Avenue, Suite 100 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316