MarEx eNewsletter - October 8, 2009

October 8th, 2009 Vol. 7, No. 40 MarEx Podcast: Our now regular feature is a popular staple for MarEx readers on the go. Our seventh podcast recounts our September 24th lead editorial referencing the performance – past, present and future – of the new USCG National Maritime Center located in Martinsburg, WV. The article drew more than its share ... Read More>>>Back to Top MarEx Mailbag: This week's Mailbag contains four letters, three of which address last week's lead editorial. The fourth provides some feedback from an article referencing piracy in our 17 September online edition. Last week our lead piece referenced the continuing effort(s) to promote a vibrant shortsea shipping segment of ... Read More>>>Back to Top OFF THE SHELF: So Terrible a Storm by Curt Brown (Voyageur Press, 2008) A MarEx Book Review by Jack O'Connell. One of the great benefits of being in the magazine business is access to the many fine books being published these days on maritime topics and sent to us free-of-charge by publishers eager for coverage. We here at MarEx are ... Read More>>>Back to Top Maritime Casualties--October 8, 2009 Pirates Attack French Military Flagship. Somali pirates attempted an attack on the French navy flagship, La Somme, in the Indian Ocean after mistaking it for a cargo vessel. The pirates were on two vessels and opened fire with rifles. The pirates tried to flee ... Read More>>>Back to Top U.S. Coast Guard Issues "ALCOAST" Note 575/09 Note addresses issue of seafarers' shore access as it relates to Maritime Security Act (MTSA) facilities. The US Coast Guard has issued an internal directive to USCG Captains of the Port (COTPs) to review facility security plans to ensure that each plan includes appropriate provision for seafarers' ... Read More>>>Back to Top NTSB Advisory National Transportation Safety Board Offering Three-Day Course for Emergency Responders to Transportation Accidents The National Transportation Safety Board is offering a three-day course, "Transportation Disaster Response - A Course for Emergency Responders," at the NTSB Training Center in Ashburn, Virginia (near Washington, D.C.) on November 17-19, 2009. ... Read More>>>Back to Top PLANETDATA / MARITIME SECURITY NEWS PlanetData - The Security News Network is a free news and information resource focused on maritime, global, corporate, cyber, homeland and aviation security, law enforcement and intelligence. PlanetData hosts timely and comprehensive content gathered from over 1,000 online sources, as well as from our editors, contributors and members. This newsletter ... Read More>>>Back to Top ISSA Backs Managers' Call For Owner Transparency Over Late Payments The head of the trade body representing the world's ship suppliers and chandlers has supported calls by InterManager President Roberto Giorgi for ship owners to be more upfront and transparent with their managers and suppliers when it comes to settling bills. He will be seeking a meeting ... Read More>>>Back to Top MarEx September / October Edition Is on the Street! The latest MarEx print edition, featuring a global approach to the business of salvage, provides unique focus on SMIT Salvage and its dynamic business plan, the legal aspects of contracts in a down market, a look at the latest push to protect the environment – and so much more - ... Read More>>>Back to Top IBIA Presses Ahead With Plans for Industry Qualification The International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) has been consulting with its members to help identify the best way to institute a professional bunker industry qualification, plans for which were first unveiled last year. At the forthcoming IBIA Annual Convention, to be held in Singapore from October 12 ... Read More>>>Back to Top DHS OIG: Strategy and Plans to Counter Small Vessel Threats Need Improvement The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General issues a report that says 'critical programs intended to support small vessel security may not be operating effectively.' Small vessels are categorized as any watercraft of less than 300 gross tons and used for recreational or commercial purposes, regardless of method ... Read More>>>Back to Top Moore Stephens: Crew Wages Continue to Drive Surge in Ship Operating Costs Ship operating costs surged by almost 16 percent last year, mainly as a consequence of soaring crew wages, according to the latest OpCost report. OpCost 2009, Moore Stephens' unique ship operating costs benchmarking tool, shows an annual average increase of 15.8 percent in total operating costs for ... Read More>>>Back to Top Legislative Update: National Defense Authorization Act (FY 2010) Cummings amendment to HR 2647 rejected, but new requirements proposed. The recent DOD conference report did not adopt the Cummings Amendment, which would have required the Pentagon to deploy military personnel aboard U.S.-flagged vessels carrying government cargoes where risk of piracy is high, but instead imposes ... Read More>>>Back to Top GMATS Announces New Training Course Welding & Pipefitting / Hull Technician Course: October 26 – November 6, 2009. • Course Description Practical hands on approach to shipboard and industrial welding processes used for fabrication and repair, including shielded metal arc, gas metal arc, gas tungsten arc, oxyacetylene welding and ... Read More>>>Back to Top NTSB Determines Uncontrolled, Progressive Flooding Caused Sinking of ALASKA RANGER Contributing to the loss of life was the vessel's movement astern, which likely accelerated the flooding and caused the life rafts to swing out of reach of many crewmembers. Washington, DC (September 30 2009): The National Transportation Safety Board determined today that the probable cause of the ... Read More>>>Back to Top MITAGS to Host SOCP Meeting Next meeting of Ship Operations Cooperative Program to be held at MITAGS in Linthicum, MD on November 10-11 2009. Former U.S. Maritime Administrator Sean Connaughton to give keynote address. Agenda of the next SOCP meeting will focus on the theme of: Air Emissions in the Maritime Industry. ... Read More>>>Back to Top Premiere of "The Port that Built a City and State" at the Baltimore Museum of Industry Baltimore Museum of Industry (BMI) invites the public to the premiere of The Port that Built a City and State, a 60th anniversary documentary video about Baltimore's historic long running maritime TV series. Aris Melissaratos, Senior Advisor to the President of Johns Hopkins University will serve as Master of Ceremony ... Read More>>>Back to Top Wilhelmsen Ships Service Measures Success of Liferaft Exchange Programme The world's leading maritime service network, Wilhelmsen Ships Service, is measuring the success of the sales campaign launched for its Liferaft Exchange Programme one year ago. The company's Liferaft Exchange Programme has now extended to cover 743 ports in 74 countries worldwide and continues to expand. The ... Read More>>>Back to Top Fort Lauderdale Mariners Club Annual Golf Tournament Join the Maritime Executive and many others involved in the commercial marine & yachting industries for a round of golf in October One of the premier events of the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show season is once again being ... Read More>>>Back to Top BISSO MARINE ACQUIRES NEW SAT SYSTEM BISSO MARINE, a premier provider of energy and maritime support services, has acquired a 12-man portable Saturation Diving System. The new SAT System has a working depth of 1,000 feet (300 meters). It features a dual-lock, six-man deck decompression ... Read More>>>Back to Top EMAIL UNSUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2009 The Maritime Executive. 3200 S. Andrews Avenue, Suite 100 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316