|  Last week on the one-year anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon spill, Carnival Corp. filed suit against BP PLC and several other companies involved in the operation of the rig. Carnival Corp., operator of Carnival Cruise Lines and nine other worldwide lines is suing BP and the other operators of the rig for losses and damages suffered during the Gulf oil spill. The cruise operator is seeking unspecified economic and compensatory damages with interest, punitive damages and the cost of litigation. The complaint sites negligence by all operators of the Deepwater Horizon Rig, including Cameron, BP, Transocean, and Haliburton. In addition the later three are being sued for concealing facts regarding the spill, including timely announcements and warnings. In establishing their eligibility for a claim the company said they serve ports Florida, Alabama, Texas and Louisiana, using the Gulf of Mexico to... Read More>>> Back to Top |  by Capt. D.C. Anderson Oil prices will continue to go up and down but the long-term price trend from this point forward will be upward. But even if the price of oil was not a problem we still need to be concerned about the emission of greenhouse gasses. The world’s merchant fleet is the sixth largest emitter of GHGs behind China, US, Russia, India and Japan. Merchant vessels don’t have many options when it comes to using fossil fuels. That leaves us with one question, Is it time for the maritime industry to consider auxiliary wind propulsion? There are a number of ways to use wind power at sea today. Each method has both benefits and drawbacks but the important calculation is always the same; Benefits minus Cost: Benefits of auxiliary wind propulsion: • reduced engine ware,
• increased stability (not... Read More>>> Back to Top |  On Saturday, 24 Filipino seafarers aboard the hijacked cargo vessel, the MV Renuar, were released along with their vessel by Somali pirates after being held captive since December 11th, 2010. The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed the release of the Liberian-owner and Panama-Flagged vessel were released on the 23rd of April, and according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines Liaison Officer to CMF, all of the Pinoy crewmembers are in good condition. DFA reported that the vessel was hijacked en route to Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates after leaving Port Louis in Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, about 550 nautical miles from the coast of India. EUNAVFOR says that the attack was launched from 2 attack skiffs with support from a mother ship propelling small firearms and rocket powered grenades. The crewmembers tried to evade the attack, but eventually the pirates... Read More>>> Back to Top |  The pier at Washington United Terminal at the Port of Tacoma in Washington was shut down for part of Tuesday while a container holding the flammable chlorobenzotrifluoride leaked from the Hyundai Oakland tanker ship in the early morning. At about 4am, dock crews unloading cargo from the tanker noticed a substance leaking from one of the 55-gallon drums and discovered it had spilled the dangerous chemical onto the hull of the ship, as well as the neighboring dock. Once the leak was identified, the Washington United Terminal was evacuated for the Tacoma Fire Department’s HazMat Team to examine and clean up the spill.
Chlorobenzotrifluoride is known to irriate the skin, eyes, and respiratory system, in addition to its flammability. Crewmembers are being quarantined on the ship as a precaution, though there is no clear imminent danger to their health. An environmental... Read More>>> Back to Top |  Tensions rise following a 24 hour strike from company Patrick Stevedores at terminals in Brisbane, Port Botany in Sydney, and East Swanson in Melbourne on Saturday trigger a similar stoppage at the Fremantle terminal on Monday, affecting 15 ships carrying about 17,797 containers. The strikes are a result of failed pay talks between the Union and Patrick Stevedores, says the MUA national secretary, Paddy Crumlin, said that the company called off scheduled negotiations 3 days this week. Patrick divisional director, Paul Garaty, said that the union had previously gave an undertaking not to take strike action while the parties were still in negotiations before Fair Work Australia. Crumlin stated that the Patrick company has been dragging these talks out for almost 9 months, previously deferring possible strikes already. He claimed the union workforce is discontent with management as... Read More>>> Back to Top |  The company delivers the 2 vessels to Grand China Logistics Holding (Group) Co. LTD upon delivery from Zhoushan Jinhaiwan Shipyard in Dec 2012 and May 2013 Gulf Navigation Holding, PJSC (DFM: GULFNAV) one of the leading ship-owners and maritime services company in the region, announced today the signing of a contract with Zhoushan Jinhaiwan Shipyard Co. LTD of Shanghai to build 2 Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCC) for delivery in December 2012 and May 2013. The sister ships are 320,000 in deadweight and have a carrying capacity of more than 2 million crude oil barrels each. Simultaneously, Gulf Navigation Holding signed two agreements with Grand China Logistics Holding (Group) Co. LTD to time charter the vessels for 10-years each upon delivery. The charter agreement has a profit-sharing mechanism once a ceiling is reached, and is worth approximately AED 1.05 Billion (US$... Read More>>> Back to Top |  ROTTERDAM, Netherlands – Capt. John S. Kenyon, Commanding Officer for Coast Guard Activities Europe, presented Master Mariner Mike Ross with the Coast Guard Public Service Commendation for the 2010 at-sea rescue of two men in the Straits of Hormuz. On June 21, 2010, Ross served as Master for the Maersk Michigan while destined for Sitrah, Bahrain. The ship was operating under sail orders from Sealift Logistics Command Central with a U.S. Navy Embarked Security Team (EST). Early in the morning, the ship’s lookout and members of the EST roving watch heard voices in the water. The mate of the watch quickly assessed the situation and turned the ship around while making preparations for a search and rescue operation. The crew used flares, spot lights, and night vision goggles to find two individuals in the water, amidst a debris field and more than 100 yards apart from... Read More>>> Back to Top |  Washington, DC – Transportation and Infrastructure Committee leaders responded today to the release of the Obama Administration’s so-called guidance for enacting a dramatic federal jurisdiction grab and expansion of the Clean Water Act. Mica, Gibbs and 168 other House Republicans and Democrats recently wrote to EPA and the Corps of Engineers to express their concerns that the agencies are circumventing the proper regulatory process in order to push through this expansion of federal jurisdiction. “Through this guidance, the Administration is clearly attempting to redefine wetlands, expand the federal government’s authority over states and private individuals, and enact its economically stifling agenda,” said U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (R-FL), Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. “After our letter exposed the Obama... Read More>>> Back to Top |  This Workshop is for those who want and need more practical working knowledge with regard to managing a vessel’s stability and trim of cargo vessels. This program will be presented by the author of Stability and Trim for the Ship’s Officer, William E. George. With William George’s methods all you really need is the vessel’s hydrostatic table, capacity plan, a simple calculator and a few sheets of paper. Participants will be able to eliminate the "trial and error" methods now used with loading computers by employing these direct "Old School Methods" covered in the workshop. All participants who attend the first offering of this workshop will receive an autographed copy of Stability and Trim for the Ship’s Officer, 4th Edition. Read more here. Read More>>> Back to Top |  by Casey Christie Piracy in the Gulf of Aden around the Horn of Africa and beyond is making big news these days. Dubai just hosted a high profile conference on the subject and it made headlines around the world. The main focus of the event was on the economic impact piracy is having on world trade. This is, of course, significant but in my opinion far less important than the lives of the men and woman on board the vessels being targeted. Why is it that when a plane is hijacked no one talks about money lost yet when an oil tanker is taken it’s all about the value of the cargo? Perhaps it is because of the picture one creates when the words oil and tanker are put together. You would be forgiven for just seeing in your mind’s eye a colossal ship with millions of dollars of oil on board. However we must not forget that there are human beings on... Read More>>> Back to Top |  Former Congressman Gene Taylor has joined New Orleans based tug, towing and heavy lift derrick specialist E.N. Bisso & Son, Inc. as Director, Corporate Growth and Development. Mr. Taylor, an eleven-term Congressman from Mississippi, will be responsible for expanding the company's scope of operations, from its current ship assist business on the Lower Mississippi River and Gulfport, Mississippi, and offshore towing. Mr. Taylor has been given a freehand in business development. Having served on numerous important committees, Mr. Taylor is very familiar with the contributions the maritime industry makes to the nation and the challenges it faces. In addition to his primary responsibilities, Mr. Taylor will provide the company, and the industry, with insight and guidance on the increasingly complex universe of regulations that the industry must deal with, says Read More>>> Back to Top |  Professional Development Conference
April 27-29, 2011
“The Master and the Burden of Regulations”
Hosted by the Baltimore / Washington, D.C. CAMM Chapter - Celebrating 20 years in December 2011
Keynote Speaker: Gala Dinner
Congressman Elijah E. Cummings
(D-MD) Senior Member on the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
In his role as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation during the 111th Congress, Congressman Cummings oversaw the implementation of the U.S. Coast Guard’s budget. He also worked to increase diversity within the Service and the Coast Guard Academy and strengthen the acquisition management process to ensure that our taxpayer dollars are used effectively and efficiently.
House subcommittee on Coast Guard and Marine... Read More>>> Back to Top |  (WASHINGTON, DC) A skilled Merchant Marine and strong U.S. shipbuilding industry are critical to America’s national and economic security declares the Navy League of the United States in its just-released 2011-12 Policy Statement. The 32-page document credits the Jones Act and other U.S. maritime laws with playing a crucial role in today’s irregular warfare environment. “The ability to access maritime capability of ships and seafarers is essential to our national and economic security,” the Navy League said. “The Voluntary Intermodal Agreement, which includes the domestic Jones Act fleet, provides 135 ships, 213 barges and tugs, and worldwide intermodal capability. Without these commercial capabilities, the U.S. government would be required to provide significantly more funds to build a replacement fleet and infrastructure while losing the pool of... Read More>>> Back to Top |  WASHINGTON – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently published a new Safety and Health Injury Prevention Sheet (SHIPS) on rigging that explains what employers must do to protect shipyard workers from rigging hazards. Workers performing rigging functions use ropes and cables to secure a ship's parts and sections for lifting by cranes, hoists and other material handling equipment. Loads that are improperly rigged can expose workers to hazards including falls, electric shock, amputation, and being crushed by objects. The SHIPS contains sections on how shipyard workers are exposed to hazards such as falls, shocks and traumatic injuries. The SHIPS also describes cases of workers injured or killed while performing rigging operations. Pictures accompany the descriptions of the cases to illustrate unsafe work practices. The publication also contains analyses of the... Read More>>> Back to Top |  Join Seagull on May 18th for “Introduction to APRO” held as a morning session 09:00 – 12:00. This introduction session is a great opportunity to gain a basic knowledge about APRO and have the opportunity to ask questions. This introduction session is free of charge. For those of you continuing with the goal of obtaining the “APRO Assessor Training Course Certificate” the afternoon session, held 13:00 – 16:00 and will continue on the following day May 19th from 09:00 – 16:00. These sessions will build from the first introduction session and delve in greater detail how APRO works and how it can benefit your company personnel processes. Please note that the APRO Assessor Training Course” is a pre-requisite to use APRO and a fee applies to receive the APRO Assessor Certificate. Ability Profiling (APRO) is psychometric... Read More>>> Back to Top |  Marine Resources Group (MRG) has signed a three-year exclusive agreement with Hempel USA for marine coatings for their fleet of tugs and barges. Under this agreement, Hempel will provide the fleet with coatings and technical services for dry dockings and shipboard maintenance worldwide. Marine Resources Group tug and barge companies throughout the United States offer a broad range of marine services. The companies include Foss Maritime Company, based in Seattle, Washington, Oakland-based AMNAV Maritime Services, and two companies based in Honolulu, Hawaii: Hawaiian Tug and Barge and Young Brothers. Visit them at www.marineresourcesgroup.com. Hempel USA is a supplier of high performance marine and industrial coatings based in Conroe, Texas. With their local view and global capabilities through the Hempel network of companies,... Read More>>> Back to Top |  Simulator facility to feature sophisticated new simulator suite Kongsberg Maritime has been selected to supply eight bridge Polaris Ship’s Bridge Simulators to Vlaamse Dienst Voor Arbeidsbemiddeling en Beroepsopleiding (VDAB) in Zeebrugge, Belgium. As the public employment service of Flanders in Belgium, VDAB has chosen Kongsberg Maritime’s Polaris simulator as the basis for the training and evaluation of crew for several customers, including Jan De Nul and DEME, two of the world’s major dredging shipping companies. The Polaris Ship’s Bridge Simulator (SBS) will allow students at VDAB’s upgraded facility to train in a large number of sailing areas and is capable of providing training within a broad range of disciplines, including: Standard navigation, maneuvering and ship handling operations, Search and Rescue operations and ice navigation. The simulator meets and... Read More>>> Back to Top | | |
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