|  by Tony Munoz, Editor-in-chief, Maritime Executive Magazine & MarEx eNewsletter Escopeta Oil and Gas transports jack-up drilling rig from Texas to Alaska via Chinese ship based on a 2006 Jones Act waiver. In 2006, Escopeta Oil and Gas obtained a Jones Act waiver with the help of Alaskan Governor Frank Murkowski, Senator Ted Stevens and Congressman Don Young. At the time the waiver was granted there were no U.S.-flagged vessels that could transport a jack-up rig from the Gulf to Alaska. Danny Davis, president of Escopeta, petitioned the government to allow the M/V TAI AN KOU, a Chinese-flagged ship owned by Cosco, to transport the rig. Alaskan legislators pushed the government to allow the waiver because of declining oil and gas production in the U.S. and the Cook Inlet Basin. On June 27, 2006, DHS Secretary Chertoff granted Escopeta the Jones Act waiver. However, the deal... Read More>>> Back to Top |  Seven hundred and forty-one passengers and crewmembers were evacuated from the Ocean Star Pacific following a fire in on of the ship's generators. The fire, which was reportedly small, knocked out power to the ship while it was sailing off the Mexican coast over the weekend. The 515 passengers and 226 crewmembers were taken by catamaran to the port of Huatulco on Mexico’s West Coast. Representatives for Ocean Star, Carlos Salazar, told the Latin American Herald Tribune that the generator fire “caused a blackout” leaving the engines unable to be “restarted, and the ship was adrift.” Salazar also reported that the fire was quickly extinguished and there were no injures to the crew or to passengers. The Ocean Star Pacific was built in 1971 for Royal Caribbean, and was then named the MV Nordic Prince. The vessel is now owned and operated by, the... Read More>>> Back to Top | 
The Indian managers of a Panama-flagged ship are criticizing pirates for failing to release all of the Indian crew with the vessel, after an agreed upon ransom was paid.
Last week the Mumbai-based OMCI Ship Management paid an undisclosed ransom to free the MT Asphalt Venture and crewmembers onboard. The management company says that eight crewmembers were released with the vessel, but pirates are still holding seven. In a statement released on Sunday. OMCI “expressed deep disappointment over the pirates reneging on their word. This is despite meeting all demands of the negotiated settlement and paying the mutually agreed ransom. The vessel is in Somali waters. The owners appeal to the pirates to honor their word and immediately release the 6 officers and 1 crew member. All owners of other ships hijacked by pirates which are still captive in Somalia will lose faith in the negotiation process,... Read More>>> Back to Top |  On April 12, 2011 Senior United States District Court Judge John P. Fullam issued his decision in one of the largest maritime cases ever tried in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The decision adjudicated the consolidated case of In re petition of Frescati Shipping Co., Ltd… and US vs. Citgo Asphalt Refining Company...* The case stemmed from the November 26, 2004 oil spill from the single hull tanker M/T ATHOS I into the Delaware River south of Philadelphia, which was the third largest oil spill in US history. The M/T ATHOS I struck a submerged nine-ton anchor, ripping two holes in the vessel’s single hull and resulting in the spillage of some 200,000 barrels of heavy crude oil into the river. The abandoned anchor was struck in Federal Anchorage No. 9. At stake in the case were more than $177 million in damages stemming from the collision and subsequent cleanup and... Read More>>> Back to Top |  Apra Harbor, GUAM - U.S. and Japan Coast Guard rescue crews coordinated the rescue of 27 fishermen after a severe shipboard fire forced them to abandon ship 540 miles east of Guam, Sunday. Japan Coast Guard received notification from the owners of the fishing vessel Daichi Shoei Maru reporting that their vessel was on fire and the crew was contemplating abandoning ship. A request from the Japan Coast Guard was relayed to Coast Guard rescue coordinators at Sector Guam for assistance as the vessel in distress was within their area of response. The Coast Guard Cutter Washington, a 110-foot patrol boat homeported in Guam, and a Coast Guard C-130 Hercules airplane from Air Station Barbers Point Hawaii were launched to render assistance. Japan Coast Guard also launched an aircraft to search for the vessel. Coast Guard rescue coordinators located a merchant vessel about 115 miles from the Daiichi... Read More>>> Back to Top |  A NATO vessel has stopped a ship from continuing its voyage to Tripoli after suspicions were raised over its cargo. The British Defense Ministry confirmed that NATO ship, HMAS Liverpool, stopped the roll-on, roll-off ferry Setubal Express in the Mediterranean on Saturday after suspicions arouse that the cargo of vehicles onboard could be used by pro-Gaddafi forces. The Malta-flagged ship, sailing from Valetta, was boarded by a team from the HMAS Liverpool. During the boarding irregularities with the ship’s cargo log were found. The task force’s commander ordered the ship to not enter Libya’s waters and redirected the ship to its next port in Salerno, Italy. Officials have not released details of the irregularities. The Setubal Express remains in International waters while the ships owner and the government of Malta try to figure out what... Read More>>> Back to Top |  General Dynamics NASSCO, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), today launched the U.S. Navy's newest supply ship, USNS William McLean (T-AKE 12), during an evening christening ceremony at the shipyard. The USNS William McLean is the 12th of a class of 14 dry cargo/ammunition ships slated to serve as Combat Logistics Force (CLF) ships or be part of the Maritime Prepositioning Force. USNS William McLean is named after William Burdette McLean (1914–1976), the U.S. Navy physicist who conceived and developed the heat-seeking Sidewinder missile. The Sidewinder was the first effective heat-seeking, short-range, air-to-air missile carried by fighter aircraft. After five decades, variants and upgrades of the Sidewinder remain in active service with many air forces today. More than 1,000 people attended the evening launch of the USNS William McLean at the NASSCO... Read More>>> Back to Top |  Piracy at sea hit an all-time high in the first three months of 2011, with 142 attacks worldwide, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) global piracy report revealed today. The sharp rise was driven by a surge in piracy off the coast of Somalia, where 97 attacks were recorded in the first quarter of 2011, up from 35 in the same period last year. Worldwide in the first quarter of 2011, 18 vessels were hijacked, 344 crew members were taken hostage, and six were kidnapped, IMB reported. A further 45 vessels were boarded, and 45 more reported being fired upon. “Figures for piracy and armed robbery at sea in the past three months are higher than we’ve ever recorded in the first quarter of any past year,” said Pottengal Mukundan, Director of IMB, whose Piracy Reporting Centre has monitored piracy worldwide since 1991. In the first... Read More>>> Back to Top |  The United Nations organizations closely monitoring the effects of the damaged Fukushima Daiichi plant remain confident that current radiation levels do not present health or transportation safety hazards to passengers and crew. On 18 March, based on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES), the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry assessed the significance rating of the accident at the plant as Level 5. On 12 April, this assessment was revised to Level 7 following information obtained from estimations of the amount of radioactive material discharged to the atmosphere. Radiation monitoring around airports and seaports in Japan continues to confirm that levels remain well within safe limits from a health perspective. In addition, monitoring of passengers, crew and cargo from Japan carried out to date in other countries, in accordance with their national policy, does not... Read More>>> Back to Top |  Washington, DC – Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John L. Mica (R-FL) today pressured federal agencies responsible for developing and deploying biometric technology for commercial pilot licenses and transportation worker credentials to get their acts together and stop wasting taxpayers’ money with continued delays. Today’s Committee oversight and investigations hearing focused on the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) failure to develop a commercial pilot’s license that includes a photo of the pilot and biometric identifiers, and the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) long-delayed approval of reader technology for the biometrically enabled Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) for port and maritime workers. While the Committee received testimony from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National... Read More>>> Back to Top |  Thursday, April 21, 2011 8:30AM - 5:30PM Ports are a vitally important part of the nationwide Marine Transportation System, which includes not only ports, but also inland and coastal waterways, and the intermodal connectors. Please join us in Chicago, Illinois on April 21, 2011 for the 2nd Annual National Port Summit. The Maritime Administration will host the 2nd Annual Port Conference, a one-day symposium on topics concerning the more than 300 ports in the United States. The conference will address issues such as port financing, port infrastructure, redevelopment plans, and America’s Marine Highway System. Register by e-mailing Ports.MARAD@dot.gov The event... Read More>>> Back to Top | | Horizon Lines ship, Horizon Challenger, is expected to arrive in San Juan on schedule after clipping a dock and damaging a crane at the APM Terminals (APMT) facility in Houston on Friday. In a joint statement released today, Horizon Lines and APMT said, “After being released by the tug, the vessel (Challenger) clipped the dock and damaged an APM terminals crane.” The companies say they quickly fixed the damage and the incident only modestly delayed the ship’s departure to San Juan, where it is now expected to arrive on time. The companies also expressed regrets for any inconvenience the incident might have caused to their customers. Read More>>> Back to Top |  Malta, September 21st - 24th, 2011 MarEx is proud to sponsor this unique opportunity for buyers and suppliers to meet face-to-face in a professional environment. Over 50 owners/operators’ senior buyers have already registered for the second MTB “Meet the Buyer” Workboats forum this September. ‘Meet the Buyer’ is an opportunity for suppliers to sit down and network with the Technical/Purchasing Managers and those involved in the Purchasing from Workboat Owners & Operators. Workboat Owners & Operators include supply boats (OSVs/PSVs), dredgers, tugs, survey vessels, fishing vessels, pontoons, cranes, floating cranes, barges, jack up rigs, ROV’s, river / coastal / short sea barges etc. Some of the buyers booked include: |  Bureau Posts Vacancy Announcements in Nationwide Search WASHINGTON – The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) today announced it is seeking to fill two key positions for the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), one of the two new bureaus that will start operating on Oct. 1, 2011, as part of the reorganization of the former Minerals Management Service (MMS). The positions to be filled are a first-ever Environmental Enforcement Officer and the Regulations Development Branch Supervisor. “These are extremely important leadership positions for BSEE, and the individuals selected must be not only exceptionally well qualified with a commitment to public service, but aggressive in their approach to regulatory oversight,” said BOEMRE Director Michael R. Bromwich. “The... Read More>>> Back to Top |  Markey Machinery has released its HYBRID power regeneration feature as a standard option for new Render-RecoverTM equipped electric winches. Following a long tradition of solid innovation, Markey first integrated its DEPGF-42 HYBRID Electric Hawser Winch into Foss Maritime’s HYBRID Carolyn Dorothy in 2009. Since then, the operational capability, and environmental efficiency of the Carolyn Dorothy exceeds all expectations. Maritime websites and journals currently offer many articles about the high points of the successful blending of two proven technologies. The number of DEPGF-42 winches deployed in Foss Maritime’s fleet clearly indicates their level of satisfaction with Markey’s product. Results of University of California–Riverside’s study of the Carolyn Dorothy’s operations in San Pedro Bay underscore the environmental and operational efficiency of blended... Read More>>> Back to Top |  After the record collapse of shipping volumes in 2009, the Irish Ports and Shipping sector saw a return to growth across most of the principle segments last year, according to the latest annual edition of the Irish Maritime Transport Economist, which was unveiled at an industry briefing in Cork, today (April 14th ) by the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO). The report shows that unitised traffic on the main Roll-on/Roll-off routes to the UK recovered by 4% in 2010, with a decline in the Lift-on/Lift-off container sector easing substantially compared to the 2009 with a fall of just 3%. The strongest volume recovery occurred in the dry bulk segments which were up 18% Part of the return to growth in this sector is attributed to strong global demand for ore and mineral products such as alumina, while domestic demand in the agricultural sector led to a rise in the imports of grains, feeds and... Read More>>> Back to Top |  Early March, Huisman, the Dutch-based specialist in lifting, drilling and subsea solutions, successfully installed world’s largest Offshore Mast Crane onboard the “Seven Borealis” in four days only. This crane installation is considered as the heaviest and logistically most complex conducted by Huisman to date. After final load testing, the “Seven Borealis” will depart for the Huisman production facility in Schiedam where a complete 600mt S-lay system will be finalised. Transport and installation of the crane were performed under the responsibility of Huisman. The transport from the Huisman production facility in Zhangzhou, China to Sembawang Shipyard in Singapore was executed by BigLift’s “Happy Buccaneer”, a heavy lift cargo vessel with first generation Huisman Mast Cranes (1984). At Sembawang Shipyard the crane was installed onboard the... Read More>>> Back to Top |  PALMETTO, Fla. – The Port Manatee Propeller Club honored Port Manatee Executive Director David L. McDonald PPM® with its highest honor as Maritime Person of the Year during ceremonies April 14th at the Bradenton Yacht Club. McDonald received the award based on his effective leadership as Port Manatee’s executive director for the past 19 years and his dedication and commitment to the maritime community. Past honorees include U.S. Congressman Vern Buchanan, former Florida Statehouse Speaker Pro Tem Ron Reagan, Florida Department of Transportation District 1 Secretary Stan Cann, Port Manatee Commerce Center Owner Stanley Riggs and Port Manatee Senior Special Assistant to the Executive Director Joseph Gontarski.
McDonald is the second-longest-serving port director in the United States.
As executive director of Port Manatee since 1992, McDonald... Read More>>> Back to Top | | Nordic Yards, manufacturer of technologically sophisticated, innovative special ships and maritime structures received an order from Siemens Energy to build a second self-erecting offshore platform. Production of this platform, which will be used as part of the offshore platform project known as HelWin1 in the eastern North Sea near Helgoland, will begin at the end of May 2011. It is to be constructed in sections at the Wismar and Warnemünde sites. In July 2010 Siemens Energy ordered the first transformer platform BorWin beta for the BorWin2 Project from Nordic Yards. The platform now ordered – HelWin alpha – is of a comparable design. Last summer the Dutch transmission network operator TenneT commissioned the consortium between the Italian Prysmian Powerlink and Siemens Energy with producing the offshore network connection to the North Sea East, Veja Mate and Global Tech 1 wind... Read More>>> Back to Top |  CASTINE, Maine – Peter G. Vigue, chairman and chief executive officer of The Cianbro Companies will address the graduating class at Maine Maritime Academy’s (MMA) 68th Commencement on Saturday, April 30, 2011, at 11 a.m., in Alexander Fieldhouse. Vigue, a 1969 graduate of Maine Maritime Academy, will receive an honorary doctorate from the college. According to MMA President, Dr. William J. Brennan, the college will recognize Vigue’s long record of accomplishments and his position as a respected business leader. “Pete Vigue exemplifies the talent and drive so typical of many of our graduates,’ said Brennan. “His leadership of the Cianbro Companies is significant in that the company’s values of hard work, customer service, and respect for its workforce have not been compromised with growth. It’s a company that the people of Maine can be proud of... Read More>>> Back to Top |  Post-quake Update on Support for Victims of the 2011 Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President: Koichi Muto) today reports that its ocean cruise ship Fuji Maru has provided free day-use services such as meals, baths, and rest for victims of the Tohoku–Pacific Ocean Earthquake at ports in Iwate Prefecture. About 1,000 people in Ofunato and Rikuzen-takata cities took advantage of the service at Ofunato port on April 11 and 12, and about 300 people at Kamaishi port on April 13. On the evening of April 11, the Fuji Maru received an expression of thanks from the city of Ofunato, delivered by Mayor Komei Toda. The Fuji Maru continues to provide day services at Kamaishi port for one more day, and then will call at Ofunato port again on April 15 for the same purpose. Finally, the ship is to call at Miyako port April 16 and 17 to provide services for... Read More>>> Back to Top |  As authorized by the Connecticut General Statute Sec 15-13 and detailed in Sections 15-15a-6 and 15-15a-7 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, the Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Transportation is soliciting applications from qualified mariners interested in applying for the Connecticut Apprentice Marine Pilot Training and Certification Program. Please provide the following information in writing to Mr. Charles Beck, Maritime Manager, Connecticut Department of Transportation, 2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington, CT 06131 or via email at charles.beck@ct.gov by Wednesday, June 1, 2011:
1. Name and contact information.
2. Social Security number.
3. Date of birth.
4. Educational History (names of school, years graduated).
5. Dated copy of most recent physical examination (see Connecticut Regulations Sec. 15-15a-10).
6. Copy... Read More>>> Back to Top | | |
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