Blackwater Gunboats To Protect Ships
According to a Nov. 19 report from The Independent World, the American security company Blackwater is planning to launch a flotilla of gunboats for hire by the shipping companies.
Royal Navy Hands Over Suspected Pirates
Eight suspected pirates apprehended by crew members from Royal Navy frigate HMS Cumberland off Africa's east coast last week have been handed over to the custody of the Kenyan Police today, Tuesday 18 November 2008. The suspected pirates were caught on Tuesday 11 November 2008 when HMS Cumberland, deployed to the Gulf of Aden, saw a Yemeni fishing vessel, which had earlier taken part in an attack on a Danish Merchant Vessel.
Singapore –Bunkers Convention
The Singapore Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) issued a circular reminding the maritime community that the International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage…
Indian Navy Encounters Pirate Mother Ship
The Indian Naval Ship Tabar, which is currently in the Gulf of Aden for Anti-Piracy Surveillance and Patrol Operations, encountered a pirate vessel, 285 NM South…
IMO – BWM Convention
The IMO issued a circular noting that Liberia and France have acceded to the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004.
General Dynamics $286m Contract
The U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat a $286m contract for planning yard work, engineering and technical support for nuclear submarines. Electric…
NOL Group - Cost Reduction Initiatives
Neptune Orient Lines Limited (NOL), the parent company of container shipping line APL and of APL Logistics, announced a package of measures to place the company…
Korean Shipbuilders Face Bankruptcy
According to a report from The Korea Times, following troubled construction firms and savings banks, the Korean government and creditor banks are now moving to put…
NSRP Approves Ship Production Projects
On 12 November 2008, the Executive Control Board of the National Shipbuilding Research Program Advanced Shipbuilding Enterprise announced the selection of 9 new Ship Production Panel projects…
ABS Council Adds Members
At the recent ABS Council meeting, 31 prominent members of the shipping and offshore industries were elected as new members of the prominent international classification society.
ABS Elects Pendexter Senior VP
ABS announced the election of Linwood (Lenny) Pendexter to the position of Corporate Senior Vice President and Chief Surveyor by the ABS Board of Directors at a recent meeting in New York. Pendexter has been an active advocate for maritime safety throughout his career. He currently serves as the classification society’s Chief Surveyor, overseeing a global network of more than 1,400 surveyors. He plans to continue stressing the importance of safety within and outside the organization.
Panamanian Dredging Kickoff
Manning the controls of a large cutter suction dredge, Panamanian President Martín Torrijos kicked off the Pacific sea entrance dredging work for the waterway’s expansion on Nov. 17. He was accompanied by First Vice-President and Minister of Foreign Affairs Samuel Lewis Navarro, Panama Canal Authority (ACP) Board Chair and Minister of Canal Affairs Dani Kuzniecky and ACP Administrator/CEO Alberto Alemán Zubieta.
Navios 3Q, 9 Mo. Report
Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. (NYSE:NM) , a global, vertically integrated seaborne shipping and logistics company, today reported financial results for the third…
New Boat from Guangzhou Shipyard
Joining a long list of successful craft from this well-established south China shipyard, the 40-meter Putrajaya Singosari completed sea trials in mid-November of this year. With an 11.8-meter beam and 4.6-meter molded depth, the offshore utility support vessel was built to a design by Khiam Chuan Marine P.L. of Singapore. Classed by BV and meeting IMO/SOLAS for life saving and firefighting the vessel will be registered in Kota Kinabalu in Sabah Malaysia.
Hijacked Sirius Star at Anchor
The Liberian-flagged oil tanker MV Sirius Star is at anchor Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008 off the coast of Somalia. The Saudi-owned very large crude carrier was hijacked by Somali pirates Nov. 15 about 450 nautical miles off the coast of Kenya and forced to proceed to anchorage near Harardhere, Somalia. U.S. Navy photo by Aviation Warfare Systems Operator 2nd Class William S. Stevens. (Source: Navy News Service)
Exxon Valdez Put to Rest
The most anticipated maritime law decision in recent years has been the decision in June 2008 by the U.S. Supreme Court that reduced the award of punitive damages against Exxon from $2.5 billion to $500 million. After nearly 20 years of litigation against Exxon and the captain of its vessel, the case is finally at an end. For those who practice maritime law or are guided and affected by it, the most…
Exec to Plead Guilty to Bid Rigging
The former president of a California marine products company has agreed to plead guilty for his role in a conspiracy to rig bids and allocate customers with respect…
Hijacked Sirius Star Anchored
A report from the Wall Street Journal said that Pirates who seized a Saudi supertanker loaded with $100 million in crude oil anchored the ship within sight of impoverished…
Diana Shipping Time Charter Contract
Diana Shipping Inc. (NYSE:DSX), a global shipping company specializing in the transportation of dry bulk cargoes, announced that it has entered into a time charter…
Giorgi – New InterManager Pres
InterManager, the international trade association for in‐house and third party ship managers, has appointed Roberto Giorgi as its new President with immediate effect. Mr Giorgi, who was elected unopposed at the Nov. 17 InterManager AGM in Singapore, succeeds Ole Stene, Managing Director of Aboitiz Jebsen Bulk Transport Corporation, who has completed his two‐year appointment in the role. The appointment of Mr Giorgi is a significant and positive move in the growth of InterManager.