HIGH HOPES

NSA: Cuts Coming for Offshore

The Norwegian Shipowners' Association (NSA) had high hopes of maintaining status quo while the White Paper on shipping policy was still pending. These hopes were not met in the Government's proposal for a National Budget, put forward last week, according to NSA. The net-wage scheme for ferries is to continue, but cuts are proposed for offshore vesssels. According to NSA, there are no proposals affecting the tax regime for shipowning companies or owners in the National Budget. NSA contends that Norway is still out of sync with the rest of Europe, and the maritime industry in Norway has growing expectations for this to be righted in the forthcoming White Paper, says Marianne Lie, Director General of The Norwegian Shipowners' Association. The Government announced a full evaluation of the tax system this fall. NSA calls on the Parliament to hold on to the agreement that was reached for the seafarers three months ago. It is clearly a need to determine a long-term policy for seafarers in connection with the ongoing development of a White Paper on shipping policy, which is due in the spring 2004, says Lie. In relation to economic support for using Norwegian seafarers, NSA was hoping the Government would continue supporting this in the Budget. However, according to NSA, the Government proposes to abolish the net wage system for seafarers on shuttle tankers and offshore vessels that was introduced on 1 July 2003, and instead introduce a 19 percent refund scheme

Jurong Shares Surge on Newbuilding Order

Jurong Shipyard shares reportedly surged more than eight percent, or Singapore $0.60, to a year high of S$8.10 morning on hopes that the yard had won a multi-million dollar new building order.

Remembering Bob Hope

The Department of Defense issued a statement memorializing Bob Hope, the legendary comic who was well known for entertaining many audiences laugh and for entertaining troops through the ages. Today, we mourn the loss of a true American patriot. The first and only American ever to be made an honorary Veteran of America s Armed Forces, Bob Hope holds a special place in the national security pantheon. He called the troops his "best

Far East Holidays Cripple Shipbrokers' Forecasts

The panamax market is clouded by the prospect of Far Eastern holidays in less than two weeks, shipbrokers said on Wednesday. Brokers are unwilling to give forecasts beyond April 29 - the start of Golden Week. "We made it through Easter unscathed, but Golden Week is a different matter. Every year we're shocked at the slack trade, it's like we forget how important the Far Eastern market is," a broker said. Inquiry for Pacific basin panamaxes remained slow with modern tonnage hoping for $11

Hyundai Heavy Wins Record Orders in Feb.

Hyundai Heavy Industries has set a new record in the global shipbuilding history by winning $5.7b in orders in February, the highest figure ever for a single month. The Korean shipbuilding giant said Sunday that it won $5.7 billion in orders for 25 ships last month, including a $1.6 billion contract with the French energy corporation Total for a floating production, storage and offloading vessel (FPSO). The February orders also include a deal for a $660 million deep-sea oil and gas

Wave Power Generation – US Navy Hawaiian Project

Navy eyes Kaneohe wave power testing expansion The Navy hopes to expand its testing for ocean wave energy power generation in Hawaii, having been testing an energy buoy in about 100 feet of water off Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe Bay for about 10 years. The Navy now hopes to put two more buoys in water more than 200 feet deep, and the greater depth will allow it to test larger devices closer to the size it needed to generate energy for customers.

Canadian Shipbuilding Effort Hits Stormy Sea

The future of a government program to revive western Canadian shipbuilding remains clouded after investigators released a damning report about cost overruns and bureaucratic bungling. The directors of the B.C. Ferries Corp. resigned after auditors alleged the cost of designing and building a new type of high-speed catamaran ferry had risen from the originally planned $137.9 million to approximately $288.9 million. The report was the latest bad news to buffet the Pacificat fast ferry project

Bay of Fundy Ferry Service to End

Bay Ferries Ltd. announced on June 30 that the Princess of Acadia will make its final three-hour trip between Digby and Saint John, N.B., on Oct. 31.High fuel prices and declining tourist and commercial traffic were among factors in the decision, the company said in a news release. Local government officials are working together to find a way to maintain the area’s ferry service. Many officials are expected to travel to Halifax for talks with cabinet ministers and, possibly, the premier

Intereuropa Relaunches Merger Bid

Slovenia's largest shipping firm Intereuropa is relaunching a bid to merge with the country's only port operator Luka Koper following last October's change of government. The two companies first planned to merge last year but called off the deal in April because the-then government was demanding the right to veto management decisions in the new firm. The Slovenian government owns 51 percent of Luka. "Slovenia is getting closer to membership of the European Union and we believe the present

Vosper Thornycroft To Move Shipbuilding Work

Vosper Thornycroft Holdings Plc hopes to move its shipbuilding operations to Portsmouth from Southampton, including its work on the Royal Navy's new destroyer. The company said it had compared the merits of Portsmouth Naval Base and its current shipyard at Woolston, Southampton and that greater space at Portsmouth gave it clear advantages. "Portsmouth is our preferred location, but any move will be subject to successful negotiations with the Ministry of Defense for the lease of land and