MARINE TOURS
Hyundai Asan Bails Out its Sister Firm
South Korea's Hyundai Asan Co, a unit of the Hyundai Group, said on Monday it would take over the group's loss-making tours to North Korea from its sister firm Hyundai Merchant Marine. "Hyundai Merchant Marine would not participate in our North Korean tour project in the future as the company had been under pressure from its creditors to pull out of it," a Hyundai official said. "Hyundai Asan would be in charge of the tourism project." The official said Hyundai Asan could lease cruising ships from Hyundai Merchant Marine or pay the cruise operator for its ferry runs to North Korea's scenic Mt. Kumgang region. Hyundai Engineering's board approved on Monday morning Shim Hyun-young, president of Hyundai Engineering Plastic, as new president of the nation's largest builder. For the first time since it launched the loss-making tour in 1998, Hyundai Merchant cancelled 12 of its 21 scheduled ferries to North Korea in April.
Canadian Tour Boat Sinks
Canadian Transport Minister David Collenette released the following statement concerning the sinking of the tour boat Lady Duck, which resulted in the deaths of four passengers. The accident happened in the late afternoon of June 23, 2002, on the Ottawa River. “I would like to convey my condolences to the families and friends of those who died in this tragic accident. “We are cooperating fully with the Transportation Safety Board’s (TSB) investigation
Collins Joins Snowe For Tour
The commandant of the Coast Guard, Adm. Thomas Collins, is in Maine Wednesday, joining U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe for a tour of the Coast Guard base in South Portland, according to WMTW.com, touring the recently established Coast Guard Sector Northern New England. Snowe chairs the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Fisheries and the Coast Guard.
Bridge and Ship Collide in the Black Rock Canal
The Coast Guard responded to the collision between the small passenger vessel MISS BUFFALO II and the International Railroad Swing Bridge located on the Black Rock Canal, four miles north of downtown Buffalo on June 5. Following a tour of the Buffalo water front area, the passenger vessel was returning to its dock with 175 persons onboard including 120 school children from Maple West Elementary School in Williamsville, N.Y., parents, teachers and the vessels crew.
Scenic Tours Orders Three Ships
Australian-owned tour operator Scenic Tours has announced the formation of its European operations company Scenic Tours Europe AG that will be based in Zug, Switzerland. It is a venture that will mean that it is the only 100 percent Australian-owned river cruising company in Europe. To kick off the operations, three luxury river cruise ships will be delivered into the hands of the new company in 2008/09. The AUD$78 million order for the ms Scenic Sapphire
Cruise West Awarded Entries into Nat’l Park
Cruise West, the small-ship exploration cruise line, has been awarded by the National Park Service eight cruise ship entries to Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. The cruise line also holds two tour vessel permits that allows 105 entries of its smaller vessels. This is the highest number of tour vessel entries allocated to one cruise line. “Cruise West is unique as we hold both kinds of ship permits – a cruise ship permit for the Spirit of Oceanus (over 100 tons)
Coast Guard Tours Rochester Ferry
The target date for the fast ferry to leave Rochester for good is still April 10. On April 4, the city and U.S. Coast Guard began preparations for the boat's departure. The Coast Guard along with an agent from a maritime inspection firm toured the ferry. According to WHEC-TV, an official inspection will come later and that there are two potential buyers of the ferry. NAVMED, a ferry company in England and Transmed, a ferry operator in Spain. (Source: WHEC-TV)
Prince Harry Visits the Coast Guard, N.Y.
Prince Harry enjoys a ride onboard a Coast Guard 45 ft medium response boat from Station New York during a tour near the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor May 30, 2009. After a polo match on Governors Island, the Coast Guard boat crew took the prince on a tour of New York Harbor, ending on the Coast Guard Cutter Katherine Walker, where he crossed to the USS Intrepid in Manhattan.
Hyundai Merchant Stock Rises
The stock price of Hyundai Merchant Marine, which runs a ferry tour to North Korea's Mt. Kumkang resort, was up 4.9 percent at 3,225 on Monday in active volume of 3.3 million shares. The stock rallied after local reports that Hyundai and North Korea have agreed to open a cross-border route to the resort area to reduce Hyundai's costs to operate the cruises. - (Reuters)
Royal Caribbean to Purchase Pullmantur
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. announced its agreement to purchase Pullmantur S.A., a Madrid-based cruise and tour operator. Royal Caribbean expects the acquisition to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2006, subject to regulatory approvals. Pullmantur, formed in 1971, is the largest cruise operator in Spain. It has two primary business interests: cruises and tour operations. Its cruise division consists of five ships operating in Europe and Latin America
DP World London Gateway Launch Apprenticeship Scheme
The hunt is on for six apprentices to undertake a 4-year programme combining study, training, & hands-on work experience in engineering. DP World London Gateway will pay an annual salary for six students to study at college and carry out work experience on-site over a four year period
Aberdeen Harbor Welcomes First Ship
Aberdeen Harbor welcomed its first cruise vessel as it prepares for 12 expected visits to the city during the summer season. The arrival of the cruise vessel Island Sky, famed for its large suites and spacious outside decks, signals the start of the season when it arrives tomorrow (May 21) for
World's Largest Tugboat Race Highlights Seattle Maritime Festival
On Saturday, May 11, more than 30 boats will participate in the 28th Annual U.S. Oil and Refining Seattle Tugboat Race Championships, the largest tugboat race in the world. The race will run from noon to 3 p.m. as part of family fun day at the 2013 Vigor Seattle Maritime Festival
Survivor’s Mom Sends Cookies to USCG
Jordan Hanssen, recently rescued OAR Northwest transatlantic rower, sponsored by the Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF) made great efforts to visit his rescuers at two USCG stations for Military Appreciation Month last week. Both the Clearwater and Miami Coast Guard Air Stations involved in the
104,800 Attendees at OTC 2013
Experts from the offshore energy industry around the world came together May 6-9 for the 2013 Offshore Technology Conference at Reliant Park in Houston. Attendance at the conference reached a 30-year high of 104,800, the second highest in show history and up 17% from last year.
Warships in London for Battle of Atlantic Commemorations
Three Royal Navy warships are in London to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic. HMS Edinburgh, the last of the fleet’s Type 42 destroyers, is on her first stop on a round-Britain farewell tour which ends nearly 30 years of service
Seaspan Mark NAOSH Week with Walter Gretzky
During North American Occupational Health and Safety (NAOSH) week Seaspan welcomed Walter Gretzky on a tour of its Vancouver Shipyards. For those not in the know, Walter Gretzky, is a Canadian who is best known as the father of NHL legend Wayne Gretzky
New Orleans Intermodal TIGER Site Visited
The U.S. Department of Transportations (DOT) Deputy Maritime Administrator Paul Chip Jaenichen visited the Port of New Orleans to tour the site. The site of planned infrastructure improvements was made possible through a US$16.7 million DOT TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic
China Delegation Visits UK P&I Club
A delegation from Xiamen, China accompanied by the CEO of COSCO UK visit the London offices of Thomas Miller. The purpose of the visit by the delegation was to understand more of the shipping/insurance sectors in London and to foster good relations.
Three Cruise Ships Visit Port in One Day
The Port of San Diego to welcome 3 cruise ships on Tuesday, May 7, bringing thousands of passengers to the port city. Two of the vessels, the Celebrity Solstice and the Oceania Regatta , will be making their inaugural visits to the Port of San Diego
Kirk Petrophysics Cuts to the Core
Global leaders in the oil and gas industry will descend on the U.K. for an annual technical day organized by Reservoir Group member company Kirk Petrophysics. Experts from across the field will lead the discussions at the event, which is being held at the firm’s newly expanded Core Center
Keeper of New York Harbor's Spring Ritual
As the Hudson River begins to melt the Coast Guard buoy tender 'Katherine Walker' heads north towards Albany, N.Y. The Katherine Walker is a 175-foot buoy tender, homeported in Bayonne, N.J. Its major mission includes the servicing of aids to navigation throughout New York Harbor
Mercy Ship Visited by President of Guinea
Professor Alpha Condé, President of Guinea, tours the 'Africa Mercy' hospital ship, docked at the Port of Conakry, the capital of Guinea. Donovan Palmer, Managing Director and International Vice-President of Mercy Ships, the Senior Management Team and over 100 Mercy Ships volunteers were
Drydocks World Hosts Jamaican Industry Minister
Drydocks World, a shipyard in the Middle East engaged in ship repair, conversion, new building and offshore construction, hosted a delegation from the Government of Jamaica led by The Hon. G. Anthony Hylton, Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce.
U.K. Royal Navy Visit Saab Seaeye
The Royal Navy visited Saab Seaeye to view the company’s range of underwater vehicle technology designed for maritime defense. A delegation led by Commodore Alex Burton, head of Maritime Capability, toured the facilities at Fareham, which have recently doubled in size since the opening of