NEW ENGLAND SHIPYARD

Cassidy Takes Over Head Post At BMI

Baltimore Marine Industries has elected David Cassidy as president and CEO. Cassidy, who succeeds David Watson, who retired, had previously served as president of BethShip, the predecessor to BMI, for 15 years until its sale in 1997. Cassidy holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering and an M.S. degree in fluid mechanics from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne in England, and has extensive experience in management and executive positions at shipyards in England, Canada and the U.S.

U.K. Orders Six RoRo Ferries; Four Amphibious Ships

The British government placed much-anticipated contracts for six RoRo ferries with two going to UK yards, and four going to a German shipyard. Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon also announced he would place orders for four amphibious landing ships, split between the Swan Hunter shipyard in North-East England and the Govan yards in Glasgow. Two of the ferries will be built by Belfast's Harland & Wolff yard, which built the ill-fated Titanic and is owned by Norway's Fred Olsen Energy

North of England P&I Club Announces New Appointments

The 39 million GT North of England P&I club is boosting its successful Greek office with two new appointments. Tony Allen and Helen Yiacoumis, both maritime lawyers with previous experience of working in Piraeus, are joining the office set up two years ago by Mike Salthouse and John Owen to serve the club’s substantial Greek membership. Allen and his Greek-speaking wife, Gordana, returned to Greece this month after four years in England

NSRP Elects New Chair and Vice Chairman

The Environmental Technology Panel of the National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP) has elected Jennifer Parker, from Bath Iron Works, as chairman and Frank (“Hogie”) Thorn, from Newport News Shipbuilding, to the position of vice-chairman. Parker replaces Mike Chee, of National Steel & Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO), who held the panel’s chairman position for the pervious ten years. Thorn replaces Parker as the panel’s vice chairman.

North of England P&I Club’s Accounts Confirm Strong Year

The North of England P&I club confirmed its emergence as one the world's strongest maritime insurers today (12 September 2003) with publication of its accounts for the 2002/2003 financial year. The A- rated shipping mutual reported another 12 months of solid growth in tonnage, income and reserves. Chairman George Procopiou confirmed in the club's 2003 'Management Report' that entered tonnage at the February 2003 renewal grew by 10% to 43 million GT

Harley Joins SI-Tex Sales, New England

SI-Tex announced that marine electronics industry veteran Chris Harley has joined its team of sales professionals, representing the company’s full line of sounders, autopilots, radar, chart plotters, AIS and more to Marine Electronics Dealers across the New England Region. Harley brings with him a wealth of related experience — both in the marine electronics industry and the unique aspects of the New England market

Cammell Laird Axes 187 More Jobs

Struggling shipbuilder Cammell Laird Plc, which is in receivership, has announced a further 187 jobs cuts in Britain on top of over 600 previously announced redundancies. Accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), acting as receivers for the group, said on Wednesday that the latest cuts would see 95 jobs go at Tyneside, northeast England, and 45 redundancies at Birkenhead, northwest England. The company, which currently employs just under 700 workers in the U.K

First Ghost Fleet Ships Leave VA

The first two of 13 Ghost Fleet ships are leaving Virginia as part of the four ship pilot program as authorized by Congress. The plan to export 13 ships from the James River Reserve Fleet to the AbleUK facility in Teesside, England is environmentally responsible and fiscally sound according to a satement released by MARAD, the agency responsible for the ships. In a ruling last week, a federal judge placed a temporary restraining order

S&P Confirms North of England’s ‘A’

Leading ratings agency Standard and Poor’s (S&P) has confirmed North of England P&I club’s ‘A’ financial strength rating and stable outlook for the fourth consecutive year. According to S&P, the rating reflects the club’s continued ‘strong competitive position, very strong financial flexibility and historical operating performance relative to its peers’. S&P analysts Rowena Potter and Ali Karakuyu said the club’s compound annual growth in free reserves over the past 10 years of 13

TransEuropa Ferries Goes Into Administration

Belgian firm TransEuropa has suspended all sailings between Ramsgate (UK) and Ostend (Belgium) amid fears over its future. TransEuropa had run passenger and freight ferry services between Ramsgate and Ostend for the last 15 years, and was the only passenger service out of the Port of Ramsgate, reports BBC News England. Owners of the Kent port, Thanet District Council, has had confirmation of the company's difficulties  and cessation of its ferry services