THE NATURE CONSERVANCY
Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Award Conservation Grants
The Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises Ocean Fund awarded $796,000 on March 30 in 15 new grants to marine conservation and environmental organizations, including a $100,000 grant to The Conservation Fund for its Alaska land preservation program and a $100,000 grant to Conservation International for its campaign to conserve Caribbean biodiversity. Almost $9 million has been awarded to 64 non-profit organizations working to protect the marine environment since the fund’s inception in 1996. The mission of the Ocean Fund is to support efforts to restore and maintain a healthy marine environment, minimize the impact of human activity on this environment, and promote awareness of ocean and coastal issues and respect for marine life. The complete list of 2007 Ocean Fund grant recipients is as follows: Audubon of Florida: $30,000 to continue satellite telemetry tracking of migration patterns of roseate spoonbills in the Florida Bay Ecosystem. Blue Ocean Institute: $50,000 to support Safe Seas, a program that works with communities in the Pacific to keep albatrosses and sea turtles from drowning in longline and gillnet fishing gear, and to reduce hunting of sea turtles in Latin America. Caribbean Conservation Corp.: $40,000 to produce a video series, “Ocean Fund Eco-Explorations,” in partnership with Open Water Media
SS UNITED STATES Project Releases RFQ
RFQ is First in Two-Step Process to Find Developers to Repurpose America’s Flagship. With all the buzz surrounding the 100th anniversary of the Titanic’s sinking, it’s full steam ahead to give the greatest American ocean liner a new lease on life as a 21st Century waterfront destination. The SS United States Redevelopment Project (SSUSRP) is proud to announce the release of a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) as part of an aggressive process to identify a
Environmental Balance
by John W. Waterhouse, P.E., President, Elliott Bay Design Group As a designer of ships, and president of a vessel design company, I know the shipbuilding industry is made up of people who recognize the importance of ferries, cruise ships and other maritime vessels to our economy. These same people also care a great deal about the marine environment in which our ships operate. That's why reports by environmental groups criticizing the marine industry for supposed ecological offenses leave a
GSA Auctions Perfect Storm Rescue Vessel
A former U.S. Coast Guard cutter whose heroic rescues garnered notice in the movie, The Perfect Storm, made its debut on the U.S. General Services Administration auction Web site, GSA Auctions(TM), http://www.gsaauctions.gov, last week, after spending more than six months without a permanent home. Reported to the U.S. General Services Administration as excess by the U.S. Coast Guard in January 1994, the decommissioned Tamaroa was initially housed at New York's Intrepid Sea Air Museum until
Australia Introduces Penalties for Pollution
In an effort to increase enforcement of MARPOL and reduce deliberate oil discharges into the sea, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has increased penalties and fines for offences of this nature. In addition, following a recent court case involving a ship borne pollution incident, AMSA has now made it clear that the defence of 'accidental pollution' resulting from worn or deteriorated equipment will no longer be accepted.
US Port Wins AAPA Environmental Award
Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority wins international award for opening & managing Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve. The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) has awarded the Port its 2012 Environmental Enhancement Award for the preserve, a unique 88-acre site on Lake Erie near downtown Cleveland, that the Port opened to the public on a daily basis in February. “We are honored and excited to receive this award,” said Port President and CEO Will Friedman
2001 Hurricane Season Begins Quietly
The 2001 Atlantic hurricane season dawned quietly on June 1, but storm experts warned people in hurricane alley early-season peace was no reason to let down your guard. June storms are a relative rarity in the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30. Peak hurricane activity strikes in late August, September and early October. With climatic indicators on neutral, the prominent forecasters of nature's biggest storms are projecting an average season. U.S
Carnival to Build and Operate Cruise Terminal in Honduras
Carnival Corporation & plc has signed an agreement to build and operate a cruise terminal on the island of Roatan, Honduras. Development of the facility - to be called "Mahogany Bay - Roatan" – is expected to start in fall 2007 and be completed by summer 2009 at a cost of $50m. The cruise facility will be situated on 20 acres on the Roatan waterfront and will consist of a two-berth cruise terminal capable of accommodating super post-Panamax vessels and up to 7,000 passengers daily.
Liability in Venezuela
Liability in Venezuela A new General Ports Law has been approved in Venezuela, which is expected to introduce significant changes to the liability regime of port operators and administrators. Venezuela law firm Sabatino Pizzolante notes that stevedores' and warehousemen's liability has always been a complex subject in Venezuela because of the lack of a proper legal framework. Despite the fact that port legislation is relatively new
UPDATE: Coast Guard Responding Mississippi Allision / Spill
The unified command continues to respond to a crude oil spill in the lower Mississippi River near mile marker 434 in Vicksburg, Miss., Monday. Tank soundings indicated that the barge is still leaking product into the waterway. Containment boom has been deployed around the area at the leak and skimmers are being used to recover product. Personnel from Sector Lower Mississippi River, Marine Safety Detachment Vicksburg and the Coast Guard Gulf Strike Team from Mobile, Ala
U.S. DOJ: Pollution Settlement Nets $1 Million
$1 Million Settlement Enhances Land and Sea in the Eastern District of Texas. BEAUMONT, Texas — U.S. Attorney John M. Bales announced a settlement reached with a European shipping corporation has resulted in significant enhancements to nature conservation groups in the Eastern
Equalizer to Launch Spreading Wedges at OTC
In his State of the Union speech, President Obama cited America's aging energy, oil and gas and petrochemical infrastructure as cause for concern and that steps should be taken to fix issues before breakdowns occur. Failures and unplanned downtime become an increasing possibility as refineries
PPG Adds to its Sigma Syladvance Range
PPG Protective and Marine Coatings (PPG) has launched Sigma Syladvance 700, a high performance antifouling designed specifically for ships working at medium to high rates of operation and medium speeds. Based on the Sigma Syladvance 800 premium antifouling product
New Hull Anti-fouling Coating from PPG
PPG Industries introduce Sigma Syladvance 700 coating to protect vessels with flexible service speeds, trade patterns. Based on the successful Sigma Syladvance 800 premium antifouling product, PPG say that their new Sigma Syladvance 700 coating extends the line with an "entry-level"
KOTUG Celebrates Silver Jubilee, Extends Globally
Over the past 25 years KOTUG has been transformed from a European to a global player in the maritime industry. As a fast growing towage company KOTUG is expanding its innovative services to ports and terminals in Europe, West-Africa and Australia
Small Boat Counter-offensive Contract for QinetiQ
QinetiQ Maritime contracted by UK'sMinistry of Defence (MOD) to research co-ordinated defence against attacks on Royal Naval ships. The contract is to carry out research into the co-ordinated defence of the Royal Navy fleet against the emerging threat of attacks from small
U.K. War Risks Club Awarded Excellent Financial Rating
The United Kingdom Mutual War Risks Association Limited (U.K. War Risks Club) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded an A- "excellent" financial strength rating with a "stable" outlook from AM Best, the insurance rating and information source.
Salvage Response under OPA 90: Non-Tankers are Next
Maritime casualties have always been tackled by a relatively small, egotistical, passionate and intrepid group of mariners called “salvors.” Salvage as history knows it, however, may be taking a sharp turn as a result of the new game rules being injected by the Oil Pollution Act
TE SubCom Wins Subsea GoM Cable Contract
TE SubCom contracted by Chevron to connect the Jack & St. Malo offshore facility with an undersea fiber optic communications system in the deepwater U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Jack & St. Malo fields are located approximately 280 miles south of New Orleans, LA in water depths of 7,000 feet
ITIC Highlights Value of Diligent Debt Collection
ITIC highlighted the value of diligently pursuing the collection of shipping industry debts in today’s difficult economic climate. In its latest Claims Review, ITIC notes that a shipbroker acting for charterers was owed $25,000 in commission by an Indian voyage charterer under a charter
Mercy Ships in National Volunteer Week
Mercy Ships pauses during National Volunteer Week (April 21-27, 2013) to salute its volunteer crew on behalf of the more than 2.42 million direct beneficiaries. These beneficiearies have received curative surgical interventions, health care training
'Engine as a Weapon' Symposium Planned
Organised by the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology (IMarEST) the programme for the 5th Symposium is published. The symposium programme for the fifth 'Engine As A Weapon Symposium (EAAW V)', with its theme ‘Delivering Military Effect: A holistic approach to combat and
Negative Findings Reported on Enclosed Space Entry
The London P & I Club noted that reports generated during the club's ship inspection program show an increase in negative findings in relation to enclosed space entry on board ships. It said incidents continue to occur year-on-year despite a global acceptance of industry standard procedures
Don't Throw it Over the Wall ...
Annex V of the MARPOL Convention aims to eliminate and reduce the amount of garbage being dumped into the sea from ships. Amendments to Annex V were adopted by resolution MEPC.201(62), which entered into force on 1 January 2013. The revised Annex V prohibits the discharge of all garbage
DNV Supports Drydock Free Operation of Mobile Offshore Units
Moving MOUs to sheltered waters or drydock facilities for surveys is disruptive and expensive. Using the experience gained from several years of dealing with floating production units and surveying drilling units on location, DNV is now preparing a Recommended Practice (RP) to allow mobile