Chartering Vessels

TotalFina Tightens Tanker Regulations After Erika Spill

Oil giant TotalFina, which chartered the ill-fated oil tanker Erika, has tightened its policy on chartering older tankers. However, company officials stressed that a new age limit on large ships, which would not have stopped it chartering the mid-sized Erika, need to be backed up by tougher international maritime standards and greater transparency of safety checks. The company is cutting to 20 years from 25 the upper age limit on chartered vessels of 80,000 dwt and above, while keeping it at 25 years for smaller ships. The Maltese-registered Erika, of 37,283 tons dwt, was 25 years old when it split apart and sank off the French coast last month, spilling thousands of tons of fuel oil that polluted the French coast.

Offshore UK: Government Brokers Use of BP Emergency Vessel

The agreement between the government and BP allows HM Coasguard to call on a BP-chartered vessel in the event of a pollution incident. An operational and commercial model has been brokered with the oil industry allowing HM Coastguard to call on a BP-chartered vessel, the Grampian Frontier, to provide support in the event of a pollution incident. The Emergency Response and Rescue Vessel (ERRV) operates west of Shetland and the owner North Star Shipping is working with the Maritime and

Odfjell Expands Fleet

Odfjell has bought M/T "Giada D" from Italian owners. The vessel is built in 1996 at Chantiere Navale de Poli, Italy and she is 10,115 dwt with stainless steel cargo tanks. The change of ownership will take place in 3rd Quarter 2006. Further, Odfjell has entered into a long-term time-charter agreement with purchase option for a vessel of 33.000 dwt with stainless steel cargo tanks. The ship will be built at Kitanihon Shipyard, Japan, and will be owned by Yuyo Steamship Co Ltd, Japan

Hamburg Sud's First Chilean Christening

Hamburg Sud conducted its first Chilean Christening in its 137-year history. Hamburg Sud has christened a container ship in Chile, the ceremony took place in Valparaiso on 9 January 2009. The Cap Graham is one of a series of three identical 4,294 TEU charter vessels of Norddeutsche Reederei H. Schuldt. Together with her two sister ships, the Cap Gilbert and Cap Gregory, as well as Hamburg Sud's Bahia class vessels, the Cap Graham is sailing in Sling 1 of the Hamburg Sud liner service

Offshore Solutions’ OAS, 1000 Connections

Offshore Solutions B.V. (OSBV) reported that the OAS, mounted onboard the GDF SUEZ E&P Nederland B.V. (GSEPN) chartered vessel, REM Mermaid, has achieved over 1,000 operational connections without any LTIs. An OAS is a heave compensated telescopic gangway, enabling the safe transfer of personnel from a vessel to an offshore installation (wind turbine, oil or gas platform) designed to operate in 2.5 metre Hs (significant wave height) sea states

S&P Lowers Pegasus Rating

Standard & Poor's lowered its corporate credit rating on Pegasus Shipping (Hellas) Ltd. (Pegasus) to triple-'C'-minus from single-'B'-minus. At the same time, Standard & Poor's lowered its foreign currency senior secured debt rating to triple-'C'-minus from single-'B'-minus. All ratings are placed on CreditWatch with negative implications. The rating actions reflect Pegasus' rapidly diminishing financial flexibility owing to weak market conditions

Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. Reaches Agreement With Korea Lines Corporation

NEW YORK, March 25, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. (Nasdaq:EGLE) ("Eagle Bulk") announced today that it has reached a comprehensive agreement with the Receivers of Korea Line Corporation ("KLC") regarding twelve time-chartered vessels impacted by KLC's decision to file for protective receivership earlier this year. The agreement follows extensive and highly constructive dialogue between the two parties.

Rickmers-Linie Carries Bangladesh-Made Ferry to Denmark

Floating craft like motor yachts, sailing yachts or catamarans are quite a regular sight on Rickmers-Linie vessels. However, the ferry which Rickmers-Linie carried from Bangladesh to Denmark on board the long-term charter vessel Baltic Winter is remarkable.   It is the first ferry built by a Bangladesh shipyard for European owners and will be put in service by Hundested-Rørvig Færgefart AS across the fjord after which the ferry is named: Isefjord. At a length of 49

Freeport Launches Charter Yacht

By Larry Pearson A new commercial charter yacht was delivered in July 2004 to SunQuest Yacht Charters, Shalimar, Fla. serving the Destin-Ft. Walton Beach, Fla. beach resort area with scheduled dinner cruises and special event charters. The 125 by 26-ft. luxury yacht was built by Freeport Shipbuilding Group, Freeport, Fla. The shipyard and SunQuest are both headed by Jim Murray, whose shipyard has been active in Florida for 30 years

TotalFina Tightens Tanker Regulations After Erika Spill

Oil giant TotalFina, which chartered the ill-fated oil tanker Erika, tightened its policy on chartering older tankers. However, company officials stressed that a new age limit on large ships, which would not have stopped it chartering the mid-sized Erika, needed to be backed up by tougher international maritime standards and greater transparency of safety checks. "We still need a global initiative and we are still calling for tighter controls and for charterers to have more access to