Delivery First

ABS Supports Developments Offshore Brazil

New discoveries of giant oil and gas field discoveries offshore Brazil have operators venturing into deeper water while committing expanded E&P budgets for developments in frontier regions. The Campos Basin remains the greatest focus of exploratory activity, with the Santos Basin to the south and Espirito Santo Basin to the north also seeing activity. Ship-shaped floating production, storage and off-loading (FPSO) vessels remain the preferred development option for these frontier prospects, with ABS the leading classification society of choice for FPSO conversions for offshore Brazil, says João Carlos Pacheco, ABS Brazil country manager. “As an ABS representative in South America for nearly 20 of ABS’ 50-year-plus history in the region, I continue to be impressed by how Petrobras and industry participating in offshore Brazil adapt to changing needs. Brazil is on the forefront of offshore technology, especially, deepwater technology. ABS is proud to be a part of this frontier development and technology advancement,” said Pacheco. By 2005, more than half of Brazil’s oil production will come from ultra-deep waters, requiring an incredible investment in infrastructure and involving untold risks, advises Pacheco. “That has not stopped Petrobras; nor does it inhibit the international oil and gas companies which come to Brazil to help develop its rich offshore fields,” he said.

USMI Celebrates a Double Delivery

On Friday April 14, United States Marine, Inc., (USMI), celebrated the delivery of two of their 36-ft. NSW RIBs to the United States Special Operations Command, USSOCOM, marking the 99th and 100th craft delivered by USMI to USSOCOM to date. This delivery marked a number of occasions, including USMI’s first scheduled deliveries since hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This celebration also marked the first deliveries of new craft from their new Gulfport, Miss., facility.

Moody's Downgrades Navigator Gas

Moody's Investors Service has downgraded the rating of Navigator Gas Transport's first priority ship mortgage notes due 2007 to Caa2 from Caa1, and the second priority notes due 2007 from Ca to C. The senior implied rating was reduced to Caa2 from the previous B3. The rating outlook is negative. The rating downgrade primarily reflects the reduction in earnings capacity of the ships due to the continued weak rate environment of the transport market for petrochemical gasses

ABB Wins Contracts Worth $110M

ABB has been awarded contracts worth $110 million to supply electrical power systems for twelve vessels and five offshore drilling rigs. The ABB orders, all booked during January-March 2006, include the following: • Total electrical power system packages for two semi-submersible drilling rigs for subsidiaries of Jon Fredriksen controlled SeaDrill Ltd (Subsea Drilling (III) Ltd and Subsea Drilling (IV) Ltd). The rigs will be built at South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine

Delivery of Damen SWATH 3717 Close

The construction of the two Damen SWATH's 3717 for the Province of Zeeland at the Vlissingen yard Royal Schelde, a member of the Damen Shipyards Group, is progressing with completion in sight. Only two important tests remain to be completed: the embarkation and disembarkation trials with 181 passengers and the 10 hour endurance test. Both trials will be completed not later than the first week of February. After completion and approval

TBS Acquires Two Ships

TBS International Limited entered into agreements to acquire two sister tweendeckers, the M.V. Wedellsborg and the M.V. Frijsenborg. TBS has agreed to acquire these vessels en bloc for $46m charter free and they are expected to be delivered to the Company in the first quarter of 2008. The M.V. Wedellsborg, to be renamed the M.V. Ottawa Princess, is a 1987 built tweendecker of 22,800 dwt and the M.V. Frijsenborg, to be renamed the M.V. Caribe Maiden, is also a 1987 built 22,800 dwt tweendecker

TTS Wins Two Contracts

Sweden’s TTS Ships Equipment AB, Gothenburg, part of Norway’s TTS Marine ASA has landed two contracts for delivery of ships equipment for a total of four car carriers. This confirms TTS’ leading position in the supply of cargo access equipment to the car carrier newbuilding industry. The contract with South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) in Korea (Leif Hoegh A/S) and Croatia’s Uljanik Ship Yard, Pula (Ray Shipping) involves deliveries to two car carriers each

Tidewater Delivers Deepwater Supply Vessels

Tidewater Inc. announced that it has taken delivery of the M/V Miss Jane Tide. The Miss Jane Tide is Tidewater's first VS 480 platform supply vessel built by the company's own Quality Shipyards, L.L.C. in Houma, La. The ship, designed by the Norwegian firm Vik-Sandvik, is the first of four identical vessels to be built by Quality. The Miss Jane Tide is a 260-ft. PSV and is the first domestically constructed vessel to be delivered under Tidewater's new construction program announced in January

Bergensen Makes Final Negotiations on LNG Contract

Bergesen has agreed with Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) on a preliminary agreement for the employment of four LNG-carriers for a minimum of 20 ½ years from delivery. Final contract is subject to NLNG making its final investment decision on its further extension called NLNG Plus. Subject to same investment decision, Bergesen will enter into an agreement with Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. Ltd., Korea, to build the vessels

TBS Expands to 39 Ships

TBS International Limited has taken delivery of the M.V. Hopi Princess, previously the M.V. African Sanderling, a 1984 built, 20,401 dwt multipurpose tweendecker. TBS had agreed to acquire this vessel charter free for $18.3 million in November 2007. With the delivery of the M.V. Hopi Princess, TBS' current fleet consists of 39 multipurpose tweendecker, handymax and handysize vessels. TBS expects to take delivery of two additional multipurpose tweendeckers (the M.V. Ottawa Princess and M.V