Sea Trials of Damen Mexican Navy Frigate Complete
ARM Reformador project shows economic impact of local shipbuilding.Working in close cooperation, Damen Shipyards Group, the Mexican Navy, subcontractors and suppliers have completed successful sea trials of the Mexican Navy’s POLA-class ARM Reformador. The programme of sea trials was comprehensive, including testing of platform and combat systems in addition to training of Mexican Navy crews. The completion of these sea trials indicate how the project as a whole is progressing…
USCG Cutter Returns with $200 Mln Worth of Cocaine
The crew aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast (WMEC-623) returned home Friday to Astoria after a 60-day counternarcotic patrol in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.While patrolling international waters off the coast of Mexico and Central America, Steadfast’s law enforcement boarding teams intercepted and stopped eight separate vessels suspected of smuggling illicit drugs. The eight boardings resulted in the discovery and seizure of approximately 13,123 pounds of cocaine worth…
USCG Cutter Seizes $200m in Cocaine
The crew aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast (WMEC-623) returned home Friday to Astoria after a 60-day counternarcotic patrol in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. While patrolling international waters off the coast of Mexico and Central America, Steadfast’s law enforcement boarding teams intercepted and stopped eight separate vessels suspected of smuggling illicit drugs. The eight boardings resulted in the discovery and seizure of approximately 13,123 pounds of cocaine worth more than $200 million wholesale. The 210-foot cutter deployed to the Eastern Pacific Ocean in support of the Joint Interagency Task Force South with the primary mission of detecting and interdicting illegal drug traffickers.
Norwegian Cancels Cruise Due to Propulsion Problem
The April 12 Panama Canal sailing of Norwegian Star has been canceled due to a technical issue with the ship's ABB-manufactured azipod propulsion system, according to a statement from Norwegian Cruise Line. The Norwegian Star was originally scheduled for a 15 night cruise to the Panama Canal out of Los Angeles to Miami with port stops in Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Huatulco, Puerto Chiapas, Puntarenas, Panama Canal, Cartagena, and Ocho Rios. The ship will remain out of service until April 26, 2015 so repairs can be made to the Azipod systems. Norwegian said a technical issue was to blame for the propulsion problem. The Norwegian Star is a 91,000 gross ton, 2,350 passenger cruise ship that entered service in 2001.
Mexico Flooding Impacts Oil Industry
Although onshore oil fields in and around flood-ravaged Tabasco state escaped major damage, some of the people working at those wells have been left in the lurch. Many oil workers are based in the flooded state capital of Villahermosa and have lost their homes. Meanwhile, flooded streets and washed-out roads makes getting to and from the oil fields a logistical nightmare. Although heavy storms and high seas forced Mexico to shut down some offshore wells last week, halting about one-fifth of its daily crude production for five days, onshore operations appear to have dodged a bullet. Most of the inland wells in Tabasco state are located to the north of flood-damaged Villahermosa, on relatively dry ground. Most of Mexico's 3 million barrels in daily oil production come from offshore wells.
