Substandard Shipping Discussed in St. Petersburg
INTERTANKO's Managing Director, Peter Swift participated as a speaker and panelist in the 4th International "Substandard Shipping - Solution Through Partnership" seminar held this week in St. Petersburg. The seminar, sponsored by the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping, had as its theme "Implementation - Key Factor of Maritime Safety and Pollution Prevention". Organisations represented included the IMO, the EC, international shipowner associations and insurers, regional and international maritime registrations, shipowners and academics. Throughout the two days of meetings much attention was paid to thefailure of many states to ratify and/or implement Marpol and other key legislation…
Feature: Business Milestone for Vietnam
Vietnam's fledgling shipbuilding industry has raised its international profile by entering into a seminal agreement with the UK's Graig Group for the construction of a series of double-hulled bulk carriers. Cardiff-based Graig's bold move, potentially entailing 15 vessels of the Diamond 53 handymax type, draws on its experience in assigning a similarly extensive program, for 14 examples of the 53,000-dwt design, to Chinese yards. For the industrially-ambitious Vietnamese, who have already made substantial investments in modern shipbuilding equipment and practises, the Graig deal has particular appeal not only for its promise of serial production of one of the most well-considered, future-oriented bulker designs, but also for the broader package which the firm brings to the project.
MMA Graduate Hugs President Bush
In a story reported by the NY Times, Gabriel Whitney says he did not plan to nearly suffocate President Bush in a bear hug. In fact, he did not plan to hug him at all. But when Mr. Whitney, one of 202 midshipmen to graduate from the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y., on Monday, stepped forward to receive his diploma, it just sort of happened. Call it irrational exuberance. But after six years of undergraduate school and 4,872 demerits, Mr. Whitney, 25, of Nashua, N.H., could hardly restrain himself. With more reason than most to be overjoyed, the 6-foot-7 midshipman stepped onto the stage to accept his degree and hugged Vice Adm. Joseph D. Stewart, the academy's superintendent. Then he raised both arms in a victorious salute as his classmates roared their approval.
