India Today News

BP and Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) today announced the sanctioning of the ‘Satellite cluster’ project in Block KG D6. The companies are moving forward to develop the Block’s discovered deep-water gas fields in an integrated series of projects, bringing new gas production for India. The ‘Satellite cluster’ is the second of three projects in the Block KG D6 integrated development. The first of the projects, development of the ‘R-Series’ deep-water gas fields, was sanctioned in June 2017. Together the three projects will develop a total of about 3 trillion cubic feet of discovered gas resources with a total investment of c. INR 40,000 crore (US$6 billion). They are expected to bring a total c.

Cheniere Energy and GAIL (India) today marked the commencement of their 20-year Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) to supply U.S.-sourced liquefied natural gas to India from Cheniere’s Sabine Pass liquefaction facility in Louisiana, with one of GAIL’s first shipments departing from the facility. The ship will set sail after today’s ceremony to mark the occasion at Sabine Pass in the presence of Cheniere President and CEO Jack Fusco and GAIL Chairman and Managing Director Mr. B.C. Tripathi, who were joined by Consul General Dr. Anupam Ray, as well as representatives from Cheniere and GAIL. The SPA, which was signed in December of 2011, commenced on March 1, 2018.

Following Indianan Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s June 2017 visit to the U.S., where President Donald Trump and PM Modi agreed to deepen the energy engagement between the two countries, India oil companies have started the process of procuring crude oil from the U.S. Now six weeks after the visit, the first orders for $1 billion of crude are being placed. Two Indian oil giants, Indian Oil Corporation and Bharat Petroleum, have already taken delivery of the first 2 million barrels that have shipped from ports in Texas and Louisiana.

Indian Register of Shipping (IRClass), a leading international classification society, opens an office in Alang, India, today. The new office will serve to support its ship recycling initiative in Alang, following on its recent initiative of certifying ship recycling yards according to EU standards as an ‘Independent Verifier’. IRClass Systems and Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (ISSPL), an entity promoted by Indian Register of Shipping, has since certified four leading ship recycling yards in Alang as an ‘Independent Verifier’ in accordance with the requirements of European Union Ship Recycling Regulation (EUSRR) 1257/2013. So far, about 25 ship recycling facilities have approached IRClass for different services which included compliance audit against Hong Kong Convention (HKC)…

Set to expand its footprint in the South Asian market, Hamburg-based United Heavy Lift (UHL) appointed strategically placed Lexicon Overseas Pvt Ltd. as its General Agents in India, to help ramp up operations from Mumbai. With two vessels calling at Mumbai port each month the company has plans to increase the number gradually and add other Indian ports to their schedule. Lars Rolner, Managing Director of UHL who is in Mumbai since last week along with some of the heads of the company’s various divisions said, “India today is whole different country from what I saw in 1985. The industry is set to grow and so the infrastructure in the ports. I find there are large projects just on the doorstep of India, especially the whole Middle East region.

APM Terminals Pipavav (Gujarat Pipavav Port Ltd) and NYK Auto Logistics (India) today announced the commencement of RORO operations at Pipavav Port. Ford Motors India Pvt Ltd dispatched the first lot of its new Ford FIGO built in its Sanand plant in Gujarat for exports. The first RoRo vessel, m.v.Grand Dahlia, berthed at Pipavav on August 26 and loaded 1,300 vehicles. Officials from APM Terminals, NYK Auto Logistics and Ford Motors welcomed the vessel and marked the inauguration of RoRo operations with a simple ceremony held on board. The vessel departed this morning after successful completion of operations. APM Terminals Pipavav currently has three business verticals under its service portfolio which include container, bulk and liquid cargo.

The perception that Indian Ocean is India's "backyard" may result in clashes, Chinese military officials and experts have cautioned. The Indian Ocean cannot be a backyard of India which navies of other countries could not visit, according the Chinese ministry of defence said. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy expands its profile in the Indian Ocean with recent submarine visits to Sri Lanka and more recently Pakistan. Chinese officials rejects India's concerns by emphasizing its motivations were driven by trade and security and not aimed at India, although with one important caveat: it would be a mistake for New Delhi to consider the ocean's international waters as "its backyard".

The intervention of China in the Arabian Sea is increasing with each passing day. China's deadliest attack submarine crept past Indian waters and docked in Karachi. China had made similar visits to Colombo over the last one year, sparking further concerns in the Indian security establishment. According to India Today, China's Yuan Class 335 submarine crossed the Arabian Sea and entered Karachi port on May 22. The submarine with at least 65 crew members reportedly spent at least a week in Karachi refuelling and restocking before sailing back to China. The incident took place less than a week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's wrapped up Beijing trip.

Today, on his historic visit to India, President Obama and Prime Minister Modi announced new, ground-breaking agreements on defense cooperation between India and the United States that promise to open a new chapter in our defense relationship and mark an important milestone in the U.S.-India strategic partnership. By finalizing the renewal of our 10-year framework for the U.S.-India Defense Relationship, we will continue to build on the growing momentum in our defense cooperation over the last decade. This renewed framework will support stronger military-to-military engagement, including deeper maritime cooperation and increased opportunities in technology and trade.

In a fresh bid to make India an enduring strategic partner, U.S. President Barack Obama lands in New Delhi on Sunday for a highly symbolic parade and to nurture friendship with a prime minister who until last year was persona non grata in Washington. Obama will be the first U.S. president to attend India's Republic Day parade, a show of military might long associated with the anti-Americanism of the Cold War, and will host a radio show with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His presence at Monday's procession at Modi's personal invitation is the latest revival in a roller-coaster relationship between the two largest democracies that just a year ago was in tatters.

APM Terminals operated Gujarat Pipavav Port Ltd (APM Terminals Pipavav) and NYK Auto Logistics (India) today announced setting up of a dedicated automobile yard (RoRo) at Pipavav Port. Under the arrangement, NYK Auto Logistics (India) Pvt. Ltd. has been sub-leased land parcels by Gujarat Pipavav Port inside its premises for developing a dedicated common user integrated RoRo terminal with India’s first port based PDI and Vehicle Processing Center. Gujarat Pipavav Port will provide all the port and related facilities to the logistics operator for ensuring smooth and seamless flow of automobile cargo. The Yard is expected to be commissioned in Q2CY15. Commenting on the new business opportunity, Managing Director of APM Terminals Pipavav, Mr.

Essar Ports Ltd. (Essar Ports), part of Essar and one of the largest port companies of India, today announced its audited results for the financial year 2013-13 and for quarter ended March 2014. * Net Profit for the year increased by 16% to Rs. 383.7 crore from Rs. 331.6 crore for the previous year. For Q4 FY14, the Net Profit  reduced by 1% to Rs. 90.8 crore from Rs. 92.1 crore in Q4 FY13. *  Earnings Per Share for the year was Rs 8.97 as against Rs 7.80 for previous year. Earnings Per Share for Q4 FY14 was Rs. 2.12 as against Rs. 2.15 for Q4 FY13. *  Essar Ports board recommends a dividend of 5 % (Rs. by 13% to Rs. 1637.4 crore from Rs. 1448.6 crore for the previous year. For Q4 FY14, the Revenues increased by 5% to Rs 415.5 crore from Rs 396.7 crore in Q4 FY13.

Nupas-Cadmatic, CAD ship design software provider, opens new office in Goa, India and another in Singapore. Nupas-Cadmatic ship design software is a joint-venture product of Numeriek Centrum Groningen B.V. and Cadmatic Oy. The offices were established in response to the rapid expansion of Nupas-Cadmatic in Asia. The main purpose of the offices is to provide services to the Nupas-Cadmatic customers in the region in cooperation with the support team at the head offices in Europe. In India today there are two offices. Where sales management is done from the Mumbai office, support and sales assistance will come from the newly opened Goa office. The Singapore office will participate in providing local support to the Singaporean market.

“We have reached the end of our tether on piracy," ICS Chairman tells India Shipping Summit. “The world community cannot tolerate the abuse and the killing of seafarers,” ICS Chairman Spyros M Polemis told seafarers and maritime industry professionals in India today (Oct 11th), adding that “India and its seafarers have truly been in the firing line”. “This has to stop now. The pirates must get the message that we have reached the end of our tether and that any act of piracy will be severely dealt with,” he told delegates at the India Shipping Summit in Mumbai.

According to a report from India Today, Mumbai's iconic sea link has now turned into a 9,000-tonne headache for Mumbai. The merchant ship that ran aground off Mumbai's Juhu coast may be too damaged to be moved from its present location. The ship was headed for the Alang shipbreaking yard in Gujarat from Colombo.    Source: India Today