Northern Arabian Gulf News

The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard completed a trilateral exercise with Iraqi navy and Kuwaiti navy partners in the Northern Arabian Gulf, August 15.The exercise focused on improving collective proficiency in maritime security tactics between the three nations and ensuring the freedom of navigation throughout the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. Participants included the guided-missile destroyer USS The Sullivans (DDG 68), U.S. coastal patrol ships USS Tempest (PC 2) and USS Chinook (PC 9), U.S. Coast Guard Island-class patrol boat USCGC Monomoy (WPB 1326), Iraqi navy patrol boat P 303, and Kuwaiti navy patrol boat KNS Al-Garoh (P 3725). The Sullivans led command and control of each event throughout the exercise.

1862 - A flotilla under Cmdr. Stephen C. Rowan aboard USS Delaware engages the gunboats and batteries at Elizabeth City, N.C, capturing CSS Ellis and sinking CSS Seabird. 1900 - Commodore Seaton Schroder is appointed the first naval governor of Guam. 1943 - USS Pickerel (SS 177) sinks Japanese freighter Amari Maru off Sanriku. 1944 - USS Pogy (SS 266) attacks a Japanese convoy and sinks destroyer Minekaze and freighter Malta Maru 85 miles north-northeast of Formosa. 1945 - U.S. Navy submarine USS Batfish (SS 310) sinks three enemy submarines from Feb. 10-13.

The guided-missile cruiser USS The Sullivans (DDG 68) provided medical assistance to a vessel in distress in the Arabian Sea, approximately 40 miles off the coast of Saudi Arabia, Aug. 18, while conducting maritime security operations in the area. The three-person crew of motor vessel Abir Alqaray No. 4, a 35-meter Saudi Arabian-flagged dhow contacted The Sullivans by visual means asking for medical assistance for an unconscious crew member. The Sullivans received the request while in the process of assisting another Saudi Arabian-flagged dhow named Pal Khat No. 4 with a casualty to her engine. According to Ensign Elizabeth Decker, conning officer, the crew did not speak English, but it was clear that they were in some form of distress.

The Iraqi navy and the U.S. Navy's Naval Sea Systems Command mark delivery of two 60-meter Offshore Support Vessels (OSV's). The delivery ceremony was held recently at the Umm Qasr naval facility in Iraq. The two OSVs, procured as part U.S. Navy's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Program, will help reconstitute Iraq's ability to enforce maritime sovereignty and security in the Northern Arabian Gulf. "This occasion reflects the important ties that bind our governments and our commitment to supporting s strong coalition partnership that is based on mutual respect and understanding," said Vice Adm.

Dryad Maritime Intelligence has announced the appointment of David Hunkin OBE as their new Commercial Director who will be based at their Operations Center in Portsmouth. In this new role, David will lead Dryad’s commercial business development with some exciting plans for international expansion in 2013. Supported by Dryad’s Executive Board, his remit will be to ensure that Dryad clients remain fully informed and prepared for current and future security challenges. The appointment…

Military Sealift Command oceanographic survey ship USNS John McDonnell was delivered to the Navy Inactive Ships Program in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, for deactivation Aug. 25. Following the deactivation, MSC retains six Pathfinder-class oceanographic survey ships capable of surveying coastal regions and performing full ocean surveys. Construction of a new, more-capable survey ship, T-AGS 66, will start in October. McDonnell's deactivation comes as part of the effort to streamline survey operations. Unlike the Pathfinder class, which is capable of conducting both deep- and shallow-water scans, McDonnell was only equipped with the sensors to conduct shallow-water surveys.

Iraq's recovery depends on oil revenues, and the Khawr Abd Amaya Oil Terminal, better known here as KAAOT and the nearby larger Al Basra Oil Terminal (ABOT), are the platforms upon which Iraq's economy depends. Nearly all of Iraq's revenue comes from crude oil, and nearly all of it leaves the country here. These two crude oil transfer terminals in the Northern Arabian Gulf or 'NAG' can accommodate large tankers carrying Iraq's crude oil output that is pumped to the oil platforms (known as OPLATS) by pipeline from Basra.

Autoship Systems Corporation (ASC) of Vancouver, Canada is pleased to announce a new installation of its naval architecture and ship production software to a shipyard client in the Middle East. HEISCO (Heavy Engineering Industries & Shipbuilding Co.) has chosen ‘The AutoSHIP WORKS Package’ which will allow them to take a new project through the complete design spiral - from hull lines right through to nested parts - in a shorter timeframe. The Marine division of HEISCO was established in 1974 (as Kuwait Shipbuilding and Repair Yard Co.) to meet the needs of the shipping and maritime industry in the Northern Arabian Gulf. Over the years the Marine division has diversified its initial core business activities to meet requests for new engineering projects.