Marine Link
Friday, March 29, 2024
SUBSCRIBE

Pacific Division News

07 Sep 2016

'A Few Good Men' Thanks for the Leadership!

Michael J. Toohey (Photo: WCI)

Change is inevitable, especially in Washington, DC, and particularly within the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) is a strong partner with the Corps, as navigation is a critical business line within its Civil Works’ mission. Over the last year, we have seen some of the Corps’ best and brightest officers and civilians retire after decades of service to the Army, to the Corps of Engineers, to the inland navigation industry and of course, to the nation.

16 Jun 2016

ABS is Japan's First Foreign RO for Maritime Labor Inspection

ABS has been selected by the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) as Japan’s first foreign Recognized Organization (RO) for maritime labor inspection. Maritime Labor Convention comprises 16 articles, containing general provisions, which consists of five Titles that outline specific provisions grouped by standard. They include minimum requirements for seafarers to work on a ship; conditions of employment; accommodation, recreational facilities, food and catering; health protection, medical care, welfare and social security protection; and compliance and enforcement of ILO Maritime Labor Convention, 2006 (MLC), ratified in August 2013.

04 Sep 2014

ABS Adds First Japanese-flagged Carrier to its Classed Fleet

ABS has added the first Japanese-flagged vessel to its classed fleet after having been awarded the status of a 'Recognized Organization' (RO) by the Japanese government. YAMATOGAWA, a 302,488 deadweight-ton very large crude carrier owned and managed by Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd. ("K" Line), recently transferred flag, a move which made ABS the first foreign classification society to class a vessel flying the Japanese flag. "We are honored to become the first foreign class society to include a Japanese-flagged vessel in our fleet. This is testament to our long-term commitment to delivering the high levels of professionalism that are demanded by the top Japanese shipowners," said Derek Novak, President and COO for ABS' Pacific Division.

25 Oct 2012

Bibby Offshore Invests Millions

BRIL Managing Director Mike Arnold in front of Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV)

Aberdeen-based subsea installation contractor Bibby Offshore has announced investment of around £11million in Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) systems for its latest division, Bibby Remote Intervention Limited (BRIL). Initial investment of close to £4million has been made in ROV systems for Bibby Offshore’s fleet of Diving Support Vessels (DSVs) to bring the service provision in-house, while 46 jobs have been created on and offshore within the division already this year. BRIL has installed Sub Atlantic Comanche ROVs on all three of Bibby Offshore’s North Sea fleet of DSVs…

19 Apr 2012

ABS Realigns Divisional Structure

Houston, Texas - Due to increasing commercial relationship between Dubai, India and Singapore, leading classification society ABS is reorganizing its Divisional responsibilities to improve service delivery. The Middle East Region, headquartered in Dubai and responsible for the society’s activities in the area, will now fall under the ABS Pacific Division, headquartered in Singapore, rather than ABS Europe, headquartered in London. “Given the manner in which the operational, financial and trading patterns are emerging between the entire Middle East region, the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, particularly Singapore and Malaysia…

04 Nov 2011

IMarEST Appoints ANZSPAC Executive Director

Liz Hay, Executive Director of ANZSPAC (Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific) Division

The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) has appointed Liz Hay as Executive Director of its ANZSPAC (Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific) Division. She will combine the position with her dual role as Chief Executive Officer of both the Australian Shipbuilders Association and Australian Ship Repairers Group, which are currently in the process of merging. Based on Australia’s Gold Coast, Liz has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in the Australian maritime sector.

09 Feb 2011

Ferrin Joins TranSystems’ Maritime Group

TranSystems, an engineering and consulting firm that provides integrated solutions for transportation infrastructure challenges to facilitate the movement of goods and people, announced the addition of Frederick (Rick) Ferrin to our Jacksonville, Fla., office. Ferrin brings 22 years of marine experience as both an engineer and port director. In his new role as Vice President, he will focus his efforts on developing business and serving the firm’s clients in the Southeast and Gulf Coast regions. Ferrin comes to TranSystems from the Jacksonville Port Authority where he served as CEO directing all facets of daily port administration, operations, planning, engineering, maintenance, finance, security, marketing and business development.

07 Oct 2010

ABS Forms Greater China Operating Division

ABS announced a major organizational change with the creation of a fifth operating division that will be responsible for the society’s activities in The People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong SAR and Taiwan. The reorganization takes effect 15 October. The Divisional Headquarters will be located in Shanghai where ABS already maintains a large engineering, survey and administrative office. Adam Moilanen has been appointed President of the new ABS Greater China Division. The existing China, Hong Kong and Taiwan senior management teams remain in place and will form the nucleus of the new divisional executive team. The new division, which has been carved out of the existing ABS Pacific Division…

15 Nov 2009

ABS Elects Corporate Officers

Mark A. McGrath (Photo courtesy ABS)

The ABS Board of Directors has elected two senior executives of the classification society to the position of Corporate Officers. Mark A. McGrath currently serving in the appointed role of President and Chief Operating Officer of the ABS Pacific Division and Kenneth L. Richardson who serves as Vice President of Energy Project Development now join the society’s executive management team. Both are ABS veterans. McGrath had previously served as Senior Vice President, Operations for the Pacific Division and has years of experience within that division having served as the Vice President…

07 Oct 2009

Nalen General Manager Valdez Ops Crowley

Photo courtesy Crowley

Crowley Maritime Corporation announced that Charlie Nalen has been named general manager of the company's Valdez operation. In his new position, Nalen will be responsible for the entirety of Crowley's marine operations in Valdez including ship assist and escort services for Alyeska Pipeline Service Company's Ship Escort/Response Vessel System (SERVS). He will report to Bruce Harland, vice president of contract services, Alaska and will relocate from Jacksonville, Fla. to Valdez. Nalen has held a number of related positions during his 29 years with Crowley.

24 Aug 2009

ABS Management Changes in Asia, Middle East

Changes in the management of ABS activities in Asia and the Middle East have been announced by the class society. Veteran Middle East District Manager Joseph Brincat has been promoted to Vice President for the entire Middle East region, including Egypt and Libya, and Pakistan. Brincat replaces Stephen Auger who has been transferred to Busan, Korea as Vice President for the North Pacific region within the Pacific Division of ABS that includes Korea, Japan and the Philippines. Concurrently, the ABS Middle East regional administrative office will relocate from Doha, Qatar to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Responsibility for the society’s activities in Qatar will be handled by Martin Hruska who has been promoted to the position of Country Manager, stationed in Doha effective 1 September.

27 May 2009

ABS New Management in Europe, Asia

Effective 1 July, ABS will introduce new senior management in its Europe and Pacific divisions. At that time, William J. Sember, currently President and COO, ABS Europe Ltd, based in London, will return to Houston as Vice President Global Marketing, responsible for further developing client relations in all sectors. Todd Grove, President and COO of the Pacific Division of ABS will move from Singapore to London, assuming the position of President and COO, ABS Europe Ltd. “Europe remains the center of our shipowner client activity,” said ABS Chairman and CEO Robert D. Somerville. Grove has previously served as President of the Americas Division of ABS and, prior to that, as Vice President Western Europe, based in London.

21 Apr 2009

ABS Restructures Engineering Organization

Effective 1 May, ABS will introduce changes to its global engineering organization designed to improve service delivery to clients and reinforce technical capabilities. The new organizational structure is similar to the approach the society has used to administer its global survey services in recent years and is intended to provide better administration of its ship and offshore engineering services, more technical support to the engineering staff conducting plan reviews and promote greater technical consistency. The key component of this new organizational structure is the creation of Assistant Chief Engineer (ACE) positions within each operating Division, reporting directly to the ABS Chief Engineer Robert Giuffra in the corporate headquarters in Houston.

03 Nov 2003

First Bahamas Flag VLCC Awarded ISSC From ABS

The diversified international shipping group TESMA (Tschudi & Eitzen Ship Management Alliance) with its network of alliance partners servicing more than 80 vessels with full technical management and crew management support has become the latest organization to seek ABS certification and issuance of the International Ship Security Certificate (ISSC) to conform to the IMO’s International Ship and Port Facility Code (ISPS Code). The ABS classed, Bahamas flagged 284,504dwt VLCC "SAMCO" managed by TESMA Singapore Pte. Ltd was successfully audited to the requirements of ISPS Code Part A & B. According to Capt. Hemant Juneja, ABS Pacific Division Head for Safety…

14 Jan 2004

ABS Appoints New Divisional Lead Surveyors

In a move designed to further strengthen its field survey staff, ABS has created a new divisional lead surveyor position in each of the classification society’s Divisional headquarters, serving the Americas, Europe and the Pacific region. Frank Drake, a 26- year-veteran of ABS, has been appointed ABS Americas Divisional Lead Surveyor. His vast field experience, combined with his most recent assignment to ABS Consulting’s SafeHull Condition Assessment Program or CAP, positions him to oversee and provide support to the more than 180 ABS field surveyors assigned to ports in the US, Canada, Mexico and Central and South America. Drake earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Engineering and Technology from Mississippi State University.

07 Apr 2004

Evergreen Achieves Fleet Compliance To ISPS Code

Evergreen Marine Corporation, one of the world’s largest containership operators, has achieved certification to the new International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code for its entire 75-vessel fleet. Auditors from the ABS Pacific Division have played a key role in helping the Taiwan-based container shipping company meet this landmark well in advance of the July 2004 implementation date. The Panamanian-flagged 4,211 teu Ever Develop was the last vessel in the fleet to be certified, completing all requirements by late March. “With other companies struggling to meet the fast approaching deadline, this early compliance to the ISPS code for such a large global fleet speaks to the deep commitment of Evergreen for systems certification in support of safety…

27 Sep 2007

Changes in GL’s Executive Board

Rainer Schöndube, Member of the Executive Board at Germanischer Lloyd AG, will conclude his tenure at the classification society based in Hamburg on 30 September 2007. guests came to his farewell at the Four Seasons Hotel in Hamburg. At the beginning of Schöndube's career, in 1980, Germanischer Lloyd had 535 employees. Today, over 4,100 employees in over 76 countries work for the classification society. During this period Germanischer Lloyd's newbuilding orderbook rose from 1.1 million GT to over 24 million GT. The Fleet in Service which Germanischer Lloyd monitors has grown since 1980 from 16.5 million GT to over 70 million GT. The number of ships under regular supervision has nearly doubled, and currently totals more than 6,300 units.

05 Mar 2007

ABS Announces Middle East and Pacific Management Changes

ABS Taiwan Country Manager Stephen Auger has been named Regional Vice President, Middle East, for the classification society. Auger transfers to the society’s regional administrative headquarters in Doha, Qatar, replacing ABS veteran Roger Shimmin who will be retiring later this year. Shimmin has served as the Regional VP for the Middle East, with management responsibilities for ABS activities in 19 countries stretching from Pakistan to Lebanon, for the past four years. Shimmin and Auger will be working together over the next few months to provide a smooth transition of the administrative and client servicing functions. Assuming the position of Taiwan Country Manager is Steve Hryshchyshyn.

11 Jan 2006

Betro Named Director of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service

Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter named Special Agent Thomas A. Betro as director of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS),Jan. 9, succeeding former Director David L. Brant, who retired in December. Prior to his selection as director, Betro served as NCIS deputy director for operations. “He is the right person for the job," Winter said. Betro, 46, is a native of Walpole, Mass. He received a bachelor’s degree in government from Colby College in 1981 and the following year joined NCIS as a special agent. Since then he has held a wide range of assignments and leadership positions including two tours as a special agent afloat on board the USS John F. Kennedy and the USS Enterprise. He has served overseas in both the Republic of the Philippines and in Iceland.

23 Aug 2002

Nova Group Secures Contract

Nova Group, Incorporated of Napa, Calif., is being awarded an $11,720,000 firm-fixed-price contract for consolidated drydock projects at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Hawaii. Work will be performed at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and is expected to be completed by September 2004 for Project A, and March 2004 for Project B. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with eighteen proposals solicited and two offers were received. The Pacific Division, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii is the contracting activity.