Accredited Vessel Inspector Scheme Conference
An essential event for all Common Marine Inspection Document (eCMID) and Marine Inspection for Small Workboats (eMISW) stakeholders. The forthcoming Accredited Vessel Inspector (AVI) Conference will be taking place at the Novotel at Schiphol Airport Amsterdam on Tuesday April 25, 2017. This Conference is designed to provide a range of updates to AVIs on the current state and future development of the eCMID system. However, it is open to all vessel inspectors who have yet to be…
Hurricane-Strength Winds Batter European Ports, Traffic
Hurricane-force winds lashed parts of northern Europe on Tuesday, including Germany and the Netherlands, causing flights to be cancelled, snarling some train services and hitting port traffic. The Dutch meteorological office issued a code red warning for the low-lying country's northern and coastal provinces, as gusts of up to 120 kilometres (75 miles) an hour battered the Netherlands. A spokesman for Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, Europe's fourth largest, said 80 flights had been cancelled because the wind had reduced runway capacity. It warned that delays would mount as flight volumes rose later in the day. At Rotterdam, Europe's largest port, two container terminals were closed, with ships forced to queue out at sea.
SBM Offshore Cuts Staff Strength
In light of market conditions and in order to optimise the Company’s cost base, capacity requirements have been reviewed with the objective of creating a productive environment for performing teams and maintaining our core competencies and technological edge. Regretfully SBM Offshore is in the process of releasing approximately 600 contractor staff and an equal number of permanent staff, totalling approximately 1,200 positions worldwide, over the period 2014 and 2015. Workforce reduction plans will vary by country, based on local legal requirements and in close consultation with work councils and employee representatives, as appropriate. The restructuring is expected to generate annualized savings of approximately US$40 million relating to Company employees only.
Landmark ECJ Ruling on Liability Limitation for Cargo Theft
Rotterdam based law firm AKD said a recent landmark decision of the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg definitively puts its weight behind forum shopping to limit liability under the CMR Convention in carrier-friendly countries. This is a boon to the Dutch jurisdiction and specifically comes at the expense of the courts in Germany. The ruling had its origins in a dispute between cargo interests and carriers involving the theft of four consignments of Canon cameras during…
NAUTIS Simulators for Amsterdam Tug & OSV Training Center
Iskes Towage & Salvage signed an agreement with VSTEP for the delivery of two NAUTIS Tug and Offshore Supply Vessel (OSV) simulators. These simulators are the first units purchased for the new Iskes / Damen Training Center, set up in the new office building of Iskes at the port entrance to the ports of the Amsterdam Northsea canal area, close to Schiphol Airport. VSTEP will initially provide a 360-degree NAUTIS Full Mission Tug Simulator and a 240-degree NAUTIS Desktop Trainer to the Iskes/Damen Training Center.
Viking River Cruises Sets World Record: 10 Ships Inaugurated in One Day
Viking River Cruises (www.vikingrivercruises.com) set a world record with the christening of 10 new Viking Longships. “Today is a proud day for Viking and for river cruising. We are honored to showcase 10 of our revolutionary new Longships and to have had such a celebrated group of women helping us christen them,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking Cruises. Guests at the christening ceremony enjoyed remarks by each godmother and a presentation on the growth of river cruising by Hagen.
Swiss Container Line in Rotterdam
Forwarding company Swiss Container Line (SCL), part of the Atlantic Forwarding Group, started its own operations in Rotterdam. It concentrates on shipments between Asia and Europe. Atlantic Forwarding, with 25 branches, ships 90,000 TEU per annum between the two continents and so far Rotterdam was used for a minor percentage. For air freight SCL is going to co-operate with Cargo Masters at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, some 50 miles from Rotterdam.
Text of DHS Ridge Speech
The following is the transcript of the Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, January 12, 2005. Secretary Ridge: John, thank you very much, David. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. It is true as of February 1st I’ll be able to walk through the front door. That’s a good thing. It’s a much abused reference for those who enter public service and then leave it, but I am reminded from time to time, particularly by my children, that there will be a point in time when I get into the back seat and the car doesn’t move. That means I’ve got to get out and get in the front seat and move it myself.
