Travel Expenses News

Royal Caribbean International said on Tuesday it would require unvaccinated guests over 12 years of age traveling from Florida to show proof of insurance that covers COVID-19 related medical expenses, quarantine and evacuation.The new policy comes after two unvaccinated teenagers tested positive on its Adventure of the Seas ship and two others were infected on its Celebrity Millennium earlier this month, for which the cruise line took care of expenses.One of its trips, aboard the brand ship Odyssey of the Seas…

Norwegian maritime equipment and technology giant Kongsberg Maritime has received Approval in Principle from Bureau Veritas for its Dynamic Positioning Digital Survey (DPDS) application.Kongsberg says that its DPDS application digitizes all the data derived from the DP Annual tests, carried out in accordance with IMO MSC Circ 1580 guidelines and IMCA M 190, to verify the performance and redundancy of the vessel-specific DP system. This encompasses the complete installation necessary for dynamically positioning a vessel…

The owner and Chief Executive Officer of a South Korea–based company, DK Marine, that provided ship husbanding services to the U.S. Navy pleaded guilty for his role in a bribery conspiracy.Sung Yol “David” Kim, 49, a citizen of the Republic of Korea, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery before U.S. District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith of the Eastern District of Michigan. Sentencing has been scheduled for November 17, 2020, before Judge Goldsmith.Pursuant to his guilty plea…

Each year, the International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) sponsors the Rhodes Academy Submarine Cables Writing Award for a deserving paper addressing submarine cables and their relationship with the law of the sea. With the award, the ICPC seeks to foster scholarship regarding submarine cables and the law of the sea and promote the rule of law as applied to submarine cables. In 2018, the selection jury chose Ms. Liao Xuexia of China as the winner for her paper titled: “Protection of Submarine Cables against Acts of Terrorism.”Each year…

Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) informs that its Chairman, Andres Alcantar, recently visited the San Jacinto College maritime training center to present a $368,173 Skills Development Fund grant for maritime job training. The TWC Skills Development Fund grant will fund training for 195 mariners from Buffalo Marine Services, G&H Towing Co., Higman Barge Lines Inc., and J.A.M. Distributing. Since the start of the San Jacinto College maritime program in 2010, approximately 2,500 U.S. Coast Guard certificates have been awarded to mariners. TWC explains that having a local maritime training center saves companies travel expenses. In the past, mariners were sent out of state for similar training.

Robin Poppenhouse, an operations administration generalist at Huntington Ingalls Industries' (NYSE:HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division, has been elected to the board of directors for Special Olympics Mississippi. She will replace former Ingalls Shipbuilding president Irwin F. Edenzon, who will step down from the board after the Special Olympics 2014 USA Games, which will take place June 14-21 in New Jersey. "When I first volunteered for the Special Olympics Summer Games in 2009…

Huntington Ingalls Industries say they recently donated $25,000 to Special Olympics of Mississippi. The check was presented at an event in Jackson and will help with travel expenses for Mississippi athletes and families to attend the Special Olympics USA Games, which will take place in June in New Jersey. "Ingalls Shipbuilding fully supports the Special Olympics, and this donation will go a long way in providing these Mississippi athletes and their family members what they need to be able to compete in the national games," said Ingalls Shipbuilding President Irwin F. Edenzon.

The Ship Inspection Report (SIRE) programme developed by the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) intended that tanker inspection reports should be shared by all OCIMF members. They are not. The cost of inspections should be shared by both parties. They are not. And to make matters worse, ship operators often have to pay the costs of luxury travel for inspectors. INTERTANKO's Chairman, Graham Westgarth of GasLog Ltd, who had been re-elected for a third two-year term as Chairman of the Association…

SeaOrbiter, the first space station of the sea, is launching a crowd funding campaign on KissKissBankBank to finance the construction of the “Eye” of the vessel, to start in spring 2014. The Eye of the SeaOrbiter will be 18 meters (59 ft) high above the surface of the sea, with the overall vessel measuring 58 meters (190 ft). It will support the crow’s nest and the suite of communications systems that will allow the team to broadcast their adventures live. Life aboard, explorations, discoveries, and great scientific advancements will all be documented through the Eye’s technological prowess.

Interns in the At-Sea Technical Internship Program work as marine technicians aboard sea-going research vessels that are part of the University National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS), the United States Coast Guard, and the Ocean Exploration Trust. The MATE Center and the University National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) are accepting applications for the 2014 MATE/UNOLS six-month internship through December 2, 2013. Applicants must be ready to enter the job market in the field of marine technology with academic studies complete or near complete.

As one of a few training institutes in the Netherlands, Rood Boven Groen has been certified by ILT to teach the new IMO recognized training Security Awareness en Designated Security Duties according to STCW’78 including the 2010 Manila amendments. After successful completion of the course the participants will receive the certificate for either Security Awareness or Designated Security Duties. From the January 1, 2014 both certificates are compulsory for all crew on ships sailing under the ISPS Code. From November 5-8, 2013, Rood Boven Groen offers the course Security Awareness training for the first time in combination with the basic safety training in Enkhuizen (The Netherlands). This is the basic, minimum training for all seafarers.

Calhoon MEBA Engineering School pioneers two more distance learning programs. Where others wonder if it can work, CMES is up and running – miles ahead of the pack. On the heels of its already highly successful Crowd Management Online, and Crisis Management and Human Behavior Online courses – both intended primarily to satisfy STCW training requirements for the cruise and passenger ship sector – the Calhoon MEBA Engineering School has rolled out two new National Maritime Center (NMC) approved Online Deck Officer Course Programs. The online programs designed to help deck officers renew or upgrade their licenses, Radar Renewal ($225) and Flashing Light ($100)…

Costa Crociere announced a compensation proposal for guests that have returned home after the Costa Concordia accident on January 13. This proposal is also the result of negotiations that Costa Crociere began with the consumer associations protecting guests’ interests, and with the support of multiple tourism/travel-industry associations. In Italy, the company has already reached an agreement with the National Council of Consumers and Users, a nationally representative organization. The families of the deceased and guests who were injured and required medical treatment on site will be covered under a separate proposal that will take into account their individual circumstances. • reimbursement of expenses onboard during the cruise.

The Frank C. Munson Institute of American Maritime Studies at Mystic Seaport has been awarded a “We the People” grant of $166,094 from the National Endowment of the Humanities (NEH). The grant will support “The American Maritime People,” a six-week college and university teacher institute for 25 participants on American maritime history from the colonial era to the present. As the third NEH Institute offered at Munson, the 2010 course will build on the latest research in studies of the sea, providing teachers with the opportunity to enhance course offerings by studying the influence of maritime activities on U.S. history and culture.

Sino-Global Shipping America, Ltd. (NASDAQ:SINO) a non-state-owned provider of shipping agency services operating primarily in China, announced its selected unaudited financial results for its third fiscal quarter of 2009 ended March 31, 2009. •    Revenues were $3.3m, an increase of 8.4% from $3m in the third quarter of 2008. •    Gross margin was 24.2%, compared to 12.3% in the third quarter of 2008. •    Operating margin was -7.5% in the third quarter of 2009, compared to 9.3% in the third quarter of 2008. •    On April 27, 2009, Sino-Global announced that it had established branch offices in the ports of Yantai and Yingkou, enabling the Company to offer a full range of shipping agency services in two additional ports that serve approximately 8.7 million people.

Sino-Global Shipping America, Ltd. (NASDAQ:SINO) a leading, non-state-owned provider of shipping agency services operating primarily in China, announced selected unaudited financial results for its second fiscal quarter of 2009 ended December 31, 2008. Revenues were US$4.5 million, an increase of 7.7% from $4.2m in the second quarter of 2008. Gross margin was 9.4%, compared to 20.9% in the second quarter of 2008. Basic and diluted losses per share were US$0.30, compared to basic and diluted earnings per share of US$0.20 in the same period in 2008. Despite the global economic downturn, the number of ships served increased to 47 from 44 in the second quarter of 2008.

The National Transportation Safety Board has sent an investigator to Jamaica to assist in the investigation of today's fire on board the Bermuda registered cruise ship Star Princess. The United Kingdom's Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) will lead the investigation. "This is an important industry for the United States because every year millions of Americans enjoy their vacations on board cruise ships. We appreciate the opportunity to work closely with the MAIB in this investigation," said NTSB Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker. The NTSB will participate in the investigation under the provisions of the International Maritime Organization's Code for Investigation of Marine Casualties and Incidents. All information regarding the investigation will be released through the MAIB.

A $7.1 billion authorization for the U.S. Coast Guard’s fiscal year 2004 activities was unanimously approved by the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on June 25. The measure approved was a manager's amendment of the bill as introduced. It authorizes the agency to expend $7.1 billion during FY 2004. Monies are specifically authorized for review and approval of vessel and facility security plans. Non-tank vessels over 400 gross tons will be required to have oil spill response plans, similar to those required of tank vessels. The liability provisions of OPA 90 are conformed to those found in the Superfund legislation. The measure now goes to the full House for consideration.