MTN Provides VSAT for Fred.Olsen Fleet
MTN Satellite Communications (MTN) announced that it has signed an agreement with Fred.Olsen Cruise Lines, an international shipping company based in Norway, to outfit its entire fleet of ships, Balmoral, Boudicca, Black Watch, and Braemar, with MTN’s state-of-the-art VSAT equipment and services providing global, reliable broadband connectivity. Under the agreement, MTN will provide services such as OceanPhone calling, StreamXcel, a bandwidth optimization service, toll-free inbound line dialing service for passengers and crew, and credit card processing. Installations on the Black Watch have been completed with scheduled rollouts for the rest of the fleet over the next few months. www.mtnsat.com
Court of Appeals Issues Significant Ruling
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals recently issued a significant ruling benefiting ship mortgagees and other maritime creditors with decisions in two related cases stemming from the bankruptcy of Commodore Cruise Lines (“Commodore”). In one case, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans ruled that AmWest Surety Ins. Co. ("AmWest") and other sureties who provided the $15 million bond required by the FMC for cruise operators calling at U.S. ports to secure refunds for passengers (an "FMC Bond"), had no lien on the Commodore Ships, and also ruled that Harris Trust & Savings Bank ("Harris Bank") which provided credit card services to Commodore under a merchant services agreement (and which provided refunds to passengers), also did not have a lien.
