Internet Portal News

Low solar and wind power supply expectations on Monday boosted European prompt power prices with demand supported by a gradual turn towards colder weather. Point Carbon forecasts showed German solar supply on Tuesday likely to come in at 0.9 gigawatt (GW), down from 1.9 GW on Monday. Wind output was seen rising by 2.3 GW between Monday and Tuesday but only to a relatively low 5.3 GW. German baseload (24 hours) for delivery on Tuesday was 2.6 euros up from the price paid for Monday at 45 euros ($56) a megawatt hour. The equivalent French contract was up three euros at 48 euros/MWh. Average daily 24-hour temperatures will fall by 0.3 and 0.5 degrees Celsius respectively in Germany and France in the period between Monday and Tuesday, likely boosting French consumption by nearly 2 GW.

Dr. Michael Bruno, Dean of the Schaefer School of Engineering and Science at Stevens Institute of Technology, has been selected as Chairman of the Marine Board, under the auspices of the Transportation Research Board ( TRB ) and the National Research Council (NRC). The Marine Board identifies and responds to critical issues in the area of water transportation, port engineering and management, marine policy, offshore development and operations, naval architecture, and maritime economics.

The shipping industry has long been criticized for being slow to adapt to new technologies and taking a reactive approach to market trends. But after several years of stagnant growth, the shipping industry is waking up to the potential of the Internet, according to Thomas Falck, managing director, Visma Marine. Today, the scene is crowded with competing e-commerce initiatives and, some argue, more cash than sense. With the rapid development of new information technologies, the shipping industry has been scrambling to adjust to the new economy. For Visma Marine, the holding company for SpecTec Group, a supplier of fleet management software, the transition is a natural extension of their core business.

Phenomenal is perhaps the only word adequately to describe the rampage of new, integrated e-commerce solutions that have recently swamped the maritime industry. The marine market, which has a solid reputation of following rather than leading technological surges, has gone from "zero to sixty" in record time on the e-commerce front. But while the industry today has a bevy of selections from which to choose — including portals for conducting every transaction conceivable, from fixing cargos to buying bunker fuel, spare parts or a ship's stores — the critical question revolves around not which choices are available today, rather which choices will be available one year from today.

Known as the "Internet Portal for Marine Professionals," MarineTalk.com launched the latest version of its Web site. Maintaining all of the existing features that MarineTalk users have experienced, the site has a variety of new features presenting more information, thus making the site easier to navigate. MarineTalk can now check the industry pulse with a new polling capability, as well as providing an interesting new Internet marketing section with information to keep users up-to-date on the daily changes occurring in the virtual world. At the same time, the company appointed Ralph Fraser as vice president of Marketing and Sales. Fraser has been with MarineTalk since February and brings more than 30 years of program and product launch experience in Marketing and Sales.

Modern Maritime, of Arlington, Va. (MMI), and P and H Marine Associates, supplier of Marine Management System consulting services, Portsmouth, N.H. (P and H), have agreed to terms for a merger of the two companies, effective early March. The new company, which will be known as Modern Maritime, Inc., plans to offer the marine industry with cost-effective solutions to the management of problems encountered through increasing regulatory requirements and a more competitive marketplace. Founded by Captain Jamie Clarkson, MMI is a newly developed Internet portal designed to provide the marine industry with professional services specializing in solutions for safety, quality, and environmental management, regulatory compliance, and Maritime Information Systems.

MOL (America) Inc. has promoted Diana Jackson and JoAnn Yourcheck to Director level positions. Jackson has been promoted to the position of Director, Equipment Control for North America, Caribbean, and Central America. Jackson, who is currently based in Seattle, Wash., will soon relocate to the company’s office located in the Chicago suburb of Elmhurst, Ill., where she will be responsible for managing equipment control functions. Jackson brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her new position, having worked in various capacities for MOL since 1977. Prior to her recent promotion, Jackson served as MOL’s Manager of Operations for the Pacific Northwest region. Additionally, she has worked extensively in the areas of operations, traffic, sales, customer service and documentation.

In a bold move to simplify and expedite the entire ship surveying process, Germanischer Lloyd (GL) has implemented a new, information technology (IT) tool for use by its stations around the world. Heralded as a revolutionary step forward in surveying, the customer-driven initiative is known as TRON, and is intended to replace complicated, time-consuming correspondence with a largely electronically-based surveying process linked to the GL intranet. The value of TRON should be best realized when used in conjunction with 'fleet online', GL's Internet portal. The powerful new instrument of service and operations enables the necessary survey information…

Masters and ship operators are reminded that Phase One of the enforcement process for the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) commences today, October 4. The APIS Regulation was published on April 7, 2005, and requires electronic transmission of passenger and crew information to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) exclusively via the USCG electronic Notice of Arrival and Departure (ENOA/D) internet portal. During Phase One, masters and carriers will only be penalized for failure to submit timely APIS reports. No penalty will be assessed for good faith errors in the submittal. As of October 31, 2005, when Phase Two commences, the APIS submittals will have to be both timely and accurate. (HK Law)

The Coast Guard officially announced its initial deployment of Homeport, an internet portal. Homeport (version 1.0) is the official Coast Guard information technology system for maritime security created to provide information and services to the maritime community and the public over the Internet. Coast Guard Federal Maritime Security Coordinators will use Homeport as a primary means for the day-to-day management and communication of port security matters with Area Maritime Security Committee members, commercial vessel and facility owners and operators, government partners, and the public. Homeport will afford instant access to information necessary to support increased information sharing requirements amongst Federal…