Inside the Subsea Cable Firm Secretly Helping America Take on China
On Feb. 10 last year, the cable ship CS Dependable appeared off the coast of the island of Diego Garcia, an Indian Ocean atoll that’s home to a discreet U.S. naval base.Over the next month, the ship’s crew covertly laid an underwater fiber-optic cable to the military base, an operation code-named “Big Wave,” according to four people with direct knowledge of the mission, as well as a Reuters analysis of satellite imagery and ship tracking data.The new super-fast internet link to Diego Garcia, which has not previously been reported, will boost U.S. military readiness in the Indian Ocean, a region where China has expanded its naval influence over the last decade.The CS Dependable is owned by SubCom…
Battle of Cocos Commemorated
The Governor-General, His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove, His Excellency Dr Christoph Müller, Ambassador of the Republic of Germany, and Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Tim Barrett, travelled to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands to commemorate the action between HMAS Sydney (I) and the German light cruiser SMS Emden, which occurred on 9 November 1914. Sydney was undertaking escort duties for a convoy of First World War ships that departed Albany, Western Australia, on 1 November 1914, and was called to action when the German ship was discovered by wireless telegraphy operators on the Islands. On a windy day on West Island…
Shinas Arrives in Oman
The Sultanate of Oman’s 213-ft. vehicle-passenger catamaran Shinas has arrived in , following its 15-day journey from Austal’s shipyard in . The vessel’s arrival was a proud moment for the Austal team, who have successfully delivered to a world-class vessel which will set new marine transport standards for the region. The vessel made the journey under its own power, making scheduled stops at the Cocos Islands and Mal’e in the . Shinas is the world’s fastest diesel-powered vehicle…
Bulk Carrier Sinks
The Liberian-registered bulk carrier Madona, carrying cement, sank in rough seas early Monday morning in the Indian Ocean after all its crew were rescued, an Australian search and rescue official said. The crew of the 33,000-dwt bulk carrier sent out a distress signal on Saturday afternoon before taking to life rafts as the vessel listed and began to sink. Madona, a 183-meter long vessel built in 1982, sank about 200 nautical miles north of the Cocos Islands, south of Indonesia and west of Australia.
Austal Confirms Auto Express 101 Sale
The 101 m "Euroferrys Pacifica" has the distinction of not only being the largest of Austal's flagship Auto Express car ferries yet to be built, but is also the largest high speed catamaran in the world with diesel propulsion. Austal's Sales Director, Chris Norman, said "Austal's ability to fully customize, and without a doubt, the efficient vehicle handling of the Auto Express design, were principal reasons why Euroferrys chose Austal to develop this very exciting project, in particular, the bow door permits full utilization of the vessel's 340 freight lane meter (at 3.5-m width). The vessel has a sizeable 750 ton dwt and a new Austal design innovation in the garage - a hoistable vehicle ramp to facilitate a mix of vehicle and commercial/freight carriage.
