Gaffney News

South Carolina Ports recorded 206,859 TEUs at its marine terminals in October, a 1% year-over-year dip, as fiscal year volumes remain above plan. October marked the Port's strongest month for loaded exports since June, with an 18% year-over-year increase.The predicted slowdown mirrors national trends as containerized imports in the U.S. saw a 7.5% year-over-year decrease in October, following the front-loading of imports over the summer months.SC Ports President and CEO Micah…

Indonesia has approved the development plan for the Mako gas field, Empyrean Energy PLC and Coro Energy PLC said.Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) has approved the plan of development (POD) for the Mako gas field at the Duyung production sharing contract (PSC), offshore Indonesia, said a joint statement.Mako is located on the Duyung production sharing contract, which covers 890 square kilometres offshore the Riau Islands province.Tom Kelly, CEO of Empyrean, said: "The POD approval by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources in Indonesia is another important milestone in progressing the Mako Gas Field towards producon.

North Sea player Faroe Petroleum published an independent valuation of its assets by Gaffney, Cline & Associates (GCA), which is said to highlight the inadequacy of DNO ASA's GBP608 million at 152p per share takeover offer.Faroe Petroleum could be worth more than USD1bln (GBP800m) according the review that values the company well above the bid made by Norwegian oil giant DNO. The findings imply a valuation for Faroe itself in the range of 186 pence to 225p per share, representing a 22% to 48% premium to DNO's offer price of 152 pence.The calculation reflects current market oil pricing and "further reinforces the board's view that DNO's offer is opportunistic and substantially undervalues Faroe"…

Low oil prices are denting the take-up of liquefied natural gas as a cleaner source of energy to power ships, and it will be a few more years yet before the fuel makes serious inroads into the marine bunker market. The global shipping sector is under pressure from governments to reduce harmful emissions from vessels, including sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon dioxide (C02), by using cleaner fuels such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) rather than traditional heavy fuel oil and diesel sources. The momentum has increased since December's global climate deal in Paris, but industry officials say it will take time for LNG to grow as a bunker fuel because the infrastructure needed requires heavy investment at a time when companies are slashing budgets.

When Aberdeen-based Diamond Offshore wanted to add new functionality to the existing helideck monitoring system on the Ocean Guardian drilling rig in the North Sea, Fugro developed and delivered a fully integrated, user-friendly solution to fulfill the requirements. Severe weather conditions in the North Sea can cause major disruption to offshore operations so Diamond Offshore and its client wanted to better understand the direct correlation between the wind, waves and the performance of the rig anchoring system, as well as accurate station keeping, particularly during storm events.

Fugro GEOS won a contract award which provides Qatar Shell with support for a seabed water temperature monitoring system. The 5-year contract will ensure round-the-clock support and maintenance of the metocean monitoring system, which is part of the Pearl GTL (gas-to-liquids) project in Ras Laffan, Qatar. Pearl GTL is jointly developed by Qatar Petroleum and Shell. Designed, installed and maintained by Fugro GEOS, the monitoring system is a critical element, providing real-time information to help minimise flow assurance problems in pipelines which link the two Pearl offshore platforms with the onshore plant. Using acoustic telemetry, data are sent from the seabed to the platforms and the system interfaces in real-time with the platform’s control system.

Alaris Companies last month announced it is working with the U.S. Coast Guard to help it decrease energy use and emissions via its fleet energy management program. Maritime Reporter recently visited with Alaris CEO, Bobbi Wolff, and Executive VP of Engineering, Michael Gaffney, to discuss the company, its system and the global trend to minimize maritime’s carbon footprint. Alaris recently won a contract to help the U.S. Coast Guard decrease energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Can you give us an overview of the vessels studied and the findings?

Michael P. Gaffney, Alaris Companies Executive Vice President of Engineering, received the Outstanding Professional Achievement Award from the Alumni Foundation Board of the United States Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point. Gaffney received the award at his 25th class reunion during the Alumni Awards Banquet on October 13, 2011. The Outstanding Professional Achievement Award is presented to graduates who best exemplify the finest tradition of Corps – Acta Non Verba – by attaining personal achievement in their chosen fields.

Alaris Companies (Alaris) is helping the U.S. Coast Guard to decrease energy use and greenhouse gas emissions with its fleet energy management program. Working under a previously announced Michael Baker Jr., Inc (Baker) Department of Homeland Security - Coast Guard contract for Architect / Engineering Services, engineers from Alaris completed an assessment and report for the 110-ft Patrol Boat (WPB) and 225-ft Seagoing Buoy Tender (WLB) class of cutters. Through an energy audit and report…

Alaris Companies (Alaris) is helping the U.S. Coast Guard to save taxpayer dollars, decrease energy usage, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions with a unique fleet energy management program. Working under a previously announced Michael Baker Jr., Inc (Baker) Department of Homeland Security - Coast Guard contract for Architect / Engineering Services, engineers from Alaris completed an assessment and report for the 110-ft Patrol Boat (WPB) and 225-ft Seagoing Buoy Tender (WLB) class of cutters.

Specialty certifications programs are growing in most professions as the knowledge needed to practice continues to rapidly increase. Specialty certification supports the explosion of continuing professional development. The American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) Academy of Coastal Ocean Port & Navigation Engineers (ACOPNE) held its 6th Diplomate Induction Ceremony to honor 21 of its members for their higher education achievement during its annual meeting Monday, August 22, 2011, in San Diego, Calif.

The Marine Vessel Environmental Performance (MVeP) Assessment was presented November 4th, 2010 at the SNAME Annual Meeting. This is the work of SNAME T&R Panel EV-10 previously Ad-hoc Panel 19. Eleanor Nick Kirtley and Tim Leach of the Glosten Associates presented to an audience of about 50. The Glosten Associates also featured MVeP at their booth in the Expo where many conference attendees were able to speak with the presenters and other participants including Matt Winkler, VP of Seaworthy Systems – Roll Royce. In Phase 1, MVeP developed a checklist of environmental impacts resulting from marine vessels. Each impact can be assessed on its own merit, and the compilation of all assessments makes clear the trade-offs of various measures giving a holistic view of the ship’s performance.

The Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works conducted an oversight hearing to examine the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Chairman, Senator James M. Inhofe (R-OK), stated that the purpose of the hearing was to ensure that the Convention is consistent with protecting human health, the environment, and does not adversely affect the sovereignty of the United States. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) pointed out that only by ratifying the Convention will the United States have a seat at the table as the international community makes important decisions relating to issues covered by the Convention. Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) testified that the Convention is largely consistent with current U.S. law, including fisheries conservation and management. John F.

The world's marine insurers collectively lost $3 billion in 1999, Norway's Central Union of Marine Underwriters (CEFOR) said. Cefor's calculation uses the collective experience of marine insurers in Norway - one of the world's major marine insurance markets - and extrapolates the results to the global industry. Cefor's md said that not even in their previous worst case estimates did CEFOR anticipate anything like this. The principal reason for the losses is continuing reduction in insurance premium rates, said Formso. On CEFOR's current estimates, rates in 2000 have dropped to 31 per cent of their 1994 levels. Hvide Marine Inc. Hvide Marine Inc. said last Monday that chairman and CEO Jean Fitzgerald has been hospitalized with a heart condition and was to undergo surgery.

Hvide Marine Inc. chairman and CEO Jean Fitzgerald has been hospitalized with a heart condition and was to undergo surgery Monday. Hvide, which provides marine support and transportation services, said Fitzgerald will be out of the office for at least four to six weeks. During his absence, president and COO Eugene Sweeney will assume responsibility for day-to-day operations and board member James Gaffney will serve as interim chairman.

In the latest of various corporate changes that have occurred at Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Hvide Marine, the company has elected Gerhard E. Kurz as CEO and a member of its Board of Directors. He replaces James J. Gaffney, who had been serving as interim chairman and will now hold the position of non-executive chairman of the board. Jean Fitzgerald, who managed to bring Hvide to new levels by taking the fledgling company out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy, took on Hvide's reins as chairman and CEO following the resignation of longtime CEO, Erik Hvide last year. Fitzgerald, who recently underwent successful heart surgery, will continue to serve Hvide as a consultant and member of its Board.