News Services News

Greg Trauthwein, Editor and Associate Publisher, today celebrates his 50th birthday. Since first manning the editor’s desk at New Wave Media’s flagship publication Maritime Reporter & Engineering News in 1992, Greg has helped grow the publishing house’s offering of world leading b2b publications to four print titles and more than a dozen websites and e-news services collectively serving the commercial maritime, subsea industries and energy industries. From all of us at New Wave Media, here’s to wishing Greg the best on a very happy birthday, and many more to come!

An Italian court begins hearings to determine who could stand trial as responsible for the cruise ship disaster. Hundreds of lawyers, scientific experts and survivors from the Costa Concordia tragedy in January are expected to attend the hearing in the Tuscan city of Grosseto, not far from where the giant liner lies beached, according to the ANP/AFT news services. The ship's captain Francesco Schettino, five crew members and three managers from ship owner Costa Crociere are under investigation. The court will review expert findings into the crash before ruling on who, if anyone, should stand trial. Source ANP/AFP

Stratos Global, the leading global provider of advanced mobile and fixed-site remote communications solutions, announced it has been selected by Reederei Claus-Peter Offen (CP Offen) to provide Inmarsat FleetBroadband airtime services for its entire fleet of 122 commercial vessels. CP Offen, based in Hamburg, is one of the world’s largest suppliers of modern commercial ships, including 122 container vessels, tankers and bulkers. CP Offen vessels are chartered by all of the world’s largest operators.

Stratos Global Corporation, provider of advanced mobile and fixed-site remote communications solutions, announced it has successfully deployed an integrated, broadband crew communications solution for SE Ship Management Pte. Ltd. (SESM), one of Singapore’s leading ship operators and managers. SESM is a subsidiary of SE Shipping Lines Pte. Ltd. (SESL). The Stratos solution includes the deployment of its AmosConnect Crew communications application on the Inmarsat FleetBroadband 150 (FB150) mobile satellite platform. The solution is installed on the SESL vessels SE Pelagica and SE Potentia – both of which are heavy-lift, multipurpose dry cargo vessels that operate worldwide. Inmarsat’s entry-level FB150 service combines a telephone connection with simultaneous IP data at up to 150kbps.

According to the Tribune News Service, Egypt's presidential spokesman said that the owners of the Red Sea ferry that sank last week, causing about 1,000 people to drown, did not inform the government of the disaster for nearly six hours. Suleiman Awad said the government first heard from owner Al Salaam Maritime Transport Co. that the ship was in danger at 7 a.m. Friday. Reports indicate that the Al-Salaam Boccaccio 98 sank no later than 2 a.m. Awad said the rescue center was notified after the government and a plane was over the scene of the sinking by 8 a.m. Source: Tribune news services

SailorNews Services (P) Ltd and Rydex Corporation announced an agreement for the provision of news services to Rydex customers enabling seafarers to remain conveniently in touch with their families, and remain abreast with happenings at home and the rest of the world. Under the terms of the agreement, SailorNews will provide news exclusively to the clients of Rydex. With a worldwide network of agents and offices, Rydex currently provides ship-shore communications software and services to ships worldwide. Part of the Inmarsat Ventures plc group since 2000, Rydex enjoys the support of the leading global mobile satellite communications company.

Created just three years ago, Chartco embraces a small company's flexibility and innovative attitude but is supported by a big company bankroll. Dr. Andy Norris, Chartco's managing director, recently spent some time with MR/EN to discuss the present and future of electronic charts. The realization of electronic charts replacing their paper brethren has been slow in coming, to say the least. For a number of technical, political and economic reasons, the fight to develop and implement a universally acceptable solution and standard has yet to be accomplished. This is not to say, though, that tremendous strides have not been taken, as the quantity and quality of electronic charting products and systems has grown exponentially in recent years. Despite the numerous stops and starts, Dr.

Telaurus Communications LLC of Cedar Knolls New Jersey has announced the appointment of Faith Cohen as European Sales Manager. Cohen brings to the newly created position a wealth of experience in maritime communications having spent the last 11 years with maritime service provider TEAMtalk Satellite, formerly known as IMC. She carries with her a broad range of skills having arrived at IMC as the company began its pioneering move to provide news services to cruise market. Cohen has a degree in Business Studies from John Moores University, Liverpool and multi-lingual proficiency in French, Italian, Russian and Hebrew. Based in Liverpool, she will focus on delivering Telaurus’ new, innovative and low-cost communications solutions to maritime communities across Europe.