Mitigating the threat

Saturday, December 19, 2009
By: Rondo Docille
Mitigating the threat
I was very interested to learn that shortly after the Maersk Alabama was a second time attacked by pirates, this time thwarted by armed security, the vessel made the news again. Now a number of crew, some wielding lawsuits, are lodging complaints against the master and former hostage turned national hero. This is an interesting turn of events for the ongoing story of the Alabama and worth paying attention to.

The seizure of the Maersk Alabama has had profound ramifications for the crew, the company and the industry. First of all it brought to light the hazards merchant mariners are facing at this very moment in the Indian Ocean and their limited options at self-protection when boarded by Somali militias. Until the Alabama was seized very little attention was being paid to this issue, especially by the media in the United States.

The event also precipitated a major reversal in the stance on arming merchant vessels from one of the largest shipping companies in the world. I remember reading somewhere about Maersk Line’s stance on arms the last time I went through the Gulf of Aden just as things were beginning to heat up. I knew that when ship’s were getting hit a couple hundred miles ahead and astern of us how much more comforted I would be with a few well trained and armed mercenaries standing watch instead of a can of pepper spray and an LRAD. It appears that the A.P. Moller Group now shares my sentiment.

Ship of the Day SAIPEM 7000

Ship of the Day



Saturday, December 2009
SAIPEM 7000

Saipem 7000Today's SotD is world's second largest crane vessel Saipem 7000 (IMO: 8501567, Port of Registry: Nassau, Bahama's) with a lifting capacity of 2 x 7,000 tonnes. Only Heerema's Thialf is larger with its lifting capacity of 2 x 7,100 tonnes, however the crane radius of Saipem 7000 grant a lifting capability of 14000 t at 42 meters while Thialf can only lift 14200 at 31.2 meters; for this reason, the Saipem 7000 retains the world lifting records. The Saipem 7000 is 198 metres long, has a free deck area of 9,000 sq. m. and a transit speed of 9.5 knots. The vessel is equipped with 10 azimuth thrusters for exact manoeuvring, ballast tanks with a total capacity of more than 100,000 cu. m. for lowering the vessel into its position and 2 twin Saipem 7000 model fully revolving bow mounted AMHOIST cranes. She provides accomodation for a maximum of 800 persons in 405 fully AC single or double cabins. The Saipem 7000 was previously known as the Micoperi 7000 and is currently owned by Saipem S.p.A, Italy. She was built in 1987 by Fincantieri, Italy.

The Saipem 7000 arrived last night at Keppel Verolme Shipyards, Rotterdam. She will stay in port for about 3 months.

Rolls-Royce Thrusters for Ultra-Deepwater Ships Published: December 19th, 2009 by Rondo Docille

Rolls-Royce Thrusters for Ultra-Deepwater Ships
Published: December 19th, 2009 by Rondo Docille
drillmax Rolls Royce Thrusters for Ultra Deepwater Ships

Since the upsurge in ordering of drillships, Rolls Royce has been successful in capturing nearly 90 per cent of contracts for thrusters for these high-specification vessels, which will use dynamic positioning to keep position while drilling in ultra deep waters. An example is the Stena Forth.

Many of the owners of this new generation of drillships have chosen Rolls-Royce again to meet their propulsion requirements because they have found the UUC series azimuth thrusters on their existing vessels to be efficient and reliable.

The favoured thruster type is the UUC range in various sizes as these are designed to be mounted and dismounted underwater without needing to drydock the vessel. This of course saves much time & expense when repairs are needed.

Samsung Heavy Industries is building many of these vessels. For example, the three vessel Stena Drill Max series for Stena Drilling all have six of the UUC 455 azimuth thrusters, each rated at 5,500kW. They work in conjunction with the vessel’s Class 3 dynamic positioning system. The recently launched first vessel, Stena Drill max, is to work in the Gulf of Mexico initially, but is also suited to harsh environments such as the Norwegian and Barents Seas. It can operate in up to 3,000 metres water depth.

open ducted thruster main tcm92 11213 Rolls Royce Thrusters for Ultra Deepwater Ships

Seadrill is building three drillships of a Samsung design with double derrick drill package. Rolls Royce is providing the thruster outfit; six azimuth units each accepting 4,500 kW and either operating in the DP 3 dynamic positioning system or giving a transit speed of 11.5 knots. The first of these drill ships, West Capella, is due to start operations in the first quarter of 2009.

Rolls Royce thrusters are also on order for other vessels at Samsung, including drillships for Pride International, Cardiff Marine, Saipem and Tanker Pacific Management.

Transocean has ordered four drill ships for operation in ultra deep waters from Daewoo (DSME) in Korea. Due to start operations in 2009, Discoverer Clear Leader and its companions are enhanced versions of Transocean’s Enterprise drill ships. The first three are scheduled for operation in the Gulf of Mexico and the fourth offshore Angola. All will have Rolls Royce azimuth thrusters; six units each with a total power of 6 x 5,500kW. A UUC thruster equipped drill ship is also on order at DSME for Taiwan Maritime Transport.

Also in Korea, Hyundai is building a drill ship for Global Sante Fe using Rolls Royce thrusters for propulsion and dynamic positioning. This will be an upgraded version of the existing C R Luigs and Jack Ryan vessels.

Apart from equipping drill ships, the UUC range of thrusters are in demand for propelling and positioning many of the semi submersible drilling rigs that are under construction, in some cases together with Rolls Royce mooring systems and Bergen engines.

Rolls Royce is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of azimuth thrusters. The propeller rotates 360 degrees around the vertical axis so that the thruster can perform both the propulsion and steering duties for a vessel, or positioning for a semi-submersible rig, drillship or FPSO.

Ultra deep water is generally considered to be depths of over 800m.

Marine Recruitment, Crew Placements :: 1st Crew.com :: Yacht Crew, Offshore Crew, Marine Crew

Marine Recruitment, Crew Placements :: 1st Crew.com :: Yacht Crew, Offshore Crew, Marine Crew
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Dubai removes shipbuilding arm from restructuring

Dubai removes shipbuilding arm from restructuring
By Rondo Docille
December 10, 2009, 3:17pm

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Dubai World, the state-run company at the heart of the emirate's credit woes, is looking to protect another of its prized assets as pressure mounts on the debt-saddled company to pay back its lenders.

The troubled conglomerate said in a statement late Tuesday that its shipbuilding and repair arm Drydocks World will not be included in a restructuring launched late last month. It added that the unit is in ``constructive dialogue'' with its lenders and has improved its operations in reaction to the global slowdown.

``Drydocks World continues to have sufficient financial capacity to service its debt and remains well positioned to take advantage of the expected improvements in the shipbuilding and offshore industries in the coming years,'' the company said.

Dubai shocked global markets a day before the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday with the announcement that Dubai World would seek a six-month ``standstill'' - effectively a delay - on repaying some of its debt. The company later said it wanted to restructure roughly $26 billion of its debts, and indicated that it might sell some assets to raise cash.

Dubai World initially said its profitable ports and related free zone operations would be exempt from the restructuring, along with its private equity division Istithmar World and Infinity World Holding, the co-owner of Las Vegas' new $8.5 billion CityCenter hotel and casino complex.

Analysts say Dubai World appears to be drawing a line between profitable and other ``good'' assets it hopes to keep and more toxic holdings that are loaded with debt. The company's latest announcement puts Drydocks World in the former category.

Drydocks World runs the largest shipyard in the Middle East, servicing an average of 400 oil tankers and other ships per year, according to its Web site. The yard has been in operation since 1983.

The division has $1.7 billion in debt coming due in 2011, and another half a billion two years later, according to Morgan Stanley research.

Even as it tries to fence off more valuable assets, Dubai is coming under mounting pressure from creditors that have loaned the emirate's web of state-run companies more than $80 billion.

Dubai World's Istithmar lost ownership of the W Union Square New York hotel in a foreclosure auction Tuesday. Istithmar acquired the hotel in October 2006 for $285 million, according to Real Capital Analytics, a data tracking firm.

The W was not the only Dubai World hotel in trouble. The Fontainebleau in Miami Beach is also in dire financial straits. The property's $660 million loan was due in August. Contractors also claim the owner of the historic hotel owes them $60 million.

Filipino sailors send home record $2.5 B in 9 months

Filipino sailors send home record $2.5 B in 9 months
Rondo Docille/ ronald docallos
December 8, 2009, 3:11pm


The cash sent home by overseas Filipino sailors rose by $108 million or 4.51 percent to a new record of $2.501 billion in the nine months to September this year, from $2.393 billion over the same period in 2008, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) reported Tuesday.

TUCP secretary-general and former Senator Ernesto Herrera attributed the nonstop rise in remittances from sea-based migrant Filipino workers to increased enlistment by shipowners in Europe and Asia.

"A growing number of European and Asian shipping firms are disbanding their multinational crews, and replacing them wholesale with all-Filipino personnel that are younger and more able," said Herrera, former chairman of the Senate committee on labor, employment and human resources development.

"Foreign employers find Filipino sailors quick learners, and easier to train compared to other nationals. This may be due to their superior instruction here, apart from their ability to understand English," Herrera said.

Herrera, meanwhile, renewed TUCP’s plea for the International Maritime Organization and shipowners to aggressively repel piracy and protect sailors. At least 71 Filipino sailors are still being held by pirates off Somalia.

According to the Department of Labor and Employment, some 229,000 Filipino sailors are on board merchant shipping vessels around the world at any given time.

From January to September this year, remittances from Filipino sailors based in Norway soared by 110 percent to $229.551 million from $109.079 million over the same nine-month period in 2008.

Remittances from Filipino sailors based in Japan were also up 57 percent to $222.505 million from $141.886 million.

The other fast-growing sources of remittances from Filipino sailors were the United Kingdom, up 122 percent to $192.373; Germany, up 47 percent to $175.067 million; Singapore, up 60 percent to $107.945 million; Greece, up 67 percent to $93.446 million; Cyprus, up 23 percent to $46.390 million;
The Netherlands, up 114 percent to $41.281 million; Denmark, up 182 percent to $28.864 million; Oman, up 24 percent to $24.948 million; Hong Kong, up 33 percent to $24.870 million; and Sweden, up 126 percent to $24.223 million.

The double to triple-digit increases more than offset the 24 percent drop in remittances from Filipino sailors based in the US, to $1.216 billion from $1.595 billion.

IMO publishes new edition of SOLAS

IMO publishes new edition of SOLAS
Rondo Docille
December 10, 2009, 3:14pm


The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has published a new consolidated edition of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), the most important of all the international conventions dealing with maritime safety.

It provides an essential reference for maritime administrations, ship builders, ship owners and operators, shipping companies, equipment manufacturers, training institutes and all others concerned with the SOLAS requirements.

SOLAS is one of the oldest maritime safety conventions, the first version having been adopted in 1914 following the sinking of the Titanic. Since then, there have been four more versions of the Convention.

The present version was adopted in 1974 and entered into force in 1980, and has subsequently been amended many times to keep it up to date.

The SOLAS Consolidated Edition 2009 provides a consolidated text of the SOLAS Convention, its Protocols of 1978 and 1988 and all amendments in effect from 1 July 2009. It includes new regulations adopted since the 2004 edition was published, including regulation V/19-1 on long-range identification and tracking of ships; regulation II-1/3-8 on mooring and towing equipment; and regulation II-1/35-1 on bilge pumping arrangements.

The SOLAS provisions for corrosion protection have been updated and expanded, with the new requirements incorporated in a revised chapter II-1, which includes probabilistic requirements for subdivision and damage stability.

The appendix containing the "form of certificates" includes the fully revised safety certificates for nuclear passenger and cargo ships. The revised "list of certificates and documents required to be carried on board ships" is also included.(EHL)