Noordhoek Orders Vessel

Noordhoek Offshore B.V., based in Zierikzee - The Netherlands, ordered a newbuild diving offshore construction support (DOCS) vessel for itsNorth Western European operations.

The delivery of this new vessel is scheduled for the second half of 2009, followed by its delivery it will join the Noordhoek fleet. This new, state-of-the-art vessel is, specifically designed for efficient diving operations in the harsh North Sea environment. The new vessel will have an 76 metres overall length, 18 metre beam, 100 tonne main crane and accommodation for 70 people. The 12-man, single bell, saturation diving system will utilise the latest technology. The vessel will have Class 2 Dynamic Positioning and be in compliance with the most demanding maritime and environmental regulations worldwide. The vessel’s design will reflect Noordhoek’s 47 years experience of successful diving operations in the North Sea and it will greatly enhance Noordhoek’s diving capabilities.

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Chinese fishing boats sink off Philippines

Two Chinese fishing boats sank in rough seas in a typhoon off the Philippines and at least 12 people are missing.

The ships sank off Palawan island, in the South China Sea, on Tuesday night. Earlier, Chinese official media said Beijing had sent three vessels and a helicopter to pick up more than 700 fishermen left stranded by the typhoon on and around islands in the South China Sea. Typhoon Hagibis, which has weakened to a tropical depression, killed 14 people in the Philippines last week, went west toward Vietnam and then made a dramatic U-turn over the South China Sea before returning to the Philippines. More than 400 fishermen from the southern province of Hainan province and 29 from the Philippines remain stranded in the Nansha area.Storms regularly batter the Philippines. Last year, Typhoon Durian killed 1,200 people and left 120,000 homeless when it crashed through Bicol in December.
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BP fined for oil pollution

British Petroleum pleaded guilty to breaking pollution laws when one of its crude pipelines leaked and spilled oil in Alaska.

BP agreed to pay a 20 million dollar fine because of this, according to the US justice authorities. The company "pleaded guilty today in federal court to a criminal violation of the Clean Water Act for spilling 200,000 gallons (760,000 liters) of crude oil from a pipeline onto the tundra and a frozen lake" in March 2006, the Justice Department, said in a statement. The leak, in the North Slope region, was due to BP's failure to notice signs of corrosion inside the pipes. The company was not charged for a second leak in August 2006 at its Prudoe Bay oil field, since it acted quickly to stop the flow of oil. Around 1,000 gallons of oil escaped in that leak.

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Sunseeker’s new 86 Yacht at London Boat Show

Sunseeker International announces the official launch of the new 86 Yacht at the Collins Stewart London Boat Show at ExCeL.

The introduction of the new 86 Yacht alongside Sunseeker’s new 34 Metre Yacht highlights the company’s impressive product development programme which has produced 6 new models including the new 37 Metre Yacht in just 12 months.
The majestic 86 Yacht has a broad beam and superb accommodation for up to eight people. The new 86 Yacht is typical of Sunseeker’s trademark look and proven deep ‘V’ hull design. The 86 Yacht is a craft of exceptional beauty. The exterior enjoys a sleek profile and extremely elegant lines, suggesting both power and grace. With a choice of powerful twin diesel engine options, this new yacht is capable of speeds in excess of 32 knots.

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Penguin increases fleet numbers

Singapore's Penguin Boat International has taken delivery of a new anchor handling towing and supply vessel, and secured new shipbuilding contracts worth US$32 million.

Earlier this month, Penguin subsidiary Pelican Offshore Services received its second AHTS "Pelican Quest", a 55-metre, 5000 brake-horsepower vessel slated for a long-term charter with an oil company in Asia. In addition to its two AHTS vessels, Pelican owns and operates six high-speed aluminium crewboats, all of which are on charter to oil companies in the region. Meanwhile, Penguin's shipyard subsidiary Penguin Shipyard International has signed contracts to build two offshore crewboats worth around US$7 million in total, and two standby rescue vessels worth about US$25 million in total.

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Nichols Bros still hopeful

A bankruptcy judge has handed US yard Nichols Bros Boat Builders an eight-week reprieve to finish ongoing projects.

Judge Samuel Steiner granted the shipbuilder's request for eight weeks' worth of an operating budget so that 20 staff can continue at its Freeland yard, during a hearing in Seattle. It wants to finish seven ships, including a joint contract with two other yards to build four 144-car, 1,500-passenger ferries for the state of Washington. Washington-based Nichols Bros laid off 185 workers on November 2 and filed for bankruptcy on November 16.
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China warship docks in Tokyo

A Chinese guided missile destroyer has docked off Tokyo in the first port visit by a Chinese warship since the Second World War.

A military band and crowds waving Chinese and Japanese flags welcomed the arrival of the destroyer Shenzhen in the Japanese capital. The highly symbolic visit is being seen as a sign of warming of ties between the two Asian rivals. Admiral Eiji Yoshikawa, Japan's chief of naval operations, told the Chinese delegation that Wednesday's visit showed both countries were making "big strides" in their relations. The port call is part of a planned series of exchanges that will see Japan sending a warship on a similar visit to China later.

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Inmarsat sees China maritime revenue rise

Satellite communications firm Inmarsat’s China maritime business will grow by 8 percent annually for the next few years amid strong demand for satellite phones and systems.

London-based Inmarsat, whose constellation of satellites covers more than 85 percent of the globe, expects strong demand from China’s export and fishery sectors, told Lisa Wagner, head of enterprise business. Satellite systems can help extend the boundaries of wireless networks to areas with unreliable, insecure or non-existent telecoms infrastructure, such as at sea or in remote land areas. These applications can also help fishing vessels communicate among themselves via encrypted messages. Inmarsat, which started in 1979 as an inter-governmental organisation to provide safety and distress communications for the maritime community, makes about 60 percent of its revenue from its maritime business.
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Type 45 destroyer- Diamond to cut the waves

The Royal Navy's newest and most powerful Type 45 destroyer – Diamond, was
launched from BAE's shipyard at Govan, on the Clyde.

Several thousand members of the public attended the launch, including over three thousand local schoolchildren. The Type 45 destroyers are the larger and more powerful replacement for the existing Type 42s. The destroyer will carry the world-leading PAAMS system (Principal Anti-Air Missile System) which is capable of defending a Type 45 and ships in its company from multiple attacks by the most sophisticated anti-ship missiles.
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India on maritime body’s high table

India has been elected to the executive council or governing body of the International Maritime Organization for the term 2008 – 2009.

This signals a change in international perception of India as an emerging maritime trade power. India polled 127 votes, more than the traditional European colonial maritime powers like France, the Netherlands and Germany. This time an election was held for the ten seats on the IMO's high table. Belgium, a new entrant and one of the 11 contenders for the 10 seats, forced the elections, challenging the monopoly of more recognized maritime trading nations. At a time when 98 per cent of global trade is conducted by sea, this victory will ensure India pays closer interest to commercial shipping and the navy.
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CNOOC’s first offshore wind project

China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) has put into operation its first offshore wind power station, built to supply electricity to the Suizhong 36-1 oilfield in Bohai Bay.

The wind power station was built; with an investment of 40 million yuan ($5.4 million).The station kicked off trial operations on 8 November and had generated 200,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity by 26 November. The generating unit was fixed to a jacket structure of CNOOC's Suizhong 36-1 oilfield, 70 kilometers offshore in northeast China's Bohai Bay. A five-meter-long submarine cable links the unit with the central platform of the oil filed for power supply. "This is the first wind power station in the world designed for power supply of offshore oil and gas fields," said Zhou Shouwei, CNOOC's deputy general manager. The Chinese government has been promoting the use of renewable energy, including wind power and solar power, amid efforts to shift from heavy reliance on coal consumption.
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Japan stands by its renewed 'scientific' whale slaughter

Luis Pastene's name is virtually unknown in the anti-whaling countries of the Western world.

It is his work that drives Japan's 'scientific whaling' program, which in turn provoked international outrage. Japan's giant 8030-tonne factory ship, the Nisshin Maru, and three smaller whaling boats, left for the Antarctic Ocean on the biggest scientific whale hunt in history. The fleet is intent on slaughtering as many as 935 minke whales, 50 fin whales, and, crucially, 50 of the vulnerable humpback whales protected by an international moratorium since 1966. Back at the laboratories of the institute, not far from the world's biggest fish and seafood market at Tsukiji, Dr. Pastene and his colleagues will scrutinize thousands of samples taken from blubber, livers, earplugs, ovaries and testes, bones, lungs and even the skin of foetuses borne by cows at the time of their death. The institute is the centre of Japan's scientific whaling program. Critics say its research is a sham designed to allow the country to continue commercial whaling.

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Cruise ship 'Queen Victoria' launched

Fincantieri's Venice-Marghera shipyard held a ceremony to launch the cruise ship 'Queen Victoria', ordered by Carnival Group for its British brand, Cunard Line.

The ship will be delivered at the end of 2007. 295 metres long and with a gross tonnage of around 90,000, the 'Queen Victoria' is one of the largest panamax ships ever built. With 1,007 cabins - including a high proportion of luxury suites and mini suites, of which 864 with a sea view, and the majority with an external balcony, the ship is the natural evolution of the concept of the ocean liner following Cunard's long-standing tradition. Godmother to the 'Queen Victoria' was Maureen Ryan, who has worked for Cunard since 1963. Carol Marlow, President and Managing Director of Cunard Line, and, representing Fincantieri, the Chairman Corrado Antonini, the General Manager of the Merchant Ship Business Unit, Enrico Buschi, and the director of Marghera shipyard, Paolo Capobianco were present at the ceremony.
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Tui sets new production records

Production from the Tui Area Oil Project off New Zealand’s Taranaki coast has set new records, with output last week totaling 345,117 barrels or an average of 49,302 barrels per day.

This is the highest weekly production total to date, joint venture partner New Zealand Oil & Gas (NZOG) said. Since the start of production on 30 July, the Tui project has produced about 4.7 million barrels of oil, with 4.5 million barrels having been shipped, mainly to Australian refiners. These exports have contributed to record New Zealand trade figures for August, September and October. Economists have predicted that Tui production will add 0.3% to New Zealand’s GDP in the September quarter. Australian Worldwide Exploration (AWE) operates the Tui oil field with a 42.5% interest. Partners in the project are Mitsui (35%), NZOG (12.5%) and Pan Pacific Petroleum (10%).

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Launch and naming YN-712 'Toisa Pegasus'

IHC Merwede is proud to announce the launch of a new Diving Support/Offshore Construction vessel for Bermuda based Toisa.

The Launch will take place on Saturday November 24, 2007 at Merwede Shipyard and will be performed by Mrs Lorena Vázquez de Hernández, spouse of Mr José Hernández Cantarell, President CICSA. In March 2006 Merwede Shipyard was granted this order because of its ability to design and offer a fixed price for the vessel including the integration of the complete owner furnished dive spread and cranes within the required short delivery time. The vessel has been built under yard No 712. Merwede Shipyard has developed the ship in close co-operation with Toisa (Owners) and Sealion Shipping (Managers). It will be a fully Dynamically Positioned Construction Class Diving Support Vessel, suitable for worldwide operation. As an enhanced sister vessel to the Toisa 'Proteus', 'Polaris' and 'Perseus', with a fully in-built Saturation Diving System, the vessel can, and will, support a wide variety of subsea operations worldwide.
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MacArthur record to be broken

Dame Ellen MacArthur believes her solo round-the-world record will be broken by one of two Frenchmen this winter.

Francis Joyon, 51, set sail from Brest last Friday in an attempt to regain the record taken from him by MacArthur in February 2005. Both Joyon and his compatriot Thomas Colville, who is yet to leave, are sailing longer boats than MacArthur's B&Q, which should ensure greater speed.The 31 year old Briton says that she expects her record to be broken by one of them. MacArthur set the record of 71 days 14 hours. Joyon, the 24-hour solo speed world record holder, should beat it in his 97ft trimaran IDEC II, which is 20 feet longer than the boat MacArthur used. Colville, who had briefly to postpone his departure on Friday from Les Sables D'Ollones, has a 15ft advantage on MacArthur's B&Q in his boat, Sodebo.
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Keppel awarded conversion contract for first FDPSO

Prosafe Production Pte. Ltd. awarded Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd. subsidiary Keppel Shipyard Ltd. a US$69.3 million contract for conversion of very large crude carrier size tanker MT Europe into the world's first floating drilling production storage and offloading facility (FDPSO).

Following the conversion, the FDSPO will have a storage capacity of 1.4 million barrels of oil and a processing capacity of 60,000 b/d of fluids, or 40,000 b/d of oil, and natural gas compression capacity of 18 MMcf/d. Work on the vessel is expected to be complete by late 2008.The FDPSO will have a moonpool to be used for drilling purposes, with drilling package modules and a derrick integrated into the FDPSO. The drilling packages will be provided by Murphy West Africa Ltd., which awarded Norway-based Prosafe the conversion and operation contract for the FDPSO earlier this month. The estimated contract value of the firm period is US$400 million.

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New reefer container solution significantly reduces CO2 emissions

Maersk Line announces the implementation of QUEST, which will enable a significant reduction in the energy consumption, and CO2 emissions of our refrigerated containers.

QUEST (Quality and Energy efficiency in Storage and Transport) is a software solution, providing a new temperature control regime. Thereby we can cut the energy consumption used for cooling with up to 50 percent without affecting the quality of our refrigeration solutions. Maersk Line estimates that QUEST will lead to CO2 emission reductions of 325,000 tonnes annually when fully implemented during 2008. The solution is the result of a joint development project sponsored by the Dutch Government, and involving amongst others Wageningen University and Research Centre in the Netherlands, and Maersk Line. The solution is innovative and successfully challenges conventional wisdom.
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Explorer crew and passengers safe

All 100 passengers and 54 crew of the cruise ship Explorer are safe, says the ship’s operator and technical manager Gap Shipping.

They have been transferred from lifeboats to Nordnorge with a smaller vessel, National Geographic Endeavour. No injuries have been reported. A statement released on behalf of Gap Shipping thanked Chile’s and Argentina’s Marine Response Coordination Centres, which had been immediately, advised when the accident happened and were kept in close touch throughout the emergency. Gap Shipping praised the MRCC Services for their speedy and professional response and paid tribute to the masters and operators of the vessels, which responded so speedily to this emergency. The operator pledged a full investigation to discover how the hull was damaged.
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Better Ocean monitoring 'vital'

Warming seas, over fishing and pollution mean it is vital to improve the system for monitoring the world's oceans, says a group of distinguished scientists.

More data is needed to ensure the world is able to respond effectively to any potential threats, say the researchers. An "adequate initial system" would include an integrated network of buoys, research vessels, satellites and tagging marine animals. The scientists want the global scheme to be completed within the next decade. The call for action has been made by the Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans (Pogo), which includes many of the world's leading oceanographic research centres. A delegation of Pogo members will make their case at the annual ministerial meeting of the international Group on Earth Observations (Geo) in Cape Town, South Africa. The Pogo delegation will present its case on Friday to the GEO ministerial meeting, which will review progress on the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) and agree a roadmap for the coming decade.

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Pakistan setback for Shell

Shell's much-anticipated Anne-1 deep-water oil wildcat in Pakistan's Offshore Indus area has ended in disappointment.

The well is plugged and abandoned having seen some minor gas shows, says co-venturer Premier Oil .The well was drilled in water depths of more than 1300 metres using the drill ship Discoverer 534 and the target depth was 3250 metres.The Anne-1 wildcat is located in frontier Block 2365-1 (Offshore Indus E), 150 kilometres south of Karachi. The 7400 square-kilometre block was awarded to Shell in 1998, and was the country's first deep-water acreage to be awarded. Anne-1 was Pakistan's second deep-water exploration well. The first was a duster, drilled by Total in Offshore Indus Block G. Partners are operator Shell (25%), Kufpec (12.50), Premier Oil (12.50%), Pakistan's Oil & Gas Development (30%) and Pakistan Petroleum (20%).

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Drydocks World group to become a marine industry giant

Drydocks World, a subsidiary of Dubai World, has announced that it has successfully completed the setting up of a new group under its umbrella.

Drydocks is now firmly established as a leading and expanding international player in ship repair, conversion, new building and other marine related activities. Drydocks World Dubai is the complete amalgamation of Jadaf Shipyard and Dubai Drydocks. These companies started operations in 1979 and 1983 respectively, and, from humble beginnings have grown to become international and regional leaders in their own fields. Jadaf have always served the smaller vessel owners whilst Dubai Drydocks, with the largest repair docks in the world, have focused on the upper end of the market. The present group includes Drydocks World Dubai, which is an amalgamation of Dubai Drydocks and Jadaf, Drydocks World Singapore, formerly Pan United Marine, Drydocks World Batam, a green field development in Indonesia, Platinum Yachts FZ and Platinum Yacht management.

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Two dozen ships help Alang sail again

Alang in Gujarat is swinging back to life.

Once world’s largest ship demolition centre, now a marginal player, Alang is slowly breathing life into itself, thanks to over two dozen junk ships that were beached recently for breaking, after an unusually long break. A ship-breaker from Alang said that Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) is only providing beaching permissions, and that none have received breaking clearance. “At least 25 ships have come to Alang for demolition. However, confusion remains about their dismantling, after the supreme court came up with strict guidelines in October. Both GMB and Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) are yet to begin strict implementation of the guidelines. While India has gone ahead with its own rules for safe ship breaking, International Maritime Organization (IMO) is close to finalizing set of guidelines.
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Salmon suffer in attack of the jellyfish

Northern Ireland's only salmon farm has been wiped out by a freak jellyfish attack.

More than 100,000 fish worth more than £1 million ($2.38m) were killed in the invasion at Glenarm Bay and Red Bay, on the County Antrim northeast coast. John Russell, managing director of Northern Salmon Co Ltd. says that he have never seen anything like this in 30 years, and it was unprecedented and absolutely amazing. The sea was red with these jellyfish and the seven-hour attack last week saw the jellyfish covering a sea area of up to 26 sq km and 11m deep. Scientists cite this as an evidence of global warming.

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DMCC plans world's first LNG contract

As surging energy prices increase demand for hedging tools, the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) is planning to launch a liquefied natural gas future contract on its exchange.

An LNG contract could help invigorate spot trade in the product, which is now sold primarily based on decades-long contracts, and would aid efforts to arbitrage cargoes between Asia and Europe and the United States, where pipeline gas futures contracts are already actively traded. DMCC, along with LNG Impel, is setting up a 40 to 65 billion cubic feet LNG storage facility at a cost of about $2 billion to offer customers the ability to store and trade the product. The exchange is based in the commercial hub of the world's top oil-exporting region, which according to the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association has half the world's petrochemical projects.

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Vizada Launches Fleet Broadband

FleetBroadband service of Inmarsat was officially launched, being a part of Vizada's broadband offering.

Vizada is a provider of mobile and fixed satellite communications solutions for merchant ships, oil & gas platforms, fishing boats and many more. FleetBroadband is the latest addition to Inmarsat's fleet family of services providing simultaneous broadband voice and data. It offers IP services via a standard IP connection at speeds up to 432 kbps over a shared channel allowing email, Internet and intranet access. It also provides videoconferencing, ISDN connection and SMS service facilities.

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Greece funds to prevent Malacca Strait piracy

The Greek government would give $1 million (682,000 euros) to help secure the Strait of Malacca, a vital shipping route in Southeast Asia hit hard by piracy.

Greek Merchant Marine Minister Georges Voulgarakis made the announcement during a meeting of the 162-member UN agency International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London. Voulgarakis hopes other countries would follow the lead of Greece, which maintains the world’s largest shipping fleet. Sea routes connecting the Pacific and Indian oceans, the 805-kilometer strait is the one most affected by piracy. The sum will be deposited into a fund created by the IMO “to improve the security of the straits,” in cooperation with countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia bordering the maritime corridor which handles 30 percent of all sea transport globally.
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Frontline floats above

Frontline, the world's biggest crude oil tanker fleet operator floats above the rest, while the oil tanker sector has been hurt recently by high oil prices and an oversupply of vessels.

Frontline's business model has paid off by converting tankers and selling vessels for big profits, while aggressively maximizing shareholder value through dividend declarations. Its shares have consistently traded higher than competitors have even on days when the stock market was down and other tankers plunged. Frontline's business model works well during strong markets in the short-term but there are risks at the corporate level because the company only owns a limited number of its assets.
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COSCO aims to be a major shipbuilder

COSCO Shipyard Group has reinforced its status as major shipbuilder, booking in US$1.34 billion worth of bulker newbuilding orders for its Dalian and Guangzhou yards.

Main shareholder, Singapore-listed Cosco, had bagged orders for 17 supramaxes of 57,000DWT, worth US$699 million in total, eight 80,000-DWTbulkers for US$400 million and four 92,500-DWT bulk carriers for US$266 million.

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STX Shipbuilding Shares Falls

The world's fifth-largest shipyard, STX Shipbuilding Co., fell the most in two months in Seoul trading after six executives at a unit were indicted for stealing technology from a rival.

The shipbuilder's shares dropped 7.3 percent to 53,000 won at the close. Since Nov.8, the day before prosecutors detained two of the six executives, the stock has fallen about one third. The six executives took files with them when they left Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co. to join STX Heavy Industries Co. The shipbuilder's biggest shareholder, STX Corp., declined 7.2 percent to 88,200 won. Doosan Heavy gained 0.7 percent to 139,000 won after falling as much as 9.1 percent.

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Hanover Express, new mega containership for Hapag-Lloyd

The 'Hanover Express' is one of the world's largest containerships, capable of carrying 8,750 containers.

The new building was named today in Hamburg. Naming ceremonies for large containerships are still something special even in Hamburg and nearly 300 guests from business and politics, including the Mayor of Hamburg Ole von Beust and the Mayor of Hanover Bernd Strauch, attended the event at Container Terminal Altenwerder, at the quays of which the 'Hanover Express' had berthed. The patron was Gabriele Frenzel, wife of TUI's CEO and chairman of the supervisory board of Hapag-Lloyd, Dr. Michael Frenzel. Gabriele Frenzel named Hapag-Lloyd’s latest new building. With her length of 335m and beam of 43m, the 'Hanover Express' has the dimensions of three football fields and is deployed between Europe and Far East.

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Leaking ship passed through Barrier Reef

A foreign container ship, which was leaking a highly combustible gas was allowed to travel through the Great Barrier Reef by Australia's maritime safety bureau.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has released its findings into the journey of the Kota Pahlawan through the Great Barrier Reef, which went ahead despite the ship's master reporting the ship was leaking a dangerous chemical. The German-owned, Liberian-registered ship Kota Pahlawan departed Singapore for Brisbane on June 12, with eight containers on board carrying chemicals known as xanthates, which are used in industry and mining. ATSB report says that a highly flammable and foul-smelling vapour known as carbon disulphide is emitted by xanthates when it is exposed to moisture. The safety body also has called for a review of the international guidelines for the packaging of xanthates.

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Japan’s political brawl for meat

Japan greeted the dispatch yesterday of its largest whaling hunt in two decades with a collective yawn, when factory ship Nisshin Maru and three chaser ships left after its ceremonial departure to newer levels of whaling from Shimonoseki.

Six ships and dozens of men set out to kill nearly 1,000 of the planet's biggest mammals, the largest whaling hunt in two decades. Local media considered the victory of Mizuki Noguchi in the Tokyo International Women's Marathon a more important story. While the rest of the world reacts with fury to these whaling expeditions, Japan shrugs its shoulders and says "What's the fuss?" The government's $1bn campaign to overturn the 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling has been waged largely out of sight. Most Japanese would rather eat hamburger than whale. Hundreds of tonness of whale meat sits in freezers. The Fisheries Agency sees itself as Japan's defender against Western "culinary imperialism" and its right to marine resources. The agency says Japan's low food self-sufficiency – less than 40 per cent – gives it the right to hunt all sustainable sea life, including whales.

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French navy deters Somali pirates

Two ships carrying food aid to Somalia was escorted by the French navy to deter possible attacks from pirates.

The waters off the war-torn country are among the most dangerous in the world. Twenty-six ships, including three carrying food aid, have been attacked this year. In 2007, about 580,000 Somalis have fled their homes due to increased conflict. The country has also been ravaged by drought. The ships transported 3,650 metric tons of food aid from the Kenyan port of Mombasa to Merka, 100 km (60 miles) south of the Somali capital, Mogadishu. France says it will continue its escort operation for two months. World Food Programme Executive Director, Josette Sheeran says that piracy has damaged their ability to reach Somalia's most vulnerable people and they cannot tackle this challenge alone and are grateful to those helping to protect their ships. The attacks have led the WFP to transport some food to Somalia by road, which is far more expensive.

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Ships run aground in TN

A Vishakapatinam-bound private ship ran aground in the wee hours in the district after fishing net was entangled with its propeller on Tuesday.

The crew, which was headed by Captain D Selva was safe and had enough food and water for survival. The vessel "Jasmine", belonging to a Mumbai based company, was towing a barge along, which also ran aground near the beach at Azhagankuppam at around 4 am. Sources say that a tug from Mumbai was on its way to tow the ship back to the sea and if it did not succeed in its mission, the Coast Guard help would be sought. With the help of local anglers, the officials have been keeping in touch with the crew. The ship was on its return from Puducherry after offloading some construction materials for the port there, sources added.

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ICTSI takes over Georgian port operation

The Batumi Sea Port officially handed over the operation and management of the Batumi Container Terminal (BICT) a Georgian Company, to an International Container Terminal Services (ICTSI).

Nugzar Katamadze, BSP deputy director general; Harsh Khare, ICTSI vice president; and the entire BICT management team lead by its general manager and chief operating officer, Tonny P. Bestenbreur, witnessed the handover. BSP and BICT representatives signed the Hand-Over Protocol later in the afternoon. The container terminal handover also includes the rail ferry terminal facilities and the 181-metre general cargo berth, Berth 6. This berth caters to the receiving and loading to an export vessel of metal scraps coming from Georgia and her neighboring countries. The lease agreement to operate and manage the Batumi Container Terminal for 48 years was signed in September 2007.

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Orion a giant of our seas

Orion, an Australian passenger liner has made a major impact on cruising.

One of Australia's unique cruising experiences has been ranked second in a listing of the world's best expedition cruises. ‘The Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising And Cruise Ships 2008’ annual assessment examined about 350 vessels in its search for the best. It ranked Orion Expedition Cruises' four-year-old Orion second behind the Berlin-built Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' Hanseatic vessel, a luxury explorer cruise ship. The assessment focused on two categories: a cruise ship's facilities and as the overall cruise experience. The 104-metre Orion was Australia's only winner in expedition cruise ships. It has proved popular with holidaymakers for its intimate style of cruising. Orion holds 106 passengers and 76 crewmembers and despite the ship's size, there is no lack of choice for its guests. Outside bar areas, boutique shops, a hairdresser, numerous massage facilities, a sauna and ocean-view rooms fill the vessel.

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Oil slips below $94

Oil handed back early gains to stand below $94 a barrel on Monday as investors took profits.

However, concerns over the dollar’s weakness and uncertainties about OPEC’s moves to boost output continued to provide support. US light crude was 51 cents down at $93.34 a barrel at the time of going to press. It raised more than $1 in earlier trade to $95.15.London Brent crude fell 41 cents to $91.21 a barrel, off highs of $92.81. Meanwhile, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission said that speculators on the New York Mercantile Exchange crude oil market had cut their net long positions last week.

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Shipping lines 'losing money' as bunker costs surge

The tremendous rise in bunker costs cause shipping lines to loose money on particular routes.

Ronald Widdows, chief executive of the global container shipping business APL Ltd and chairman of the Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (TSA) said a large part of the industry was operating in the red, even though 2007 had been seen as a good year for shipping. Last week a new system of 'floating surcharges' and upcoming rate increase in a bid to cover bunker costs was announced by TSA soon after Widdows comment, that said TSA members wanted a system that better reflected bunker fuel price fluctuations and that bunker costs are already forcing carriers to cut capacity on trade lanes to the US.

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Transocean lands three-year drillship contract

Transocean Inc. received a three-year contract from Anadarko Petroleum Corp. for ultra-deepwater drillship Discoverer Spirit for operations in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.

The contract is expected to commence in December 2010, immediately following the rig's existing commitments in the region. Estimated contract revenues over the new contract's three-year period are US$569.4 million, or a day rate of US$520,000. The rig, which entered service in 2000, is capable of operating in up to 10,000 feet (3,048 m) of water.

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COSCO Shanghai container centre under construction

COSCO held a foundation-laying ceremony for its Shanghai Container Centre at its logistics park in Nanhui District, Shanghai City.

Deputy Mayor of Shanghai, Yang Xiong and Vice President of COSCO, Zhang Fusheng attended the ceremony on the morning of October 27 and laid the foundations for the project. Integrated Container Development, funded by COSCO Container Lines, has been placed in charge of construction. The operation of the project covers a land area of 232,000m2 and is made up of a container yard, an examination area, four single-storey warehouses and some life. Production related facilities, is designed to handle 500,000 TEU per year.

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Siba sets new record for livestock shipment

Siba Ships have set a new record for livestock shipment, moving 22,100 steers and heifers from Darwin, Australia to Jakarta and Panjang, Indonesia in one shipment aboard the 'Deneb Prima'.

The previous global record on the same ship was 20,900 cattle. It took 36 hours to load the cattle’s on board, weighing 8,000 tonnes and consumed 200 tonnes of feed per day on their voyage. The cattle trade to Indonesia is a vital export trade for Australia and provides a major protein source for South East Asia, says, Mauro Baizarini, chairman of Siba Ships. Siba also began a new regular service this week by shipping one of the largest ever consignments of dairy cattle from Australian shores, from Portland, Victoria, to Mexico. Siba Ships is the Italian ship owning arm of the Baizarini group which specializes in the trading and transportation of livestock. Over more than forty years, the company has transported livestock mainly from Australia to the Middle East, South East Asia and South America.
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Stybarrow to pump its first oil

First production has begun at the Stybarrow Oil Project in permit WA-32-L off Western Australia.

The production has started from the Eskdale field, with subsequent production from the Stybarrow field expected in the coming weeks. Minor production is expected in the initial stage, with a ramp-up period of several months to an expected plateau production rates of around 50,000 to 60,000 barrels of oil a day. The Stybarrow Venture floating production, storage and offloading facility will produce oil. BHP Billiton operates the Stybarrow Oil Project with a 50% working interest with Woodside holding the remaining 50%.
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UAE committed to Opec goals

The President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, addressed the closed-door session of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries at Riyadh, reiterating UAE's commitment to continue supplying oil to the international market.

Shaikh Khalifa attributed the increase in oil prices to the rising consumption, the high taxes imposed by the consumer countries, market speculations and to the fact that some producing countries have become oil importers. He emphasized for developing clean, safe and cheap alternative sources of energy. Opec's role and policy aimed at maintaining the interests of producers and consumers’ as well as maintaining stability in the world oil market was commended. UAE announced that it would contribute $150 million to back up scientific research in the field of energy, environment and climatic change. UAE's pledge was made in a closed-door session of the Heads of State of Opec member countries in Riyadh.
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Japanese whaling fleet heads for Antarctic

The Japanese whaling fleet has left southern Japan for its biggest hunt since commercial whaling was officially banned, aiming at humpback whales from Australian waters to its haul.

The factory ship Nisshin Maru and three chaser ships left after its ceremonial departure to newer levels of whaling from Shimonoseki. Humpback whales have not been legally hunted in the Antarctic since 1963 and never, since the moratorium on commercial whaling came into effect in 1986, have so many whales been earmarked for death. However, under the guise of scientific research 50 humpbacks have been added to the Japanese tally, with 50 giant fin whales, and up to 935 minkes. Tokyo's Institute of Cetacean Research disclosed that the hunt would take place in Antarctic waters south-west of Australia. Research shows that the humpbacks would mainly come from stocks that breed and migrate off the east and west coasts of Australia.
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CKYH Alliance revamps Asia-North Europe services

South Korean shipping line Hanjin Shipping, from early December, has announced restructuring of the Asia-North Europe services in partnership with other CKYH Alliance members, Coscon, “K” Line and Yang Ming.

Hanjin Shipping and the CKYH Alliance not only re-arrange port rotations but also adds two more services and deploys larger vessels ranging up to 10,000 TEU in capacity. The changes to the Asia-North Europe services are intended to raise the schedule frequencies from Asia and add more carrying capacity to meet growing demand between Asia and North Europe.
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Opec loses influence in the oil market

The third summit of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) is to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia tomorrow.

The summit comes at a critical time; against the backdrop of increasing oil prices and heightened tension in the Gulf region. Oil is likely to break the $100 per barrel mark, over the next few weeks- a price that would further increase the revenues of the producing countries but will also put extra burden on the consuming nation economies. The Opec summit will discuss the price issue and its impact on the world economy and will discover instantly that it has little power to moderate the prices in the international market. The reliable flow of oil from the Gulf region has always been the key factor for a stable oil market and a vital interest for the United States and to the whole world. The increase in oil prices is not linked to a shortage of supplies, but is the direct effect of the stand –off between Iran and the US.
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Expansion through IPO

China's shipbuilders are advancing steadily towards global expansion, with at least seven major shipping companies putting IPO plans in the pipeline.

As the Baltic Dry Index that measures dry bulk shipping rates has more than doubled over the past years, China's shipping industry is approaching an all-time high. China Shipbuilding Industry (CSIC) is one of the key players in taking this initiative. Established in July 1999, the state-owned enterprise is China's largest in design, manufacturing and trading of military and civil ships, marine engineering and marine equipment. CSIC also specializes in investment and capital management and is targeting to raise US$900 million on the Ashare market. In addition, China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), another state-owned shipbuilder also founded in 1999, is planning to list on the Hong Kong market. Jiangsu Rongsheng Heavy Industries, Sinopacific, Mingde Nantong, Yantai Raffles Shipbuilding and JES International are the other companies to consider selling equity.
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Shell puts Ursa back in action

Shell restarts its Ursa platform in the US Gulf of Mexico after an extended outage for repairs.

Ursa, which feeds into the Mars pipeline system, was designed to produce up to 150,000 barrels of oil per day and 400 million cubic feet of gas per day. Shell is starting to bring the Ursa platform back online. On 3 November, the nearby Mars platform was shut for planned work but its outage was extended after a small export pipeline leak was discovered. An exact date for the shutdown of Ursa was not disclosed but they pointed out that unrelated maintenance was performed on it and as a result the shutdown was extended to several days. The Mars crude oil pipeline system transports approximately 300,000 barrels per day of deepwater sour crudes to the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port.
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Vyborg Shipyard invest RUR 400 million for expansion and modernization by 2009

Vyborg Shipyard OJSC plans to invest some RUR 400 million into capacity expansion and production modernization by 2009.

Mr. Vladimir Ruskin, Production Director of the yard quotes that the investments are to be used for introduction of a new metal cutting line in order to raise annual cutting by 48% - to 20,000 tonnes and for expansion of painting facilities to raise the volume of painting by 40-50%. Vyborg Shipyard OJSC specializes in construction of sea platforms for development of the fields at the self as well as in construction of small and average capacity vessels.
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China Shipping To Expand Global Presence

China Shipping Group, the world's sixth largest shipping conglomerate by capacity, is seeking diversification to expand its global presence into the cargo terminal business through domestic and international acquisitions.

The shipping conglomerate set to sign another co- operation agreement later this month with a container terminal in Egypt's Mediterranean port of Damietta following a deal sealed with Yingkou Port Group. It plans to take a 20 percent stake in the terminal. The group is eager to increase its presence in the port business globally and will inject assets acquired into CSCL, the group's cargo shipping spin- off. The president of China Shipping Group, Mr. Li Shaode says that they not only consider Yingkou Port as one of the most profitable ports in China but they are also heeding the 17th Communist Party Congress call to help build and strengthen related industry in northern China, which can benefit their business at the same time. China Shipping Group intends to go ahead with CSCL's A-share listing and the proceeds will be used to build more ships and acquire ports.
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Karoon enters into new agreement for Timor acreage

Karoon Gas of Australia has entered into agreement with Woodside Energy to buy its 66.67% interest in permit AC-P8 in the Timor Sea for A$1 million (US$900,238).

The permit offers good exploration potential due to its location in an existing oil and gas producing area and its close proximity to several large oilfields, including the Woodside-operated Laminara and Corralina fields. The AC-P8 permit contains two prospects and at least three leads that need to be further defined prior to any drilling decision, said Karoon. The purchase is conditional on approval from the current partner in the acreage Talisman Oil & Gas and the extension of the permit for a further five-year term which will be sought post completion, both of which Karoon expects to be satisfied.
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GE Marine Turbine to Power Turkish Navy Corvette

GE Marine will supply MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH, Friedrichshafen, Germany, with one LM2500 gas turbine.

MTU will incorporate the LM2500 into a Combined Diesel and Gas turbine (CODAG) configuration to power the Turkish Navy’s new MILGEM multi-purpose corvette. The new MILGEM corvette will have an overall length of 99 meters with a displacement of 2,000 tons. The corvette’s CODAG system will feature one LM2500 gas turbine and two MTU diesel engines for total propulsion power of 30,000 kilowatts. Maximum ship speed will be 29 knots. The gas turbine will be manufactured at GE’s Evendale, Ohio facility, and will be delivered to MTU Friedrichshafen in late 2007 for integration into the CODAG propulsion system. Construction of the first MILGEM class corvette is currently in progress at the Turkish Naval Forces Istanbul Naval Shipyard.

EU project to plug LNG as ship fuel

The use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as marine fuel for ships is underway in its promotion by an EU clean fuels pilot project. is underway to promote the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as marine fuel for ships.

The aspiring hopes for the Marine Fuel Gas Logistics project (Magalog) to take off as industry players begin showing interest amid growing international pressure for shipping to clean up its emissions. The main aim of Magalog is to encourage the design, construction and use of ships capable of running on LNG, which offers massive emission reductions compared to conventional bunkers. There are many potential applications for LNG. It could be used in short sea shipping, fishing vessels or by the coast guard. Experts says that LNG as a ship fuel is very suitable for vessels operating on the same route for long periods, such as ferries and vessels engaged in coastal and inland work. LNG also offers economic advantages such as making coolers or pre heating of engines redundant. The success of LNG as a ship fuel will finally come down to price and the support of government in the form of funds and help for the LNG infrastructure to meet ships refueling needs.
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Container shippers impose Asia-US fuel surcharges

Container shipping lines plying the busy trade route between Asia and the United States to be imposed fuel surcharges immediately to offset surging oil prices.

The Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (TSA) container carrier group, representing 14 shipping firms that sail from Asia to US ports, said that members would seek to impose the full surcharge on bunker fuel in ongoing contracts at Singapore. The new contracts starting from 2008 will be subjected to the floating surcharge, according to its website, which ranges from $545 per 20-foot container, up to $860 per 45-foot container for the month of November. Bunker fuel prices in Singapore, the world's top ship bunkering port, have climbed 70 per cent this year to around $478 a tonne, after an all-time high $508 last week when oil futures hit a record over $98 a barrel. TSA members comprise NOL's American President Lines, CMA CGM, Cosco Container, Evergreen Marine, Hanjin, Hapag Lloyd, Hyundai Merchant Marine, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Mitsui O S K, Nippon Yusen Kaisha, Orient Overseas, Yangming Marine, Mediterranean Shipping and Zim Integrated Shipping. The TSA and its counterpart the Far Eastern Freight Conference, which covers Asia-Europe, say they do not set container freight rates as that would constitute an illegal cartel in most countries. The group looks at factors such as economic growth and fuel costs and then recommends price adjustments and each shipping line has its own rates.
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MPA awarded contract for joint venture

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has awarded a contract to a joint venture comprising Penta Ocean Construction, Koon Construction and Transport, Hyundai Engineering and Construction and Van Oord Dredging and Marine Contractors, to develop 16 new container berths at Pasir Panjang.

This project increases 14 million TEU to Pasir Panjang Terminal's container handling capacity. Singapore's continued development as a major hub port and maritime centre will be more enhanced through the expansion of port facilities, which will enable the port to capture the growing container handling business. The contract is valued at some S$1.92 billion (US$1.33 billion) Work will commence in the last quarter of 2007, and will take about six years to complete.
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Australian Marine Group unveils new logo

The Australian International Marine Export Group (AIMEX) has released a new logo it hopes will bring a greater national focus on the organization.

It is the first time since AIMEX was formed that the logo has been updated by the body which represents over 100 leading Australian marine exporters. The new logo features a kangaroo, Southern Cross star formation and simplified wording 'Australian Marine Exports'. The logo was developed over the past few months and has been designed to ensure it provides instant recognition as 'Australia' when seen in the international arena.

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Container vessel damages San Francisco Bay Bridge

The U.S. Coast Guard received a report of a container vessel Cosco Busan collision with the San Francisco Bay Bridge.

The vessel was out bound with a pilot onboard at the time of the collision. The vessel reported damage to the forward left side and bulk fuel was leaking from the vessel. Visibility was limited during the time of the collision due to fog. U. S. Coast Guard and San Francisco Police Department are enforcing a 100 foot safety zone around the vessel and the fuel in the water and CALTRANS is assessing the San Francisco Bay Bridge. The vessel is currently being moved to Anchorage 9.

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Golden Ocean sells vessels

Golden Ocean Group Limited has agreed to sell the six panamax newbuildings contracted in March 2007 at Pipavav in India.

The vessels are sold for net sale proceeds of $352.8 million and delivery to the buyers is expected to take place between March 2009 and July 2010. Golden Ocean will initially receive $70.6 million of the purchase price. The transaction will give a positive result of approximately $127 million, and this will be recorded at delivery of the vessels.

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Dredging of port mouth of Pondy to begin soon

The dredging of the mouth of Puducherry Port would be taken up by the Kerala State Maritime Development Corporation (KSMDC) following the signing of memorandum of understanding with the Port Department.

The dredging of 1 lakh cubic metres of sand would be taken up by engaging TSD Sindhuraj, a shallow draft trailer suction dredger making the mouth navigable for vessels. The dredger is expected to start from Quilon in Kerala by November 15 and arrive in Puducherry by November 22. It has a hopper capacity of approximately 200 cubic metres and can make a minimum of 5 load trips a day to dump the dredged sand in deep sea. Dredging would continue till a minimum depth of 3 metres. The work is expected to complete by four months at a cost of Rs 2.87 crores.

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Toxic ship fumes kill many

Ships pumping out toxic diesel fumes kill tens of thousands of people in Europe, Asia and the United States each year reveals a study conducted by American Chemical Society.

As many as 60,000 people living in coastal communities along major shipping routes died from lung and heart complaints as a result of high sulphate emissions from ships in 2002, according to the report. With international maritime trade on the rise and little regulation of ship emissions, death toll could rise to as many as 82,000 by 2012, says the report.

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DCNS signs agreement for Russian submarines

French shipbuilding company DCNS has signed a contract with Russian shipbuilding science and research institute, providing technological cooperation in submarine design.

DCNS Company is known as designer of nuclear submarines of Barracuda type and diesel-electric submarines with anaerobic engine of Scorpene type. The contract on technological cooperation between Russia and France is the first one in the submarine field and suggests further cooperation in the military and technical sphere of two countries, launched by buying 90 French thermal imagers for Russian T-90 tanks.

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Seatrade honors maritime champions

Companies, organizations and individuals that have excelled high standards and quality in shipping issues were honored at the prestigious annual Seatrade Middle East and Indian Subcontinent Awards held in Dubai.

The Seatrade Outstanding Achievement Award went to Jamal Majid Bin Thaniah, Executive Vice Chairman of DP World Dubai and CEO, Ports and Free Zone World. The Seatrade Lifetime Achievement Award went to Sir C.P. Srivastava, former Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization.

Almost 60 companies and organizations were short-listed for the awards which recognize maritime safety and the environment, ship and port operations and efficiency, security and financing. The awards were presented at a high level gala dinner attended by around 800 senior executives of the region’s maritime and related industries that took place at the Al Johara Ballroom, Madinat Jumeirah, on 5^th November 2007. The scheme celebrates and rewards excellence and innovation by individuals and organizations across the region over the previous 12 months said Chris Hayman, Chairman and Managing Director of Seatrade.

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COSCO Pacific buys 20% stake in Suez Canal terminal

COSCO Pacific Limited announced that it bought a 20% stake in Suez Canal Container Terminal S.A.E. from Egyptian International Container Terminal.

Suez Canal Container Terminal, located at the North end of the Suez Canal, is a part of the east port area of the Port Said. It lies on the shipping lanes of all the major lines to and from Asia or Europe to the Mediterranean Sea. The terminal has been put in operation since October 2004 and has a total area of about 600,000 square meters, four deep-water berths and a total quay length of 1,200 meters. The second phase of the terminal will make it's capacity to 5.1 million TEUs and the terminal is expected to achieve a throughput of 1.75 million TEUs in 2007.

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Drydocks World geared up to expand

Drydocks World, a subsidiary of Dubai World, has announced that it has successfully completed the setting up of a new group under its umbrella.

It is now firmly established as a leading and expanding international player in ship repair, conversion, new building and other marine related activities. Those in the group at present include Drydocks World Dubai, which is an amalgamation of Dubai Drydocks and Jadaf, Drydocks World Singapore, formerly Pan United Marine, Drydocks World Batam, a green field development in Indonesia, Platinum Yachts FZ and Platinum Yacht management. Hamed Bin Lahej, COO of Drydocks World, explained that the huge investment in Drydocks World Dubai will further establish Dubai as a major maritime hub. This ship repair, conversion and new building group will be able to service vessels of any shape or size from VLCC's, offshore structures right down to water taxis and privately owned pleasure craft.

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Govt clears OCT for Mumbai port

The government approved the development of Offshore Container Terminal (OCT) at Mumbai port with an estimated investment of Rs 1,228 crore.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the development of offshore container terminal on BOT basis at Mumbai port, under license agreement to be entered into by Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) with the BOT operator informed Finance Minister P Chidambaram. MbPT would enter into a licence agreement with a consortium of Gammon India, Gammon Infrastructure and Dragados SPL, Spain. The total cost of the OCT project is estimated at Rs 1,228 crore. The investment by the BOT operator would be Rs 862 crore and the investment by Port to carry out works under their scope would be Rs 366.39 crore.

The capacity addition due to implementation of this project would be Rs 9.6 million tonnes per annum. It would facilitate the Mumbai port to bridge the capacity gap in Mumbai region along with JNPT.

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Maersk announces new reefer container

Maersk Line has announced the implementation of QUEST, which will enable a significant reduction in the energy consumption and CO2 emissions of refrigerated containers (reefers).

QUEST (Quality and Energy efficiency in Storage and Transport) is a software solution, providing a new temperature control regime. The reefer container can cut the energy consumption used for cooling with up to 50% without impacting the quality of refrigeration solutions. Maersk Line estimates that QUEST will lead to CO2 emission reductions of 325,000 tonnes annually when fully implemented during 2008. Traditionally, containers maintain a constant supply air temperature in the reefer container, a process that uses high amounts of energy. QUEST, however, focuses on the temperature of the transported commodity.

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Mitsubishi to re-launch shipbuilding

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will return to building large passenger ships next year for the first time since it suspended such operations after an October 2002 fire on a vessel under construction.

Amid soaring popularity in Europe and the US for cruise vacations, demand for new construction of large passenger ships is expected to total about 30 vessels over the next three to four years. Mitsubishi Heavy will begin taking orders next year for large cruise ships with more than 1,000 cabins costing about US$873 billion each. US cruise operator Carnival and others are said to have approached Mitsubishi with interest in placing shipbuilding orders.

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DNV and COSCO reach strategic agreement

DNV and COSCO Shipyard Group signed a Strategic Cooperation Agreement at the Word Shipping (China) Summit 2007, marking the cooperation between COSCO and DNV have entered into a new phase.

Under the new agreement the two parties are committed to work further to enhance the competence on commercial ship repair, conversion, newbuilding and offshore classification. Technical support services and training through DNV Academy are also covered by the new agreement valid to 2012. The agreement was signed by Bjorn K. Haugland, DNV Vice President and Regional Manager for Greater China, and Wang Xingru, General Manager of COSCO Shipyard Group.

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GE Shipping signs contract for new vessels

Great Eastern Shipping Co Ltd said the Singapore unit of its subsidiary, Greatship (India) Ltd, had signed a contract for building 2 new multi-purpose platform supply and support vessels.

The contract has been signed between Greatship Global Offshore Services Pte Ltd, Singapore and Mazagaon Dock Ltd. The multi-purpose platform supply and support vessels are of 4,600dwt. These vessels are expected to join the company's fleet in the second half of the year to March 2010. The statement also said with this order, Greatship (India) and its subsidiaries have a building order book of 16 new offshore supply vessels and one new 350 feet jack-up rig.

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African oil companies plan JVs in India

African oil majors Sonatach, Nigeria National Petroleum (NNPC), Sudapet and Petrosen are all set for an Indian JV.

While India is eyeing oil and gas resources in 25 African nations including Libya, Nigeria, Algeria, Sudan and Egypt, visitors would explore joint investment options with Indian companies like ONGC, IOC, GAIL and RIL. Africa accounts for around 10% of global oil reserves and six countries Nigeria, Libya, Algeria, Angola, Sudan and Egypt hold 95% that reserve. Total crude oil production in the continent is about 10,410 barrels per day (bpd), which accounts for 13% of world’s production. Over 100 delegates from 25 African nations are expected to participate in the two-day event starting from November 6 in New Delhi. The two-day event will be inaugurated by minister of external affairs Pranab Mukherjee. The event has been jointly organised by the petroleum ministry, FICCI and UNCTAD.

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