The 'Queen Victoria' arrives at the Port Melbourne

Cunard's luxury cruise ship 'Queen Victoria' has arrived in Melbourne, the first Australian port of call on her maiden around-the-world voyage.

She docked on schedule at 7:00 a.m. at Melbourne's Station Pier. The ship was formally greeted on her arrival at 7:00 a.m. by a water cannon display and a traditional Aboriginal welcome. After leaving Southampton on January 6, Queen Victoria made her inaugural visit to the US West Coast city of Los Angeles before proceeding to Australia. Most of the 2,000 passengers, including more than 360 Australians, have disembarked and are being bussed into central Melbourne, and are expected to generate $1 million for the Victorian economy during their stopover. The 16-deck luxury liner, the second largest in the Cunard stable, offers 13 bars and clubs, seven restaurants including the two-storey Art Deco-style Britannia Restaurant, a cigar lounge, a casino, three pools, a 6,000-book library, including two librarians, and a $2.3 million art collection. Queen Victoria's famous older sister, the 'QE2', will make her 14th and final visit to Melbourne on February 29 during her final world voyage.

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New Towboat from McGinnis, the 'JA Ward'

McGinnis of South Point, Ohio at Mile 318 on the Ohio River delivered a new towboat to sister company Excel Marine of Cincinnati Ohio with a christening ceremony at Ashland Kentucky on January 26 2008.

The 23 by 8-metre boat is the first new build for McGinnis in over 20 years. The new vessel was named in honor of James Allen Ward III who has worked for McGinnis since 1978 and 'oversaw the construction of the $3.5 million vessel.' Main engines on the vessel are a pair of 12-cylinder Cummins KTA 38 M1 engines each with a continuous duty rating of 1050 HP at 1800 RPM and turning 72 by 58-inch props through Twin Disc MG532 gears with 5.96:1 ratios. Cummins 6BT engines power the twin 80kW generators sets. The area distributor Cummins Bridgeway through McGinnis who are a part of the Cummins dealer and service network supplied all engines. McGinnis has 35 boats in their fleet.
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Strong quake kills three, damages buildings in Indonesia

A powerful earthquake struck western Indonesia, killing three people and injuring 25 others.

A tsunami warning was briefly triggered, but no waves were detected. The US Geological Survey said the quake on Wednesday had a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 and struck under the island of Simeulue off the western coast of Sumatra, the region worst hit in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The undersea quake struck at 3:08 pm (1338 IST) some 312 kilometres west-southwest of the North Sumatra capital Medan, at a depth of 34 kilometres. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued an alert saying coastlines close to the epicenter were at risk of a possible tsunami. It cancelled the warning two hours later after no large waves were generated. The quake was felt across much of western and northern Sumatra, where many people led swaying homes and buildings. In coastal areas, residents ran to high ground in fear of a tsunami. There is no possibility of a tsunami hitting any Indian region following the massive undersea earthquake off Sumarta. There have been no changes in the water level in the sea, said the official at INCOIS, which houses the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System.

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Stranded ship strayed too close

The Zhen Hua 10, which stranded at Rotterdam-Maasvlakte, was too close to shore as it waited for get permission to enter the port.

According a survey report of the Dutch Inspectorate of Transport, insufficient engine power (main engine 12,357 kW) and heavy winds – 7 to 8 Beaufort – may have combined to cause the grounding. However, experts point out that the ship – a converted oil/products tanker – had adequate power for a ship of its size operating under normal conditions, and might even have been over-powered for its present use. The Inspectorate suggests further investigation into whether the ships’ master was right to have the vessel with five high cranes onboard wait so close to the coast in such weather conditions. The captain’s counter argument is that he wanted to avoid a collision with neighboring vessels. The findings have been presented to the Dutch disciplinary court of shipping, the Chinese authorities and the Chinese shipping line. It recommends that master’s sail further off the coast or have tug escorts in weather conditions.

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Iran's container handling capabilities boosted

Phase one development of the Shahid Rajaie Container Terminal (SRCT) project in Bandar Abbas, with a handling capacity of some 1.5 million teu, will open tomorrow.

It will be the port's second container terminal and will form part of the SRCT facilities in the Bandar Abbas Shahid Rajaie Port Complex. Shipping facilities in Bandar Abbas are divided into two sections: the new port named the Shahid Rajaie Port Complex (where all containers move through) and the old port called Shahid Bahonar. The SRCT facilities are Iran's main container gateway, handling about 90% of the country's total throughput. Data last year showed current capacity at Shahid Rajaie (Bandar Abbas) at about 1.8 million teu, according to the Iranian Ports & Shipping Organization. Phase one and two developments are intended to boost the port's total capacity to some 3.5 million teu and then 6 million teu. Phase one and two developments include the installation of new handling equipment along with the expansion of the port's operational areas and a deepening of draft levels to accommodate larger ships. It is unclear when phase two will be operational since initial estimates had scheduled for phase one to come on stream early last year and phase two to be ready by 2009.

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Oceaneering earnings splash

Houston subsea engineering and services group Oceaneering International reported record fourth quarter and full-year net earnings on strong demand from the booming deep-water sector in Gulf of Mexico and continued hurricane repair work.

Oceaneering reported full-year net income of $180.4 million, or $3.24 per diluted share, up 45% from net income of $124.5 million, or $2.26 per share, in 2006. Revenues for the year hit $1.74 billion from $1.28 billion previously. The company said it was its fourth consecutive year of growth in its annual earnings. Oceaneering reported fourth-quarter net income of $45.5 million, or 81 cents per diluted share, compared with net income of $29.9 million, or 54 cents per diluted share, in the same quarter in 2006. Quarterly revenues rose to $481.6 million up from 342.4 million in the previous period. Oceaneering chief executive T Ray Collins said the company’s remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) business, its subsea products, subsea projects businesses, and its inspection operation had all achieved record results. He said the gains were due to strong demand and high utilization rates, strong execution by the company and a successful business expansion strategy.

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