BHP-Billiton evacuates Neptune TLP

Australian producer BHP-Billiton has removed all personnel from its Neptune tension leg platform (TLP) in the deep-water US Gulf after inspections discovered ‘anomalies’ in the facility’s hull.

According to BHP spokesperson Teresa Wong, visual inspections being conducted in advance of planned start of production from the Green Canyon block 613 platform found the ‘anomalies’, which she added have not been fully defined. The facility is located in about 4250 feet of water. As a safety measure, BHP pulled the project personnel working on commissioning of the SBM-Atlantia-designed mono-column TLP while additional surveys are being undertaken to discover the source and nature of the ‘anomalies’. A number of teams are working at the facility to determine the next course of action. BHP hopes to know more about the situation early next week. The 5900-ton hull of the Neptune TLP was built at the Port Arthur, Texas, facility of Signal International. The project was the first of its kind for the fabrication yard. The $1.1 billion Neptune project has been a source of cost overruns and delays, and was most recently due to come on stream during the first quarter. BHP-Billiton operates Neptune with a 35% working interest. Partners in the development are Marathon Oil (30%), Woodside Petroleum (20%) and Repsol (15%).

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The Gigayacht

Monaco-based Wally Yachts continues to develop innovative concepts and minimalist luxury at a rate exceeding any other marine design house on the planet.

The company's latest is the WallyIsland—a 99 meter (325 feet) "gigayacht" that dwarfs the vast majority of luxury megayachts and reconceives the yacht as a floating personal island, a mobile address that can be used as a home, an entertaining space or even a moving exhibition or show space. Wally Yachts reconceives the yacht as a 325-ft. floating personal island. Over the last ten years, several yachts have been built over the 320-foot mark. WallyIsland is not the first of this new breed of luxury gigayachts—nor is it the largest. WallyIsland looks more like a tanker than its gigayacht brethren, due to the huge 1000m2 main deck area and the fact that is has only three upper-level decks rather than the multilevel arrangements typical on others. It has designed this way to increase open entertaining space and allow large garden spaces, and this sort of design also keeps the cost of the yacht "competitive. The WallyIsland's main deck can include a large, deep swimming pool, garden spaces, tennis or mini soccer grounds, as well as the requisite helipads. It includes sleeping quarters for up to 40 crew and 24 guests as well as the extravagant owner's suites and holds around three-quarters of a million litres of fuel. The interiors feature a main saloon, living/dining room; guest accommodation, library, cinema, spa, wellness and fitness area; service and crew area; and the steering/navigation area.

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Hamburg Süd christens the 'Rio de la Plata', its largest-ever container ship

At the Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) yard in Okpo, Korea, Hamburg Süd has christened the largest-ever container ship in the company's history.

The 'Rio de la Plata' is the first newbuilding in a series of six identical vessels each possessing a slot capacity of 5,900TEU. At a length of 286 metres, the 'Rio' class is precisely one bay longer than the 5,552TEU 'Monte' class vessels. Sponsor of the 'Rio de la Plata' is Marén Schröder, daughter of Dr Ernst F. Schröder, personally liable partner of Dr August Oetker KG, Bielefeld. Following her delivery on April 2, 2008, the 'Rio de la Plata' will initially is phased into Hamburg Süd's Asia - South America East Coast service for a short time before being deployed in the shipping group's Europe - South America East Coast trade. She and her five sister ships will gradually replace the 'Monte' vessels deployed there, which will then connect Asia with South America East Coast. The name chosen for the ship, 'Rio de la Plata', comes from the estuary formed by the major South American rivers Paraná and Uruguay, on which the two key ports of Buenos Aires and Montevideo are situated.

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Hanjin Heavy to form shipyard safety committee

South Korean-owned Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction has said that it plans to form a special committee to monitor compliance of its subcontractors with international safety standards in shipbuilding works.

“We will try to level up safety awareness of all those concerned, including subcontractors, to the extent of international standard. In addition, we will form a special committee to especially monitor and implement safety wise matters,” Pyeong Jong Yu, HHIC-Philippines general manager said. “It was and will be our concern that our employees, including subcontractors must be well aware of what is shipbuilding and its incidental activities,” he added. The company has had a handful of work-related deaths in recent months, including an explosion at its Subic yard in January that killed two workers and injured five others.

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Port fuel incentives will not replace new rules

A possible distillate fuel subsidy scheme in Los Angeles and Long Beach will not replace new fuel rules being considered in California.

The scheme was announced this week by the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach but, if approved this month, would run only until June 30, 2009.
"Most shipping lines will be able to start participating immediately," said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Mario Cordero. The two port authorities expected that new fuel rules from the California Air Resources Board (ARB) would come into play on July 1, 2009. The ARB presented that start date for its main engine distillate fuel requirements at a workshop earlier this month. The agency had intended to seek board approval for the new rules in April. But a spokesperson told the workshop that there were still aspects of the rule that needed further consultation and that it would seek approval in June this year. ARB also noted that it was continuing to evaluate technical issues related to fuel switching and was doing further work on the issue of fuel availability. It estimated, however, that the rules would lead to substantial reductions in particulate matter (PM) and sulphur oxides (SOx) emissions. The two port authorities this week saw their scheme as a means to achieve even faster reductions in the use of fuel oil bunkers and lower ship emissions. The ports have estimated that the additional cost to subsidize distillate fuel could run to $18.5 million.

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