Cmdr. Walt Coppeans, Supervisor of Shipbuilding Gulf Coast, officially accepted delivery of Freedom (LCS 1) on behalf of the Navy from the Lockheed Martin/Marinette.
Since Builder's and Acceptance Trials this summer, the Navy and the Lockheed Martin team have been working to prepare the ship for delivery, sail away and commissioning. With acceptance by the Navy, the LCS crew will move aboard and prepare the ship to depart Marinette Marine for Milwaukee, the location of the ship's Nov. 8 commissioning. Upon commissioning, the ship will sail out of the Great Lakes and down the East Coast for Norfolk, Va., making a number of port calls along the way. Prior to delivery, the Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) conducted Acceptance Trials aboard LCS 1 Aug. 17-21. INSURV found the ship to be "capable, well-built and inspection-ready" and recommended that the Chief of Naval Operations authorize delivery of the ship. Because the trials were conducted in Lake Michigan, some ship systems, including aviation and combat systems, could not be demonstrated. Systems not demonstrated during recent trials will be presented to INSURV in early 2009 trials in Norfolk, Va., and in the open ocean.
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Sunday, September 21, 2008
BP may sell CPC stake
BP may sell its share in the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which pumps crude from Kazakhstan to the Black Sea, if it fails to agree with Russia on terms for expanding the line.
The move would trigger a further shareholding reshuffle at the consortium after another member; Gulf Arab state Oman, said it was also looking to sell its stake. Most of the shareholders of the Chevron-led pipeline, which runs to the major Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiisk, have agreed on the expansion terms demanded by Russia, which owns 24% in the consortium as a host state. BP, the only shareholder that still opposes the terms, said it was considering selling the stake if no compromise was found. "This is one of the options to settle the current situation," Vladimir Buyanov, a BP spokesman told. He said BP may sell its stakes in Lukarco and Kazakhstan Pipeline Ventures, which are members of the consortium. BP's stakes in the ventures bring its share in CPC to 6.6%, Buyanov said. Russian pipeline monopoly Transneft, which holds the country's stake in CPC, had long opposed the plan to double the pipeline's capacity from the current 700,000 barrels per day, but it has now dropped its objections. Transneft previously argued that the pipeline yielded low returns and that expansion would add pressure on the already congested Turkish Straits shipping route.
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The move would trigger a further shareholding reshuffle at the consortium after another member; Gulf Arab state Oman, said it was also looking to sell its stake. Most of the shareholders of the Chevron-led pipeline, which runs to the major Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiisk, have agreed on the expansion terms demanded by Russia, which owns 24% in the consortium as a host state. BP, the only shareholder that still opposes the terms, said it was considering selling the stake if no compromise was found. "This is one of the options to settle the current situation," Vladimir Buyanov, a BP spokesman told. He said BP may sell its stakes in Lukarco and Kazakhstan Pipeline Ventures, which are members of the consortium. BP's stakes in the ventures bring its share in CPC to 6.6%, Buyanov said. Russian pipeline monopoly Transneft, which holds the country's stake in CPC, had long opposed the plan to double the pipeline's capacity from the current 700,000 barrels per day, but it has now dropped its objections. Transneft previously argued that the pipeline yielded low returns and that expansion would add pressure on the already congested Turkish Straits shipping route.
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Korean shipowners join international piracy crisis call
The Korea Shipowners’ Association has spoken out over what it calls 'brutal' pirate activities in the Gulf of Aden, including vessels 'Bright Ruby'.
Bright Ruby was hijacked by Somali pirates on September 10 with 21 crews from Korea and Myanmar onboard, and the South Korean-flagged bulk carrier 'Samsun Elory', which was attacked in the region on September 16. In total over 30 vessels have been attacked by Somali pirates so far this year, it notes, and more than 130 seafarers taken as hostages for 'exorbitant ransom'. The KSA says it therefore fully supports the position of the Round Table of Shipping Associations (BIMCO, ICS, Intercargo and Intertanko), which has together with labour body ITF (the International Transport Workers' Federation ) has just issued a call to the UN and IMO for 'urgent action'. The KSA points out that even though coalition warships from the Combined Task Force 150 continue to maintain a presence off the coast of Somalia, 'acts of piracy and armed robbery have continued in one of the busiest shipping areas in the world, owing to its limited reinforcement.
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Bright Ruby was hijacked by Somali pirates on September 10 with 21 crews from Korea and Myanmar onboard, and the South Korean-flagged bulk carrier 'Samsun Elory', which was attacked in the region on September 16. In total over 30 vessels have been attacked by Somali pirates so far this year, it notes, and more than 130 seafarers taken as hostages for 'exorbitant ransom'. The KSA says it therefore fully supports the position of the Round Table of Shipping Associations (BIMCO, ICS, Intercargo and Intertanko), which has together with labour body ITF (the International Transport Workers' Federation ) has just issued a call to the UN and IMO for 'urgent action'. The KSA points out that even though coalition warships from the Combined Task Force 150 continue to maintain a presence off the coast of Somalia, 'acts of piracy and armed robbery have continued in one of the busiest shipping areas in the world, owing to its limited reinforcement.
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Passenger ships- In defence of the most advanced European shipbuilding industry
The members of ASSONAVE, the association of ship builders, repairers and suppliers, met in Rome to review the status of the European shipbuilding industry.
The chairman of the meeting, Corrado Antonini said that all Italian shipbuilding production indices grew in 2007. 32 ships were delivered, 49 were ordered, with an order book amounting to 95 units for a value of Eur 10.6 billion (US$15.21 billion) (Eur 6.8 billion (US$9.76 billion) in foreign transactions). However, Mr Antonini said that the increase of production costs, especially supplies, and the unfavourable evolution of the US dollar/Euro exchange rate have burdened, in Italy and in the rest of Europe, commercial activities and penalized the cost-effectiveness of new buildings. Such factors are affecting, to a decidedly lesser extent, also the Far East, where almost all standard merchant vessels and an increasing share of high-tech ships are now being built. Italy is still known for its quality cruise ship construction, with the highest “per unit” value. Conversely, it must be underlined that the Korean government has shown a totally opposite approach, in a market of global competition, preventing foreign capitals from taking part in the privatization process of the Daewoo shipyard. Within such an environment, the Chairman stated, Italian yards must increase their determination especially in the safeguard of the technological excellence of its products. This includes plant modernizing, industrial research, process and product innovation, protection and training of human resources.
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The chairman of the meeting, Corrado Antonini said that all Italian shipbuilding production indices grew in 2007. 32 ships were delivered, 49 were ordered, with an order book amounting to 95 units for a value of Eur 10.6 billion (US$15.21 billion) (Eur 6.8 billion (US$9.76 billion) in foreign transactions). However, Mr Antonini said that the increase of production costs, especially supplies, and the unfavourable evolution of the US dollar/Euro exchange rate have burdened, in Italy and in the rest of Europe, commercial activities and penalized the cost-effectiveness of new buildings. Such factors are affecting, to a decidedly lesser extent, also the Far East, where almost all standard merchant vessels and an increasing share of high-tech ships are now being built. Italy is still known for its quality cruise ship construction, with the highest “per unit” value. Conversely, it must be underlined that the Korean government has shown a totally opposite approach, in a market of global competition, preventing foreign capitals from taking part in the privatization process of the Daewoo shipyard. Within such an environment, the Chairman stated, Italian yards must increase their determination especially in the safeguard of the technological excellence of its products. This includes plant modernizing, industrial research, process and product innovation, protection and training of human resources.
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