Keel-laying of the 'Celebrity Eclipse'

The first block of the new 122,000GT passenger cruise vessel ‘Celebrity Eclipse’ was put in place at Meyer Werft for Celebrity Cruises, USA.

Executive Vice President Maritime & Newbuilding, Harri Kulovaara, Vice President Newbuilding Christer Schoug and Project Director Jarmo Laakso of Celebrity Cruisesput down the traditional lucky coins in the new part of the dock of the shipyard before the first block of the new ship was lowered. This first block weighs approximately 550 tonnes, and measures 16 metres in length, 36.8 metres in breadth and 8 metres in height. The ‘Celebrity Eclipse’ has a length overall of 317 metres, a breadth of 36.8 metres, and will be able to operate at a speed of more than 24 knots. More than 2,852 passengers will be accommodated in 1,426 cabins. This class of ships features plenty of technical innovations. It will contain numerous energy-saving systems, and is built in line with the latest stability regulations. The ‘Celebrity Eclipse’ is the third ship in a series of five for Celebrity Cruises. Delivery is scheduled for 2010.

Read More

Saudi-based offshore facility fabrication yard begins work

Dammam: Saudi Aramco's Offshore Projects Division recently began fabrication activities for four offshore platforms at the newly constructed STAR Fabrication Facility at Dammam, Saudi Arabia's King Abdulaziz Port, the first offshore facilities fabrication yard in the kingdom.

The yard is performing work from a new long-term agreement contract awarded to a consortium between Snamprogetti Saudi Arabia Ltd. and Saipem, TAQA, Al-Rushaid Fabrications Co. Ltd. (STAR). The agreement required the contractor to build a full-service fabrication yard and offshore support base in the kingdom capable of constructing the company's increasing number of offshore well platforms and pipelines. The STAR facility, which will directly employ about 900 workers, covers 3.23 million square feet (300,000 sq m) and is capable of fabricating 15,432 tons (14,000 tonnes) of structural steel per year. The entire facility was engineered, procured and constructed in just over one year. Northern Area Projects Department manager Abdulaziz I. Fallatah said, "In addition to advancing Saudi Aramco's business objectives, this new state-of-the-art facility also achieves the company's goals of stimulating the Saudi economy and developing Saudi nationals in the highly skilled offshore fabrication industry." Training of the initial group of Saudi nationals in skilled crafts has begun in earnest and Saudi Aramco said it is proceeding according to plan.

Read More

Linking Indian, French navies

Kochi, India: The French Navy is in consultation with navies of many countries, including India, in developing interoperability as part of its effort to carve out a mechanism to fight piracy at sea, Jerome Bonnafont, Ambassador of France to India, has said.

Captain Herve Blejean, commanding officer of the 13,000-tonne carrier that is on a six-month around-the-globe-voyage with 119 cadets, including 14 females and some foreign cadets, on board, said the problem of piracy had grown when there was not much navy participation in fighting piracy. “However, the French Navy has been able to apprehend over 25 pirates, including eight last night, after it got actively involved in this task. Indian naval ships have also done commendable work in neutralizing bids by pirates. The legal aspect of fighting piracy — bringing pirates to book — is very complicated, but we have a strong resolution from the United Nations in this regard,” he said, pointing out that in an anti-piracy offensive launched by Jeanne D’ Arc off the Somali coast on April 11 last year, 30 hostages were freed and six pirates arrested. In order to coordinate against threats of piracy, narcotic traffic, human trafficking and the like, a special communication device was deployed to connect Indian and French navies. “This is mainly to exchange operational data,” he said. As regards the French presence in the Indian Ocean, the Captain said the French continued to deploy at least two frigates here because the north of Indian Ocean faced a few issues and the French wanted this area to stabilise.

Read More

AEMTC and GL Academy to collaborate for maritime training

Mumbai: Anglo-Eastern Maritime Training Centre (AEMTC) and GL Academy have signed an agreement for collaboration on advanced maritime training.

The cooperation marks the beginning of an extensive collaboration to work jointly on a post-graduate diploma course in naval architecture. Additionally, value-added seminars and workshops for the maritime industry will be provided. The first GL Academy course on "Ship Structures II" will be held in February. Further topics are scheduled for 2009. AEMTC was set up in 1994 and today is an international training institute catering to personnel for the maritime and offshore training sectors. It uses modern methods of teaching including simulation, hands-on workshop training, and web-based learning and assessment systems.

Read More

Korean and Indian shipyards rethink and restructure

Shipyards in Korea and India are rethinking and restructuring in a bid to hold out during the credit crunch.

In South Korea, the scale of restructuring is evident, though analysts say that the “first round” of restructuring had not been dramatic. They say that a large scale second phase would begin in February. The world’s largest shipbuilding market is set to concentrate on business diversification, and may choose to build high value-added ships and offshore plants since smaller firms have so far not expressed any enthusiasm for this sector. And while large shipbuilders may be unable to get the finances to upsize themselves at the moment, they see this time as a chance to widen South Korea’s lead over Chinese shipbuilding. Meanwhile, failed South Korean builder C& Heavy Industries, which was liquidated has now been presented with three options. The first could be to reject financial support offered and rebuild the business independently by securing some US$10 million in funds and US$104 million in investment capital. The second option would be for the builder to allow the courts to restructure the business. The final option would be for the company to sell off to a third party. The South Korean government is keen to withdraw C& Heavy from the market and is heavily promoting restructuring to other yards.

Read More