Friday, April 24, 2009

DNV calls for improved safety performance in shipping

The global economic crisis is affecting shipping safety performance warns DNV director Bjorn Tore Markussen in Singapore. “More needs to be done on safety training to combat this trend.

"Speaking at the Singapore Maritime Week event, Mr Markussen, who heads DNV Maritime Solutions in Singapore, told the conference audience that over the past six years there has been an increasing incidence of serious navigational accidents in several shipping segments. With more lines switching to “cost-cutting culture,” Mr Markussen is worried about the global economic crisis and the impact it will have on safety performance. “Our research shows that losses from navigational accidents are continuing to increase in frequency and costs, a trend that is also confirmed by the insurance industry which describes 2008 as a ‘black year,’ says Mr Markussen.
Read More

Lloyd's Register - Fairplay Research and IHS Global Insight to host global market trend webinar

Lloyd’s Register - Fairplay Research and IHS Global Insight will host a free Webinar to address how the current economic climate is impacting the shipping industry.

The Webinar will be held on Monday, April 28, 2009 from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. EDT (16:00-17:00 GMT).Experts from Lloyd’s Register - Fairplay Research and IHS Global Insight will discuss possible scenarios that could alleviate or prolong current market conditions, present the latest global and regional trade demand outlook, as well as current and expected supply-side conditions.
Read More

T&T Bisso refloats inland barge

NEW ORLEANS: T&T Bisso has salvaged a 2,000-ton inland barge rig capsized by Hurricane Gustav in southern Louisiana last year.

T&T Bisso's salvage engineers designed a method to right and refloat the inland barge using four derrick barges and a pull barge. T&T Bisso President and CEO W.A. Bisso IV said the rig sustained minimal damage from the hurricane, meaning the company needed to take extreme care in salvaging the barge to mitigate any further damage.The four derrick barges, the 700-ton D/B Cappy Bisso, 600-ton D/B Lili Bisso, 550-ton D/B Big T and the 260-ton D/B Ajax, were positioned around the inland barge to each apply around 250 tons of force.To support the derrick barges, the crane barge Bayou Chief was outfitted with two 600-ton pulling block sets. Crews connected the pulling blocks to the dry side of the rig and, in concert with the lifting derrick barges, righted the rig from the capsized position. The derrick barges then were reconfigured to help in the pumping process to lift the deck of the drill rig above the water. The rig was refloated at the site and safely towed to its owner's base.

Read More

Drydocks World Delivers Multi-purpose OCV

Drydocks World, the global maritime arm of Dubai World, announced the delivery of OSA Goliath, one of the world’s largest multi-purpose OCVs at its Drydocks World – Pertama yard on April 23.

OSA Goliath is built for Coastline Maritime, a prominent Singapore-based group with a 30-year history of vessel ownership design, construction and operation. The vessel dimensions are 590.5 ft by 105 ft by 39.5 ft and 22,000 dwt. It is equipped with DP-3 and a 2,000-tonne crane to install offshore platforms and pipelines in deep waters. In addition to OSA Goliath, Coastline has a similar vessel, Samson, currently under construction at the same shipyard, scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2010.Terry Highlands, CEO of Coastline Maritime said, “Our ships, constructed at Drydocks World – Pertama yard, are the world’s largest multi-purpose offshore construction vessels. The projects could not have been realized without the focus on high safety standards, technical expertise and teamwork evident at the yard.”
Read More

Remontowa delivers new LNG/LPG carrier

Poland: Gdansk Shiprepair Yard (Remontowa) has recently delivered a 117.8-metre LNG/LEG/LPG carrier.

The 7,500-cubic metre 'Coral Methane' was designed as a two-grade cargo vessel for the simultaneous transportation of two cargoes, one cooled and one uncooled. It is intended for the transportation of liquefied gases with a maximum cargo density of 0.65 tonnes per cubic metre in two independent cylindrical type-C tanks, located in separate compartments. The vessel is suitable to carry methane (LNG), ethylene, ethane, propylene, propane, butylene and butene.
Read More