New ships will boost economy

The Canadian government is going to require more than 100 new ships over the next quarter century to take care of critical assignments overseas and along Canada's coasts.

Canadian government needs a national strategy to ensure that they have a viable Canadian shipbuilding industry. Formulating that strategy is going to be essential to Canadian's maritime security and vital to Canada's economy. Parliament should legislate a plan and develop institutional support for this strategy. Canada is going to need about 133 new vessels of a significant size over the next 25 years, plus refits. The Department of National Defense is probably going to need at least 45 ships, including the modernization of 12 frigates and their future replacement, as well as four new destroyers, eight arctic/offshore patrol vessels and refits for four submarines. A secure shipbuilding industry could play a big part in Canada's economic future.
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Petrobras' FPSO P-54 begins Roncador production

Petrobras' floating production, storage and offloading vessel (FPSO) P-54 went online Dec. 11 on the Roncador field in the Campos Basin offshore Brazil.

Designed to produce 180,000 b/d of oil at peak production, the FPSO will increase the field's installed capacity to 460,000 b/d. Built from the conversion of tanker Barão de Mauá, which belonged to Petrobras' fleet; P-54 is capable of compressing 211.9 MMcf/d of natural gas and storing up to 2 million barrels of oil. The new platform is an addition in the Roncador field to the P-52, which kicked off production in November and is also capable of lifting 180,000 b/d, as well as FPSO Brazil, which lifts 100,000 b/d.P-54 is anchored in 4,593 feet (1,400 m) of water, and will be connected to 17 wells, 11 of which oil and gas producers, while the other six are water injectors. The new platform is expected to reach peak production in the second half of 2008.
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Dec. 14, 1962: Mariner 2 Reaches Venus, an Interplanetary First

1962: Mariner 2 passes to within 21,000 miles of Venus and begins transmitting data back to Earth, making it the first successful interplanetary spacecraft.

The spacecraft was the second in NASA's Mariner series, a program designed for conducting planetary exploration by gathering as much data as possible in the course of a carefully choreographed flyby. Mariner 1 failed shortly after launch on July 22, 1962, when its rocket veered off course and the craft was deliberately destroyed. Mariner 2, launched a month later at Cape Canaveral atop an identical Atlas-Agena rocket, took three-and-a-half months to reach Venus. During its voyage to Earth's closest neighbor, Mariner 2 conducted experiments to measure the density and velocity of the solar winds emitted by the sun. The data sent back helped establish that solar winds stream continuously in interplanetary space. The spacecraft, more accurately described as a probe, was a small, hexagonally shaped box with an array of panels and an antenna attached.
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Commercial fishing with nets prohibited in Western Port

The Minister Responsible for Fisheries, Joe Helper, announced that the commercial net fishing in Western Port Bay is prohibited followed by the commencement of legislative changes on December 1, 2007.

Mr. Helper said licensed commercial fishers affected by the ban have been offered an adjustment package. 'The Rural Finance Corporation is currently working with affected commercial fishers to implement the adjustment package of up to AU$5 million (US$4.4 million). The prohibition on commercial net fishing in Western Port is not expected to have any long-term impacts on the supply of fresh fish across Victoria. Total commercial fish production from Western Port accounted for about two percent of production from State managed fisheries during 2005/06. Long-line fishing will be allowed to continue. The ban on Western Port Bay netting is one of several projects included in the Brumby Government's recreational fishing and boating policy statement, which was announced in 2006.
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Cruise ship holed - passengers stranded

About 1700 passengers, including Australians, from the cruise ship Norwegian Dream are stranded in the Uruguayan capital, Montevideo, days after the accident-prone boat collided with a barge.

Norwegian Dream sustained damage to its bow and forward ballast tank when it collided with the barge on Monday, sending 5 shipping containers and as many as 10 cars into the water. With a two-metre wide hole above the water line and a crack along the upper deck, the ship's passengers were stuck on the ship while the Uruguayan navy attempted to clear the channel. It then limped back to port where it is expected to remain for at least another 12 hours. The ship is due to sail around Cape Horn through similar waters to that of the recent capsizing of the MV Explorer. The passengers have expressed concerns about continuing the cruise and have received no reassurance from Norwegian Cruise Liners about the integrity of the ship to continue an arduous journey.

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Louisiana pipe blast kills motorist

One person was killed and one was injured when Nisource's Columbia Gulf pipeline ruptured near Delhi, Louisiana.

Local police confirmed that a motorist was killed and another injured when the pipeline exploded. All three parallel lines of the pipeline remained shut at the blast site. Pipeline operator Nisouce said in a statement on its website that it had declared force majeure on flows in its Line 100, which was affected by the blast. It said its lines 200 and 300 were also shut in for evaluation. The company said it hoped to resume some deliveries on Line 300 later. The incident took place in northern Louisiana, about 200 miles north-west of New Orleans.
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ABG delivers anchor tug vessel to Egyptian co

ABG Shipyard has delivered its third Anchor Handling Tug Vessel (AHTV) to Egypt-based Maridrive & Oil Services SAE.

The AHTV, named Maridive-229, will assist in the offshore oil and gas field activities of Maridrive on Egyptian shores. The AHTV is 61 metres long and displaces 3,600 tonne fully loaded. It can carry out anchor handling, towing, rescue activities and is capable of moving men and material between platforms and shore. "The delivery of this vessel to Maridive, Egypt, clearly reconfirms ABG's presence in the Middle Eastern oil and gas sphere. The vessel's capabilities are an example of ABG's technological excellence and experience in building the highly specialized and sophisticated vessels. ABG, India's largest shipyard, has delivered over 50 ships in the last five years.
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