Wavefield set for Timor Sea work

A major 3D seismic survey is expected to start before the end of March across the Oilex-operated Block 06-103 in the joint petroleum development area shared by East Timor and Australia.

Oilex said that the Maura 3D survey was awarded to Wavefield Inseis vessel Geowave Champion. The survey will cover 1657 square kilometres and is expected to start in the first quarter of 2008 dependent on the vessel’s current work commitments. "With the purchase of modern third-party 3D data and the addition of the new 3D data to the existing data set, the JV (joint venture) will have a comprehensive seismic database over the entire prospective area of the block by mid 2008," the Australian company said. Oilex added it is hoping to drill two wells in the fourth quarter this year. The partners are operator Oilex (25%) and Indian trio Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (25%), Videocon Industries (25%) and Bharat Petroleum (25%). The block is located immediately to the east of the Laminaria, Corallina, Kakatua, Kuda Tasi and Elang discoveries/fields and to the north of the Bayu-Undan gas and condensate field.
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Major maritime event for Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s second major exhibition and conference will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from March 12 to 14, 2008.

China Maritime 2008 is again being organized by Baird events, one of the world’s leading maritime publishers and exhibition organizers. China maritime have again garnered the support of the Hong Kong Shipowners Association, the Hong Kong Marine Department, the Hong Kong Maritime Industry Council and all the Baird publications fleet of maritime magazines. “China Maritime is an event for the whole international maritime community”, said organizer Kishore Navani. It is aimed at owners and operators of vessels of all shapes and sizes and their builders and suppliers, he said. The exhibition will showcase the latest in maritime, shipping, port technology and services from around the world. Hong Kong

is one of the world’s top three maritime centres. It is rapidly becoming even more so Chinese and Japanese shipowners flock to relocate themselves in the world’s free commercial centres.

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Moose Boats delivers first 'M1-44'

Moose Boats, an aluminum boat manufacturer, recently delivered a new model named the 'M1-44' to the Naval Militia in New York.

This vessel is the first of its kind and was designed to meet mission-specific needs for New York State's Division of Military Naval Affairs (DMNA) headquartered in Latham, NY. The vessel is presently berthed at the United States Coast Guard Sector 1 on Staten Island, NY. DMNA took possession of the vessel, which is operated by the New York Naval Militia's Emergency Boat Service. The 'M1-44' is a robust offshore 13.5-metre aluminum catamaran powered by twin Cummins QSC 8.3 ltr 447kW turbo diesels and is propelled by Hamilton 322 water jets. This vessel features BlueArrow fly-by-wire controls, which is an innovative electronic steering system manufactured by Hamilton Jet. The waterjets' proven maneuverability is enhanced by the ease of the 'mooseboat' control device mounted at the helm, which allows the operator directional and speed control for low speed and docking maneuvers. The vessel's mission will include maritime safety, security, environmental response and protection of high value assets in the ports and waterways of New York State in co-operation with the United States Coast Guard and other state, local and federal agencies.
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Yacht company turns focus to super-sizing

Yacht solutions plans to upgrade its customization service by modifying and refitting old commercial vessels into super-yachts.

Yacht Solutions plans to upgrade its customization service by modifying and refitting old commercial vessels into super-yachts. I would like to enlarge this business in Thailand. So my company will set up a big facility in Bangkok in order to complete our objective,' managing director Gareth Twist said last week. The company started by retrofitting a 52-metre vessel and converting it into a super-yacht in Bangkok last year. It recently received an order to renovate a 60-metre vessel into a floating palace with a swimming pool, elevators, Jacuzzis, theatres, karaoke rooms and 12 bedrooms. "Super-yachts worldwide are being sold for US$6 million [Bt200 million] to $120 million, according to their size. The target customers are the wealthy, agents and brokers of super-yachts, but the company does not anticipate much local business in the beginning. There is some interest from Southeast Asia, particularly Hong Kong and Singapore, in having the company decorate super-yachts. Yacht Solutions offers yacht management, project management, yacht agency and yacht charter services.
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Philippines to ban single-hull vessels in April

The Philippines will ban single-hull oil tankers from its waters from April, two years earlier than planned, after the worst oil spill in the country's history and a separate leak in South Korea.

Vessels carrying "black" petroleum products such as crude oil and bunker fuel won't be allowed to dock at ports from April 1 without a double hull, said Transportation Undersecretary Len Bautista in a phone interview from Manila. The single-hull crude oil supertanker Hebei Spirit caused the worst spill in South Korea's history last month after a crane causing it to lose 66,000 barrels of crude oil, about 1/3 the size of the Exxon Valdez spill of 1989, struck it. In August 2006, the tanker Solar 1 leaked 2.19 million litres of marine fuel, killing marine life and fouling the coastline of the Philippines's Guimaras islands. The spills "dramatize the urgent need to impose stricter safety standards and regulations on tankers to protect our environment," Bautista said, adding the country's previous plan was to ban such ships from 2010.

Panama Canal charges go up

Shipowners will soon be paying more services they require when ships transit the Panama Canal.

The Panama Canal Authority says rates for tug services will increase 8% and those for line handling services will rise 7%. Additionally, a US$300-per-wire fee will be charged for ancillary locomotive services, up from the current $200. Wires are attached to the locomotives to ensure that the vessels stay centered as they transit through the locks. The ACP says the increasing are necessary due to rising operating costs brought about by fuel hikes. Over the past eight years, says the ACP, $1,329m has been spent on buying a new fleet of state-of-the-art tugs, a new generation of locomotives and other improvements.
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New series of ISO standards assists stakeholders in recycling ships

ISO has launched the first document of a new series of management system standards for the recycling of ships.

The new series, ISO 30,000, ship recycling management systems, will support environmental protection and increase the safety of workers. Ship recycling contributes to the global conservation of energy and resources. However, the presence of asbestos, hydrocarbons and other environmentally hazardous substances in ships can, if the scrapping process is not carefully controlled, have negative repercussions for the environment and human health. The ISO 30,000 series thus aims to provide assistance to organizations implementing or improving a ship recycling management system through guidance on the allocation of resources, assignment of responsibilities, and ongoing evaluation of practices, procedures and processes. Captain Charles Piersall, Chair of ISO technical committee ISO/TC 8, Ships and marine technology says: 'ISO 30000 has been developed to assist stakeholders, large and small, in the uniform implementation of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) requirements on ship recycling. The series of standards will increase transparency, facilitate trade, provide a clear reference for industry and constitute a valuable risk assessment tool.
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