Amur shipyard tests nuclear sub 'Schuka'

Russia's Amur shipyard has successful conducted tests for the nuclear submarine 'Schuka'.

The tests of the project 971 were held in the territory of the shipyard. A group of engineering specialists on turbines, refrigerators and high-pressure air systems from Sevmash participated in the tests. The staff from Sevmash plans to visit the Far East shipyard again soon to participate in mooring tests.
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Saudi Arabia to commence five-year marine environment study

The King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals Research Institute and Saudi Aramco has recently commenced a five-year study to monitor the quality of coastal waters in the Arabian Gulf, also known as the Persian Gulf.

The study will focus on major industrial discharge points and seawater intake sites, and will evaluate the impact of pollution on commercial species of fish, invertebrates, seaweed and coral reefs. Besides also studying coastal currents and wave actions, the study program will also serve to update the Gulf's habitat maps, also known as biotope maps.
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Ukrainian shipyard prepares for the largest order since Soviet times

Ukrainian shipyard Zaliv intends to build a fully completed bulk ship with a payload of 175 thousand tonnes, to be made for a Ukrainian company.

In total, Zaliv plans to construct ten bulk ships for the same customer. Zaliv announced that the technical project of the ship designed by Chernomorsudoproject (Nikolaev), is at the final stage of approval by the leading classification society Germanischer Lloyd. According to the shipyard, this order is the largest project since the USSR.
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Singapore shipping wants IMO lead on emissions

The Singapore Shipping Association has backed calls for global, International Maritime Organization (IMO)-led measures to tackle ship-generated pollution.

SSA President S.S. Teo said the local shipping community was "fully behind” IMO initiatives which aim for a “holistic and scientific approach to reducing air pollution Goh Teik Poh, chairman of the SSA technical committee, spoke against regional, unilateral regulations to reduce ship emissions, citing Europe and California as examples. A global approach was needed, he said, while regional initiatives had to be avoided. “It is important to respect IMO rulings,” he said. “Or else it would be a free-for-all situation, which would raise the cost of doing business on the whole.” The SSA reiterated its support for the “goal-based approach adopted by the IMO in reducing sulphur emissions”. It said it was pleased to note a “strengthened compliance” provision made available to shipowners to comply with more stringent standards of sulphur content in ship's fuel. The SSA “also views it as essential, to consider measures in reducing the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide from ships.”
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Shipping magnate makes waves in the Mediterranean

CMA CGM, Saade's company, is one of two container lines to have risen rapidly from Mediterranean foundations to dominate much around them.

Mediterranean Shipping Company, founded in 1969 by Gianluigi Aponte, was the world's No 4 container line only seven years ago but has leapfrogged slower-growing Asian lines to become No 2. CMA CGM has gone in the same period from No 5 to No 3. It operates 393 vessels, to MSC's 398, according to figures from AXS Marine, a Paris shipbroker. Both lines have been quicker than Asian rivals such as Taiwan's Evergreen Marine to invest in new, larger ships to serve the fast-growing market bringing Asia's exports to Europe and the US. Their latest orders, which are able to carry roughly the equivalent of 12,000 20-foot containers (TEUs) are twice the biggest vessels of a decade ago and are aimed at Asia-Europe trade. They will cost $170 million each. MSC's outstanding ship orders will increase its existing capacity by 44.7 per cent, according to AXS Marine, while CMA CGM's orderbook will boost its capacity by 67.5 per cent. The risk is that fleet ex-pansion will outpace demand, pushing down the rates the lines can charge and hampering their ability to pay for the vast new vessels. World container capacity is set to grow by more than 15 per cent this year alone. Published financial information gives little idea how the lines would handle a slump.

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Deepsea Trym at Troll Through 2011

StatoilHydro has entered into an agreement on a two-year extension of a current contract with Odfjell Drilling for the Deepsea Trym drilling rig on behalf of the partners in the Troll licence.

Deepsea Trym has been employed on the Troll field since 2005 and will continue to operate on the field during the extended contract period through 2011. This contract gives StatoilHydro good rig coverage at the Troll field for the next years and allows realization of the planned drilling activities in the area. "The contract extension allows StatoilHydro to continue carrying out efficient and good resource management on the Norwegian continental shelf. Increased oil recovery is an essential part of the further development of the Troll field,” says Ivar Aasheim, senior vice president for Operations North Sea. Deepsea Trym is owned by Songa Offshore ASA and the operator is Odfjell Drilling.

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Deepsea Trym at Troll Through 2011

StatoilHydro has entered into an agreement on a two-year extension of a current contract with Odfjell Drilling for the Deepsea Trym drilling rig on behalf of the partners in the Troll licence.

Deepsea Trym has been employed on the Troll field since 2005 and will continue to operate on the field during the extended contract period through 2011. This contract gives StatoilHydro good rig coverage at the Troll field for the next years and allows realization of the planned drilling activities in the area. "The contract extension allows StatoilHydro to continue carrying out efficient and good resource management on the Norwegian continental shelf. Increased oil recovery is an essential part of the further development of the Troll field,” says Ivar Aasheim, senior vice president for Operations North Sea. Deepsea Trym is owned by Songa Offshore ASA and the operator is Odfjell Drilling.

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