Major UK shipping interests band together against tax reforms

The Baltic Exchange, the Chamber of Shipping, Maritime London and the Joint Hull Committee, which represents the Lloyd's and International Underwriters' Association, have called on the British government to abandon proposed changes to the non-domiciled resident tax regime because they will undermine the country's GBP1.5 billion (US$2.9 billion) maritime services sector, reports Maritime Global Net.

Shipping interests believe that planned changes to the tax code will result in a flood of departures from the UK to overseas locations such as Singapore, Dubai, Athens, Copenhagen and New York.
The proposed legislation would increase the cost of international shipping companies' London operations by adversely changing the tax position of long-serving overseas staff as well as creating a considerable reporting burden on non-domiciled residents. The direct tax take from the proposed changes will be neutral or negative because most, if not all, non-domiciled shipping businesses will depart, he said, adding that the indirect damage to overseas earnings and other UK government income would also be substantial.

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Hapag-Lloyd revamps north Europe to Greece, Turkey service

Hapag-Lloyd has restructured its European Express Service (EEX) that calls at ports in north Europe, Greece and Turkey by doubling the number of weekly departures.

Both services, the EEX 1 and EEX 2, will be run in cooperation with MSC line, serving the ports of Izmir and Piraeus twice a week. The service will make port of calls in Istanbul, Thessaloniki and Gemlik once a week, a company statement said.
In north Europe, the ports of Felixstowe and Antwerp will be visited by both services, while the EEX 1 will call at Le Havre, and the EEX2 will serve Sines in Portugal.
From Antwerp and Le Havre, the ports of Bremerhaven, Hamburg and Liverpool will be served by a dedicated feeder service. All ships provide reefer plugs. Changes took full effect with sailings from Bremerhaven and Hamburg on February 11 and 12.

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Hyundai lands multi mega box ship order from European client

Hyundai Heavy Industries, has landed a US$1.35 billion deal to build eight containerships for an unidentified European company, though Lloyds List says the deal matches an order for eight 13,092-TEU ships from Muenchmeyer & Petersen (MPC), backed by a long-term charters by Hanjin Shipping.

Hyundai (HHI) said in a regulatory filling that the ships are scheduled for delivery by April 2012.
It said the South Korean shipbuilder's order book now stands at 330 very large containerships of more than 8,000 TEU in capacity for a total of 3.53 million TEU, according to AXS-Alphaliner records, 190 of the vessels are believed to be over 10,000 TEU.

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Second super C-class vessel departs Germany

'Coastal Inspiration', the second of BC Ferries new Super C-class vessels, is on its way to British Columbia.

The ship departed Flensburg, Germany, and is expected to arrive in late March. Like its sister ship, 'Coastal Renaissance', 'Coastal Inspiration' is wrapped in a massive photographic invitation to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. 'Coastal Inspiration' will make the trans-Atlantic voyage via the Panama Canal in approximately 45 days, depending on weather. The ship's gigantic promotional images feature women's snowboarding and men's curling from the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics, as well as tourism photos of Brooks Peninsula Provincial Park on Vancouver Island and Kootenay National Park in south-western B.C. Coastal Inspiration will stop for refuelling and supplies in Brunsbuettel, Germany; Las Palmas, Canary Islands; Cristobal, Panama; and either Ensenada, Mexico or Los Angeles, California, before sailing up the west coast of North America to B.C. BC Ferries will launch a webpage next week for those who want to track the voyage of 'Coastal Inspiration'.

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New generation offshore multipurpose vessel for GSP drilling

Romanian drilling contractor GSP Drilling, member of the Upetrom Group, has awarded Dutch design office Sea of Solutions the design contract for a new DP3 multipurpose construction vessel.

The new vessel will be unique in the world as it efficiently and economically combines three offshore operating capabilities in one vessel design: pipelaying, heavy lift operations and tender assist drilling operations. Sea of Solutions performs the contract in close cooperation with Finnish engineering company Deltamarin. Both companies were involved in the Concept Design of the vessel and are currently working on the Basic Design. The design is based on the robust and proven concept design of the 'Seabarge 3000' and fully customized to GSP Drilling's requirements. Currently there are no similar types of vessels in the market able to perform both construction works and deepwater tender assist drilling operations. Furthermore, the vessel will be able to practical work in all geographic areas, including deepwater areas. Sea of Solutions develops projects for operators, contractors and ship owners in the exploration, construction and production market, as well as the maritime transport market.
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Nigerian Navy hands over impounded ships to Interpol

Interpol in Lagos took delivery of two ships impounded by the Nigerian Navy late January.

Two Philipino crewmembers onboard the ships, identified as Captain Danilo and Mr. Felix Climaco, both captain and engineers, were also handed over to the police. The two ships are presently anchored at the outside bar of the Lagos breakwaters. The official handing over of the two ships to the InterPol unit of the Nigerian Police was to forestall a recurrence of the disappearance of MT African Pride. Though details of their crimes were still sketchy as at the time this report was filed, the Commanding Officer, NNS Beecroft, Navy Captain Peter Agba, said the handing over was sequel to a Federal High court order directing the Nigerian Navy, the Nigerian Police or the Nigerian Ports Authority to arrest the two ships. It was the constitutional responsibility of the police to prosecute, while the Nigerian Navy's duty was to protect the nation's territorial waters. 'The reason why the ships are being handed over to the Nigerian branch of the International Police (InterPol) was as a result of the possible nature of crime committed,' he said. Though, he refused to state the crime, he said the Nigerian Navy arrested the two ships on January 4, 2008, following a motion filed at a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.
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Rowan faces Blackbeard again

Rowan Cos. has entered into a multi-well contract with McMoRan Oil & Gas that will see the rig contractor moving back into ultra deepwater gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.

Rowan will be working in the Blackbeard Prospect, committing jackup Rowan Gorilla IV for a minimum of 90 days at a day rate in the mid US$190,000s. Rowan Gorilla IV is currently contracted to PXP, and will move to the McMoRan program on March 31. The Blackbeard Prospect's original well was drilled to a depth of around 30,000 feet (9,144 m) during 2005-2006 by the Rowan TARZAN Class jackup Scooter Yeargain. Rowan's Super Gorilla class jackup Bob Palmer is preparing for its assignment to BP's Eldorado Prospect. The rig will drill one or more wells to a depth of at least 28,000 feet (8,534 m). Danny McNease, chairperson and CEO of Rowan, stated, "These commitments both reaffirm the demand for ultra deep gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and help to dispel a common misconception outside this industry that a rig is just a rig."
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