World’s Largest Cruise Ship Delivered

The third in the series of the world´s largest cruise vessels for Royal Caribbean was delivered in Aker Yards, Turku.

The “Independence of the Seas” has all of the signature elements of her sister ships “Freedom of the Seas” and “Liberty of the Seas”, making the Freedom-class ships the most innovative and forward-looking class of ships in the cruise industry for the time being. The vessel is like a small city with lots of service: many restaurants, theatres, cafés, shopping mall, hospital, hair dressers´ and bakers. Already the mindset behind the vessel’s name is in giving the the passengers the independence to create their own unique adventure by choosing multiple onboard options - from rock climbing, surfing or ice skating to spa treatments, fine dining or world-class entertainment. “Independence of the Seas is an evidence of that Aker Yards is continuously delivering in schedule large cruise vessels which are state-of-the-art regarding both design and functionality”, says Juha Heikinheimo, President of Aker Yards, Cruise & Ferries. In addition to the innovative comfort amenities there is lots of technical improvement onboard the Independence, e.g. advanced water purification: The state-of-the-art AWP-plant purifies all of the ship’s grey and black waters into a degree of being virtually pure drinking water. The vessel is 339 m long, 38.6 m wide, and takes 4,375 passengers and 1,365 crew. It has diesel-electric propulsion. In order to ensure a best possible fuel economy and subsequently environmentally friendly operation a series of different hydrodynamic improvements including a new ducktail design were carefully studied and taken into use.

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Shanghai surges to second spot

Shanghai has leapt over Hong Kong to become the world's second busiest container port, with 26.15 million TEU crossing its wharves last year.

Hong Kong handled 23.99 million boxes. The Yangtze River Delta port remains behind Singapore, which handled 27.9 million containers in 2007. However, significant expansion at Shanghai's giant Yangshan port complex means its move into number one spot is a matter of time. The 20.4 percent increase in throughput helped Shanghai International Port grow its net profit by 22.75 percent to US$518.77 million. Cargo volume handled stood at 353 million tonnes, up 13.1 percent, while operating revenue rose 27.6 percent to $2.32 billion. The port expects container throughput to reach 30 million TEU this year, although the National Reform and Development Commission, China’s top economic planning agency, have raised concerns over the slowing US economy.

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Mexico's Lakach field has 308 MMcf reserves

Mexico's state oil company Pemex has announced large natural gas reserves at its Lakach gas field, located 70 miles (113 km) northeast of Veracruz.

Pemex calls Lakach, the fourth most important field in Mexico in terms of total reserves of unassociated gas. Lakach is said to contain proved reserves of 308 MMcf of gas, proved and probable reserves of 673 MMcf and proved, probable and possible reserves of 1,302 MMcf. Initial tests from wells there indicate a production rate of 25 MMcf/d to 30 MMcf/d. The Lakach wells are in water depths of 3,241 feet (988 m) feet of water, one of the deepest water depths in which Pemex has drilled. The gas deposits are located around 9,842 feet to 10,498 feet (3,000 to 3,200 m) deep. Production from Lakach is expected to begin in 2013. The large amount of reserves in relatively deep water have encouraged Pemex to look towards deepwater oil and gas to reverse Mexico's declining oil reserves. However, the energy reform bill that would allow Pemex to partner with foreign companies for exploration and production, giving Pemex access to the knowledge and technology needed to fully exploit deepwater reserves, has been heavily contested.

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Unithai enters SE Asian energy transportation arena

Unithai, the Thai arm of IMC Corp Group, has unveiled plans to provide transportation-based supply-chain solution services to South East Asia, primarily for Thailand’s oil and gas industry.

Singapore-based Unithai Energy Pte Ltd will operate the new business in collaboration with oil instrument diversified broker PVM Oil Associates. “Unithai has provided supply-chain services for the energy industry since 1999, when it commenced its offshore logistics business,” said Kim Kyung Soo, IMC Corp Group deputy ceo and Unithai Energy md. “Now, it is forming Thailand’s largest fleet of the supply and support vessels for the oil and gas industry in Thailand. In collaboration with PVM,” said Mr Kim, “we will be able to expand our energy transportation and supply chain solutions to support further energy development in the midst of the region’s continued economic growth and rapid industrialization.” Unithai is part of an energy supply chain that includes parent company IMC Corp Group, an Asia-focused firm that provides integrated industrial solutions, and sister company Aurora Tankers, a regional operator in liquid bulk transportation.

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LNG arrives at two new US terminals

Two LNG tankers arriving along the upper US Texas Gulf Coast within five days of each other are delivering commissioning cargoes for two new LNG terminals, one in Louisiana and one in Texas.

The 145,000cu m 'Celestine River' docked at Cheniere Energy's Sabine Pass terminal, in Cameron Parish, along the Sabine River border near Port Arthur. The tanker had loaded its cargo at Nigeria LNG. On April 15, the 138,000cu m LNG regasification tanker 'Excelsior' arrived at Freeport LNG Development LP's Quintana terminal, about 110 kilometres south of Houston. The LNGR tanker had loaded its cargo in Trinidad and Tobago, historically the largest LNG shipper to the US. These two terminals, which will undergo cool down over the next several weeks, and receive two or three more cargoes each in the process, will be the first land-based LNG terminals to open in the US in more than 25 years. Two more US terminals, also in Louisiana and Texas, are in final stages of construction and expect to start up later this year or in first quarter 2009. ExxonMobil Golden Pass terminal lies across the Sabine River from Cheniere's terminal. And east of Sabine Pass, near Hackberry, 28 kilometres from the Gulf of Mexico, Sempra Energy subsidiary Sempra LNG is in the final months of building its Cameron LNG terminal.

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Concor to resume coastal shipping in a month

HD Gujrati, group general manager of international marketing at the state-owned Container Corporation of India in Mumbai has revealed plans to resume coastal shipping services as part of its strategy to widen its reach as a logistics service provider.

“Short-sea shipping (coastal shipping) is the future,” said Gujrati. “We intend to start regular shipping services on coastal routes within a month.” Although Concor had offered coastal shipping a few years ago, the services were discontinued due to operational and regulatory reasons. This time around, the company is clear about its strategy. “Initially, we will buy slots (space on board a ship occupied by a container) in the coastal ships of firms specializing in this sector. Subsequently, we may hire full ships or even buy ships in partnership with an experienced firm,” Gujrati said. Coastal shipping is said to be a cheaper alternative to carrying cargo by road or rail. But, despite a 7,517km coastline dotted with 12 major ports and more than 200 smaller ones, India’s coastal shipping has not developed to the level prevailing in other parts of the globe. Coastal shipping accounts for more than 40% of the trade volumes in the US, China and Europe, but in India, it makes for just 7% of the total domestic cargo transport, according to consultancy firm Ernst and Young. Concor is negotiating with several firms for a joint venture, but Gujrati declined to give details.

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Galoc set to flow next month

First oil from the Galoc oilfield off the Philippine looks set to flow early next month as the pre-commissioning of the floating production, storage and offloading vessel is nearing completion and is expected to be mobilized shortly.

The FPSO, Rubicon Intrepid’s pre-commissioning prior to hook-up to a pre-installed mooring and riser system is progressing in Batangas, 120 kilometres south of Manila, said joint venture member Otto Energy. The Galoc oilfield lies about 65 kilometres north-west of Palawan. Shareholders in the Galoc field are the Galoc Production Company (58.29%), Nido Petroleum (22.28%), Philodrill (7.02%), Oriental Petroleum & Minerals (7.58%), Forum Energy (2.27%), Alcorn Gold Resources (1.53%) and PetroEnergy Resources (1.03%). Australian junior Otto Energy holds a 31.38% shareholding in Galoc Production, while a subsidiary of Vitol owns the remaining 68.62% stake.

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