$33 billion Middle East port expansion underway

Dubai: Gulf neighbours challenge dominance of Dubai's Jebel Ali - one of the world's biggest container ports - with major building programs.

Massive economic growth is driving major seaport expansion in the Middle East worth in excess of $33 billion to handle record volumes of containers and bulk cargoes. "The emergence of strong and diversified maritime companies and operators is making the Middle East, and the Arabian Gulf in particular, one of the most dynamic and vibrant international maritime centres in the world," said Christopher Hayman, Managing Director of Seatrade, organizers of Seatrade Middle East Maritime 2008. According to the most up-to-date data on new seaport developments or expansions from research company Proleads, which monitors all major regional construction, there are currently around 50 such projects valued at more than $33 billion across the Middle East with individual budgets ranging from $10 million to $5.5 billion. The region is home to one of the world's largest container ports in Dubai's Jebel Ali, which currently handles around 11 million twenty-foot equivalent container units a year. The biggest seaport being planned is Qatar's New Mesaieed Port ($5.5 billion), heading a top ten of new or expansion port projects. Middle East port operators are not only expanding in the region. Dubai's DP World, the fourth largest port and terminal operator worldwide, is expanding operations across the Indian subcontinent, Far East, Europe, the Americas, Australia as well as the Middle East.
Read More

New Container Terminal-1 in Subic is ISPS compliant

The New Container Terminal-1 at the Subic Bay Freeport is ready for global trade with its ISPS compliance certification.

The terminal is operated by International Container Terminal Services, subsidiary Subic Bay International Terminal. The New Container Terminal-1 (NCT-1), Subic Bay Freeport's newest container handling facility, was recently awarded a three-year certification for its compliance with the International Code for the Security of Ships and Port Facilities (ISPS). The certification was issued by Undersecretary Cecilio Penilla, administrator of the Office for Transport Security of the Philippine Department of Transportation and Communications. An official of Subic Bay International Terminal Corporation (SBITC), operator of the NCT-1, said the ISPS clearance is an indication that the new terminal is ready for global trade as well as ensuring the safety and security of containers in the terminal. "As the new trading gateway in northern Philippines serving the industries of Subic, Clark and Tarlac economic zones, we are priming the NCT-1 to be at par with the world's best practices in terminal operations," said Aurelio C. Garcia, SBITC general manager. The ISPS is a security regulation by the United Nations' International Maritime Organization established in 2004 to counter increasing terror threats in global maritime trade. The code is an anti-terrorism measure which covers all seafaring vessels and sea ports worldwide.
Read More

Jonathan Bird's Blue World on public television

Emmy Award-winning underwater cinematographer Jonathan Bird is pleased to announce that his educational internet program Jonathan Bird's Blue World is now being syndicated to public television stations across the country.

Jonathan Bird's Blue World features the dynamic naturalist and underwater photographer Jonathan Bird as he travels the globe on exciting adventures deep below the surface of the world's oceans, where he meets the exotic and sometimes dangerous animals that live there. Co-produced by Jonathan Bird Productions and the 501 (c) (3) non-profit organizations, Oceanic Research Group, the series is designed to entertain the whole family as it teaches everyone to appreciate this little-understood but critical part of our environment. Previously, the program was available only on the internet. However now the half-hour programs are available to all public television stations through syndication by NETA (the National Educational Telecommunications Association). It has been picked up already in 16 states with many more to follow. Jonathan Bird's Blue World can be viewed for free and without advertising on the internet, or on an iPod, as part of Oceanic Research Group's mission to protect the marine environment through education. Each episode of Jonathan Bird's Blue World has an accompanying study guide on the web site to facilitate the use of this program by educators in the classroom. Designed to be both engaging and educational at the same time, viewers will be entertained by every adventure, yet without realizing it, also learn about the marine environment.

Read More

Havyard Leirvik to deliver Havyard 860 construction vessel to Havila Ships

Norway's Havyard Leirvik has signed contract with Havila Ships for the delivery of a Havyard 860 offshore construction vessel for delivery in spring 2011.

Total Contract value is approximately US$300 million. Havyard Leirvik has, with this order, full occupation for its employees into 2011. The Havyard 860 is an advanced construction vessel which will carry out work on the seabed in connection with development, operation and maintenance of sub sea installations for oil production offshore. The ship will have clean design class for satisfying highest environmental requirements and diesel-electric propulsion systems for highest dynamic position class DYNPOS AUTRO / DP3. To carry out subsea work, the vessel will be equipped with two large offshore cranes, the biggest lifting 250 tonnes and launching systems for remote-operated vehicles over the shipside. The Havyard 860 will have high comfort class and facilities as day rooms, an internet cafe, a cinema, a health club, ensuring high living standards for the 140 people onboard. With this, Havyard Design has developed four different vessel types for working on subsea oil production installations. They have developed designs for platform supply vessels and anchor handling tug supply vessels. The Havyard 860 measures 160 metres by 28 metres and has a cargo deck space of 2,400 square metres.

Read More

Daewoo Shipbuilding wins record $2.33bn order from Maersk

Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., the world's third-largest shipyard, said that it has won an order to build 16 container vessels for US$2.33 billion, the industry's largest order to date.

The deal with A.P. Moeller-Maersk of Denmark, the world's largest boxline, calls on Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering to deliver the vessels by December, 2012, and the company said in a statement. The vessels have individual capacities of 7,450 teu and they are equipped with reefer plugs enabling them to carry 1,700 refrigerated containers each. This is the highest number ever carried on a container vessel. The ships are designed to meet the highest demands for safe and economic transportation of goods in the trade to and from the East Coast of South America. In addition, each vessel is equipped with a waste heat recovery system. The system reuses excess heat from the exhaust and thus generates energy for propulsion of the vessel or on-board electricity consumption. The reduction in fuel consumption results in a corresponding reduction of emissions. "We are very excited with this order and the opportunities these vessels will provide our customers in South America. We are confident that the vessels will enable us to continue to offer competitive container shipping based on a modern, economical, and environmentally friendly fleet," says Senior Vice President Michel Deleuran, Head of Network & Product in Maersk Line. Maersk Line expects to deploy the 16 vessels in the trades between the East Coast of South America and Asia and Europe.

Read More

Kazakhstan eyes Oman CPC stake

Kazakhstan is interested in buying Oman's 7% stake in the Caspian Pipeline Consortium should the Middle Eastern state decide to sell out, an influential oil industry group official said.

Shareholders in CPC, the key export route for Kazakh crude, are struggling to come to terms on the pipeline's expansion, with Russia, the key host state, opposing the plan. Industry sources told that this week Oman, frustrated with delays, has decided to quit the project but the country has not officially commented on the matter. "There would certainly be interest (to buy the stake)," Timur Kulibayev, president of oil industry group KazEnergy, told. "The national company (KazMunaiGas) is working on it." Kulibayev, also son-in-law of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, said Russia was interested in Oman's stake as well. Russia has a 24% share in CPC and Kazakhstan owns 19%. The rest belongs to private shareholders, Chevron, BP, Shell, ExxonMobil, Lukoil and Rosneft.

Read More

Bourbon sells interest in the Rigdon companies

The sale of Bourbon's interest in the Rigdon companies has been announced as part of the merger proposal between US companies, Ridgon Marine Corporation and Gulfmark Offshore.

As the Rigdon companies had so far been accounted for according to the equity method, the sale will have no impact on revenues, nor on Bourbon's EBITDA. The sale will generate for Bourbon a capital gain on sale of approximately Eur 60 million (US$95.3 million) in the second half.
Read More