Manila: The Board of Investments (BOI) has approved the P589.927 million project of Keppel Singmarine Philippines Inc. (KSPI) for the production of tugboats and offshore support vessels for exports.
Based on its registration with the BOI, KSPI said the new project is in line with Keppel Group's Near Market, Near Customer strategy and its support for the Philippine shipbuilding industry. The new investment would be used to purchase new equipment and facilities, building and leasehold improvement and working capital for the assembly of eight vessels per year at its existing shipyard in Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu where it offers shipbuilding services globally. The assembled vessels include harbor tugboats and offshore support vessels such as anchor handling tug and supply vessels and anchor handling tug. KSPI claims to be the first to build these types of vessel in the country. Initially, the company will be servicing KSPI's existing customers like Gulfmark Offshore (US), Lamnalco, Whitesea Shipping (United Arab Emirates), Svitzerwijsmuller (Denmark), Kooren Tug, SMT (Netherlands), Naseeb Maritime (Kuwait), Bourban Offshore (France), Keppel Smit Towage, and Maju Maritime (Singapore). The new facilities would increase Keppel Shipyard's manpower to 620 when it starts commercial operation next month and improve its level of competencies. Additionally, it will upgrade and repair the existing equipment in the shipyard as the new operations would involve planning and design, hull construction, machinery and equipment installation, outfitting, dock-and-sea trial and actual delivery. Its Singapore-based parent firm will also provide the technical training to prospective employees, many of whom come from Lapu-Lapu City and surrounding municipalities. The company also offers training to interested out-of-school youth in such areas as welding, ship-fitting, scaffolding, mechanical outfitting, among others at selected TESDA-accredited training centers.
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Monday, November 3, 2008
Horizon’s Thai dive delayed
Pearl Energy’s plans to drill five wells on two blocks in the Gulf of Thailand starting this month have been put back until February due to delays in gaining environmental approvals, project partner Horizon Oil has confirmed.
Horizon said in its September quarterly report that the delay would affect two oil exploration wells planned for Block G10-48 and three gas and oil exploration wells on Block G11-48. It said Thai government authorities had approved the new dates. Horizon said any discoveries in the wells would immediately be followed up with appraisal work to speed development planning. Houston-based Vantage Drilling is to supply the new-build ultra-deepwater jack-up Emerald Driller to Pearl for the work under a two-year contract worth about $128.3 million. Horizon has a 20% interest in the project. Singapore-based Pearl is a unit of the United Arab Emirates’ Aabar Investments. Meanwhile, Horizon said mapping and evaluation of prospects was continuing for blocks G1-48, G3-48 and G6-48 using new seismic data. Drilling was expected to start on Block G-48 in the second quarter of next year, it said. Horizon also said it was still waiting for weather conditions to improve before moving the jack-up rig Ensco 106 alongside the Maari production platform, on the offshore Taranaki basin in New Zealand, to start development drilling. Horizon told over the rig from Origin energy in August, but work has been repeatedly delayed by poor weather, it said. The rig has however been moved from near Nelson harbour in New Zealand and is now standing 75 metres off the Maari platform awaiting improved conditions. The company said installation and commissioning work was continuing on the Maari platform and on the field's floating production, storage and offloading vessel Raroa. The Maari field lies on blocks PMP 38160 and PEP 38413 off New Zealand's North Island.
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Horizon said in its September quarterly report that the delay would affect two oil exploration wells planned for Block G10-48 and three gas and oil exploration wells on Block G11-48. It said Thai government authorities had approved the new dates. Horizon said any discoveries in the wells would immediately be followed up with appraisal work to speed development planning. Houston-based Vantage Drilling is to supply the new-build ultra-deepwater jack-up Emerald Driller to Pearl for the work under a two-year contract worth about $128.3 million. Horizon has a 20% interest in the project. Singapore-based Pearl is a unit of the United Arab Emirates’ Aabar Investments. Meanwhile, Horizon said mapping and evaluation of prospects was continuing for blocks G1-48, G3-48 and G6-48 using new seismic data. Drilling was expected to start on Block G-48 in the second quarter of next year, it said. Horizon also said it was still waiting for weather conditions to improve before moving the jack-up rig Ensco 106 alongside the Maari production platform, on the offshore Taranaki basin in New Zealand, to start development drilling. Horizon told over the rig from Origin energy in August, but work has been repeatedly delayed by poor weather, it said. The rig has however been moved from near Nelson harbour in New Zealand and is now standing 75 metres off the Maari platform awaiting improved conditions. The company said installation and commissioning work was continuing on the Maari platform and on the field's floating production, storage and offloading vessel Raroa. The Maari field lies on blocks PMP 38160 and PEP 38413 off New Zealand's North Island.
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MOL to launch independent Asia - East Coast South America Service
Japan’s Mitsui OSK Lines has announced a new independent service on the Asia-East Coast South America trade starting in January 2009.
The current joint service with Pacific International Line (PIL) will be dissolved. By replacing some of current 3,000TEU class vessels with larger and faster ships, MOL will provide stable cargo capacity and higher schedule integrity to meet customer demand in this growing market. Calling ports and transit times remain unchanged from the existing service. The service will deploy five 3,000TEU vessels and six 4,250TEU vessels on fixed-day weekly services. The port rotation will be as follows: Kobe – Yokohama – Nagoya – Pusan – Shanghai – Yantian – Hong Kong – Singapore – Santos – Buenos Aires – Montevideo – Paranagua – Sao Francisco do Sul – Santos – Rio de Janeiro – Cape Town – Port Elizabeth – Singapore – Hong Kong – Kobe. The first service will begin on January 26, 2009, from Kobe, Japan.
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The current joint service with Pacific International Line (PIL) will be dissolved. By replacing some of current 3,000TEU class vessels with larger and faster ships, MOL will provide stable cargo capacity and higher schedule integrity to meet customer demand in this growing market. Calling ports and transit times remain unchanged from the existing service. The service will deploy five 3,000TEU vessels and six 4,250TEU vessels on fixed-day weekly services. The port rotation will be as follows: Kobe – Yokohama – Nagoya – Pusan – Shanghai – Yantian – Hong Kong – Singapore – Santos – Buenos Aires – Montevideo – Paranagua – Sao Francisco do Sul – Santos – Rio de Janeiro – Cape Town – Port Elizabeth – Singapore – Hong Kong – Kobe. The first service will begin on January 26, 2009, from Kobe, Japan.
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Sunday, November 2, 2008
Taiwan's Kaohsiung risks losing spot in top ten port list
During the first eight months of 2008, container cargo growth has remained flat at the Port of Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan.
This is raising concerns that the port may slip from its number eight spot among the world's top ten container ports. According to figures provided by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Kaohsiung Port handled 6.72 million TEU between January and August, the same amount recorded during the corresponding period a year earlier. However, during this period in 2007 the port registered 4.4 percent growth, or 283,380 TEU compared to 2006. In 2007, the port handled a total of 10.25 million TEU, setting a new record and representing an increase of 4.9 percent over the previous year. Kaohsiung was ranked the third busiest container port in 2000, but slipped to sixth place in 2006, and then to the number eight spot in 2007. The top five ports worldwide in 2007 were Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Busan. The Port of Kaohsiung is said to be now behind China's ports of Ningbo and Guangzhou, which were in 11th and 12th place, respectively, last year. So far Dubai, Rotterdam and Hamburg, which were ranked sixth, seventh and ninth in 2007 have not released updated container throughput figures, so it is not yet clear whether Kaohsiung can maintain its top ten ranking this year.
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This is raising concerns that the port may slip from its number eight spot among the world's top ten container ports. According to figures provided by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Kaohsiung Port handled 6.72 million TEU between January and August, the same amount recorded during the corresponding period a year earlier. However, during this period in 2007 the port registered 4.4 percent growth, or 283,380 TEU compared to 2006. In 2007, the port handled a total of 10.25 million TEU, setting a new record and representing an increase of 4.9 percent over the previous year. Kaohsiung was ranked the third busiest container port in 2000, but slipped to sixth place in 2006, and then to the number eight spot in 2007. The top five ports worldwide in 2007 were Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Busan. The Port of Kaohsiung is said to be now behind China's ports of Ningbo and Guangzhou, which were in 11th and 12th place, respectively, last year. So far Dubai, Rotterdam and Hamburg, which were ranked sixth, seventh and ninth in 2007 have not released updated container throughput figures, so it is not yet clear whether Kaohsiung can maintain its top ten ranking this year.
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Uruguay draws interest
Companies from China and India are showing interest in Uruguay's first offshore licensing round, administered by national oil company Ancap and due for completion next June.
Ancap will offer 11 blocks covering areas ranging from 4000 to 8000 square kilometres each, with water depths ranging from 50 metres to 1450 metres, said company exploration and production manager Hector de Santa Ana. Blocks will be awarded under production sharing agreements, with no obligation to pay royalties or sign bonuses for the contracts, Santa Ana added. The round will be launched at a seminar in Montevideo from 1 to 3 December. An Ancap spokesman said: "We will not bid for the blocks but simply play the role of organiser.” Later on, we will be able to participate if the companies wish to have us as partners." In addition to interest from China and India, the round has also attracted the attention of major players such as Repsol YPF, Hess, Devon Energy, Shell, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Hunt and Noble. Ancap has shot 10,000 kilo-metres of 2D seismic as a preliminary step for its first round.
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Ancap will offer 11 blocks covering areas ranging from 4000 to 8000 square kilometres each, with water depths ranging from 50 metres to 1450 metres, said company exploration and production manager Hector de Santa Ana. Blocks will be awarded under production sharing agreements, with no obligation to pay royalties or sign bonuses for the contracts, Santa Ana added. The round will be launched at a seminar in Montevideo from 1 to 3 December. An Ancap spokesman said: "We will not bid for the blocks but simply play the role of organiser.” Later on, we will be able to participate if the companies wish to have us as partners." In addition to interest from China and India, the round has also attracted the attention of major players such as Repsol YPF, Hess, Devon Energy, Shell, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Hunt and Noble. Ancap has shot 10,000 kilo-metres of 2D seismic as a preliminary step for its first round.
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Bourbon experiences strong growth in offshore division revenues
France: Bourbon’s revenues for the third quarter of 2008 has increased by 19.5 percent compared to 2007 according to the offshore oil and gas marine service provider’s quarterly financial results for 2008.
This was underpinned by a strong growth in offshore division revenues, despite the moderate decline in bulk division revenues. Revenues for the offshore division also rose 43 percent compared to 2007, with a particularly strong growth in Africa and Asia. “The outstanding performance by the Offshore Division stemmed from the projected growth in the vessel fleet and improved rates following contract renewals whereas the Bulk Division experienced a reversal in the trend of exceptional growth of the past three years“ said Jacques de Chateauvieux, Chairman and CEO of Bourbon. “We are comfortably ahead of the growth targets set for the first year of the Horizon 2012 plan and the Euro/dollar exchange rate now has a positive effect on income.” Bourbon expects that its financial results will continue to be influenced by Euro/dollar exchange rate fluctuations which is set to contribute favorable to overall performance.
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This was underpinned by a strong growth in offshore division revenues, despite the moderate decline in bulk division revenues. Revenues for the offshore division also rose 43 percent compared to 2007, with a particularly strong growth in Africa and Asia. “The outstanding performance by the Offshore Division stemmed from the projected growth in the vessel fleet and improved rates following contract renewals whereas the Bulk Division experienced a reversal in the trend of exceptional growth of the past three years“ said Jacques de Chateauvieux, Chairman and CEO of Bourbon. “We are comfortably ahead of the growth targets set for the first year of the Horizon 2012 plan and the Euro/dollar exchange rate now has a positive effect on income.” Bourbon expects that its financial results will continue to be influenced by Euro/dollar exchange rate fluctuations which is set to contribute favorable to overall performance.
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Revamp for liner services from Asia – South America
Singapore: The current economic upheaval has led to a severe revamp of liner services running from Asia to South America’s East Coast.
As of December, Pacific International Lines and Mistui OSK Lines are to dissolve their current jointly operated service - with MOL choosing to launch an independent service in January that will deploy 11 vessels (five ships of 3,000teu and six of 4,250teu). PIL, is also to launch a similar service around the same time and will initially operate the route independently with 10 ships of 1,700teu capacity. However, PIL has announced that it intends to partner Japan’s Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha from June 2009, at which point the service will then deploy 10 Panamax- sized vessels (with each company supplying five ships). PIL has also chosen to suspend its joint Asia - Europe service with Wan Hai Lines, with both carriers opting to cover calls using slots chartered from Cosco Container Lines.
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As of December, Pacific International Lines and Mistui OSK Lines are to dissolve their current jointly operated service - with MOL choosing to launch an independent service in January that will deploy 11 vessels (five ships of 3,000teu and six of 4,250teu). PIL, is also to launch a similar service around the same time and will initially operate the route independently with 10 ships of 1,700teu capacity. However, PIL has announced that it intends to partner Japan’s Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha from June 2009, at which point the service will then deploy 10 Panamax- sized vessels (with each company supplying five ships). PIL has also chosen to suspend its joint Asia - Europe service with Wan Hai Lines, with both carriers opting to cover calls using slots chartered from Cosco Container Lines.
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