EPA Tier 2 engine for EPA vessel

The 'Lake Guardian' (ex: 'Marsea XIV') is the US Environmental Protection Agency's largest research and monitoring vessel, and is operated by EPA's Chicago-based Great Lakes National Program Office.

The 'Lake Guardian' is in its eighteenth season in the Great Lakes, and has been used, extensively, to support monitoring and research activities ranging from investigations of toxic contaminants to the health of the biological communities of the lakes. The EPA continues to use the 'Lake Guardian' to support a wide range of research activities conducted by Federal, State, and local agencies and universities. Every effort is made to keep the Lake Guardian's equipment up-to-date, to make possible sampling for a wide range of chemicals in the air, water and sediments as well as aquatic plants and animals. The boat is fitted with two 2,268 kilogram and one 13,607 kilogram deck winches and a HIAB 450 Se Crane and a HIAB 80 Sea Crane. Accommodation is provided for a crew of 13 and 29 scientists. The vessel has tankage for 304,000 litres of fuel, 105,000 litres of potable water, 7,529 litres of lube oil, 5,807 litres of hydraulic oil, 237,777 litres of effluent and 289,600 litres of ballast water. Launched from Halter Marine's Pascagoula shipyard in 1981, the Lake Guardian was converted to a research vessel in 1990.

Read More

Queen Victoria cruise ship arrives in Sydney

The Queen Victoria cruise ship has arrived on a sparkling morning for her first visit to Sydney.

The two-month-old luxury liner entered Sydney Harbour just before daybreak surrounded by an escort of private yachts. Stretching 294 metres in length, the 90,000-tonne ship is the second largest in the Cunard fleet and the newest liner ever to visit Australia. Her much older sister, the Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2), arrives in Sydney tomorrow. The Queen Victoria will have stay overnight in Sydney, and the two ships will pass each other around 6.30pm (AEDT) at Fort Denison tomorrow evening. While this is the first world voyage of the Queen Victoria, it will be the last visit to Sydney and final world voyage for the QE2. The royal rendezvous will come almost a year to the day after the QE2 and the Queen Mary 2 passed each other in Sydney Harbour. That historic event brought traffic chaos to Sydney when hundreds of thousands descended on the CBD to get a glimpse of the two ships.
Read More

Incat investing in youth for future trades

Incat, through its membership of the Tasmania Maritime Network, is playing a pivotal role in the development of training initiatives for Tasmania's youth seeking trade and career opportunities within the marine industry.

The Grade 10 Marine Training Initiative, fostered by the Tasmania Maritime Network in conjunction with the Department of Education, provides interested grade 10 students with the chance of studying towards an Apprenticeship whilst still at school. The students are then offered paid work placements over December and January in order to gain awareness of trade careers in the marine industry and to determine if a trade skill is the career option they wish to pursue. If the student does not wish to secure an apprenticeship they then have time to return to school for Grade 11. From feedback received so far the training initiative has been a great success with TAFE and host Employers highlighting that the interest and participation from the students is extremely high and positive. Incat has taken on 13 students under the program, with nine of those having already commenced apprenticeships. 'Tasmania has a bustling maritime sector and a vibrant manufacturing industry. Based on the success of the marine industry project, the number of student placements and industry options is being significantly expanded for 2008 to build on these early successes.

Read More

“K” Line opens Philippines maritime academy

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (“K” Line) inaugurated the “K” Line Maritime Academy (KLMA) at Pasay City in the Philippines.

The academy, which was declared open in the presence President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, will be able to accept a total of 10,000 trainees per year and is line with the group’s K” LINE Vision 2008. The academy will implement a special KLMA Basic Training Matrix and Syllabus for all its training courses. These range from prevention of ship collision and grounding to use of the new ship-handling simulator. It will also offer courses for engineers that incorporate a full-mission engine room simulator as well as an LNG training course in accordance with SIGTTO Standard. Additionally, training for stress management and to promote teamwork will also be provided.
A clinic furnished with modern equipment has also been set up to manage the health of all seafarers who go onboard “K” Line group vessels.
Read More

First Reserve acquires CHC for US$3.65 billion

International private equity firm First Reserve Corp. is acquiring CHC Helicopter Corp., the world's largest supplier of helicopter services to the offshore oil and gas industry, through a fund.

The all-cash transaction values CHC Helicopter at C$3.7 billion (US$3.65 billion), the largest-ever oilfield services buyout. Under the agreement, an affiliate of the First Reserve fund will acquire all of the outstanding Class A Subordinate Voting Shares and all of the outstanding Class B Multiple Voting Shares for C$32.6 (US$32.1) per Class A and Class B share. All together, the deal will total C$1.5 billion (US$1.48 billion). Following the transaction, the shares will be de-listed and no longer traded publicly. CHC's headquarters will remain in Vancouver, Canada. CHC operates aircraft in over 30 countries with regional headquarters in Aberdeen, Scotland; Stavanger, Norway; and Vancouver, Canada.
Read More

India Cochin Shipyard seeks govt OK for IPO-source

Indian state-owned Cochin Shipyard Ltd is awaiting government approval for an initial public offering to help raise funds for building a new dock and meet rising demand for ships.

"We submitted a proposal to the government last month," the senior official told. Another company official also confirmed the plan but declined to give details of how much the company, which can build ships up to 110,000 dead weight tonnage at its yard in the southern state of Kerala, aimed to rise in the IPO. There are 32 shipyards in India, including seven owned by the government, while a jump in demand for ships has brought many private companies into the fray. Consultants KPMG said in a report last year that the shipbuilding industry in India was expected to invest about 185 billion rupees ($4.6 billion) over seven years for capacity expansion and new yards. Pipavav Shipyard, a private-sector yard co-founded by Indian engineering and construction firm Punj Lloyd, is awaiting the market regulator's approval for an estimated 12.5 billion rupees IPO. Other firms such as ABG Shipyard and Bharati Shipyard are also expanding, with annual industry sales expected to reach $20 billion by 2020 from about $5 billion.
Read More

US Navy missile hit wayward spy satellite on first bid

A missile launched from a U.S. Navy cruiser soared 130 miles (210 kilometers) above the Pacific and smashed a dying and potentially deadly U.S. spy satellite.

Several defense officials said it apparently achieved the main aim of destroying an onboard tank of toxic fuel. Officials had expressed cautious optimism that the missile would hit the satellite, which was the size of a school bus. However, they were less certain of hitting the smaller, more worrisome fuel tank, whose contents posed what Bush administration officials deemed a potential health hazard to humans if it landed intact. The Pentagon said, “Confirmation that the fuel tank has been fragmented should be available within 24 hours.'' It made no mention of early indications, but several defense officials close to the situation said later that all indications point to the destruction of the fuel tank. One explained that observers saw what appeared to be an explosion, indicating that the tank was hit. The Lake Erie and two other Navy warships, as well as the SM-3 missile and other components, were modified in a hurry-up project headed by the Navy in January. The missile alone cost nearly $10 million (euro7 million), and officials estimated that the total cost of the project was at least $30 million (euro20 million).

Read More