A Russian floating platform will start to drill exploratory test wells for natural gas in the Gulf of Venezuela.
Alexander Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Russian energy giant's management committee, said the opening ceremony will be attended by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin as well as representatives of Russian companies. In 2005, Gazprom won a tender to prospect and develop natural gas blocks Urumaco 1 and Urumaco 2 in the Gulf of Venezuela as part of the Rafael Urdaneta project. Chavez earlier said that the Gulf of Venezuela boasted natural gas reserves of 100 billion cubic meters. The Venezuelan leader urged other countries to take part in exploration drilling in the territorial waters of Venezuela. Venezuela's proven natural gas reserves amount to 4.1 trillion cubic meters. The Latin American country holds the second-largest natural gas reserves in the Western Hemisphere after the United States.
Read More
Sunday, November 9, 2008
APEC port service network founded
Shanghai: The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation officially inaugurated its APEC Port Service Network this week in Ningbo city, with the aim of enhancing trade and cooperation in port and related industries.
The network, which boasts 14 members at present, is the first comprehensive open alliance in the transportation field in the Asia-Pacific region. As a cooperation platform, the alliance hopes to eliminate the negative impact of the differences that exist at current ports. The proposal to found the network was first raised by Chinese President Hu Jintao at the 14th APEC non-official summit meeting held in December 2006. APEC's trade volume is estimated to account for almost half of the world's volume. The Asia-Pacific region has seen the fastest growth rate of container throughput in the world, developing into one of the most energetic regions in the global economy.
Read More
The network, which boasts 14 members at present, is the first comprehensive open alliance in the transportation field in the Asia-Pacific region. As a cooperation platform, the alliance hopes to eliminate the negative impact of the differences that exist at current ports. The proposal to found the network was first raised by Chinese President Hu Jintao at the 14th APEC non-official summit meeting held in December 2006. APEC's trade volume is estimated to account for almost half of the world's volume. The Asia-Pacific region has seen the fastest growth rate of container throughput in the world, developing into one of the most energetic regions in the global economy.
Read More
Atwood's Richmond rig in extended gig
Contango Operations has exercised its option to award another well to Atwood Oceanics’ Richmond rig currently in the US Gulf, with a dayrate of $85,000.
Atwood said current contract commitment included the drilling of the current well at a day rate of $75,000, estimated to be completed around mid November followed by the drilling of another well at a day rate of $78,000. Contango has assigned the $78,000 day rate well to Newfield Exploration. The Newfield well has an estimated duration of three months. Immediately upon completion of the drilling of the well for Newfield, the Richmond will begin drilling the $85,000 day rate well for Contango, which is estimated to take around 60 days to complete. Contango has also been given an option to drill one additional at a day rate to be negotiated.
Read More
Atwood said current contract commitment included the drilling of the current well at a day rate of $75,000, estimated to be completed around mid November followed by the drilling of another well at a day rate of $78,000. Contango has assigned the $78,000 day rate well to Newfield Exploration. The Newfield well has an estimated duration of three months. Immediately upon completion of the drilling of the well for Newfield, the Richmond will begin drilling the $85,000 day rate well for Contango, which is estimated to take around 60 days to complete. Contango has also been given an option to drill one additional at a day rate to be negotiated.
Read More
First container ship added to the AUSMEPA ship membership scheme
The Australian Marine Environment Protection Association’s (AUSMEPA) Deputy Chairman Captain Conrad Saldanha recently presented an AUSMEPA certificate and AUSMEPA flag to Captain Gerasimos Evangelidis, Master of the ‘Sophia Britannia’.
The vessel is one of the latest ships to be approved and accepted into the AUSMEPA Ship Membership Scheme. The presentation ceremony took place on board the Costamare Shipping Company’s 50,501GT vessel when it visited Sydney last week. In accepting the AUSMEPA certificate and flag, Captain Evangelidis said he was a proud member of the Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association (HELMEPA) and was pleased AUSMEPA was also recognizing quality shipping in this way. He encouraged more shipping companies to demonstrate their safety and environmental commitment by submitting their ships to AUSMEPA to join the Ship Membership Scheme Captain Saldanaha said the AUSMEPA Ship Membership Scheme had been introduced to award ships which demonstrate a high level of safety and marine environment consciousness.
Read More
The vessel is one of the latest ships to be approved and accepted into the AUSMEPA Ship Membership Scheme. The presentation ceremony took place on board the Costamare Shipping Company’s 50,501GT vessel when it visited Sydney last week. In accepting the AUSMEPA certificate and flag, Captain Evangelidis said he was a proud member of the Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association (HELMEPA) and was pleased AUSMEPA was also recognizing quality shipping in this way. He encouraged more shipping companies to demonstrate their safety and environmental commitment by submitting their ships to AUSMEPA to join the Ship Membership Scheme Captain Saldanaha said the AUSMEPA Ship Membership Scheme had been introduced to award ships which demonstrate a high level of safety and marine environment consciousness.
Read More
Sanko Steamship invests in 40 new offshore vessels
Japan’s Sanko Steamship is starting to expand its offshore vessel business.
With a fleet of twelve vessels consisting mainly of AHTS vessels and PSVs, the company will now bring the total number of vessels to 52 with a series of new orders. Sanko based its decision to order newbuildings because it expects a growth in the operation of offshore vessels, and investment in these vessels is said to be highly effective since the operation of these vessels are not affected by volatile shipping rates. Of the 40-strong newbuilding order, Sanko would own 19 vessels while 21 would be chartered.
Read More
With a fleet of twelve vessels consisting mainly of AHTS vessels and PSVs, the company will now bring the total number of vessels to 52 with a series of new orders. Sanko based its decision to order newbuildings because it expects a growth in the operation of offshore vessels, and investment in these vessels is said to be highly effective since the operation of these vessels are not affected by volatile shipping rates. Of the 40-strong newbuilding order, Sanko would own 19 vessels while 21 would be chartered.
Read More
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Navy to Commission First LCS
The Navy's first littoral combat ship (LCS) Freedom will be commissioned Nov. 8, 2008, during a 10 a.m. EST ceremony at Veterans Park, Milwaukee, Wis.
The commissioning ceremony will be highlighted by a time-honored Navy tradition when Smith gives the first order to "man our ship and bring her to life!" The name of the new ship acknowledges the enduring foundation of our nation and honors all American communities which bear the name Freedom to include towns in California, Indiana, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Wyoming. As the initial LCS, the 378-foot Freedom will be the first to carry this class designation. Freedom (LCS 1) is one of two LCS seaframes being produced. Independence (LCS 2) was christened by the Navy on Oct. 4, 2008. Freedom will be a platform for launch and recovery of manned and unmanned vehicles. Its modular design will support interchangeable mission packages, allowing the ship to be reconfigured for antisubmarine warfare, mine warfare, or surface warfare missions on an as-needed basis. Freedom is an innovative combatant designed to operate quickly in shallow water environments to counter challenging threats in coastal regions, specifically mines, submarines and fast surface craft.
Read More
The commissioning ceremony will be highlighted by a time-honored Navy tradition when Smith gives the first order to "man our ship and bring her to life!" The name of the new ship acknowledges the enduring foundation of our nation and honors all American communities which bear the name Freedom to include towns in California, Indiana, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Wyoming. As the initial LCS, the 378-foot Freedom will be the first to carry this class designation. Freedom (LCS 1) is one of two LCS seaframes being produced. Independence (LCS 2) was christened by the Navy on Oct. 4, 2008. Freedom will be a platform for launch and recovery of manned and unmanned vehicles. Its modular design will support interchangeable mission packages, allowing the ship to be reconfigured for antisubmarine warfare, mine warfare, or surface warfare missions on an as-needed basis. Freedom is an innovative combatant designed to operate quickly in shallow water environments to counter challenging threats in coastal regions, specifically mines, submarines and fast surface craft.
Read More
Yang Ming seeks closer ties with Cosco
Taiwan's Yang Ming is planning to approach the mainland's China Ocean Shipping (Group) Co (Cosco) for closer ties following the signing of an agreement between Beijing and Taipei to restore direct shipping links across the Taiwan Strait.
Yang Ming and Cosco are already operating joint services and capacity sharing under the CKYH Alliance, which includes besides Cosco and Yang Ming, Japan's "K'' Line and South Korea's Hanjin Shipping. "We want to double the number of our operating offices on the mainland in the next few years from 20 now and our target is to double consolidate revenue in five years," said Yang Ming chairman Frank Lu. Yang Ming Marine had consolidated sales of $4.07 bn last year. Direct shipping across the strait has been banned since the end of the civil war in 1949. Ships carrying goods between the mainland and the island now must now detour via Japan's Ishigaki Island. Negotiators for the two sides have agreed to Taiwan opening 11 ports for direct cross-strait service and the mainland 63 ports. Companies plying the cross-strait routes would be exempted from business and income tax and allowed to open liaison offices on the other side, according to the agreement. Lu said Yang Ming and Cosco would share berths on both sides of the strait and in the long run they do not rule out the possibility of joint investment in port facilities. All ships registered in Taiwan, China and Hong Kong will be eligible to operate direct cross-strait services, according to the newly signed agreements.
Read More
Yang Ming and Cosco are already operating joint services and capacity sharing under the CKYH Alliance, which includes besides Cosco and Yang Ming, Japan's "K'' Line and South Korea's Hanjin Shipping. "We want to double the number of our operating offices on the mainland in the next few years from 20 now and our target is to double consolidate revenue in five years," said Yang Ming chairman Frank Lu. Yang Ming Marine had consolidated sales of $4.07 bn last year. Direct shipping across the strait has been banned since the end of the civil war in 1949. Ships carrying goods between the mainland and the island now must now detour via Japan's Ishigaki Island. Negotiators for the two sides have agreed to Taiwan opening 11 ports for direct cross-strait service and the mainland 63 ports. Companies plying the cross-strait routes would be exempted from business and income tax and allowed to open liaison offices on the other side, according to the agreement. Lu said Yang Ming and Cosco would share berths on both sides of the strait and in the long run they do not rule out the possibility of joint investment in port facilities. All ships registered in Taiwan, China and Hong Kong will be eligible to operate direct cross-strait services, according to the newly signed agreements.
Read More
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
