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Port of Singapore: The World’s Busiest Container Port

tim — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:50:53 +0000

The Port of Singapore holds the title of world’s’s busiest container port. This lofty title means the port handles the largest amount of total shipping tonnage. The port is set to grow by 12.5% in the year 2008 bringing the the total throughput of the port up to 27,900,000teu. This growth is largely do to the influx of intra-Asia and Asia-Europe trade. It is Singapore’s strategic location that has made it such a giant in the shipping industry. 20% of the world’s transshipment trade passes through the Port of Singapore. In 2007 transshipments accounted for 5% more then the total of imports and exports of Singapore.

The growth of the Port of Singapore has meant that Phase II of the Pasir Panjang Terminal as been labeled as a major priority. This new addition to the terminal will allow for 10 new container berths, bringing the total to 54. In the years to come Phase III and IV will add another 16 berths to the already impressive port. In order to maintain such growth the port will need to recruit ruffly 900 new workers each year.

Links

PSA Singapore

Official website of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
- Port operational statistics

Pirate Attacks and Hijackings - Weekly Report

tim — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 06:03:39 +0000

Following this weekends hijacking of the Saudi VLCC loaded with crude, gCaptain has been flooded with numerous emails and phone calls from different news organizations trying to lock down information on the surge of world wide pirate attacks.

Want the lowdown? Well here it is. The following is a review of last weeks international Pirate attacks posted by the ICC Commercial Crime Service

Weekly Piracy Report

11 - 17 November 2008

Suspicious crafts

None reported

Recently reported incidents

16.11.2008: 0430 UTC: Posn: 04:08N - 006:50E, Bonny outer road anchorage, Nigeria.

Six robbers armed with automatic weapons opened fire at a refrigerated cargo ship at anchor. Robbers in a speedboat circled 4 times around the ship and left. No injury to crew.

13.11.2008: 1000 UTC: Mamonal ‘A’ anchorage, Cartagena, Colombia.

Robbers armed with gun and knives boarded a cement carrier at anchor. They tied up one crewmember and stole ship’s stores. Coast guard boarded vessel for investigation.

31.10.2008: 0000 LT: Bakasi Peninsula, Kole oil terminal, Cameroon.

Heavily armed pirates boarded an off shore supply vessel and kidnapped some crewmembers. Further report awaited.

15.11.2008: 0915 UTC: Posn: 12:50.69N - 046:42.86E, Gulf of Aden.

Armed pirates attacked and hijacked a chemical tanker underway. Further details are awaited.

15.11.2008: 0723 UTC: Posn: 04:41S - 048:43E, 450 nm south east Mogadishu.

Armed pirates attacked and hijacked a tanker underway. Further details are awaited.

14.11.2008: 2134 UTC: Posn: 04:25.6S - 048:58.5E, off southern Somalia.

Pirates heavily armed with automatic weapons and RPG in two speedboats chased and fired upon a container ship underway. Master increased speed, took evasive manoeuvres and crew activated fire hoses. Pirates aborted the attempted attack at 2256 UTC. Ship sustained damages due to gunshots and RPG fire. No injuries to crew.

14.11.2008: 0635 UTC: Posn: 13:21.3N – 047:18.86E, Gulf of Aden.

Pirates armed with automatic weapons in three small speedboats approached a chemical tanker underway. Master contacted coalition warship and took evasive manoeuvres. The speedboats spread out and approached the vessel at high speed. The pirates failed in their attempt to board the vessel.

13.11.2008: 0630 LT: Posn: 13:28.0N – 049:21.5E, Gulf of Aden.

Six pirates in a fast speedboat approached a bulk carrier underway. Master raised alarm, took evasive manoeuvres and crew activated fire hoses. The pirates ordered the ship to stop but master continued with the evasive manoeuvres. The pirates fired upon the ship with two rocket propelled grenades and automatic weapons. Master called coalition warship and asked for immediate assistance. A coalition warship responded and came to the location in 15 minutes and chased away the pirate boat. No injuries to the crew or damages to the ship.

13.11.2008: 1245 UTC: Posn: 04:51.4S – 044:54.1E, Somalia.

Pirates armed with automatic weapons and RPG chased and fired upon a container ship underway. Because of the firing, fire broke out in the third officers’ cabin. The vessel increased speed and made evasive manoeuvres. The pirate boat came alongside on port side. Pirates tried to embark on board but were unsuccessful. Later they aborted. Vessel continued to her destination port.

12.11.2008: 1210 UTC: Posn: 12:33.6n – 045:10.6e, Gulf of Aden.

Armed pirates in two speedboats chased a tanker underway. Tanker took evasive manoeuvres and escaped from the pirates.

12.11.2008: 1405 UTC: Posn: 13:07N - 046:48E, Gulf of Aden.

Armed pirates attacked and hijacked a chemical tanker underway. Further details are awaited.

11.11.2008: 0415 UTC: Posn: 12:45N – 045:04E: Gulf of Aden.

Two speedboats with 3-4 armed pirates in each boat chased a bulk carrier underway. Evasive manoeuvres made and warship contacted. A naval helicopter arrived at the location and interrupted the speedboats. Speedboats aborted the attack. Later, a warship was sighted and established contact.

10.11.2008: 0030 LT: Posn: 01:11.09N - 103:52.10E, Singapore Straits.

Five pirates armed with long knives boarded a tug towing a barge underway. Pirates stole personal belongings and escaped. No injury to crew. Master informed port authority.

10.11.2008: 1005 UTC: Posn: 01:12.5N – 050:41.1; 250 nm east of Mogadishu, Somalia.

Two speedboats approached a refrigerated cargo ship underway. One boat approached from the stbd quarter and the other from astern. The pirates armed with guns and RPG’s started to open fire on the ship. Ship made evasive manoeuvres. The speedboats could not get closer due to the waves created by the evasive manoeuvres. Later the speedboats aborted the attempt. Ship sustained damages from gunfire. Crew safe.

10.11.2008: 1400 UTC: Posn: 13:27.6N – 048:26.8E: Gulf of Aden.

Pirates armed with RPG and guns boarded a chemical tanker underway and hijacked it. They are holding 23 crewmembers as hostage onboard and sailing the tanker to an undisclosed location in Somalia. Further details awaited

Waterspouts - Tornadoes At Sea

tim — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 06:11:42 +0000

When tornado’s strike over sea they are known as Waterspouts. The Florida Keys see the largest number of waterspouts per year with as many as 400 to 500 in a given season. In this video, captured last May, a rather large waterspout collides with a number of ships off the cost of Singapore.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Are waterspouts dangerous to ships?

A waterspout has a cloudy tube descending to the sea-surface. The sharp decrease in air-pressure inside the tube of a waterspout also explains why suction occurs when one is present. For this reason, as soon as the tube of a waterspout breaks contact with the sea-surface, all of the water being carried is dumped, falling to earth. A waterspout is capable of lifting and carrying particles of sand, water, stones, live sea creatures, and sometimes, people, roofs of houses, etc. All of these can be carried long distances. Waterspouts often cause some destruction at coastal beaches, frequently killing people. If a vessel at sea encounters a waterspout, it is a dangerous situation. oceansatlas.com

Cool Links

World’s First Wave Farm

tim — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:04:32 +0000

In an effort to bring our readers more “green” stories, we take a look at the worlds first wave farm off the cost of Portugal. dvice.com brings us more on this new technology that is powering over 1,500 homes.

There’s power in them thar waves! That’s why Portugal built Agucadoura, the world’s first wave farm off its coast, consisting of three Wave Energy Converters generating a total of 2.25MW.

The elongated metal contraptions bob up and down with the waves, while internal pistons, attached to the sea floor, remain stationary and pump hydraulic fluid. This drives electric generators, whose power is brought ashore by underwater electrical cables. The wave farm is now tapping into enough constant, renewable energy to power 1500 homes.

Who knew there was so much power in the ocean waves? If we laid these 459-foot orange caterpillars all over the world’s oceans, we could tap 2 terawatts of power, twice the consumption of the entire world. That’s not exactly practical, but a smaller-scale rollout of such generators might be a clean power alternative, ready to be snapped up by an energy-starved planet. More info and photos HERE

Farmers’ Almanac: Summer 2009

tim — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 06:40:24 +0000

Farmers’ Almanac: Summer 2009

Here is the Farmers’ Almanac prediction for the summer of 2008/2009.

What about spring and summer?
Find out when the first and last snowflakes may fall in your area by ordering a copy of the 2009 Farmers’ Almanac today or download a copy for instant access.

Chek out how accurate the Farmers’ Almanac winter weather predictions were last year.

Get the Canadian Farmers’ Almanac Forecast here.
The 2009 Farmers’ Almanac contains 16 months of weather predictions

for the US – from September 2008 through December 31, 2009. Get your copy today or get instant access to our weather and/or entire edition online.

Farmers’ Almanac: Winter 2008/2009

Farmers’ Almanac: Winter 2008/2009

tim — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 06:32:51 +0000

Farmers' Almanac: Winter 2008/2009

Here is the Farmers’ Almanac prediction for the winter of 2008/2009.

For 2008–2009, the Farmers’ Almanac is forecasting a “numbing” winter, with below-average temperatures for at least two-thirds of the country. Only the Far West and Southeast will see near-normal temperatures. Few, if any, locations will enjoy many above-normal temperature days this upcoming season.

Snow?
Precipitation-wise, most of the South, as well as the Midwest, should experience above-normal conditions, while the rest of the nation will average close to normal. With below-normal winter temperatures and an above-normal precipitation forecast, the Great Lakes and Midwest will see above-normal snowfalls, especially during January and February.

Farmers’ Almanac: Winter 2007/2008

tim — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 06:30:17 +0000

Here is what the Famers Almanac is calling for the 2007/2008 Winter.

“For the western half of the country - mainly those areas west of the Mississippi – the overall winter will be milder than normal, with near or below normal precipitation. Quite a change from last year, when cold and stormy weather came blasting.”

The Legend Of The Flying Dutchman

tim — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 22:51:29 +0000

The legend of The Flying Dutchman is said to have started in 1641 when a Dutch ship sank off the coast of the Cape of Good Hope:

Vanderdecken’s Mistake

In the year 1729, a Dutch ship called the Flying Dutchman1, captained by the infamous Vanderdecken, set sail towards the Cape of Good Hope, Africa’s southernmost tip which has long been associated with difficult sailing conditions and shipwrecks. Vanderdecken was a violent and disturbed captain who feared nothing and refused to back away from any situation. As the ship approached the Cape a violent storm broke out. The fierce winds, gigantic waves and terrible lightening threatened to sink the Flying Dutchman, but the twisted and fearless captain had a threat of his own. There and then, Vanderdecken swore an oath to the Devil that he would round the Cape even if it took him until Doomsday (the day that the world will come to an end). This foolish act brought a terrible curse down upon the captain, his crew and his ship. From that moment forth they were forced to roam the mighty seas for all eternity as a ghost ship.

Omen of Disaster

From that fateful day to the present, many sailors claim to have seen the Flying Dutchman haunting the seas. It is believed that anyone who sees the ship will have misfortune fall upon them. So powerful is this belief that King George V of England himself, as a young prince during his naval days, purported to have encountered it, although a prince is not someone who immediately springs to mind when considering unfortunate people.

One method used by mariners to ward off the curse of the Flying Dutchman was to nail horseshoes to the masts of their ships, as this was supposed to bring good luck.

The Flying Dutchman - an Explanation

Many people would be sceptical of the existence of a ‘ghost ship’ and quite rightly so. No conclusive evidence for any type of ghost has ever been gathered and most scientists refuse to believe that they exist at all. To this end they have come up with an explanation for the supposed sightings and even those people who do believe in ghosts would have to admit that it is quite a good one.

The theory goes that the ghost ship is nothing more than an optical illusion. Apparently modern day mariners are used to the sight of hazy-looking ships appearing over the horizon; they are simply mirages caused by the refraction of light rays. Although the existence of the Flying Dutchman and Captain Vanderdecken is known, it is likely that the stories of a phantom ship were started by superstitious sailors who saw exactly this kind of mirage.

Nevertheless, no definitive proof exists either way so it would be advisable for anyone going on a cruise to steer clear of glowing ships with billowing sails, hovering several feet above the water.

Provided by: www.bbc.co.uk

10 Things to remember if you’re shipwrecked

tim — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 06:11:45 +0000

Here are a list of 10 things that you should remember if you are shipwrecked. The list comes from Yan Martel’s prize-winning novelLife of Pi, via listverse.com

1. Always read instructions carefully

2. Do not drink urine. Or sea water. Or bird blood

3. Do not eat jellyfish. Or fish that have spikes. Or fish that have parrot like beaks. OR that puff up like balloons.

4. Pressing the eyes of fish will paralysis them.

5. The body can be heroic in battle. If a castaway is injured, beware of well-meaning but ill-founded medical treatment. Ignorance is the worst doctor, while rest and sleep are the best nurses.

6. Put your feet up at least 5 minutes every hour

7. Unnecessary exertion should be avoided. But an idle mind tends to sing. So the mind should be kept occupied with whatever light distraction may suggest itself. Playing card games, twenty questions, and I spy are excellent distractions.

8. Green water is shallower than blue water

9. Beware of far-off clouds that look like mountains. Look for green. Ultimately, a foot is the only good judge of land.

10. Do not go swimming. It wastes energy. Besides, a survival craft may drift faster than you can swim. Not to mention the danger of sea life. If you are hot, wet your clothes instead.

Video - Deadliest Catch Ocean Challenger Rescue

tim — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 05:17:48 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

Coast Guard comes to the aid of the Ocean Challenger as the crab fleet listens to the news.

Video of USCG ( United States Coast Guard ) rescue of the crew of the Ocean Challenger which sank during the filming of the Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch.

Extreme Engineering - Container Ships

tim — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 03:59:56 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

Part 1 of a five part look at Container Ships from the television show Extreme Engineering on the Discovery Channel

For the next four parts click here:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Part 2

Click here to view the embedded video.

Part 3

Click here to view the embedded video.

Part 4

Click here to view the embedded video.

Part 5

Royal Caribbean Unveils Its Plans for Oasis of The Seas - Update

tim — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 07:00:52 +0000

*Update:

According to asap Travel, Royal Caribbean has started taking reservations from members of Royal Caribbean’s Diamond and Diamond Plus Crown & Anchor programs for the Oasis of the Seas maiden voyage in December 2009. Starting August 28th, any passenger that has sailed on a Royal Caribbean Cruise will have a chance to book a reservation followed by everyone else September 3rd.

The article reads:

The cruise line is doing its share to make sure everyone knows that Oasis of the Seas is ready to start taking reservations. Rzymowska said “On 3 September we will be direct-mailing 200,000 households — people who have inquired about Oasis, past passengers and Crown & Anchor members. And on 6 September we start a nationwide press campaign, which will run until mid-October.

*Original Post

Illustration courtesy Royal Caribbean

Cruise editor Gene Sloan is the host of USA TODAY’s Cruise Log Blog. His blog brings the latest headlines and news stories from the Cruise Ship industry to people around the world. Today, Gene is bloging live from New York City where he is attending the unveiling of the latest plans for Royal Caribbean new ship, Oasis of the Seas — the largest, most innovative cruise ship ever built. Here is Mr. Sloan’s report

It’s a big day for Royal Caribbean fans — the day they finally find out what gee-whiz marvels the line has dreamed up for its next ship, Oasis of the Seas.

The company that pioneered rock climbing walls, ice skating rinks and surfing pools on the high seas will unveil its plans for the much-awaited vessel — the largest ever built — at an event in New York.

RELATED ITEMS: Royal Caribbean ships will feature “Central Park”; Royal Caribbean’s next ships will be Oasis, Allure

The 220,000-ton giant, which will launch in late 2009, will be more than 40% larger than the largest cruise ship afloat, and Royal Caribbean already has said it’ll include such innovative features as a massive “Central Park” with live trees and outdoor restaurant seating. The ship will hold 5,400 passengers at double occupancy — a number once thought unthinkable in the cruise business.

Want to be among the first to hear the news, which will include the official launch date and itinerary for the ship? Check back here starting at 12:30 PM EST as we blog live from the event in New York’s Nokia Theatre. Live Blog

Google Earth - Pirate Attacks World Wide

tim — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 06:22:21 +0000

This was originally posted on July 2, 2008 but with more and more pirate attacks in the news I have updated it and think it deserves another look. This comes in response the recent hijack of a Malaysian ship in the Gulf of Aden and is the fourth attack in the area this month.

Piracy has long been a problem in the Gulf of Aden, where one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, connecting the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, passes by lawless Somalia, which has been without an effective central government since 1991.

IMB live piracy map 2008

This map is brought to us by the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre, a division of the International Marine Bureau. It is compiling a live Google map mashup of all reported pirate attacks for 2008. So far this year Nigeria has seen the most pirate incidents fallowed by Indonesia and Bangladesh.

What is the IMB?

IMB’s main task is to protect the integrity of international trade by seeking out fraud and malpractice. For over 20 years, it has used industry knowledge, experience and access to a large number of well-placed contacts around the world to do this: identifying and investigating frauds, spotting new criminal methods and trends, and highlighting other threats to trade.

The information gathered from sources and during investigations is provided to members in the form of timely advice via a number of different communication routes. It lists the threats and explains how members can reduce their vulnerability to them. Over the years, this approach has thwarted many attempted frauds and saved the shipping and trading industry many millions of dollars.

What is the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre?

A major part of the IMB’s work to make shipping safer involves assisting in the suppression of piracy and armed robbery against ships around the world.

In 1992, the escalating number of piracy incidents led to the establishment of a Piracy Reporting Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Its job is to raise awareness of piracy hotspots, detail specific attacks and their consequences, and investigate incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea and in port. Another role entails working with national governments on a range of initiatives to reduce and ultimately eradicate attacks against ships.

The Centre, managed by the IMB, has enjoyed considerable success over the years and has made huge strides towards meeting its objectives to reduce piracy and in increasing general awareness of the problem.

Past Years Maps

2007: Google maps mashup of pirate attacks

2006: Google maps mashup of pirate attacks

2005: Google maps mashup of pirate attacks

IMB also has a Weekly Piracy Report that can be found HERE.

Incident Photo Of The Week: Domino Effect

tim — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 22:48:38 +0000

Talk about domino effect. But wait something is fishy. Know what it is?

Photos provided by cargolaw.com

The Date: October 2004

The Place: In Galway, Ireland

Have you got it yet? For the full story and an expiation of these events head to cargolaw.com

Stats In - gCaptain’s On Top!

tim — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 23:48:14 +0000

Many thanks to all our readers for making this happen! And Stay-Tuned for more great features coming soon!! -John

Nautical Star Tattoos

tim — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:33:05 +0000

Tattoos have been part of sailing lore since James Cook rounded Cape Horn, across the Pacific, and arrived in Tahiti in 1769. One of the most symbolic sailor tattoo is the nautical star. The nautical start refers to the North Star that shines in the Northern hemisphere. When this tattoo originated the stars served as the only form of navigation to sailors in the dead of night. Sailors relied on these stars to guide them home safely. In this way a nautical star tattoo is seen to provide protection, guidance and a safe return home.

Here are some more interesting facts on nautical tattoos WikiAnswers.com

A sparrow for every 5000 thousand nautical miles traveled,.

A sailor would get a swallow tattoo for every 5000 miles he had sailed.

A swallow because it will always find its way home.

A rooster and pig on the ankles are to prevent a sailor from drowning.

The pig and the rooster are tattooed on either the calves or the top of the feet, to prevent a sailor from drowning,. These animals were originally carried on most ships in wooden crates. When a ship goes down these crates would float and then catch currents and wash ashore with the other debris from the ship, making the pigs and roosters often the only souls to survive a shipwreck.

A tattoo of a pig on the left knee and a rooster (cock) on the right foot signified “Pig on the knee, safety at sea. A cock on the right, never lose a fight.”

Tattoos of pigs and chickens were to make sure they always had their ham and eggs so that they never go hungry.

A turtle standing on its back legs (shellback) for crossing the equator and being initiated into King Neptune�s Court.

A tattoo of King Neptune if you crossed the Equator.

Crossed anchors on the web between the thumb and index finger for a bosn�s mate.

Royal Navy tattoos of palm trees for the Mediterranean cruises in WWII.

Many US sailors have a palm tree or hula girl from Hawaii.

The words HOLD and FAST were tattooed on the knuckles to help hold line.

Hold Fast across the knuckles to keep them from falling overboard or dropping a line.

Anchor tattoo for sailing the Atlantic.

Full rigged ship for sailing around Cape Horn.

Dragon for crossing the international date line or serving in China.

Rope around the wrist for being a dockhand.

Two stars to ensure always knowing the way.

The anchor usually noted that the sailor was in the merchant marine.

Guns or crossed cannon for military naval service.

Harpoons for the fishing fleet.

Crosses on the soles of one’s feet to ward off hungry sharks.

A nautical star, or compass rose was to always find your way home.

A dagger through a rose signified a willingness to fight and kill even something as fragile as a rose.

Many sailors also got pornographic images so that they would always have them with them.

LINKS

The Navy wants you, but not with that tattoo

A brief history of tattoos

Sailor Tattoos

Holland America Unveils Its Newest Cruise Ship: Eurodam

tim — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 06:20:13 +0000

This weeks big story in the world of cruise ship is Holland America’s unveiling of it’s newest and largest ship, Eurodam. The Eurodam will be the 80th ship in HAL fleet and the first to use dynamic positioning abilities to hold the ship in a precise position. This technology was unthinkable 134 years ago when Holland America launched its first ship the Rotterdam. MS Eurodam is set to sail its inaugural season in Europe followed by cruises in Canada and New England in the fall and the Caribbean in the winter.

This week Gene Sloan of USA TODAYS’s Cruise Log Blog will be blogging live from Europe at the unveiling of The Eurodam. Here is what he had to say about the new ship earlier this week.

The historic line will be showing off the vessel in Europe starting this weekend in a series of events from Southampton, England to Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

The 86,700-ton Eurodam, which has one more deck than the ships in the company’s last series, the Vista Class, will be christened on July 1 in Rotterdam by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. Its maiden voyage, a 10-night cruise from Copenhagen, Denmark, is set for July 5.

We have been closley following the build progress on the ship’s blog and have written more than a few aritlces on her thoughout the process. You can read these posts HERE.
News and Links

Official Eurodam Blog

USA TODAY Cruise Log Blog with Gene Sloan

Wikipedia: MS Eurodam

The Failure Of A Captain - Maritime History

tim — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:21:04 +0000

The General Slocum was a steamship that set sail in 1891. She caught fire wile traveling down New York’s East River on June 15, 1904. The Captain of the General Slocum, Captain Van Schaick, made a number of critical mistakes that led to the tragic loss of more than 1,000 lives. Up until the events of September 11, 2001 it was the deadliest disaster in New York City’s history.

The events that led to this tragedy were avoidable and fall directly on the worst Captains in Maritime history. The blunders of this (add expletive here) Captain stand as test a guideline of what not to do as a ship Captain.

Failure to address a History of Incidents

The General Slocum had been involved in seven different incidents leading up to the tragic fire of June 15, 1094.

Failure to Prepare
Captain Van Schiack did not respond to the fire until more then ten minutes after the fire had been discovered despite being warned.
Failure to adequately train crew and maintain safety gear

Failure to prepare ship for Fire Emergency
The crew of The Slocum had never had a fire drill. In addition,
Captain Van Schaick he did not demand that hoses and faulty lifejackets be replaced.

Failure to Respond Decision-making
Captain Van Schaick badly mishandled the situation. He decided to continue his course rather than run the ship aground or stop at a nearby landing. By going into headwinds and failing to immediately ground the vessel, he actually fanned the fire.

To make matters worse, when Schaick finally beached the boat at North Brother Island he found he couldn’t get in as close as he wanted. “He caught a rock and people on the stern were actually in water that was substantially over their head,” says O’Donnell. For people who didn’t know how to swim the water might as well have been a thousand feet deep. www.failuremag.com

*Captain Van Schaick was found guilty of criminal negligence, failing to maintain proper fire drills and fire extinguishers. He was sentenced to ten years imprisonment.

Links

www.failuremag.com

Captain William Van Schaick Trial: 1906 — law.jrank.org

1904 Paddleboat Fire : www.ezl.com

Death of Captain Van Schaickhttp: www.time.com

The Success Rate Of Modern Pirates

tim — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 22:17:05 +0000

*Red denotes a successful attack. Yellow marks an attempt

This Google Maps mashup, brought to gCaptain’s attention by wired’s blog monkeybites, documents all known pirate attacks in and around the Strait of Malacca over the pass three years.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This Youtube video, Maritime Terror, provided by Journeyman Pictures takes a look at Modern Piracy. Here is more information on Maritime Terror.

Security analysts are increasingly worried that organisations like Al Qaeda are planning to target commercial shipping.

The Malacca strait between Indonesia and Malaysia has long been a haven for pirates. Last year 21 seamen were killed and a further 71 are missing presumed dead following pirate attacks. “We have seen rocket-propelled grenades being fired at the vessel to force it to stop,” states Captain Pottengal Mukundan from the International Maritime Bureau. But the biggest fear is of a terrorist attack. “This is a relatively narrow passageway which provides certain operational advantages to the attackers,” explains security analyst Brian Jenkins. Mukundan agrees: “You could have a major maritime terrorist incident.” The attacks on the USS Cole and The Limburg demonstrate just how vulnerable even warships are to attacks. Analysing the nature of the maritime threat has become a growing industry. But it’s not just security analysts taking the threat seriously. Earlier this year, the US suggested sending the marines to patrol the Malacca Strait. The threat was enough to galvanise the Indonesian, Malay and Singaporean navies into action. They’re now jointly patrolling the Straits. But whether this will be enough to deter terrorists remains to be seen.

Links

The Bright Spot - Imprisonment of Pirates

La Ponant Captured By Somali Pirates

World Ocean Day

tim — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 23:15:28 +0000

Since 1992, June 8th has been World Ocean Day. It is a well known fact that the worlds oceans cover more then 70% of our planet and June 8th is the day to appreciate our vast and amazing oceans. www.gdrc.org brings us more on World Ocean Day.

The world’s oceans cover more than 70% of our planet’s surface and the rich web of life they support is the result of hundreds of millions of years of evolution. Nomadic peoples were collecting shellfish and harvesting fish long before the dawn of settled agriculture. Great human civilizations, from the Egyptians to the Polynesians relied on the sea for commerce and transport, and now, at the end of the Twentieth Century, our fate is as tied to the oceans as ever. We still rely on fish for a significant portion of our daily protein needs, and more than $500 billion of the world’s economy is tied to ocean-based industries such as coastal tourism and shipping. Perhaps most important, this vast mass of water acts to help regulate the global climate and to ensure that a constant flow of vital nutrients is cycled throughout the biosphere.

But all is not well in the sea. Increased pressures from overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution and the introduction of invasive alien species have combined in recent decades to threaten the diversity of life in estuaries, coastal waters and oceans. Now a new threat, global warming, is making itself felt, and its impacts could be devastating for life in the sea.

Links

wikipedia.org

Greenpeace: Happy World Ocean Day

The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger

tim — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 03:28:46 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.
.

Marc Levinson is the author of, The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger. In this interview Marc talks about how the shipping container change the world.

More on The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger.

In April 1956, a refitted oil tanker carried fifty-eight shipping containers from Newark to Houston. From that modest beginning, container shipping developed into a huge industry that made the boom in global trade possible. The Box tells the dramatic story of the container’s creation, the decade of struggle before it was widely adopted, and the sweeping economic consequences of the sharp fall in transportation costs that containerization brought about.

Published on the fiftieth anniversary of the first container voyage, this is the first comprehensive history of the shipping container. It recounts how the drive and imagination of an iconoclastic entrepreneur, Malcom McLean, turned containerization from an impractical idea into a massive industry that slashed the cost of transporting goods around the world and made the boom in global trade possible.

But the container didn’t just happen. Its adoption required huge sums of money, both from private investors and from ports that aspired to be on the leading edge of a new technology. It required years of high-stakes bargaining with two of the titans of organized labor, Harry Bridges and Teddy Gleason, as well as delicate negotiations on standards that made it possible for almost any container to travel on any truck or train or ship. Ultimately, it took McLean’s success in supplying U.S. forces in Vietnam to persuade the world of the container’s potential.

Drawing on previously neglected sources, economist Marc Levinson shows how the container transformed economic geography, devastating traditional ports such as New York and London and fueling the growth of previously obscure ones, such as Oakland. By making shipping so cheap that industry could locate factories far from its customers, the container paved the way for Asia to become the world’s workshop and brought consumers a previously unimaginable variety of low-cost products from around the globe.

Marc Levinson is an economist in New York and author of three previous books. He was formerly finance and economics editor of the Economist, a writer at Newsweek, and editorial director of the Journal of Commerce.

Links and Additional Information

Buy this book @ Amazon.com

Video of a speech given by Marc Levinson gave at UCSB

gCaptain Forum: A Mariner’s Dream - Building Housing Out of Containers

Regent Seven Seas Cruises Orders Ultra-Luxury Cruise Ship

tim — Thu, 29 May 2008 05:07:41 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

The US-owned cruise operator, Regent Seven Seas, is taken bids on a brand new ultra-luxury cruises ship. The vessel will have a projected capacity of 800 guest as well as an entire deck devoted to an on-board spa. At the moment Regent Seven Seas operate four small to mid-size luxury cruise ships.

travelweekly.co.uk brings us more on this new ship build.

President Mark Conroy said three shipyards are bidding for the business and a decision is expected by September with delivery slated for 2011 or 2012.

The vessel will be an all-balcony, all-suite vessel, like Regent’s flagships Seven Seas Mariner and Seven Seas Voyager, but hold about 800 passengers, which is 100 more than those two ships.

Standard cabins will be slightly larger than on Mariner and Voyager - 400 square feet instead of 350 - and it will have more restaurants and probably an entire deck devoted to the spa.

Freefall Lifeboats - Is there a safer way?

tim — Tue, 27 May 2008 21:22:53 +0000

Eide Marine Tech brings us a new Freefall lifeboat design. In a press release they write:

The lifeboat has a new superstructure design in order to get the water off the superstructure faster than earlier designed freefall lifeboats. And together with the bow, which EMT has used for several years, this will make the entry to the water quite soft.

The lifeboat was designed for use with their innovative freefall davit design. Rather than attempting to describbe the system, here is a drawing that should make the system’s advantages over a traditional free fall system obvious.

If you have any experience with these davits please post a comment with your thoughts.

75th Annual National Maritime Day

tim — Thu, 22 May 2008 06:27:47 +0000

Today marks the 75th annual National Maritime Day. In 1933 the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America officially declared May 22 as National Maritime Day. May 22 was chosen in tribute to one of Americas many great feats. The first transoceanic voyage by a steam-powered vessel. The ship was The Savannah. She departed from Savannah, Georgia on May 22, 1819 and in less then a month she arrived in Liverpool, England. This voyage marked the beginning of a new age in shipping as well as the start of the great migration of immigrants to The United States.

In celebration of this historic and important holiday we are asked as American citizens to display the United States flag in our community’s. It is also request that all ships sailing under the American flag dress ship on that day in honor of all Mariners.

National Maritime Day, 2008

A Forgotten Tragedy: America’s Worst Maritime Disaster

tim — Wed, 21 May 2008 20:46:39 +0000

On April 27, 1865 the Mississippi River paddlewheeler, Sultana, was utterly destroyed when a boiler explosion ripped through the ship. The legal capacity of the ship was 376 persons but on this faithful night the ship was loaded with an estimated 2,400 passengers. The vast majority of passengers on board the Sultana were newly released Union prisoners of war on their way back home from a long and bloody war.

All told an estimated 1,800 people die that night. The tragedy resulted in a greater number of casualties then even the notorious sinking of the Titanic in 1912. So why haven’t more Americans heard of this great maritime disaster? Well the answer is simple. 1865 marked the end of the American civil war. President Lincoln had just been assassinated and the nation was facing countless tragedies on both a personal and national level. The turbulence of the time meant that the greatest disaster in American maritime history when largely unreported and has truly become a forgotten disaster.

For more information on the Sultana check out these links below.

Wikipedia: Sultana (steamboat)

National Geographic: Remembering Sultana

Brazil Orders $30 Billion In New Drill Ships and Rigs

tim — Wed, 21 May 2008 18:45:21 +0000

Petrobras, which today passed GE as the worlds fifth largest company, placed an order for $30 Billion in new Drill Ships and Rigs.

For more on this story head over to Bloomberg.com

Petroleo Brasileiro SA, owner of the Western Hemisphere’s largest oil discovery in three decades, plans to order 40 drilling ships and platforms worth about $30 billion for delivery by 2017.

The deep-water drilling ships and semi-submersible rigs will explore for oil and gas in seas up to 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) deep, Petrobras, as the Rio de Janeiro-based company is known, said in a statement yesterday. The vessels cost about $750 million each, said J. Michael Drickamer, an oilfield- service company analyst at Morgan Keegan & Co. in Memphis, Tennessee.

Petrobras, Brazil’s state-controlled oil producer, plans to spend $112 billion through 2012 to help increase its oil and natural-gas production and expand its refining and distribution operations. The discovery of the 5-billion-to-8-billion-barrel Tupi field and the possibility of other large fields nearby may require even more spending on offshore equipment, according to Chief Financial Officer Almir Barbassa.

“Building all the ships Brazil wants to build will likely be a challenge,” Judson Bailey, a shipping and oil analyst with the Houston office of Jefferies & Co., an investment bank, said in an interview. “There is a shortage of almost everything in the offshore industry.”

European Union Observes First Ever Maritime Day

tim — Tue, 20 May 2008 23:03:35 +0000

Yesterday the European Union observed it’s first ever Maritime Day. Member States and Regional Governments were encouraged to celebrate the event in whatever way they sought best. Events ranged from harbor celebrations to free admission into many of Europe’s aquariums.

The European Commission of Maritime Affairs brings us more on this story.
The European Union has decided to celebrate the achievements and potential of Europe’s ocean and seas by declaring 20 May as a dedicated “European Maritime Day”. The official launch ceremony will be held in Strasbourg, where Commission President José Manuel Barroso, European Council President Janez Janša and the President of the European Parliament Hans-Gert Pöttering will sign a Joint Tripartite Declaration. European Maritime Day will provide an occasion to highlight the crucial role that oceans and seas play in the everyday life not only of coastal communities, but of all EU citizens, and for Europe’s sustainable growth and jobs at large. Based on a proposal from the Commission, this dedicated Maritime Day will also encourage better stewardship of coastal zones, seas and oceans by all citizens and actors concerned.

Graphs provided by the European Commission of Maritime Affairs:

gCaptain.com » tim

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