Maritime Monday 176

The following is posted by Fred Fry:

Welcome to this 176th edition of Maritime Monday.

You can find Maritime Monday 126 here. (Published 08 September 2008)

You can find last week’s edition here.

You can find links to all the previous editions at the bottom of this post. You are encouraged to participate using the comment link/form at the bottom of the post. If you have photos or stories to tell, do email me at [email protected]

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This Week’s Photos:

This week’s photos are from my visit to the World War II Liberty Ship JOHN W. BROWN which was open for tours in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor a week ago. Apologies for no photos from the Engine Room. I was busy minding my kids while going through the space. If you ever get a chance to visit this ship, do take the opportunity to do so:

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* Chief Mate’s Cabin / Office *

* Chapel *

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The vessel’s homepage can be found here.

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This Week’s Items:

EagleSpeak has been covering all the developments in the MV ARCTIC ACE hijacking.

I have posted at the US Naval Institute Blog my thoughts on the current situation in “‘Rescued’ Cargo Ship ARCTIC SEA Hijacked by the Russian Navy?“

Also be sure to check out EagleSpeak‘s weekly series “Sunday Ship History: Half-Hitch“

gCaptain has “VTS Photo Gallery – A look inside maritime vessel traffic services worldwide.“

Helsingin Sanomat has “Arctic Sea: Freed Russian seamen questioned in remand prison“.

Russia said that the ship would proceed to Novorossiiski on the Black Sea for inspection. Krasnoshtan says that it will be interesting to see who pays Stora Enso the insurance compensation for the cargo if the ship ends up in Russia. “If the ship continues to Russia without stopping in Algeria first, it could be possible that suspicions of a secret cargo might be true.”

Shipgaz has “Russian dock workers win in European Court of Human Rights” due to discriminatory firings in Kaliningrad all the way back in 1997. This latest case dates back to 2001.

Hellenic Shipping News has “Maersk Says Tankers at Record Low as Cargoes Shrink“. Less oil to move and more tankers available to move it.

BitterEnd has drug smuggling in ““B.C. bud’ found on Bayliner, Canadians arrested“.

THE ISLOMANIAC has heavy-handedness by the Australian Government in “Trouble in Paradise“. Go read how they made a deal to buy the ruler out and then stiffed him, all so that they could have the honor of abusing the local population. Just because many Australians are ‘descendants of criminals’ doesn’t mean that their Government has to act like one…

Now the tables have turned, and the local Cocos Malays have been despicably treated by the Australian government, and a front page article in today’s “The Australian” newspaper has exposed these deplorable practices.

The Journal of Commerce has “NY-NJ Containers Fall 18.8 Percent“.

Slashdot has “US Navy Tries To Turn Seawater Into Jet Fuel“.

US Naval Institute Blog has a great (de)motivational poster for “Seawater Jetfuel From Nuclear Powered Alchemy“.

Watts Up With That? has “Rescue Me! Another polar expedition trapped in ice“. The photo below is from the blog Fiona Attempts Northwest Passage in 2009 which is following the voyage. I do not think this is of the situation at hand, just it being low tide in Resolute, Canada.

Never Sea Land has another unrelated voyage with “Arctic Mariner expedition nears halfway point“. They are traveling in a 17.5 foot long Norseboat.

Watts Up With That? also has “Study: Ocean net heat flow is connected with climate shifts – CO2 not correlated – no “warming in the pipeline”“

These shifts in the balance of heat absorbed from the sun and radiated from the oceans correlate well with past anomalies that have been associated with abrupt shifts in the earth’s climate, say the researchers. These anomalies include changes in normal storm intensities, unusual land temperatures, and a large drop in salmon populations along the western United States.

The physicists also say these changes in ocean heat-flow direction should be taken into account when predicting global climate because the oceans represent 90 percent of the total heat in the earth’s climate system.

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59° 56′ N has “Cruise-ferry company advertises its way out of crisis” in Norway.

The Old Salt Blog has “Update – Remarkable Photographs of the Princess Ashika Wreck, Death Toll Revised Downward“.

Daily News has “Cost for rusting Governors Island ferry could sail higher for taxpayers“.

The rusting ferry that cost the state nearly $900,000 could put taxpayers out even more money.

The upstate scrap metal collector who bought the useless ship on eBay in February for $23,600 plans to sue, saying the state’s refusal to hand it over wrecked his chance to sell it.

The Western News (Montana) has “Honors long overdue: Veteran, now 81, receives decorations“.

Though Cunningham’s left eye droops from a stroke and his weathered 81-year-old body must be wheeled around, his smooth face and protruding ears belong to the same 18-year-old man who posed for a passport photo in 1944 as a merchant crewman.

The particulars of what he did during those two years as a young adult thrown into a world war is a mystery to everyone but Cunningham himself.

It took decades of silence and months of networking and paper pushing, but Cunningham was finally recognized Monday for his service in World War II. He was given the decorations he earned years ago.

Times Now has an interesting update on what was becoming a non-story in “Cargo of suspect N Korean ship to be offloaded“. Seems that along with the crew was a Government official and the crew has been caught lying about where they have been. She ship is the MV MU SAN.

It has now been more than a month since Indian coast guard officials nabbed a North Korean cargo ship, suspected of carrying cargo which may contain nuclear material of the coast near the Bay of Bengal. Since then MV Mu San has been brought to Kakinada Port in Andhra Pradesh.

However, sources now have said that the cargo on board the suspect North Korean vessel will be off loaded and searched for any suspect material onboard. Sources added that officials want to examine the cargo as there are concerns that it may contain nuclear material.

MarineBuzz has “Sail Bunaken 2009 of Indonesia” and “Panama Canal Celebrates 95 Years of Safe Shipping“.

Puget Sound Maritime has photos of “New tugs under construction at J. M. Martinac“.

Casco Bay Boaters Blog has “MonkeyFist’s Maine Storm Fun, or, What I Did On MY Friday Night“.

Financial Times has “EU considers bluefin tuna protection“. Unfortunately, the EU will most likely end up killing off the tuna in hopes of keeping their fishing fleets employed for a couple more years.

TreeHugger has an answer with “What Does Sustainable Tuna Fishing Look Like? (Video)“

The Province has a new home for a couple B.C. Ferries in “Fast ferries ready to sail again — as cargo – PacifiCats have been sold to United Arab Emirates firm“.

The Stupid Shall Be Punished has coverage of a blessing for the USS HAWAII upon it’s arrival in Pearl Harbor in “The Soul Of A Submarine“.

Maritime Compass has a nautical print resource in “NMMprints.com“.

intheboatshed.net has “Replica Britannia released by Russians; work in Norway to finish her begins“. It only took 15 years, the last of which to fight for the vessel’s release after Russia decided that it liked the boat so much that it would keep it for herself. Just one more reason not to do business in Russia.

Breakbulk Industry News has “Beluga vessels traveling the Northeast Passage“.

Three Beluga vessels; Fraternity, Foresight and Family, are now in transit or in port along Russia’s Arctic-facing northern shore, the fabled Northeast Passage. Due to global warming, the passage is nearly ice free for a few short weeks in the summer. Taking advantage of the opportunity, two of these three Beluga vessels will be the first non-Russian commercial vessels to transit the entire passage.

The Los Angeles Times has “U.S. bans expanded commercial fishing in the Arctic” and includes a chart noting the area.

Time Magazine has “Hairy Heroes: Canine Lifeguards Hit Italy’s Beaches“.

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MarineLog has “$10 million for Bayonne Bridge study“.

The Board authorized up to $10 million for planning and engineering services to develop options to deal with the bridge’s low clearance, which may prevent new larger ships from passing under it to reach the container terminals west of the bridge. The planning and engineering efforts will take approximately one to one and one half years.

Big Hollywood has “EXCLUSIVE: Lies Revealed — Greenpeace Leader Admits Arctic Ice Exaggeration“.

The outgoing leader of Greenpeace has admitted his organization’s recent claim that the Arctic Ice will disappear by 2030 was “a mistake.” Greenpeace made the claim in a July 15 press release entitled “Urgent Action Needed As Arctic Ice Melts,” which said there will be an ice-free Arctic by 2030 because of global warming.

Under close questioning by BBC reporter Stephen Sackur on the “Hardtalk” program, Gerd Leipold, the retiring leader of Greenpeace, said the claim was wrong.

Tugster has photos of long-abandoned vessels: “Circum Staten Island 2b“.

Click Green has “Offshore wind farm capacity to grow annually by a third“.

al.com has “Final voyage: Mobile-made USS Ortolan on way to scrap“. It was a submarine rescue vessel.

Milaz.Info has “Georgia arrests second cargo ship“.

Georgia said Thursday it had seized two cargo ships visiting its rebel Abkhazia region this week, as it steps up efforts to enforce a naval blockade of the Moscow-backed breakaway province.

Was Georgia able to do this because the Russian Fleet took off to chase the ARCTIC SEA?

Anhui News (China) has “Anhui’s largest vessel made by Jiangdong Shipyard“. The ship is the MARCELO TRES.

Sea * Fever has “Herman Melville, social media and saving lives at sea“.

iCommandant – Web Journal of Admiral Thad Allen has video: “NOAA WOCE Buoy Deployed in the Arctic Ocean“.

AMVER Blog has “British Rescue Authorities Request Amver Information To Assist British Rower Peter Bray“.

CargoLaw has photos: “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure – Oh Nooo, Mr. Autopilot!“

Theo Spark has a great example for wearing either a life jacket or a seat belt in “Video: I Was On A Boat“.

The Merchant Marine Express has a “Call to Port“. Rota, Spain.

Trade and Logistics Malaysia has “Piracy drop in the Straits of Malcca“.

Naval Open Source INTelligence has “US Navy considering Aussie warship base“.

Maritime Information Centre has “First Iranian-built boxship to be launched“. The ship is the IRAN-ARAK.

The Maritime Executive has “Liberian Registry Produces Best-Practice Anti-Piracy Program“.

THE Liberian Registry has taken a lead in the fight against piracy by producing an innovative computer-based program specifically designed to train seafarers and company security officers in the practices necessary to avoid, deter or delay acts of piracy.

Marenostrum has the “SV OLIVEBANK“, built in 1892, sunk by a mine in 1939.

The July/august edition of Heavy Lift & Project Forwarding International is online.

The New York Post has a hunt for cheap lobster in Manhattan in “SHELL GAME – CHEAP IN MAINE, STILL $$$ IN NYC“.

So how come, with a single, striking exception, the tasty creatures are still a pretty pricey item in this town?

When we checked this week, a 3-pounder was: $75 at Ben Benson’s, $75 at the Post House, $63 at the Water Club, $75.85 at the Grand Central Oyster Bar, and $72 at Ed’s Lobster Bar — averaging $21 to $28 a pound.

YouTube has “Longshoreman I.L.A. Local 1349 Part 3” unloading USAID food sacks from railcars and then shockingly stuffing the bags into shipping containers. Clearly these longshoremen are doing backbreaking work, but how about someone ask the initial terminal handling the cargo to load it into the railcars on pallets or better yet how about putting the cargo directly into containers. Really, is this how the Government does intermodal? I would not be surprised if this sort of inefficiency was written into the contract for providing this commodity.

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Fairplay Daily News has:

Catching up with rustbuckets – SCRAPPING numbers for box ships this year are 10 times the historical average, the Paris-based consultancy Alphaliner told Fairplay today.

“The figure will probably be the highest ever recorded,” said liner analyst Jan Tiedemann of shipbroker Barry Rogliano Salles’s AXS Alphaliner internet resource.

“Overcapacity is such at the moment that the first mid-sized units from the early 1990s have been sold for scrap – at only 16-17 years of age,” he added.

Of the 148 box ships recorded by Alphaliner as scrapped so far this year, 85 were controlled by carriers while 63 were disposed of by non-operating owners. They totalled 275,000teu.

Shipping boomed in 2008 until at least summer, so “virtually no container ships have been scrapped at all in the past few years”, Tiedemann noted, “the exception of course being ships which were simply too old to maintain”.

He explained: “High freight rates and high demand for box transport kept these oldies alive. Unsurprisingly – now that the market is very poor – almost all these units are being scrapped now. Many are past due anyway.”

Mediterranean Shipping has been 2009’s most active carrier in the scrap market, with 20 ships sold for demolition. An aggressive scrapping campaign has led to no idle ships at MSC, which is the second-biggest box liner.

MOL’S idle fleet has shrunk to 8% at present, from 17% in May, Alphaliner told Fairplay; China Shipping Container Lines has the most idle capacity at 96,000 teu, or 21% of its operated fleet. – Fairplay Homepage (Used with Permission)

AND:

Novoship’s profits rocket – RUSSIA’S Novoship today reported net profits for the first half of 2009 that are 2. 2 times the amount it made in the same period of last year.

The shipping company said that it made 995.26M roubles ($31.19M) in profits from January to June, with turnover rising 2.8%.

Novorossiysk Shipping is part of Sovcomflot’s group and is the largest shipping company operating in the Black Sea. It owns 53 vessels, totaling 4.14M dwt. – Fairplay Homepage (Used with Permission)

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Submissions for future editions:

Please submit articles for inclusion in next week’s edition using the following submit form at Blog Carnival. You are also welcome to email stories and photos to [email protected] for inclusion in future editions as well as suggest areas of coverage.

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Previous Editions: As linked below or click on the tag ‘Maritime Monday’ for all gCaptain editions.

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