LD Lines and Transeuropa Ferries join forces

Item Posted: 08/02/10 16:55

LD Lines and Transeuropa Ferries have announced a commercial agreement to launch a freight and passenger service between Ramsgate and Ostend. It is due to start next month, and will initially involve one ferry, LD Lines' Norman Spirit which currently operates between Dover and Boulogne. The ship will be renamed Ostend Spirit. It will operate two return sailings a day, with a crossing time of four hours. The ship is expected to replace one of the current Transeuropa Ferries' fleet later in 2010. Another ferry, the former Brave Merchant, will replace the Norman Spirit on the Dover-Boulogne route. Starting between March 15 and 30, the two companies will co-operate on commercial aspects of the route. LD Lines will take a lead in the development of the tourist passenger business while Transeuropa Ferries will continue to build its focus on freight traffic and ship operations.

QE2 may be sold

Item Posted: 28/01/10 12:17

The QE2 cruise liner could be sold off as its Dubai owner looks to ease its debt mountain, it has been reported. State-backed investment firm Dubai World plans to sell a raft of assets - including the luxury liner - owned by its private equity arm Istithmar, according to the Sunday Times. Dubai World is laden with debts of £14 billion and sent shockwaves through global markets last November when it asked to delay repayments to around 100 banks while it attempted to tackle its finances. Istithmar bought the QE2 from Cunard in 2007 for 100 million US dollars (£64 million) amid plans at the time to transform it into a luxury floating hotel. The liner, which was launched by the Queen in September 1967, was the longest-serving ship in Cunard's 168-year history. It crossed the Atlantic more than 800 times and carried more than 2.5 million passengers. Other trophy assets on the block could also include the Canadian circus group Cirque du Soleil. Advisers to Dubai World led by accountancy firm Deloitte are expected to present the plans for asset sales to creditors led by banks Royal Bank of Scotland, HSBC and Lloyds Banking Group in the coming months, the report said. Alongside Istithmar's assets, Dubai World's interests range from Scotland's historic Turnberry golf course to a series of UK ports through its acquisition of P&O in 2006. The company also owns Nakheel, which is behind Dubai's lavish Palm man-made island developments - although the expansion was fuelled by cheap debt and the emirate has since run into trouble. In December Dubai received a £6 billion handout from oil-rich neighbour Abu Dhabi to help meet its obligations while it secures its financial future.

More ships join the UK register

Item Posted: 22/01/10 13:33

An additional 13 ships with a combined tonnage of 210,000 gt joined the UK Ship Register in the final quarter of 2009, according to statistics from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Of these vessels, 10 were newbuildings, with the other three transferred in from other flags.

Cruise ships on order

Item Posted: 20/01/10 07:52

Cruise ships on order

New Carnival flagship

Item Posted: 15/01/10 23:29

There was the laying of the first block of the cruise ship “Carnival Magic”, Fincantieri’s shipyard at Monfalcone on 12th Jan ordered by Carnival Cruise Lines (Carnival Group), due for delivery in spring 2011.

Scilly Isles ferry link scheme

Item Posted: 08/01/10 07:10

Cornwall councillors refused planning permission for a new ferry terminal at Penzance Harbour last month. The Scillonian ferry and the freighter Gry Maritha are both in need of replacement, and the preferred option is to introduce a larger, single ferry. Island representatives have said they will have to consider a mainland link with Falmouth if the situation is not resolved.

Liverpool Cruise Terminal

Item Posted: 30/12/09 19:43

The City of Liverpool has announced ambitious plans to develop itself as a cruise destination, despite its hopes of becoming a turnaround port being dashed last week. Liverpool City Council had hoped to create a turnaround facility at the swish new Liverpool Cruise Terminal but because the plan was partly funded by £9 million of cash from the EU, the government blocked it on the grounds that it "could raise competition issues in relation to other ports operating in this market," according to a statement by transport minister Paul Clark. Associated British Ports, which operates Southampton port, had lobbied vigorously against the application, fearing that it would lose some of its 300 annual cruise ship visits to Liverpool. John Denham, Labour MP for Southampton Itchen constituency, told the Southampton Daily Echo: "This was a basic issue of fair competition. Everybody at Southampton knows other ports are entitled to compete for cruise business, but it would have been quite unfair to do that on the back of public subsidy in one place and no subsidy in Southampton. This is a real victory for Southampton." Not to be deterred, Liverpool City Council and Peel Ports (which operates Liverpool port) have this week announced a 10-year master plan to turn the River Mersey into one of the U.K.'s leading cruise destinations and treble the number of cruise ships visits from 15 (the 2009 total) to 50 in the next 5 to 10 years. It's easy to see why they would want to do this; cruise ships are a huge boost to the economy. When Cunard's Queen Mary 2 visited this year, an astonishing 100,000 spectators turned out to see it, generating £5.7 million. The strategy includes developing a business plan to encourage more visits to Liverpool's City Terminal and Langton Dock (a somewhat run-down facility used for the occasional turnaround). The council will explore the possibility of leasing Liverpool Cruise Terminal to a commercial operator. Passengers using Langton and the waterfront attractions on the Mersey will be surveyed with a view to basing future investment decisions on their needs. There's even a chance that passengers scheduled to use Langton Dock will be transferred to Liverpool Cruise Terminal until a better facility is built.

New Cruise Ships

Item Posted: 24/12/09 15:06

New Cruise Ships

Norfolk Line sold

Item Posted: 19/12/09 20:34

AP MOLLER-MAERSK is selling its European ro-pax ferry subsidiary Norfolkline to DFDS in a €347m ($496.3m) share and cash deal that sees Maersk take a 31% strategic stake in the ferry operator, which provides services in the Baltic and North Sea.

Tories support reduced light dues

Item Posted: 19/12/09 20:12

Shipowners long-running battle to cut the cost of calling at UK ports by reducing light dues has won firm support from the opposition Conservative Party, which could form the next government. Shadow shipping minister Julian Brazier has spelled out the dangers of financially penalising shipowners using British ports.

Privatisation for RFA

Item Posted: 08/12/09 14:53

The U.K. government plans to privatize the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, which supplies food, fuel and ammunition to the Royal Navy, as a consequence of GBP20 million cuts imposed on the Ministry of Defense by the Treasury, the Rail, Maritime & Transport union said Dec 8th. The union, which opposes the move, said a review of the RFA including the privatization option would be made as part of Decembers pre-Budget report. The RFA, a civilian-manned fleet owned by the Ministry of Defence, has a flotilla of 16 ships and employs over 2,000 people.

New cruise ship for Carnival

Item Posted: 04/12/09 15:25

The US group Carnival Corporation & plc and Fincantieri have reached an agreement to build a 3,690-passenger, 130,000-ton cruise ship for the brand Carnival Cruise Lines. The ship, which has been developed from the “Carnival Dream”, delivered last September, will be built at Monfalcone shipyard and is scheduled to enter service in spring 2012.

End of the line for Doulos

Item Posted: 21/11/09 13:37

The oldest ocean-going passenger ship in the world will end her service on December 31, 2009.Surveys by marine safety authorities confirmed major repairs will required to keep her in service which would be far beyond the economical feasibility of maintaining a ship with such a limited life span.

Dover Harbour plans put on hold

Item Posted: 20/11/09 09:13

Dover Harbour Board is set to push back its £400m ($665m) plans for a second ro-ro terminal and 400-berth marina at Britain’s top ferry port, initially pencilled in for 2013, by at least three years. The move is said to reflect a reduction in projected demand for such a facility in the light of the current economic climate.

New US carrier class

Item Posted: 19/11/09 10:33

The keel has now been laind for the CVN 78 Gerald R Ford, first of a new class of carriers. In January 2007, The US Navy announced that the new class would be called the Gerald R Ford Class. The first two ships, Gerald R Ford (CVN 78) and CVN 79, will be commissioned in 2015 and 2019 and further ships of the class will enter service at intervals of five years. A total of ten Ford class carriers are planned with construction continuing to 2058. CVN 78 will replace USS Enterprise (CVN 65) which entered service in 1961 and will approach the end of operational life by 2015. The total acquisition cost of the CVN 21 is expected to be $11.7bn. The Gerald R Ford class carriers will be of about the same displacement, about 100,000t, as its predecessor the Nimitz class George HW Bush (CVN 77) but will have about 500 to 900 fewer crew members. The other main differences in operational performance compared to the Nimitz Class are increased sortie rates at 160 sorties a day (compared to 140 a day), a weight and stability allowance over the 50-year operational service life of the ship, and increased (by approximately 150%) electrical power generation and distribution to sustain the ship's advanced technology systems. Another key performance requirement is interoperability.

Euroferries not ready

Item Posted: 16/11/09 13:00

Would be English Channel ferry operator Euro-ferries has again had to call off the launch of its planned fast-ferry service between Ramsgate and Boulogne-sur-Mer. The company, which had promised to start the service last Saturday, has been forced to admit that it still is not ready, despite the fact that bookings have been taken.

HMS Trafalgar

Item Posted: 15/11/09 17:52

The 27-year-old nuclear-powered submarine HMS Trafalgar sailed into her home, Devonport Naval Base in Plymouth, for the final time Tuesday 10 November 2009. The submarine is the first of the Trafalgar Class submarines and the first of the class to be decommissioned from the Royal Navy.

Queen Mary departs the Thames

Item Posted: 10/11/09 06:02

The Queen Mary has left the Embankment in London and will now be renovated and moored in La Rochelle, France, as a restaurant and fitness centre. The Queen Mary, which was built in 1933 and originally carried mail and passengers along the river Clyde in Scotland, has been moored on the Thames since the early 1970s as a stationary pub boat. The removal of the Queen Mary on Monday will reveal the site of the historic Savoy Pier, a feature of London's riverside that harks back to the development of the Thames Embankment in the late 19th century.

Remarkable news

Item Posted: 03/11/09 13:10

The trawler, the Diasan Shinsho-maru, capsized off Chiba`as its three-man crew was trying to haul in a net containing dozens of huge Nomura's jellyfish. Each of the jellyfish can weigh up to 200 kg and waters around Japan have been inundated with the creatures this year. Experts believe weather and water conditions in the breeding grounds, off the coast of China, have been ideal for the jellyfish in recent months. One of the largest jellyfish in the world, the species can grow up to 2 meters in diameter. The last time Japan was invaded on a similar scale, in the summer of 2005, the jellyfish damaged nets, rendered fish inedible with their toxic stings and even caused injuries to fishermen. Relatively little is known about Nomura's jellyfish, such as why some years see thousands of the creatures floating across the Sea of Japan on the Tsushima Current, but last year there were virtually no sightings. In 2007, there were 15,500 reports of damage to fishing equipment caused by the creatures. Experts believe that one contributing factor to the jellyfish becoming more frequent visitors to Japanese waters may be a decline in the number of predators, which include sea turtles and certain species of fish.

Peter Cardy steps down

Item Posted: 02/11/09 15:02

Peter Cardy, the former charity boss brought in to head the Maritime and Coastguard Agency two years ago, has taken the surprise decision to step down in April next year. Mr Cardy’s term of office has been dogged by controversy from the start, with some in the organisation objecting to the appointment of a man with no maritime experience. He really rubbed the Coastguards up the wrong way.

Projected expansion at Sheerness

Item Posted: 19/10/09 11:10

Consulting engineering firm Royal Haskoning has been engaged by The Peel Group to prepare a masterplan for the Port of Sheerness in Kent. This is the preface to a fifteen year regeneration programme for the area, which will deliver a major port expansion and one of the largest regeneration projects in the South East of England. Regeneration plans could provide over 120 hectares of new land at the Port of Sheerness. The masterplan represents a major development that will not only allow for expansion of the port. It will also establish a new community, promenade, landmark marina, and a raft of new homes which will see the population increase by almost half, and aims to re-establish Sheerness as a visitor destination. The project proposal includes the creation of a major land reclamation in the Thames Estuary, which could potentially provide over 120 hectares of new land. This will be shared between the port and new development, and include new deep water berths to allow the port to expand its capacity, a new marina, new homes, retail, leisure and light industrial space. An additional consideration for the area is the restoration of its heritage, which dates back to the Sixteenth Century when Sheerness was used as a major naval base until its closure in the 1960’s. One of the key objectives of this project involves bringing many of the port’s Scheduled Ancient Monuments and Listed Buildings back into public use through conversion and restoration. Extensive local and regional consultation is about to commence with a planning application expected in 2013.

Shell to build worlds largest ship

Item Posted: 10/10/09 09:52

Shell has unveiled plans to build the world's biggest ship - a mega-tanker the length of more than four football pitches laid end to end. The 480m mega-tanker will house a liquefied natural gas plant so it can process gas as it floats over offshore fields. Known as the Prelude FLNG Project, the 75m-wide vessel will be able to "withstand a one-in-10,000-year tropical storm", according to Shell. It will displace 600,000 tonnes and carry 50,000 tonnes of equipment. The carrier will be used to develop Shell's Prelude and Concerto gas discoveries, located in the Browse Basin, about 200km off the northwest coast of Western Australia. Shell said the technology will reduce both project costs and the environmental footprint of an LNG development. This is because floating LNG can unlock "stranded" gas reserves that have previously been considered uneconomic to develop because of they are small or far from shore. It can also place liquefaction facilities very close to, or directly over, offshore gas fields, doing away with the need for long-distance offshore gas pipelines or extensive onshore infrastructure. The development of the ship is still subject to environmental and production approvals - as well as Shell's final decision on whether to go ahead with the investment.

Mega yacht style cruise ship launched

Item Posted: 05/10/09 07:10

“Le Boreal”, the first of two super luxury cruise ships ordered from Fincantieri by the French owner Compagnie du Ponant was recently launvhed. Due to take up service in spring 2010, in terms of size and sophisticated décor in many respects the ship is very similar to a mega yacht. The new ship, which will fly the French flag, is approximately 10,700 gross tonnes, 142 metres long and 20 wide. Passenger capacity is over 260 guests, accommodated in 132 cabins and suites, all with a sea view, of which 94% with a private balcony. Equipped with cutting edge technologies to reduce environmental impact, “Le Boreal” will be able to reach ports and destinations which are inaccessible to larger vessels. Compagnie du Ponant, whose head office is in Marseilles, currently has a fleet of three cruise ships serving a super-luxury customer target. Founded in 1988, the company is a member of CMA-CGM Group, the world’s third ship owning group in the container sector.

Holland America ships used at Capetown

Item Posted: 02/10/09 07:52

Holland America ships will be used for accommodation instead of the QE2. Next summer, hundreds of thousands of football enthusiasts will descend on South Africa for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and a few thousand lucky fans will be staying aboard Holland America Line's Noordam and Westerdam. South Africa's Cape Argus newspaper reported on the 25th that the two ships have been confirmed for a June 10 to July 12 residency in South Africa (World Cup takes place from June 11 to July 11). Chartered by Germany-based hospitality services provider One Ocean Club, Noordam and Westerdam will dock at three South African ports -- Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban -- sailing between them to follow the action.

New cruise ship

Item Posted: 24/09/09 07:55

A few days ago there was the delivery at Monfalcone shipyard of the “Carnival Dream”, Carnival Cruise Line’s new flagship, which, at 130,000 gross tonnes, is the largest cruise ship ever built in Italy.

New cruise terminal

Item Posted: 22/09/09 11:40

Work is due to start shortly on the new cruise liner development at the Pier Head and Princes Dock. The million pound project will enable Liverpool to accommodate the world’s biggest liners and will encourage the greatest vessels to return to the Mersey and moor up alongside one of the world's most famous waterfronts. The development will include a 350 metre extension to the Princes Dock landing stage, with a round the clock operational jack up barge positioned against the Princes Dock Wall. The Pier Head footbridge will also be relocated by approximately 30 metres to make way for a 75 metre vehicle bridge in the historic floating roadway. The construction of a cruise liner terminal would mean an increased influx of cruise liners to the Mersey and the added benefits for the local economy. Currently many of the world's largest liners are only able to berth in the centre of the river and use Mersey Ferries as tender ships, as the QE2 did in 2004. ABP Southampton is a bit cheesed off about this because Liverpool City Council is set to receive £20m of public money, including £9m from the European Union to redevelop its cruise liner terminal. ABP says the public money amounts to unfair help and would “distort” competition in the lucrative cruise sector, which is booming despite the recession.

QE2 in Capetown or not

Item Posted: 22/09/09 10:36

The Queen Elizabeth 2 will not dock in Cape Town before next year's World Cup, says Brett Dungan, chief executive of the Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa (Fedhasa). Speaking during a parliamentary briefing yesterday, Dungan shocked MPs when he revealed that the QE2 would no longer berth in Cape Town before the World Cup. Cape Town port manager Sanjay Govan said the National Ports Authority had informed the vessel's Dubai-based owners that it was unsafe to berth in any of its terminal, because of space constraints. He said Dubai World was in negotiations with other private terminal owners to find an alternative berth.

Ships use the NE Passage

Item Posted: 12/09/09 08:25

MV “Beluga Fraternity” and MV “Beluga Foresight” have completed a voyage through the North East Passage so cutting off 5,000 km detour through the Suez Canal. As a precaution, a Russian icebreaker escorted the ships which both have reinforced ice-hardened hulls for protection

New cruise ships

Item Posted: 11/09/09 06:29

List of new cruise ships

Titanic hotel

Item Posted: 09/09/09 07:50

The former headquarters of Titanic builder Harland & Wolff at Queen’s Island in Belfast are set to be turned into a Titanic themed boutique hotel. Titanic Quarter, which has been redeveloping the Queen’s Island area, has applied to turn the former H&W headquarters into a five-star, 90-room hotel. The plan is part of the redevelopment of 185 acres of former shipyard land that is now known as the Titanic Quarter.

Red Ensign flown from Tower Bridge

Item Posted: 08/09/09 09:30

The Red Ensign flew for the very first time on Tower Bridge on Sunday 6th Septemberto mark Merchant Navy Day, with a commemorative service taking place in nearby Trinity Gardens. The decision to hold a Merchant Navy day was taken 10 years ago by former deputy prime minister John Prescott, who wanted to raise the profile of shipping as a career option and recall the hard work and sacrifice made by merchant seafarers over the years. The UK Department for Transport also marked a decade of Merchant Navy Days by flying the Red Ensign over its Westminster headquarters.

Merchant Navy Day

Item Posted: 03/09/09 10:46

The Department for Transport will mark a decade of Merchant Navy Days in the UK on Thursday 3rd September by flying the Red Ensign over its Westminster headquarters. Ten years after it was introduced, Merchant Navy Day continues to celebrate the British shipping industry as well as providing an opportunity to remember the sacrifices made by merchant seamen over the years. The decision to hold a Merchant Navy Day was announced by former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott in September 1999. The purpose was to raise the profile of British shipping as a career option and to increase the number of British seafarers. The Government is achieving its policy of attracting ships to the UK flag. Since 1997 the UK registered fleet of sizeable trading vessels (500 gross tons and over) has increased from 2,381,000 to 15,944,000 deadweight tonnes, an increase of 569.63 per cent.

Mock up of carrier

Item Posted: 01/09/09 07:48

Assembly has begun at Rosyth shipyard, Scotland of the first of the aircraft carriers for the UK Ministry of Defence. The first shipment of blocks arrived at the Babcock-owned yard last week from the Appledore yard in Devon. They comprised 11 fabricated, and two flat-pack units - I guess a bit like flat pack furniture - hope they have all the screws!!

QE2 to be reflagged

Item Posted: 27/08/09 19:01

QE2 in dry dock in Dubai having a spruce up for her trip to Capetown. For trip she will be reflagged to Vanuatu and registered in Port Vila as regulations under this flag are more lax than UK registry.

UASC withdraw from Thamesport

Item Posted: 24/08/09 10:41

UASC (United Arab Shipping Company) are implementing some very radical service changes with regard to their Middle East & Indian schedules. The last normal export sailing they are offering from Thamesport, will be the Al Rawdah sailing on 30 August. This will be their last direct call on the existing service. During September all UASC UK cargo is likely to be sent by feeder to Antwerp to connect with their service to the Middle East. Yet to be fully announced but the long term plan from end Sept is that all UASC UK cargo will then move ex Felixstowe but will be on a slot charter arrangement using the Maersk/Safmarine service.

AIS and ship database in your pocket

Item Posted: 20/08/09 07:05

Go out spotting with Digital Seas Fleetmon. Mobile real time AIS positions. Search the Digital-Seas vessel database and research a vessel from everywhere.

Live Piracy Map

Item Posted: 15/08/09 22:35

I expect you have all heard about the Arctic Sea on the news. I don't usually put acts of piracy on the news because I get so many reports and as you can see they are not all confined to the Middle East. Have a look at this live piracy map.

AIS from space

Item Posted: 12/08/09 08:07

Kongsberg Simrad announced a partnership with Norway to bring Automatic Identification System, AIS, ship tracking beyond its current line of sight (approximately 40 mile) range. With a target date of 2009 this capability will extend government and shipowner’s capabilities to manage ships in the region. Studies have been initiated by the Space Centre over the last year to investigate the prospects for building a Norwegian maritime ship tracking satellite. Last fall the Norwegian government issued a broad strategy for the high North where one recommendation is to pursue the space-based AIS initiative. Space-based AIS is now entering a new phase with the goal to develop a low cost satellite design for an experimental AIS satellite. A Canadian satellite platform design will be adjusted to carry the Norwegian AIS receiver. The platform will be designed and eventually manufactured and tested by the University of Toronto Space Flight Laboratory. Norway is not the first country to develop satellite based ship information and tracking. The Coast Guard has been studying the feasibility of receiving maritime automatic identification system (AIS) signals from space since 2001. In May 2004 the Coast Guard contracted with ORBCOMM, a satellite data communications company, to develop and build the capability to receive process and forward AIS signals from space via an AIS receiver onboard a communications satellite. In addition, ORBCOMM will provide the ground systems capable of processing the AIS signals and relaying the collected messages to the Coast Guard. Studies conducted at Johns Hopkins University in 2003 indicated this concept was feasible, but it was not proven until a Dec. 16, 2006, launch by the Department of Defense of the TACSAT-2 satellite, which was equipped with an automatic identification receiver.

Our Merchant Navy

Item Posted: 12/08/09 08:01

Radio 4 programme on the Merchant Navy we once had.

HSE carries out crane inspections

Item Posted: 08/08/09 12:20

Further inspections of ship-to-shore container cranes are being carried out as part of the UK Health & Safety Executive (HSE) investigation into the collapse of a Morris container crane at Southampton. DP World Southampton has taken three remaining cranes of the same design out of service after the crane collapse on July 13.

New UK port

Item Posted: 08/08/09 11:33

THE UK is planning to build a £400M port, set to be one of the busiest in the UK, at Salford near Manchester. The new port also means reopening the famous Manchester Ship Canal. Twenty-two years after the gates of the city's docks in Ordsall closed, a vast freight terminal is being planned on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal at Barton, Eccles, which could create at least 5,000 jobs. Two ships a day would berth at Barton Lock, each loaded with 200 containers. The new Port Salford would have new links to the motorway network and the Manchester to Liverpool rail line, as well as a new bridge over the Ship Canal. The scheme by Peel Holdings, owners of the Trafford Centre, would take at least three years of planning before construction work started - if it gets the go-ahead. At the moment, the only British ports deep enough to handle monster container ships from the Far East, with up to 6,000 containers on board, are Felixstowe, Southampton and Thames Haven in London. Peel want smaller vessels to carry cargo unloaded at Southampton to the Ship Canal at Liverpool and then on to Barton for distribution. Ships would also take goods from Barton back along the canal and then north to Peel's existing port on the Clyde. Port Salford would handle 300,000 containers a year, with 50,000 arriving by ship.

QE2

Item Posted: 06/08/09 06:12

Nakeel has actually confirmed that the QE2 will be going to Capetown. I still won't believe it until it actually gets there.

Mobile phones on cruise ships

Item Posted: 31/07/09 08:10

Its bad enough on buses and trains let alone cruise ships! The advent of cell phone access that allows passengers to make and receive calls, at major savings over existing ship-to-shore rates, means that fleets throughout the industry, from luxury ships to mass market ones and from those based in Europe to those oriented toward North America are incorporating the technology. The other relatively new innovation in onboard "connection" technology is the availability of wireless technology. This is more of a convenience than anything else -- it allows folks with their own laptops or PDA's to connect from any place onboard that's properly wired. On Carnival's newest ships, wired from stern to bow, you could, if so inclined, even connect to your laptop in the shower. Quiet Zone is the new cell phone-savvy buzzword. Basically, what this means is that a ship will wire all but a handful of places where phones can get signals. For instance, Crystal has "quiet zones" in its dining rooms, theater and spas. Oceania Cruises' zone features public rooms and restaurants. Implementing quiet zones is a pricey proposition and other lines are simply creating rules about where you can -- and cannot -- talk on the phone. If lines are as disciplined about maintaining the rules as they are about their policies on deck chairs expect infernal chatter to permeate the ambience.

I can't see a red ensign on this surf board

Item Posted: 28/07/09 14:31

The UK is considering moves to extend the legal definition of ‘ship’ to cover canoes, dinghies and even surfboards, putting them for the first time on the same footing as very large crude carriers and capesizes under shipping safety legislation. Given a widespread perception in shipping circles that watercraft users often put themselves or others in danger by reckless behaviour, the idea is likely to receive a broad welcome from the industry. If enacted, the proposal — currently the subject of a consultation paper from the Department for Transport — could even see so-called watercraft of this type given the right to register on the UK flag. A spokesperson for the DfT confirmed that this would make it legally possible for patriotic Britons to surf on UK-flag surfboards if they wish. It is not known whether any other country in the world offers such an opportunity. The consultation comes after a 2005 Court of Appeal ruling, known as ‘the Goodwin decision’, that jetskis do not count as ships within the meaning of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995. The DfT argues that this has left such craft effectively outside the scope of shipping safety legislation, making it impossible for courts to deal with reckless or dangerous activity. “We are therefore consulting on proposed legislation that would provide for every description of watercraft used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water to come within the scope of merchant shipping legislation relevant to conduct endangering ships, structures or individuals,” the DfT said. In particular, the alcohol and drugs provisions of the Railway and Transport Safety Act 2003 may be applied to all watercraft. Also, as a result of the Goodwin decision, there is no power for owners of certain watercraft to register with the UK Ship Register, and one idea is for the sections of the Merchant Shipping Act providing for registration to be extended to all watercraft, no matter how small. The DfT is now inviting responses from interested parties, which must be submitted by September 29th.

Cruise ship hits whale

Item Posted: 26/07/09 16:59

Probably a rare occurance but a 16-metre fin whale became wedged between the bow and the hull of the Princess Cruise Lines' Sapphire Princess when it docked at the Canada Place terminal.

Guaranteed work for BVT

Item Posted: 22/07/09 15:38

Shipbuilder BVT has signed a deal with the government that guarantees work for the next 15 years. The agreement with the Ministry of Defence means BVT Surface Fleet will be guaranteed a minimum of £230m of work from the government during that period. The move secures a future for shipbuilders after the Royal Navy's two new aircraft carriers are completed.

Sailings on the Sabbath

Item Posted: 18/07/09 07:09

Caledonian MacBrayne has announced that it will run one return trip on the Sabbath on the Ullapool to Stornoway route. The move - which is opposed by Western Isles Council - was prompted by concerns that refusing to run a Sunday service breached equality laws. Calmac said it consulted a range of organisations including the Lord's Day Observance Society, local churches and the council. Flights to the island on Sundays began six years ago. But the council-run swimming bath is closed and many play parks are locked on the Sabbath. Most shops remain shut and car-washing and hanging out laundry are frowned upon. The ferry, the Isle of Lewis, suffered a breakdown before the Sabbath sailing meaning putting it out of action for a couple of days but a replacement ferry Isle of Arran will operate the service 3 hours into the Sabbath. The Rev Angus Smith, a veteran campaigner against ferries sailing to the islands on the Sabbath, said the breakdown was a reminder of "God's providence".

MSC Splendida christened

Item Posted: 18/07/09 07:06

MSC Cruises new flagship MSC Splendida was christened this week in a suitably splendid style by screen legend Sophia Loren. The ceremony was accompanied by a gala show starring operatic maestro José Carreras and other artists. The choice of Barcelona follows MSC Cruise’s innovative practice of christening its ships in different countries, a tradition that started with MSC Poesia in Dover in April 2008 and will continue with MSC Magnifica in Hamburg next year.

USS New York on trials

Item Posted: 18/07/09 07:00

Trilas of the USS New York (LPD 21) are well underway and is expected to be commissioned in November 2009. Named for the state of New York, the ship and her motto "Never Forget" honor the victims and first responders of the Sept. 11, 2001, World Trade Center attacks. Constructed in Avondale, La., the ship contains 24 tons of steel salvaged from the World Trade Center within the 311-ton bow unit.

Singapore anchorage

Item Posted: 13/07/09 16:34

Singapore's outside port limits anchorages remain a favourite location for shipowners to idle their vessels, despite repeated warnings from the authorities over dangers to navigation. The OPL (outside port limits) anchorages lie to the west and the east of the southern boundaries of Singapore port waters in so-called “grey areas” that do not fall under the jurisdiction of Singapore, Malaysia or Indonesia. Although industry sources said the number of vessels anchored OPL has reduced since earlier this year, it is estimated 150-200 ships remain anchored in the two areas. An industry executive said the number of vessels anchored OPL close to Singapore had reduced as dry bulk carriers had largely been put into service, while car carriers initially on hot lay-up had now been moved to safe anchorages in the region for more permanent cold lay-up. The attraction to owners is simple one as given the lack of a jurisdiction the anchorages can be used free of charge. However, the OPL anchorages cover relatively small areas leading to concerns over safety in particular vessels straying into the Singapore Singapore traffic separation scheme immediately to the south. The eastern OPL anchorage is around 10 miles long and between two to three miles wide, while the western OPL anchorage covers an area of roughly three miles by three miles. The Maritime & Port Authority has stated on more than one occasion that vessels anchored OPL interfere with safe navigation in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. The authorities have now taken the issue up at an international level and made a statement at last month’s International Maritime Organization’s Maritime Safety Committee. Singapore said it was seeking the cooperation of all IMO member states to inform masters to obey the collision regulations and not to anchor in any part of the traffic separation scheme.

Russian Navy in decline

Item Posted: 13/07/09 13:37

The Russian Navy is currently on the verge of 'irreversible collapse', according to a recent analysis published by the authoritative Moscow-based weekly - the Independent Military Review . The report, entitled 'BMF RF [Naval Military Fleet of the Russian Federation] on Foreign Warships', says the main cause for the 'collapse' is the state of the Russian shipbuilding industry, which is "incapable of producing warships in either the quantity or at the level of quality that their navy customer requires" for the future. According to the analysis, the navy's leadership "understands that this is a hopeless situation and are looking for a way out by considering the purchase of naval vessels from abroad". The issue was raised during the International Military Naval Exposition (MVMS) that took place in the last week of June in St Petersburg. The Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky, outlined the problem when he said: "Our challenge is how to significantly improve the condition of our fleet without destroying the economic activity in the country."

QE3

Item Posted: 09/07/09 09:23

The keel has been laid of the passenger ship the Queen Elizabeth, ordered by Carnival group for the British shipowner, Cunard Line. Following the Queen Victoria, built at MarGhera shipyard in 2007, the delivery of the new passenger vessel is scheduled for autumn 2010. The Queen Elizabeth, at approximately 294 metres long and with a gross tonnage of around 92,000 tonnes, will be able to accommodate in her 1,046 cabins, over 2,500 guests in addition to a crew of 1,097. She will be one of the largest panamax ships built to date (i.e. able to pass through the Panama Canal). The Queen Elizabeth will be provided with a large number of luxury suites and mini suites, with especial care and attention given to materials and finer details. She will be the second largest ship ordered to date by the owner (following the Queen Mary). The section laid in the dry dock is approximately 14 metres long, 32.2 wide and weighs 468 tons, of which 100 are outfitting. A total of 85 per cent of the berths will boast outside views and 71 per cent will have balconies. Cunard intends to create a traditional 1930s and 1940s on board with country house-style parties beneath the glass roof of the garden lounge, glamorous evening balls, dance marathons and classic films from the 1930s and 1940s. The interior will boast what the company described as an 'art deco flourish', plus some solid, traditional materials such as oak, mahogany, stained glass and marble. Queen Elizabeth will depart on its maiden voyage on October 12, 2010 – a cruise which sold out in a record-breaking 29 minutes 14 seconds in April. The 13-night itinerary from Southampton calls at Vigo, Lisbon, Cadiz, Las Palmas, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (overnight call) and Funchal. The ship’s maiden season will run until January 2011 and include voyages to the Western and Central Mediterranean and the Caribbean. .

Queen Elizabeth 2

Item Posted: 16/04/08 07:14