World Maritime News - 21 March, 1997

[Steve Schultz]

World Maritime News - 21 March, 1997
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BUSINESS

China announces shipping guidelines

The Chinese Ministry of Communication has announced a set of operating
rules. For coastal and river services, businesses have to be wholly
Chinese-owned, unless they are a joint venture with a Chinese firm started
before the announcement. Ships on coastal trades have to have a capacity of
at least 500 TEUs, while ships on rivers have to have over 250-TEU
capacity. The ministry must approve all servuce changes, and all shipping
firms must submit monthly reports on container imports and exports. Ships
on voyages or time-charters cannot be deployed in international trade. All
shipping companies must file tariffs.

T.M.M. buys Flota Mercante GranColombiana

Transportacion Maritima Mexicana S.A. de C.V. has bought Flota
Mercante GranColombiana S.A. for U.S.$20 million.

Airtours and Carnival buying Costa Crociere

Airtours P.L.C. and Carnival Corp. will buy Costa Crociere S.p.A. The
purchase of the passenger ship operator will be accomplished by buying Il
Ponte, the primary asset of which is a 30.7 percent stake in Costa
Crociere, and offer a tender for outstanding shares. Some 56.9 percent have
so far been earmarked for Airtours and Carnival. Before the deal can be
finalized, Costa Crociere must dispose of its Cuban operations. It owns 50
percent of Silares Terminales Caribe S.A., a joint venture with the Cuban
government that operates three cruise terminals in Cuba.

Tidewater buying O.I.L.

Tidewater Inc. announced 20 March it is buying O.I.L. Ltd. from Ocean
Group P.L.C., along with O.I.L.'s marine operating units, for U.S.$525
million. O.I.L. operates a fleet of 100 vessels in most major petroleum
exploration areas other than U.S. waters. The vessels will be added to
Tidewater's 650.

Taiwan reducing port charges

As part of an effort to enter the World Trade Organization, Taiwan is
cutting port charges on dutiable cargo from 0.5 percent to 0.4 percent on 1
July. Some U.S.$140 million will be lost to Taiwan. Within five years of
Taiwan entering the W.T.O., the charges willd drop to 0.2 percent.

Renaissance Cruises suing banks in loan dispute

Renaissance Cruises Inc. and several affiliates announced 17 March
they are filing a lawsuit against a consortium of banks to enforce a series
of loan agreements that they made with the passenger line in 1994 and 1996.
Stating that commitments made by the banks were being ignored and efforts
to rectify the situation had failed, lawsuits were filed in London for
breech of contract and in New York for wrongful detention of funds. The
banks are Instituto Bancario San Paolo di Torino, Christian Bank, Credit
Lyonnais, Union Bank of Norway, Fokus Bank, Brown Brothers Harriman,
Skandinaviska Enskilda Banka and Banca Carige. Along with Renaissance
Cruises, the suits were filed by Renaissance Cruises (Liberia) and Nuove
Iniziative Armatoriali Sicilia. A debt restructuring agreement was signed
with Istituto Bancario San Paolo and Christiana Bank in December 1994. The
deal consolidated earlier loans. A second deal was signed in August 1996,
which provided for the sale of vessels to reduce the company's debt. The
plaintiffs are seeking an injunction forcing the defendents to proceed with
the sale of two ships and stop the sale of three others. In addition, the
plaintiffs are demanding an injunction to force Istituto Bancario to hand
over the money from the sale of one ship "together with interest thereon,
and/or a declaration that the first defendent holds such misapplied sums on
trust for the first and/or third plaintiffs".

Australia, Indonesia agree to boundary treaty

Australia and Indonesia signed an agreement 14 March to resolve
outstanding disputes over the international maritime borders between the
two. The agreement, signed by Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer
and Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas in Perth, Australia, must be
ratified by the legislatures of both states. The treaty ends negotiations
that began in the 1960s and covers three areas, including the seabed
boundary and the Exclusive Economic Zone boundary.

Thailand to exempt shipping from corporate taxes?

Thailand has agreed in principle to exempt maritime related businesses
from corporate taxes, if the companies are registered and have their
headquarters in Thailand.

Kepphil forms new unit

Kepphil Shipyard has formed a new firm to manufacture and install
communication equipment with transport applications, including ships. KP
Automation is capitalized at 5.3 million Philippine pesos/U.S.$204,000,
with Kepphil Shipyard owning 51 percent and the rest held by KP Automation.

New dry bulk line?

J.G. Goumas (Shipping) Co. S.A. is reportedly backing a new Handysize
dry bulk operator.

PMB Engineering to close

Bechtel's PMB Engineering on Pelican Island in Galveston, Texas, will
close 1 July. Some 300 people will be out of work.

Virginia bill defeated

A bill in the Virginia legislature that supporters said would save
shipbuilders millions of dollars a year in compensation costs for injured
workers has been defeated. A bill was introduced that would have mandated
that shipyard and dock employers need not provide compensation if an
injured employee was already covered under the U.S. Federal Workers
Compensation Act or the Jones Act. Current state law allows claims under
the state and federal acts. It passed earlier by 23 to 17, but a justice
committee defeated it 17 to five.

New London shipbroker to focus on Greek interests

Spyros Alisafakis, Dan McSweeney, Nick Pentreath, Nick Psillas are
uniting to form Athena Navigation, a new London shipbroker. The firm will
primarily focus on Greek owners and charterers. Alisafakis will concentrate
on tankers, while the other three deal with dry bulk carriers. Located at
143-147 Regent Street, the firm plans to take on trainees.

American Hawaii Cruises moving to New Orleans

American Hawaii Cruises is relocating its headquarters from Chicago to
New Orleans, with the new office operating by 26 Sept. Marketing, sales and
public relations will be in New Orleans by the end of this month, while
management, passenger services and accounting will be transferred in the
next six months. Vessel operations are in Honolulu. American Hawaii Cruises
will join affiliate Delta Queen Steamboat Co. at Robin Street Wharf. Both
are owned by American Classic Voyages Co., which remains in Chicago.

Bureau Veritas to increase U.S. business

Bureau Veritas has begun a U.S.$5 million project over the next three
years to increase its U.S. business. Bureau Veritas North America will
provide traditional classification and statutory work, and the number of
exclusive surveyors will increase from 25 to 40, based at eight ports, next
year. Tecnitas North America will provide technical support and risk
assessment.

Luxembourg hires Bureau Veritas

Luxembourg's vessel registry, the Maritime Affairs Commission, has
hired the Belgian unit of Bureau Veritas for safety, quality and
administration services.

New Thai bunkerer

International Oil Tanking Pte. Ltd. will start a bunkering business in
Thailand after its new product storage terminal opens early next month in
Phet Buri. It will store 400,000 tons. At present, the firm plans to use
three or four tank barges for bunkering.

Two Tacoma dockworkers suing for discrimination and harassment

Two female dockworkers of the International Longshoremen's and
Warehousemen's Union have sued the Pacific Maritime Association and
I.L.W.U. Local 23 for sexual discrimination and harassment at the Port of
Tacoma, Wash. Lynn Scott and Gail Ross say they have been denied promotions
and training opportunities, have had to endure false allegations of
misconduct and poor work and verbal and physical abuse. They are seeking
class-action status for the suit on behalf of at least 35 women.

I.C.T.S. in bond issue

International Container Terminal Services Inc. is issuing U.S.$111
million in convertible notes for financing a sixth berth at the Manila
International Container Terminal in the Philippines, and another U.S.$48.4
million to pay $45 million of five percent notes issued in 1994 that are
due in 2001. The new notes are due in March 2004 and are subject to an
option of Jardine Fleming International to request a new issue of U.S.$18.6
million. They will be on the Luxembourg exchange. Also, coupons are being
issued to I.C.T.S.I. Manila Holings for conversion from Philippine peso
notes to shares as required to maintain control.

Greek shipping statistics

In the last 14 months, 221 vessels of 4.9 million gross tons left the
Greek register. Some 2,528 seafarers are unemployed, 10 percent of the
active workforce.

British fleet in 1996

At the end of 1996, British companies owned 638 trading ships, down
from five percent from 1995's 675 vessels. Deadweight tons decreased nine
percent, from 12.8 million to 11.6 million. Of the 638 ships, 351 are
registered in the United Kingdom. Including non-trading ships, British
firms own 1,821 vessels of 13.5 million deadweight tons, down from 1,849 at
14.4 million deadweight tons at the end of 1995. Some 1,399 were registered
in the United Kingdom with 422 elsewhere.

Det Norske Veritas deleted 233 ships last year

During 1996, Det Norske Veritas deleted 233 ships, 80 because their
surveys were overdue or because repair recommendations were not followed.
The rest transferred to other classification societies. Ships struck
averaged 17.8 years of age, while those transferred averaged 12 years. Some
187 were around 19 years.

Naval architects cooperating

M. Rosenblatt and Son Inc. and Pelmatic A.B. have signed a cooperation
agreement. The former has concentrated on naval vessels, the latter on
ferries and passenger ships.

Denholm Ship Management names U.S. representative

Bulkamerica Corp. has been named U.S. representative of Denholm Ship
Management Ltd.

ROUTES AND SERVICES

F.E.F.C., TACA announce changes in charges

The Far Eastern Freight Conference (FEFC) will reportedly increase the
cost of moving a TEU from Europe to Asia by U.S.$175 and an FEU U.S.$225 on
1 July. The decision was reportedly made last month at Kuala Lampur,
Malaysia. F.E.F.C. has confirmed it will reduce its bunker adjustment
factor and currency adjustment factor on 1 April. The B.A.F. for cargo
between northern Europe and the Far East will be U.S.$34.38 per TEU, down
from U.S.$41.54. The C.A.F. for westbound cargo from Asia, except Japan,
will be cut two percent. Shipments from Japan will receive a negative
currency charge of 6.5 percent instead of the current zero. Eastbound, the
C.A.F. will be 6.5 percent, compared to the present 12 percent. Also, the
Trans-Atlantic Conference Agreement has announced that on 1 April, the
eastbound B.A.F. and westbound interim fuel particpation factor will return
to December rates. B.A.F. will be U.S.$40 per TEU or U.S.$80 per FEU
eastbound, and the westbound I.F.P. will be zero.

I.A.D.A. raising rates

The Intra-Asia Discussion Agreement has raised its rate for the second
time in 10 months. As of 1 April, moving a TEU will cost U.S.$192 and an
FEU U.S.$307. In June, refrigerated TEUs will cost U.S.$250 and
refrigerated FEUs U.S.$402.

C.G.M. to start independent Europe to Indian Ocean service

Compagnie Generale Maritime will start an independent service between
Europe and the Indian Ocean in May. Four 600-TEU vessels will be chartered
on a 14-day service. Ports include Felixstowe, England; Antwerp, Belgium;
Rouen, Nantes/St. Nazaire and Marseilles, France; transshipment at
Damietta, Egypt; Reunion; Mauritius; Madagascar; Mombasa, Kenya; and by
transshipment at Mombasa, Mayotte and Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.

OT Africa Line adds third ship, call at Monrovia

OT Africa Line Ltd. is adding the 1,100-TEU capacity containership
Karawa to its service to western Africa. Frequency will now be 12 days. In
addition, OT Africa Line will call at Monrovia, Liberia, for the first time
in seven years.

Far Eastern Shipping ending Australia to Japan route

Far Eastern Shipping Co. will suspend service between Australia and
Japan after 29 years. It is part of the service to Hong Kong and Manila,
the Philippines, and the other calls have extended the frequency and times
to point that it was not economically viable. Now, five ships will have
fixed-day departures from Hong Kong, Manila and the Australian ports of
Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

Maersk increasing frequency of South Africa service

Maersk Line is adding ships to its Europe to South Africa service,
increasing the calls from every two weeks to every week. Ships sail from
Algeciras, Spain, to Walvis Bay, Namibia, and the South African ports of
Cape Town and Durban.

Crowley American Transport adding third ship

Crowley American Transport Inc. is adding a third weekly fixed-day
sailing in early April from the U.S. east coast to Central America. On
Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, ships will depart Port Everglades, Fla.,
for Santo Tomas, Guatemala, and Puerto Cortes, Honduras. San Salvador, El
Salvador, and Managua, Nicaragua, will be serviced by transshipment. As a
result of the increased frequency, a third ship, the Mint Arrow
(Bahamian-registry 5,200-dwt, 304-TEU capacity containership built in 1996,
operated by Clipper Denmark ApS), will be used.

Starcraft Ferry ends service in Manila

Three weeks after starting service on the Pasig River, Starcraft Ferry
Corp. has been ordered to end operations by the City of Manila, the
Philippines.

Texaco to place offshore supply/storage ship in Gulf of Mexico

Texaco has announced plans to position an offshore supply/storage ship
in the Gulf of Mexico for very large crude carriers and ultra large crude
carriers moving between Corpus Christi, Texas, and Pascagoula, Miss. The
ship will have a high pump rate and can store 25,000 tons of heavy fuel,
with a separate compartment for distillate. It will operate continuously.

Alaska withdrawing the Malaspina from service

The Alaskan Department of Transportation has announced that the
Malaspina (U.S.-registry passenger ferry built in 1963) will be withdrawn
from the Alaska to Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada, route in
October. The vessel does not meet the new international Saving of Life at
Sea (SOLAS) requirements. Closten Associates is conducting a survey of the
vessel for the department.

PORTS AND TERMINALS

Strike at Chittagong

A strike over planned privatization of port facilities began at the
Port of Chittagong, Bangladesh, on 16 March. It is believed 10,000 people
have been involved.

Bill to stop lease of Long Beach property

Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., has introduced a bill in the U.S. House
of Representatives to stop the transfer of the closed U.S. Navy facility in
Long Beach, Calif., to China Ocean Shipping Co. The bill would prevent any
part of the former base to be transferred to a commercial shipping company
owned or controlled by a foreign country.

Study to be done on joint ports in Myanmar and Thailand

Sahaviriya Group Corp. Ltd. is planning to develop a port in Bokpyin,
Tanintharyi, Myanmar, to link with Bagn Saphan, Thailand. Under a
memorandum of understanding signed 17 March, a feasibility study on the
Golden Gateways Project for development of the ports will be done. The port
in Myanmar would become the western gateway and the Thai port the eastern
gateway. A road, rail and pipeline bridge will connect them. The port in
Bokpyin would be built and operated by Sahaviriya Group with transfer to
Myanmar later. Through the port development at Bokpyin, cargo moving from
Thailand will be cheaper, since the Strait of Malacca will be avoided.

Itochu to begin work on largest tank yard in China

Itochu Corp. plans to build a liquid chemical tank yard in China. It
will establish a management firm and two other companies to supply Chinese
domestic fiber and resin manufacturers with benzene and styrene. At 36
million liters/9.4 million gallons, it will be the largest chemical tank
facility in China. Construction will start in April, with operations to
begin in spring 1998. Total investment in the new company will be about two
billion Japanese yen/U.S.$17.5 million, with Itochu providing 30 percent
and the rest by two others, one of which is a major Taiwanese tank
management company. Along with 28 tanks, there will be a berth for
35,000-dwt ships. The facility will handle 260,000 tons per year.

Large development planned at Indian port

The Port of Mormugao in Goa, India, is planning a 25-year expansion
that will cost U.S.$1.43 billion, most of it by private investment. It will
raise the cargo handled from 18 million tons per year to 38 million tons
annually by 2005. In the outer harbor, four berths (to handle three million
tons per year), a breakwater and two offshore breakwater berths for
liquifed petroleum gas and petroleum will be built. The last berths will
handle four million tons per year. Four berths will be added at Vasco Bay
to handle two million tons. Off Baina Bay, 11 berths for bulk and general
cargo plus two additional berths will be added to handle 8.4 million tons
per year. Through the berths, coal and general cargo will increase from
500,000 tons annually to nine million and six million, respectively. Berths
5 and 6 will be rebuilt to a length of 450 meters/1,500 feet, able to
handle vessels with a draft of 13 meters/43 feet. They will be operating by
1999.

Ports Canada Police to be abolished, ports to assume own security

Canadian Transport Minister David Anderson announced a new policing
model on 14 March for the country's six major ports. Anderson also
announced additional funding for the lower British Columbia mainland for
the transition and a new criminal intelligence unit. Police services at the
ports of Vancouver, British Columbia; Montreal and Quebec City, Quebec;
Saint John, New Brunswick; Halifax, Nova Scotia; and St. John's,
Newfoundland, are currently provided by Ports Canada Police under Canada
Ports Corp. Once the new model is in place, Ports Canada Police will be
abolished. Basic security will now be the responsibility of the ports,
while local police will assume other standard services. Federal entities
will handle functions at ports that are within their jurisdiction. Canada
Ports will provide Canada$1 million to the Vancouver Police Department for
the transition. It is hoped the new model will be in place at all six by
fall. Meanwhile, Vancouver Port Corp. is prepared to contribute C$350,000
and Fraser C$10,000 annually for five years towards the establishment of an
intelligence-gathering task force at Vancouver for area ports.

Neptune Orient Lines and P. & O. plan terminal at Laem Chabang

Neptune Orient Lines and Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co.
Ltd. plan to develop a container terminal at Laem Chabang, Thailand. The
project will cost between U.S.$5 million and U.S.$10 million.

New oil terminal to be built in Indonesia

A memorandum of understanding to build an oil tank terminal was signed
17 March by an Indonesian consortium led by the Sailm Group, a Singaporean
consortium led by the Sembawang Group and Tomen Corp. The facility at
Karimun, Indonesia, will have an initial capacity of five million barrels,
which will be expanded to 10 million barrels. It will cost 407 million
Indonesian rupiah/U.S.$177 million.

New passenger terminal at Curacao

The Curacao Port Authority will build a new cruise ship terminal by
summer 1998. Costing over U.S.$8 million, it will be outside the Anna Bay
entrance on the western shore of Willemstad. At first, there will be one
berth.

Japan aiding Subic Bay planning

Japan is providing financial assistance for a feasibility study on a
master plan for Subic Bay, the Philippines. The Subic Bay Metropolitan
Authority has signed an agreement with the Japan International Cooperation
Agency, with the study to begin in May.

Shell Pipe Line leasing Louisiana oil terminal

Shell Pipe Line Corp. recently signed a 20-year lease agreement to
operate an oil terminal in Louisiana and convert it to a commercial
facility. It was operated by the U.S. Department of Energy as part of the
Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

I.C.T.S. to operate Ensenada

International Container Terminal Services Inc. has won a 20-year
concession to operate the Port of Ensenada, Mexico, it was announced 13
March. I.C.T.S. bid U.S.$3.2 million for the 14-hectare/35-acre site. New
equipment and a general upgrade is planned.

Legislation may remove threat, and change shipping lanes, in San Francisco

Legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives
to remove rocks less than 12 meters/40 feet below the surface of San
Francisco Bay and establish new shipping lanes. More than 800 tankers
transit the bay annually, and it is feared that the bay could be polluted
by a large oil spill if a tanker was to strike one of these rocks. The most
important sites are three areas northwest of Alcatraz Island. They are in
the westbound lane, and are not a problem when only one ship is passing.
But if two or three are passing each other in the area, the threat of
hitting the rocks increases. Under the proposed bill, the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers would have to remove rocks so that lanes would have a depth of
17 meters/55 feet below low tide. If it becomes law, the bill mandates a
feasibility study within a year and the rocks must be removed in three
years with the U.S. government paying 75 percent. The U.S. Coast Guard must
then modify the lanes and re-route ships. Also, ships of the U.S. Maritime
Administration would be subject to surveys of the Coast Guard as rigorous
as commercial tankers.

New tug rules at Hamburg

A new law has been passed regulating tug equipment and the number of
standby vessels allowed at the Port of Hamburg, Germany. It is the result
of an on-going conflict that began when Kotug challenged five German tug
firms that serve the port. The new regulation states that a towing company
with one to four tugs has to have one on standby. Companies with between
five to eight tugs have to have two vessels constantly operating. Three
crewmembers must be aboard and the master must speak German. Two daylight
radars are now needed, and the towing gear has to fulfil certain technical
requirements. The new regulations were modelled on the ocean-going tug
rules of Seeberufsgenossenschaft.

Hawaiian harbor fees increasing

Activities associated with Hawaiian ports will have to pay 25 percent
more in commercial fees starting 1 April. The increase will raise U.S.$7.5
million in fiscal year 1998 to make port improvements, especially at the
Barbers Point Basin and Pier 40 at Honolulu. Also, the extra assessment on
cargo for other islands entering at Honolulu has been eliminated.

Judge bars single-hull tankers from Lake Maracaibo

A judge in Cabimas, Venezuela, has banned single-hull tankers from
Lake Maracaibo and Las Piedras as of 16 April. The date is delayed so that
current contracts can be fulfilled. The move comes after two recent
groundings in the area, in which one tanker spilled at least 20,000 barrels
of crude oil. The ban will be enforced by the Venezuelan Army. In addition,
Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. will not be able to sell oil or oil derivitives
to ships in the Lake Maracaibo channel.

Maersk buys stake in Salalah Port Services

Maersk Line has bought 15 percent of Salalah Port Services Co., which
is developing a port at Mina Raysut, Oman.

Royal Navy to shift control of Portland

Portland Port Ltd. will become the statutory harbor authority for the
Port of Portland, England, replacing the Royal Navy's Queen's Harbour
Master. Portland Port bought the naval facilities last year and applied to
manage the facility commercially. A hearing on the proposed change was held
in October.

Berthing fees cut at Laem Chabang

The Port of Laem Chabang, Thailand, has announced a new berthing fee
structure. Ships up to 30,000-gt will be exempt, while ships over 30,000-gt
will only pay for the additional tonnage.

SHIPYARDS AND EQUIPMENT SUPPLIERS

Gdansk Shipyard employees continue protests

Employees of Gdansk Shipyard continued their demonstrations in Gdansk,
Poland, on 14 March. Some 1,200 people again blocked roads in the city to
protest a decision by the yard to dismiss the remaining 3,800 workers and
cease operations. On 17 March, workers yelled yelled "thieves, thieves" and
threw coins at Bank Gdanski S.A. and PeKaO S.A., which have refused credit
to the yard. Pope John Paul II issued a statement on 16 March to the
workers, stating, "I want to tell you that, just as I was with you in heart
and prayer when you fought for freedom, so I am now with you and your
families in this struggle for survival. I pray to God that your efforts
bear fruit to save this symbol of the historic battles and sacrifices made
in defending the dignity of the people and of the nation." On 19 March,
police forcefully removed 70 employees occupying the Polish Treasury
Ministry. Adam Giera, a representative of the workers, was transported,
unconscious, to a hospital. Members of Solidarity, who took part in the
action, said Giera was beaten by police. Protesters threw chairs and flower
pots at police in riot gear, who used tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Shipyard workers occupying the Polish Economy Ministry and Polish Labor
Ministry left without confrontation. Elsewhere, workers threw bricks and
red paint at the government's Social Democratic Party offices in Gdansk. To
chants of "Down with Communists" the group of 1,000 hung a pig's head
covered with red paint on the building and burned an effigy of Polish Prime
Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz. Tires were burned at the provincial
governor's office nearby. Protests continued 20 March, with workers
throwing stones, red paint and firebombs at the Social Democratic Party
offices in Warsaw.

Engineer killed at Greek shipyard

A tug engineer was killed the morning of 19 March when part of a crane
broke and struck Stathis Halazonitis, 64. Halazonitis was an engineer on
the tug Kronos of Hellenic Shipyards at Skaramanga, Greece.

E.C. reportedly approves aid to Spain

The European Commission has reportedly approved 135 billion Spanish
pesetas/U.S.$940 million in aid for Spanish shipbuilding. Capacity must be
cut 12.5 percent and shipyards that do not turn a profit by the end of 1998
must be closed. Approval of aid to German and Greek yards may be
forthcoming.

Mypegasus to operate to September

Employees of bankrupt Bremer Vulkan Verbund A.G. have agreed that the
trustee firm, Mypegasus, will operate to September. Afterwards, it will
provide the employees with education opportunities at a cost of 17 million
German marks/U.S.$10 million.

Royal Navy orders three attack submarines to be built at V.S.E.L.

The United Kingdom on 17 March ordered three nuclear-powered attack
submarines for the Royal Navy at a cost of two billion British
pounds/U.S.$3.2 billion. To enter service starting in 2005, the
Astute-class (formerly known as the Trafalgar Batch 2-class) will replace
the Swiftsure-class. The submarines will displace about 5,400 tons surfaced
and 5,900 submerged, and will be 91 meters/300 feet long, have a beam of
10.0 meters/32.8 feet and a draft of 8.25 meters/27.1 feet. They will be
equipped with a total of 30 Harpoon anti-ship missiles, Spearfish torpedoes
and Tomahawk land attack missiles and five 533-millimeter/21-inch torpedo
tubes. Propulsion will come from a PWR.2 pressurized-water reactor for a
speed of over 30 knots. To minimize noise, the submarines will take in
water and move it through a geared turbine drive before it is propelled out
by a pumpjet developing 15,000 shaft horsepower. There will be two
auxiliary alternators for emergency propulsion and a retractable auxiliary
electric propulsor. Sensors will include a Type 1007 navigation radar, a
Type 2076 sonar suite (Type 2074 active/passive bow array, Type 2077
high-frequency under-ice active navigation and passive towed array), a UAP
intercept suite and a CK 091 mast with periscope, optronics and antennas.
The crew will be 12 officers and 97 enlisted. All three will be built at
Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd., the first time the United
Kingdom has bought submarines with one contractor designing, building and
servicing them. Invitations for tenders were issued in July 1994, and
shortly after the bids were made in June 1995, General Electric Co. P.L.C.
bought V.S.E.L. Both had made bids. The bid actually went to General
Electric's Marconi, which will build them at V.S.E.L. The bids were kept
separate and the assessment ended in December 1995. In total, the British
government says the work will provide jobs for 7,000 people.

Royal Carribean Cruises formally orders 130,000-gt ship

Kvaerner Masa-Yards Inc. has received a second order from Royal
Carribean Cruises Ltd. for a 130,000-gt passenger ship of the Project
Eagle-class. The ship was an option that was acquired with the first ship,
and the latest vessel will be delivered in 2000. An additional option, for
a ship in 2001, was added, but that ship will cost U.S.$1.5 billion instead
of the U.S.$1 billion cost of the first two. The ships are built at Turku
New Shipyard and will carry 3,100 passengers.

P. & O. Nedlloyd places U.S.$220 million order for containerships

P. & O. Nedlloyd Ltd. has ordered five 2,900-TEU capacity
containerships from Kvaerner Warnowa-Werft G.m.b.H. for U.S.$220 million.
They will replace the Encounter Bay-class ships of 1969, and two chartered
vessels, operating between the Mediterranean and Australasia. The 22.5 knot
ships will have 400 refrigerated container plugs and will be built to
enable later hull lengthening. They will enter service in 1998 and 1999.

A.P. Moller orders three product tankers

A.P. Moller has ordered three 35,000-dwt product tankers from
Guangzhou Shipyard International Co. Ltd. The first will be delivered in
early 1999.

Kvaerner, Heerema unit get order from Esso

Kvaerner and the Norwegian subsidiary of Heerema have signed a letter
of intent for an order worth up to U.S.$540 million. They will build a
floating production, storage and offloading vessel and a wellhead platform
for Esso's Jotun field off Norway.

Cascade General to refit the Independence

Cascade General Inc. has won a contract from American Hawaii Cruises
to refit the Independence (U.S.-registry 7,366-dwt passenger ship built in
1950). The ship will receive 28 new pre-fabricated cabins for the crew,
freeing up existing cabins to be converted for passenger use. Other work
includes re-tiling the pool and refurbishing the main dining room and show
lounge. Work will begin in late May.

Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld to build cutters for new coast guard

The Royal Netherlands Navy has selected Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld to
build three cutters for the new Netherlands Antilles and Aruba Coast Guard.

Dalian New Shipyard launches third tanker

The Dalian New Shipyard launched a 150,000-ton oil tanker on 15 March.
It is one of the largest capacity vessels ever built in China, and is the
third of its kind for a Norwegian company.

Ro/ro launched at Sumitomo

Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ltd. has launched a 5,830 vehicle capacity
ro/ro for a Norwegian company. The ship has 13 decks, five of which can
move vertically to accommodate larger vehicles, and it can carry 13,350
tons. The ship is 190.05 meters/623.52 feet long, has a
32.26-meter/105.8-foot beam and has a height of 31.4 meters/103 feet. There
is a single 17,400-horsepower diesel for 19.4 knots. Construction began in
August.

Waller launched for Royal Australian Navy

The Royal Australian Navy's Collins-class Submarine Waller (SM 03) was
launched on 14 March at Australian Submarine Corp. in Adelaide, Australia.
The Waller was ordered 18 May, 1987, and laid down 19 March, 1992.

Salalah Port Service orders cranes for new facility

Oman and Salalah Port Services Co. on 17 March signed two contracts
for a total of U.S.$45 million for 18 cranes, including gantries. One of
the orders went to Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co. Ltd., which has
received a U.S.$36.38 million order for six container cranes. The cranes
will be installed at a new port facility at Mina Raysut, Oman, with
delivery by August 1998.

Finnyards to dissasemble oil rig

A jack-up oil rig will be dissassembled into three pieces by Finnyards
Ltd. It will be taken by Russian waterways to the Caspian Sea for use. The
work on the 5,000-ton Marawah will be supervised by the American Bureau of
Shipping.

EVENTS, INCIDENTS AND OPERATIONS

Crewmember aboard fishing vessel dies after accident

A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod,
Mass., evacuated an injured crewmember from the Max & Andrew (U.S.-registry
21-meter/69-foot fishing vessel homeported at Hyannis) at 1327 20 March.
David Crowley, 32, of Hyannis, sustained chest and head injuries and the
Coast Guard was contacted at 1212. The vessel was three kilometers/two
miles east of Highland Light at the time. The helicopter landed at
Massachusetts General Hospital at 1344, where Crowley was pronounced dead.

Greek vessel reportedly fires on Turkish-registry ship

Turkey said 14 March that a Greek Coast Guard vessel fired on a
Turkish-registry vessel carrying tourists in the Aegean Sea at 2030 13
March. The Turkish Foreign Ministry summoned the Greek ambassador to
Turkey, Dimitris Nezeritis, to make a diplomatic protest. Reportedly, as
the Deniztur (Turkish-registry) approached Agathonisi, south of Samos
Island, Greece, a Greek Coast Guard vessel contacted the ship on Channel 16
to investigate if the ship was caryring illegal migrants. Turkey said the
ship, sailing a scheduled route, did not reply and was fired on. Greece has
denied any shots were fired at the ship.

Illegal weapons imported at Long Beach

The U.S. Customs Service sezied two containers of illegal weapons 14
March from a warehouse at the Otay Mesa border crossing in California.
Inside the containers were thousands of unassembled grenade launchers and
M2 carbines. The arms were discovered after a worker at the warehouse
became suspicious and contacted the Customs Service. Both containers
arrived aboard a ship and were unloaded in Long Beach, Calif. They were
then trucked south and were to be delivered in Mexico.

Albania update: more refugees and rescues, war risk insurance in effect

Several countries have launched operations to remove their citizens
from Albania. As part of these actions, naval vessels from Greece, Italy,
the United States and others have been sailing in the Adriatic Sea, with
helicopters and vessels evacuating foreign nationals. Thousands, of
Albanians and others have been leaving the country for Italy, with Italy
reporting 10,600 on its shores. The ferry service from the Port of Durres
to Bari, Italy, ended 13 March. Since then, people have sought passage on
any vessel available, and reports have suggested that the majority of the
fleet of the Albanian People's Navy is in Italy. On 14 March, the Kyoto I
(Panamanian-registry 1,180-dwt tanker built in 1978, operated by Adriatic
Tanker Shipping Co.) arrived at Brindisi, Italy, from Durres. The 42
migrants and the Russian crewmembers aboard said it was one of the last
civilian vessels to leave Durres. The voyage took 12 hours, as the Kyoto I
ran low on fuel in the middle of the Adriatic and waited for an at sea
refueling. Some 858 Albanian migrants were rescued 15 March after an
Albanian People's Navy vessel ran agroynd off Brindisi, Italy. Italian
Coast Guard personnel rescued the group from the 324 in heavy seas. Those
aboard included a woman about to give birth, a 10-day old infant and dozens
of children. They left Vlore, Albania, at mid-morning 15 March, and sailed
to Otranto, Italy, where they were turned away. After trying to dock in
Lecce, the vessel was allowed to enter Brindisi when the engine began to
fail, 12 hours after sailing from Vlore. As the vessel was escorted into
port just before midnight, it drifted into shallow water 365 meters/1,200
feet from a petrochemical plant. Small boats took the migrants off in
groups of 30, with the last just after dawn. In Brindisi, they were
finger-printed and bused to temporary lodging. On 16 March, armed men
briefly hijacked a small Greek-registry passenger vessel in an attempt to
reach Italy. They were stopped by armed citizens of Sarande after a
speedboat chase. The vessel turned back. U.S. Navy and Marine Corps
personnel have been involved in at least three rescues of migrants. A U.S.
helicopter dropped Marines and sailors into the Adriatic to rescue 55
Albanians whose vessel capsized at dusk while sailing for Italy on 16
March. A distress call stated the vessel lost power, and a utility landing
craft with rescue swimmers headed to it. En route, the Albanian vessel
capsized and sank. An SH-60B Seahawk helicopter from the Oliver Hazard
Perry-class Guided-Missile Frigate U.S.S. Hawes (FFG 53) worked to locate
survivors, while the Tarawa-class Amphibious Assault Ship U.S.S. Nassau
(LHA 3) and the Austin-class Dock Amphibious Transport U.S.S. Nashville
(LPD 13) sent additional boats. Abother 30 were taken off a foundering
vessel, and all are aboard the U.S.S. Nassau. The Ticonderoga-class
Guided-Missile Cruiser U.S.S. Leyte Gulf (CG 55) rescued 20 Albanians 17
March after an SH-60 series Sea Hawk helicopter found a powerless
7.6-meter/25-foot vessel drifting in the Adriatic Sea. As a small boat from
the cruiser sailed to it, the passengers jumped overboard and began
swimming. Some 20 men were rescued and the vessel was taking in tow. The
passengers said they had been at sea for five days, and had gone three days
without fresh water or food. Three suffered from severe dehydration. On 17
March, an Albanian naval vessel ran out of fuel 37 kilometers/23 miles off
Brindisi with 900 aboard. All but 120 were taken off and were ferried to
Bari. On 18 March, 100 people reportedly left Durres on a derelict vessel
using paddles and sails made of garbage bags. The vessel ran aground and
the migrants returned. This week, people have been charging exorbant
amounts for passage to Italy, with several confrontations reported. As a
response to the refugees, Italy on 19 March declared a state of emergency,
which allows the country to send back to Albania people deemed
"undesirable," such as criminals. It also allows at-sea inspections of
vessels carrying migrants and the seizure of any vessels arriving in Italy.
The latter provision, ostensibly, is to keep more Albanians from arriving,
since some vessels are acting as a shuttle service. But it also will keep
unseaworthy vessels off the Adriatic. The Instituite of London Underwriters
and Lloyd's of London announced 18 March that Albania has been placed under
the War Risks Trading Warranties. As a result, the area is considered a war
zone and standard insurance policies will not cover damage or other
situations. Additional insurance will have to be taken out for ships to
sail near Albania with insurace coverage.

Two people evacuated from ships at sea

A U.S. Coast Guard HH-60J Jayhawk from Coast Guard Air Station
Clearwater, Fla., evacuated a person aboard the Galaxy on 8 March, 53
kilometers/33 miles north of Bahia de Cabanas, Cuba. The person, who was
suffering from acute appendicitis, was taken to an ambulance at an airport
in Key West, Fla. The SKS Tyne (Norwegian-registry 110,000-dwt combination
ship built in 1996, operated by Westfleet Management A/S) requested advice
from the U.S. Coast Guard on 11 March regarding a crewmember with possible
pneumonia. A Coast Guard flight surgeon recommended an evacuation, and a
12-meter/41-foot utility boat from Coast Guard Station Islamorada, Fla.,
took the person to the Monroe County Emergency Medical Services unit in
stable condition.

U.S. Coast Guard drops food and water to Haitian-registry vessel

The Na Na Express (Haitian-registry) broadcast a distress call on 7
March about 26 kilometers/16 miles northwest of Matthewtown, Great Inagua,
the Bahamas. The ship reported it was adrift with a disabled engine and the
crew did not have any water, food or fuel. A U.S. Coast Guard HH-60J
Jayhawk from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Fla., dropped food and 19
liters/five gallons of water to the ship. The vessel later arrived at
Matthewtown.

Boarding finds cocaine, cash in Florida

A boarding party from the U.S. Coast Guard "Point"-class Patrol Boat
Point Martin (WPB 82379) went aboard the Class Act (U.S.-registry sailing
vessel) on 7 March, 48 kilometers/30 miles east of Boca Raton, Fla. After
seeing fresh fiberglass work in the cockpit and discrepancies in
documenation, the vessel was escorted to Coast Guard Station Ft. Lauderdale
for a more thorough boarding. During that boarding 158 kilograms/348 pounds
of cocaine and U.S.$7,500 in cash was found. The U.S. Customs Service took
custody of the vessel, cocaine and money, and arrested the master.

Farmland starts barging on the Missouri

Farmland Industries has starting barge operations on the Missouri
River early, due to the high risk of flooding which could interfere with
fertilizer shipments. The first eight barges arrived in Kansas City, Mo.,
on 10 March. The official river opening is 1 April.

U.S. Coast Guard finds vessel fishing in restricted area

The U.S. Coast Guard's Bear-class Medium-Endurance Cutter U.S.C.G.C.
Escanaba (WMEC 907), on patrol 184 kilometers/115 miles east of Cape Cod,
Mass., at 2300 19 March, seized the catch of the Perseverance
(U.S.-registry 26-meter/84-foot long scallop boat homeported at Fairhaven).
The vessel was found 2.9 kilometers/1.8 miles inside Closed Area II with no
lights. The catch was estimated at U.S.$67,500, and the vessel is under
escort to New Bedford, with the "Island"-class Patrol Boat U.S.C.G.C.
Jefferson Island (WPB 1340) taking over the morning of 20 March. For
fishing in a restricted area, the vessel's owner, K & T Fishing Inc., may
face up to U.S.$100,000 in fines. The operator is Kenneth Thuestad.

Pacific Teal arrives in Japan

The Pacific Teal (British-registry 3,125-dwt vessel built in 1982,
operated by James Fisher and Sons P.L.C.), carrying radioactive waste from
France, arrived the morning of 18 March at the Port of Mutsu Ogawara at
Rokkashomura, Aomori Prefecture, Japan. The waste was transported to a
storage facility of Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd. Japanese power companies send
their spent fuel to France for removal of plutonium and other reusable
material. Forty cubes of glass containing the waste generated from the
process will be stored at Rokkasho for 30 to 50 years before transfer and
final burial. The 20-ton shipment left Cherbourg, France, on 13 Jan. Over
the next 10 to 20 years, about 3,000 more blocks of waste from Japan sent
to France and the United Kingdom are expected to arrive in Rokkasho. During
the docking on 18 March, about 400 protestors demonstrated near the port
and six Greenpeace members in two inflatable boats attempted to get near
the Pacific Teal.

Greek Navy vessel salvaged

The Greek Navy Antipliarchos Lascos-class Guided-Missile Patrol Boat
H.S. Antipliarchos Kostakos (P 25) was raised 15 March by Tsavliris. It has
been placed on pontoons and will be inspected. The vessel sank at 1845 4
Nov. after it was in a collision with the the Samaina (Greek-registry
3,783-gt, 810-dwt ro/ro and passenger ferry built in 1962, owned and
operated by Arkadia Lines Naftkik Eteria) off Vathi, Samos Island, Greece.
The naval vessel sank and three petty officers and a warrant officer are
missing. The Samaina, sailing from Vathi to Karlovasi, did not suffer any
serious damage and none of the 71 passengers and 51 crew were injured.
According to witnesses, the ferry suddenly changed course to port and hit
the starboard area of the warship's stern. The H.S. Antipliarchos Kostakos
sank in 151 meters/495 feet of water about one kilometer/0.6 miles from
Samos.

Maersk Dubai officers leave Canada

The six officers of the Maersk Dubai (Taiwanese-registry 29,872-gt,
31,160-dwt, 2,138-TEU containership built in 1983, owned and operated by
Yangming Marine Transport Corp.) left Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, on 20
March for Vancouver, British Columbia, via Toronto, Ontario, where they
will board a Mandarin Airlines aircraft for Taipei, Taiwan. They have been
told to appear at the office of Chief Prosecutor Richard Su in Kaohsiung
District Court on 28 March. On 6 March, Justice Michael MacDonald in
Halifax ruled that the six cannot be tried in Canada or Romania for
alledgedly killing three Romanian stowaways at sea. The ship arrived in
Halifax on 24 May. Eight Filipino crewmembers deserted, alledging that the
master and officers subdued a Romanian stowaway on deck during the voyage.
The crew said he was never seen again, inferring that he was forced
overboard. They also said that on 12 March, 1996, the crew was forced to
put two other Romanian stowaways on a raft made of oil drums 48
kilometers/30 miles off Spain. The crew said they had protected another
Romanian stowaway, and he was later brought ashore. After an assault on the
ship by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to take the crew into custody,
legal proceedings began to determine what country would try the master,
first mate, second mate, chief engineer, chief cook and radio officer.
MacDonald said there was enough evidence to charge the master and four crew
with second-degree homicide, and to charge the master and three officers
with two counts of manslaughter. Following interrogations in Kaohsiung, the
six may be tried by a Taiwanese court. Canada decided not to appeal the
ruling in Halifax, after spending Canadian$200,000.

S.A.S. Emily Hobhouse completes torpedo exercise

The South African Navy's Maria Van Riebeeck-class Submarine S.A.S.
Emily Hobhouse (S 98) successfully completed a torpedo firing exercise on 4
March. The submarine is serving as the trials ship for a new South African
combat system.

Norwegian-registry fishing vessel fitted for deep-sea perch

Due to dwindling cod catches, the Sildoy (Norwegian-registry fishing
vessel homeported at Bergen) has received a special line to fish perch at a
depth of 1,000 meters/3,300 feet in the North Atlantic. The lines, 10
centimeters/four inches in diamater, are fitted with 250 hooks. The fish
that deep are not protected by quotas for the most part.

VESSEL TRANSFERS

Last Socanav tankers under Petro-Nav

The three remaining tankers owned by bankrupt Socanav Inc. are now
being operated, and are probably owned by, Petro-Nav Inc., a subsidiary of
Group Desgagnes Inc.

Edward L. Ryerson to fit out

The Edward L. Ryerson (U.S.-registry 12,170-gt, 7,637-nt,
220-meter/730-foot "classic Laker"-design bulk carrier built in 1960 by
Manitowoc Shipbuilding Inc. at Manitowoc, Wis.; owned and operated by
Inland Steel Co.) is being reactivated and will sail on the Canadian and
U.S. Great Lakes starting 4 April. The ship has been laid-up at Bay
Shipbuilding Co. since 24 Jan., 1994.

U.S. Military Sealift Command chartering two vessels

The U.S. Military Sealift Command announced two time-charter contracts
on 14 March. Van Ommeren Shipping (U.S.A.) Inc. will receive
U.S.$23,592,099 for the charter of the Strong Virginian (U.S.-registry
16,169-gt, 17,968-dwt ro/ro built in 1984 by Bremer Vulkan Verbund A.G. at
Vagesack, Germany; owned and operated by Van Ommeren Shipping), which will
be based at Diego Garcia as part of a maritime prepositioning squadron. If
options are exercised, the contract will total U.S.$47,992,099 and last
until March 1999. The ship was first chartered in July 1992 and was
refitted to carry a 500-bed portable military hospital. Cormorant
Shipholding Corp. will receive U.S.$60,491,500 for the time-charter of the
American Cormorant (U.S.-registry 10,195-gt, 52,092-dwt float-on/float-off
ship built in 1975 by Eriksberg Mek. Verkstads at Gothenburg, Sweden; owned
by Cormorant Shipholding and operated by Osprey-Acomarit Ship Management
Inc.), which will fulfill a similar role at Diego Garcia by carrying
several craft. The ship, a converted 135,900-dwt tanker, has been chartered
since 1982 and has been at Diego Garcia since 1985. It has typically
carried 7,000 tons of equipment, including two floating cranes, 14 landing
craft, four tugs and two LASH barges carrying assorted equipment. The ship
will be on time-charter until November 2001.

Fugro firms renew charters for three survey ships

Two Fugro businesses have renewed five-year charters on three survey
vessels owned and operated by Eidesvik and Co. A/S. Fugro-Geoteam will use
the Geo Searcher (Norwegian-registry 2,000-dwt vessel built in 1982) and
the Geo Surveyor (Norwegian-registry 630-dwt vessel built in 1965) in the
central and northern U.K. sectors of the North Sea. The Geo Scanner
(Norwegian-registry 630-dwt vessel built in 1965) will be used in Norway.

Le Brave renamed

The Le Brave (Canadian-registry 8,471-gt, 4,657-dwt, 3,584-nt tanker
built in 1977 by Mitsubish Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. at Shimonoseki, Japan;
owned and operated by Imperial Oil Ltd.) has been renamed the Imperial St.
Lawrence. The ship was repainted while laid-up in Halifax, Nova Scotia,
Canada, recently.

CASUALTIES

Eighteen migrants killed trying to reach Greece

Eighteen migrants are missing after a vessel carrying them from Turkey
sank the night of 16 March in Turkish waters, just off the islet of Ro,
Greece. An Iranian man notified local authorities after he said he swam to
Ro when the vessel sank. Two other male survivors were found. Reportedly,
21 people, including three women and three children, bought the unpowered
boat in Kas, Turkey, to reach Kastellorizo, Greece, where they would ask
for asylum. The three survivors are hospitalized in Kastellorizo, where
one, whose wife was four-months pregnant, is being treated for severe
shock.

Explosion at Greek shipyard kills one worker, injures seven

An explosion aboard the Evgenia (Greek-registry 500-dwt tanker) the
afternoon of 15 March at a shipyard in Perama, Greece, killed one person
and injured seven. It is believed that welding work during plate
replacement ignited fumes in a cargo tank, while a crew was painting
nearby. As a result of the incident, labor unions at the yard called a
daylong strike and rally to protest what they say are unsafe working
conditions and a high unemployment rate in the area. Among the problems
noted was that a crew painting aboard the ship did not have a license from
the port authorities. The owner of the shipyard, Vardis Kelaidis, and
Panagiotis Fyntanis, responsible for the painting crew, were arrested 16
March. The master of the ship, Panagiotis Vryonis, was hospitalized with
burns and is to appear in court on charges of negligence. Arrest warrants
have been issued for the tanker's owners, Yiannis and Alexandros Boufis.

Crew rescued as the Sea Boekanier sinks north of Cuba

On 8 March, a 406 Mhz emergency position indicating radio beacon was
activated about 34 kilometers/21 miles north of Nuevitas, Cuba, aboard the
Sea Boekanier (839-dwt dry cargo ship built in 1968). Shortly after, the
Solaro (37,700-dwt tanker built in 1996, operated by Carbofin S.p.A.)
reported a distress call from the ship. The Duden (Turkish-registry
26,975-dwt bulk carrier built in 1981, operated by Sohtorik Denizcilik San
Ve Tic A.S.), sailing in the area, was asked to divert and assist as part
of the Automated Mutual Vessel Emergency Response (AMVER) system. A U.S.
Coast Guard HU-25A Falcon from Coast Guard Air Station Miami located the
ship, which had a 50-degree list to starboard. The crew abandoned the ship
into a liferaft, and were rescued by the Duden. The Sea Boekanier, which
had recently been renamed from Briana, sank.

Bridge near Baton Rouge hit three times in as many days

The U.S. 190 bridge over the Mississippi River at Port Allen, La., was
hit by vessels three days in a row recently. On 15 March, a tugboat allided
with the bridge and the next day, a tow of 14 barges hit the structure. The
most serious involved a tow of 25 barges, which allided with the bridge
about 1700 17 March. A section of river four kilometers/2.5 miles long, was
closed. A tank barge owned by Ingram Barge Co. capsized and began leaking
its cargo of 1.5 million liters/400,000 gallons of benzene and toluene,
forcing the evacuation of 16 homes, Southern University, a jail at Port
Allen and two riverboat casinos including the Casino Rouge. Half of the
2,600 students who live at the university went to the fieldhouse at
Louisiana State University, where they spent the night. The Advocate
newspaper pushed its deadline up in case the evacuation area was extended.
The barge was pushed downstream to the Placid oil refinery on the west
bank, where a crane from New Orleans will attempt to salvage it. The
allision broke the tow apart, with three carrying crushed stone sinking.
Two were refloated 18 March, while the third was positioned against the
capsized tank barge to stabilize it. Two other tugs reportedly ran aground.
Both the U.S. 190 bridge and the Interstate 10 bridge were closed for
inspection. On 19 March, another tow of 12 barges broke free about 10
kilometers/six miles downstream, but were quickly brought under control.

Danish-registry catamaran sinks fishing vessel

On 13 March, the Cat-Link II (Danish-registry 250-dwt passenger
catamaran built in 1995, operated by Condor Ltd.) collided with a vessel in
the Strait of Kattegat in Denmark. The other vessel, a fishing vessel, sank
but the only person aboard, Preben Jensen, 61, was rescued. Apparently, the
Cat-Link II did not see the cutter by radar.

Bulk carriers in collision south of Malaga

The Theodoros S. (Cypriot-registry 16,521-gt, 27,023-dwt bulk carrier
built in 1977, operated by Samios Shipping Co. S.A.) collided with the
Gulsum Ana (Turkish-registry 18,221-gt, 33,423-dwt bulk carrier built in
1975, operated by Mardeniz Denizcilik) about 48 kilometers/30 miles
southwest of Malaga, Spain, on 15 March. The collision was at 36 degrees
09.3 minutes north, 04 degress 36.5 minutes west. The Theodoros S. took on
water and had other damage, but was taken in tow by the Remolcanosa Cinco
(Spanish-registry tug) for Cadiz, Spain. The Gulsum Ana had minor damage
and anchored at Malaga.

U.S. Coast Guard cutter assists Massachusetts fishing vessel

On 16 March, George Bragdon, of Dennisport, Mass., contacted his wife
from his 27-meter/90-foot fishing vessel Resolute, with six aboard, to say
that the vessel was disabled with engine problems. Just after 0700,
Bragdon's wife contacted the U.S. Coast Guard. After attempting to contact
the Resolute, homeported at New Bedford, for 30 minutes, an HU-25A Falcon
from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod was able to signal the vessel in
conditions that included 30 knot winds and three-meter/10-foot seas. The
Resolute was 176 kilometers/110 miles east of Provincetown. The Coast
Guard's "Island"-class Patrol Boat U.S.C.G.C. Jefferson Island (WPB 1340)
arrived at 1630 and began a tow to Provincetown. As of 17 March, it was
planned to transfer the tow to a commercial salvage vessel near Race Point.

Containership grounds entering Riga

The Sea Regina (Cypriot-registry 8,902-gt, 8,968-dwt containership
built in 1984, operated by C.F. Peters) ran aground in poor visibility
entering the Port of Riga, Latvia, on the morning of 16 March. An attempt
by four tugs to refloat the ship the same day failed.

Eburna runs aground at Geelong

The Eburna (Isle of Man-registry 18,659-gt, 31,374-dwt tanker built in
1979, operated by Shell International Trading and Shipping Co. Ltd.),
sailing from Geelong, Victoria, Australia, to Esperance, Western Australia,
ran aground leaving Geelong on 19 March. The ship sailed to Adelaide, South
Australia, where a survey found severe damage to shell plating on the port
side forepeak.

Tanker aground at Canakkale

The Ahmed Karaosman (Turkish-registry 4,147-gt, 6,887-dwt tanker built
in 1982, operated by Ofisi Gemi Isletme Basmodurlugu), sailing from Aliaga
to Trabzon, Turkey, ran aground south of Kepez Lighthouse at Canakkale,
Turkey, on 18 March.

Japanese government giving 5.3 billion yen as spill compensation

The Japanese government will pay 5.3 billion Japanese yen this month
to local governments as compensation for cleaning an oil spill. The
Nakhodka (Russian-registry 13,157-gt, 20,471-dwt tanker built in 1970,
operated by Primorsk Shipping Co. and owned by Prisco Traffic Ltd.) broke
in half 0250 2 Jan. about 130 kilometers/81 miles northeast of the Oki
Islands, Shimane Prefecture, Japan. Thirty-one of 32 crew were rescued and
the master was killed. The Nakhodka carried 19,000 tons of grade C heavy
fuel, or 19 million liters/five million gallons or 133,000 barrels. The
spill was estimated at more than five million liters/1.3 million gallons or
5,000 tons and has affected eight Japanese prefectures. The bow came ashore
at Mikuni, Fukui Prefecture. The money will cover 80 percent of the costs
of local governments, and another two billion yen has already been given to
local entities involved in the spill. In the latest amount, five billion
yen will be given to 12 prefectures and 143 cities, towns and villages.
Another 300 million yen will go to 17 prefectures and 464 cities, towns and
villages that sent people, equipment and supplies to assist.

Thomas G. Thompson investigating Derbyshire

The lead ship of the Thomas G. Thompson-class Oceanographic Research
Ship, owned by the United States but operated by the University of
Washington, left Guamn recently for a 47-day study of the Derbyshire. The
bulk carrier sank in the South China Sea killing all 44 aboard in 1980. It
is hoped the expedition will answer several of the questions surrounding
the sinking. The Thomas G. Thompson will sail to Yokohama, Japan, at the
end of April.

(AT) LAST...BUT NOT LEAST...

Was that percussion floating by?

A storm in the North Atlantic recently swept several containers off a
ship. Among the contents of some of them were 1,300 garbage cans, but not
just any cans. Manufactured by Garrods of Barking, England, they are
"Victorian," built of hot-dipped galvanized steel. The shipment was headed
to the United States for use in "Stomp," the show which uses garbage cans
and other items as percussion. The cans by Garrods are prized by the
"Stomp" members as excellent instruments for their show.

America's Cup update

A 27-year-old person was charged in Auckland, New Zealand, on 14 March
with criminal trespass and damage after he alledgedly attacked the
America's Cup with a sledgehammer. The trophy, created in 1848, is to be
returned to its English manufacturer for repairs. A Maori group claimed
responsibility, saying the action was to protest the "illegal occupation of
New Zealand" by predominantly European settlers, or Pakeha. The protester
is being held without bail, partly because there are outstanding charges
stemming from other incidents.
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Steve Schultz - Whitefish Bay, Wis., U.S.A. - ssch...@execpc.com

"When beholding the tranquil beauty and brilliancy of the ocean's skin, one
forgets the tiger heart that pants beneath it; and would not willingly
remember, that this velvet paw but conceals a remorseless fang" - Herman
Melville from "Moby-Dick; or, The White Whale," Chapter 114, Paragraph two