The Maritime Association of Shipowners Shipmanagers and Agents (MASSA) is a non-profit making body of Shipowners, Shipmanagers and their Agents, registered under the Companies Act, 1956 and is based in Mumbai. Members include companies which have a long association with Indian Manning and are identified as traditional employers of Indian Officers and Ratings. MASSA is an independent organization which enjoys an excellent rapport and working relationship with the Government of India, Indian Shipowners and allied shipping interests, the National Union of Seafarers of India, Forward Seamen’s Union of India and the Maritime Union of India. MASSA is represented in various Statuatory bodies in the shipping industry. MASSA has formed a Trust named Maritime Training And Research Foundation (MTRF) which has been setup by MASSA Members to receive employers contribution and disperse the same as required towards Maritime Training to the new cadets who wish to make carrier in the Shipping Industry. MTRF has two Institutes namely MASSA Maritime Academy (MMA) at C.B.D. Belapur, Navi Mumbai, and MASSA Interface Maritime Academy (MIMA) at Chennai. MASSA sails on... TEEKAY Corporation has raised $160m through the drop-down sales of three tankers to its spin-off Teekay LNG Partners. The sale highlighted the parent Teekay’s pressing need to reduce its massive debt, and came on a day the tanker giant reported an adjusted fourth quarter net loss of $33.3m and an adjusted full-year net loss of $87.5m. ====================================================== Reports warn of surge in Somalia attacks THERE is likely to be an upsurge in piracy attacks against commercial shipping off Somalia in the next two to three weeks. Intelligence reports indicate that pirates are gathering vessels, men and equipment at the Somali ports of Hardare, Hobyo, Eyl and Garacad in readiness for the expected onset of calmer weather during the inter-monsoon period. ===================================================== Anglo Eastern targets offshore supervisory business ANGLO-Eastern Group, the Hong Kong-based shipping services company, is targeting the offshore vessel sector with its newbuilding supervisory services following a dramatic rise in the volume of assignments from owners with tonnage on order. Chief executive Peter Cremers said the amount of supervisory work has doubled in the last two years. ======================================================== Somali pirates free Greek bulk carrier GREEK-owned bulk carrier Navios Apollon, held by Somalia pirates for two months, was released on Saturday afternoon following the airdrop of an unspecified ransom. The Greek national master and another 18 Filipino seafarers on board are all said to be safe. The 2000-built, 52,068 dwt vessel was seized off the Seychelles on December 28. ======================================================= Skov to quit Torm as Melgaard takes over INTERIM chief executive for Danish tanker company TORM, Mikael Skov, is to leave the company when Jacob Melgaard takes over the reins at the beginning of next month. Mr Skov, who has worked at Torm since 1984 and took over as chief executive in 2008, will leave the company after its annual report is published on 11 March. ====================================================== D’Amico cautious after posting $13.4m loss IT WAS a tough end to a tough year for d’Amico International Shipping, with the Milan-listed tanker company today announcing losses of $13.4m for 2009. ==================================================== BW Offshore eyes Singapore listing OIL production shipowner BW Offshore is planning to have a secondary listing in Singapore to raise new equity in an effort to expand its fleet. The Norwegian company, which is an affiliate of the BW shipping group, already has a listing in Oslo, but has a major operating and shareholder presence in Singapore. ==================================================== Somali pirates attack tanker (Monday 22 February 2010) SOMALI pirates are back in action, with two failed hijack attempts on tanker and an unsuccessful approach to a containership leading to the detention of a number of suspects over the weekend. Pirate activity in the Gulf of Aden has sharply reduced in recent weeks, largely on account of weather conditions. ======================================================== SCI eyes secondhand vessels as prices fall. =============================================== UK court clarifies legality of ransom payments ================================================ Hong Kong owners warn over ransom ban ================================================= Long struggle to pull down EU barriers ==================================================== ABP plans $154m Hull bulk terminal US urges signing of piracy declaration COUNTRIES asked to sign up to New York Declaration to combat piracy and resist ransom payments. =================================================== Somali pirates threaten to kill Ariana crew David Osler - Monday 26 October 2009 SOMALI pirates say they will kill the Ukrainian crew bulk carrier Ariana, held since early May this year, as soon as fuel on the ship runs out, a Russian seafarer union has claimed. =================================================== Exmar secures bank finance for gas ship Martyn Wingrove - Monday 19 October 2009 BELGIUM vessel owner Exmar has gained finance to pay for its half of the new gas ship Expedient and has sold its share in the newbuilding Exquisite to improve its debt position. ===================================================== Pirates attack Chinese panamax David Osler - Monday 19 October 2009 CHINESE panamax De Xin Hai was seized by pirates in the Indian Ocean yesterday at around midday local time, according to a spokesman for EU Navfor. According to the Lloyd’s Marine Intelligence Unit database, the vessel is associated with Cosco Qingdao. ==================================================== 4 Indians on the board the ship hijacked by Somali pirates 4 Indians sailors are among 21 crew members on board the ship MV Kota Vazir that was seized from north of seychelles by Somali pirates on October 15. Pacific International Lines that owns the ship has refused to divulge any details about the incident. When CNN-IBN contacted the family members of the Chief Engineer of the ship they said the company had assured them that all crew members are safe. However, the incident raises some big questions: In September, NATO had reportedly warned of possible attacks by pro-Al Qaeda Somali pirates on Indian vessels and sailors over the next few weeks. Was this intelligence ignored? How did the pirates get away when international naval forces including the Indian Navy have stepped up patrolling in the Gulf of Aden? And Why is the Government of India not intervening in the matter? ================================================= AP Moller-Maersk to reflag from UK to Denmark AP MOLLER MAERSK is set to re-flag vessels from the British to the Danish International Registry as part of a wide-ranging simplification of its ownership and registration structure. A total of 55 vessels will be included in the group-wide simplification strategy, which will see 15 containerships and tankers leave the UK and 17 supply vessels exit ... ================================================== Tanker flat rates set to fall 26% in 2010 Falling bunker prices push down rates ================================================== Danish owners call for CMA CGM and Hapag Lloyd capacity cuts Box lines should be forced to cut their fleet capacity in return for government financial support ==================================================== Somalia fails to get bulk of piracy aid LESS than one third of the aid pledged by international donors six months ago to boost security and fight piracy has been received. ================================================= High crude inventories hampering tanker recovery HIGH global crude inventory levels are hindering the prospect of any recovery in the fragile tanker trades in the last quarter of 2009. =================================================== Maersk looks to axe over 280 officers Box giant aims to replace 170 of its 800 Danish seafarers with cheaper Asian crew and cut 113 of its 560 British officers through voluntary redundancies. ============================================= Jamaica aspires to become global shipping hub ================================================= Somali pirates kill another seafarer(Friday, 25 September 2009 ) MASTER deliberately murdered after refusing to divert course. Bid to grant immunity to seafarers who kill pirates ===================================================== Hamburg ship valuation formula adds up, says PwC SHIP valuation standard now fulfils the strict standards of German auditors’ association.  ==================================================== Germany confident Hapag-Lloyd aid will pass EU test GOVERNMENT sources optimistic that carrier’s bid for support will not be derailed following preliminary talks with Brussels. ====================================================== Pirates free Irene EM ============================================= MSC has no desire for bailout funds MSC chief Gianluigi Aponte says company will not be among those queuing for state handouts ============================================== Saadé slams European ban on liner conferences BRUSSELS accused of penalising Europe’s owners. ================================================= Maersk Tankers in bid to delay deliveries COMPANY negotiating with Asian yards to delay deliveries or reduce prices for vessels on order. ============================================= Maersk eyes investment opportunities after unveiling $1.8bn share sale OFFERING will give AP Moller-Maersk ready cash to grow in the offshores and port sectors. ====================================================== Evergreen plunges into the red Taiwan’s Evergreen Marine Corp has followed its mainland Chinese rivals, China Cosco and China Shipping Container Line, to reveal swathes of red ink between January and June. ======================================================== Pirates back in business after monsoon lull David Osler - Thursday 27 August 2009 SOMALI pirates appear to be gearing up for a new round of attacks following a monsoon season lull, with reports that an Italian-operated general cargoship was shot at earlier this week. The 1990-built, 4,900 dwt Southern Cross, ex-Oman for Algeria, avoided capture after warships from Norway, South Korea and Germany sent helicopter support. There =================================================== US Environmental Protection Agency considers response in scrapping row ONE of the two ships at the centre of the toxic ship-scrapping furore in the US has sailed for Brazil. ===================================================== MSC Cruises mulls move to Italian register MSC Cruises has confirmed it is considering reflagging from Panama to Italy. ====================================================== AP Moller-Maersk suffers $540m first half loss Tom Leander - Friday 21 August 2009 SHOWING the full effect of the global shipping crisis on its bottomline for the first time, AP Moller-Maersk lost $540m in the first half of 2009, down 122% from the same period a year ago. This is the first time that the Danish energy and shipping group has ever reported in the red. The loss came amid signs that its ailing container division had seen a slight rise in shipping volumes and freight rates. But the company predicted further losses in the second half of the year. Chief executive Nils Andersen said the half-billion-dollar shortfall came despite revenues of $22.7bn, with a whopping loss to the container division of $961m. “It’s unsatisfactory to be delivering a loss,” Mr Andersen said. “But you have to put it in the perspective of the size of the group, the crisis in the shipping industry, and low oil prices.” In that context the loss is not a bad one, he said. Group results showed earnings decline across the board. Profits in Maersk’s oil and gas unit were down more than half to $504m, hit by a lower oil price than in 2008. Profits in tankers, offshore and other shipping activities dove 78% to $178m. The group also took $32m in writedowns related to its Odense Steel Shipyard Group and other industrial companies. Maersk announced earlier this month that it would pull the plug on building at the shipyard after current orders were completed. The group also reported one-time gains of $79m in sales of ships, rigs and other items that barely put a dent in its losses. Despite the grim report, analysts described the results as better than expected. “This was surprisingly good in a very bad world,” said Dominick Edridge, an analyst for UBS in London. He noted that the container line losses in its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation was $33m, negligible compared to ebitda losses at peers such as NOL and OOIL. Analyst Lars Heindorff of ABG Sundal Collier in Copenhagen noted that the container group’s ebit margin stayed flat at -9% from first quarter to second quarter, as opposed to the -17% he had forecast. He attributed the slightly better result to cost cutting and sustained increases in volumes and rates since May. Those cost-cutting measures have gone deep. Mr Andersen said that the group had realised $1bn-$1.5bn in cost savings in the first half, with the greatest savings in the container division, partly through a reduction of 1,500 jobs. This follows the 4,500 jobs the company eliminated in 2008. The cuts to the box line represent 25% of its land-based staff. Mr Andersen said that freight rates and volumes for the container shipping unit in the first six months of this year were 30% and 7%, respectively, below the same period ===================================================== Salvors battle product tanker blaze NINE seafarers still missing as salvors battled a blaze on a Formasa Plastics product tanker. ================================================= MSC benefits from scrapping spree AGGRESSIVE programme leaves MSC with no idle vessels in contrast with MISC and CSCL. ==================================================== Torm drops 2009 forecast to break even SHIPOWNER says it will now barely break even in 2009 due to the drop in freight rates in the tanker markets. ================================================ Odense calls time on shipbuilding AP Moller Maersk’s yard to cease all shipbuilding when current orderbook is completed. ==================================================== Eastwind files for bankruptcy Chapter 7 filing signals New York company has no hope of survival Rajesh Joshi - Thursday 25 June 2009 EASTWIND Maritime’s troubles have culminated in the New York shipping company filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. This form of bankruptcy presupposes that the company is beyond hopes of reorganisation, and leads to liquidation. ===================================================== Pirates may be dragging out ransom negotiations THE release of eleven Indonesian seafarers almost eight months after their ship was first hijacked has highlighted growing industry concern that ransom negotiation are dragging on longer than ever before. The Malaysian-flagged tug Masindra 7 was finally released over the weekend following protracted negotiations between the vessel’s Malaysian owner Masindra Shipping and the group of pirates that captured the vessel off the Yemen coast on December 16 last year. The deal came amid unconfirmed reports today that a $2.7m ransom payment had been parachuted onto the German boxship Hansa Stavanger with the intention of ending a four month ransom negotiation for the release of the vessel and its 24 crew. While security experts argue that each hostage situation has its own set of complications, shipping industry insiders close to current negotiations have told Lloyd’s List that several negotiations are being deliberately extended by pirates pushing for higher ransom figures. Experts suggest that the relative lack of recent pirate activity off Somalia due to monsoon weather has led pirate gangs to ramp up the existing negotiations and push for higher ransoms. Each time the price is pushed up the delicate negotiations falter as the shipowners and negotiators on both sides seek to clarify details. “Only people who know the inside details of these negotiations will be able to explain why these deals are taking longer, but it could be that there are problems with personalities and difficulties with people holding out on both sides,” said one expert close to current hostage negotiations. In the case of the Hansa Stavanger, negotiations are understood to have broken down several times since the 1,550 teu vessel was first hijacked on April 4 with five Germans, three Russians, two Ukrainians and 14 Filipinos on board. Discussions have been particularly fraught after the pirates learned of an aborted attempt in May by Germany’s elite GSG9 special forces to rescue the 1997-built, Liberia-flagged vessel. There have also been unconfirmed reports that the ransoms demands have steadily increased at each stage, starting from $2.2m, then $2.5m and reportedly closing with $2.7m today being delivered to the pirates via an air drop and a bank account in Kenya. The vessels owner Leonhardt & Blumberg today refused to confirm or deny the reports that a ransom payment had been made. “Things are definitely taking longer,” said one private security source. “This is partly because it is not so easy for the pirates to find ships at the moment so they hold on to the ships they have for longer. It is a question of leverage.” A total of 10 vessels and approximately 167 crew are still being held hostage in various locations in Somalia. ===================================================== Capt. Glen Aroza, Ex-Master of M.V. Tosa, who is held for questioning in Taiwan since 17th April, 2009. It is alleged that his ship was involved in an accident with a Taiwanese fishing vessel off the coast of Taiwan in the international waters. This alleged accident is said to have led to the death of two Taiwanese fishermen. Capt. Glen Aroza, a resident of Mangalore, was not on duty and was sleeping at the time of the alleged accident. The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF), Hong Kong Shipowners Association and other Shipping Associations nationally and internationally have strongly condemned the detention and wrongful criminalisation of seafarers and have sought justice for the two detained Indian seafarers. Maritime Association of Shipowners, Shipmanagers and Agents (MASSA), The Foreign Owners Representatives and Shipmanagers Association (FOSMA) and Indian National Shipowners Association (INSA) in joint discussion with the Indian Seafarers Federation (ISF) have expressed their deep concern and have extended their fullest support for the cause of the two detained Indian seafarers. The Taiwanese Unions have also assured all their support and have promised to speak to their Government in this matter. NUSI and MUI, under the banner of the Indian Seafarers Federation (ISF), have once again taken up the matter of Criminalisation of Seafarers with the Ministry of Shipping, Government of India. On 28th July, 2009 an Industry delegation comprising of Maritime Association of Shipowners, Shipmanagers and Agents (MASSA), The Foreign Owners Representatives and Shipmanagers Association (FOSMA) and Indian National Shipowners Association (INSA) in joint discussion with the Indian Seafarers Federation (ISF) have met the Union Minister of Shipping. ======================================================== MSC Napoli clearance completed Janet Porter - Thursday 30 July 2009 FINAL clearance of the MSC Napoli wreck was finished ahead of schedule, with the $140m salvage operation declared officially completed today. Barges loaded with scrap metal from the ship’s stern section have now left Lyme Bay in the south of England for Rotterdam, and the seabed swept for any remaining debris. The tugs on site and salvage........... ====================================================== Ransoms row puts hijacked crew at greater risk A BATTLE between insurers over how to divide up ransom claims could leave crews interests shuffled to the back. ===================================================== Teekay Tankers income takes a hit LOWER charter rates for suezmax and aframax tankers knocked Bermuda-based Teekay Tankers’ shipping income by nearly 10% this year, but revenues were boosted this month by the addition of another vessel. Teekay Tankers increased its fleet of vessels to 12 this month when it acquired 2003-built suezmax Ashkini Spirit. ======================================================= Hapag-Lloyd asks for rates cut STRUGGLING German carrier pressing shipowners for hefty cut in charter rates similar to rescue package negotiated by CSAV. ======================================================== IMO sets out firm plans for Copenhagen DELEGATES at MEPC meeting agree number of emissions strategies ahead of post-Kyoto talks. ================================================== Feeder operators vow to fight German boxship 'cartel' BANKS seek to take control of as many as 500 ships and set hire rates considerably above current levels. ======================================================= Somali pirates leave dhow; release 14 Indian crew Sailors taken hostage by sea gang on Saturday reported safe. ===================================================== Asian shippers join in attack of proposed rate hikes SHIPPERS will “avoid those shipping lines which have been hostile to shippers”. ================================================= Crew wage talks stalled but not 'confrontational' INTERNATIONALBargaining Forum reaches impasse but hope for deal remains. ================================================= SOMALI PIRATES HIJACK DHOW WITH 16 INDIANS Mumbai: An Indian dhow with 16 Indians on board was reportedly hijacked by Somali pirates while on its way from the port city of Bosasso to Dubai late on Friday. Officials from the Indian Directorate-General of Shipping (DGS) said they hadn’t received any information about such an attack. East African Seafarers’ Assistance Programme coordinator Andrew Mwangura could not name the dhow, but said the hijack could have been the result of a business deal gone sour. “We haven’t got any information about the crew members or their continuous discharge certificates,’’ National Union of Seafarers of India spokesperson Sunil Nair said. TNN ====================================================== TSA lines search contracts to enforce rate hikes CARRIERS hope to find clauses allowing them to automatically impose rate hikes or force shippers to go back to the bargaining table. =================================================== Pressure on pirates could soon win release of ships NEGOTIATORS predict four or five captured vessels will be freed in the next two months. ================================================ Italy in push for Gulf of Aden coastguard SHIPOWNERS call for European action to develop coastguard operations in the countries bordering the area. ================================================ VLGC owners issue rate warning BW Gas and Maersk Tankers refuse to charter out ships until rates match up to operating costs. ============================================ Demas Victory death toll set to rise LOSS to reignite concerns over ability of older safety standby vessels to cope with some weather conditions. ==================================================== Questions raised over sustainability of dry bulk rally FREIGHT rates recovery likened to “a condemned man on death row who has had a quite unexpected reprieve”. ====================================================== Maersk feeder arm targets big growth in intra-Asia trades GOAL is to grow market share to a size in line with that enjoyed by Maersk Line in the deepsea trades =========================================================== Box lines staring at $50bn revenue collapse Shipping analyst Alphaliner puts the anticipated drop in revenue from 2008 levels at $40bn-50bn. ===================================================== Oman Shipping to finalise Jiangsu Rongsheng VLOC order Chinese shipbuilder Jiangsu Rongsheng reported to have bagged $484m deal to build a quartet of VLOCs. ============================================= Warning of escalating costs of war on piracy SHIPPING and international commerce face what amounts to a piracy tax to keep trade flowing off east Africa. ====================================================== Danish shipowners irked by latest tax knock-back BRUSSELS insists owners continue filing tonnage tax details relating to dealings with foreign affiliates. ==================================================== UK will not ban swine flu cruiseships UK will not ban cruiseships that suffer flu outbreaks from entering its ports. ====================================================== THE Hebei Two — Capt. Jasprit Chawla and Chief Officer Syam Chetan — gave their heartfelt thanks today to seafarers, shipowners and industry organisations for the Indian and global campaigns that finally led to their freedom from South Korea. They arrived in India on 13th June 2009 at 1800 hrs (IST) at the Mumbai airport to a BIG welcome from the Indian Seafarers faternity. MASSA + FOSMA had planned a Press Conference along with MUI + NUSI at the Le Meridian Hotel near Mumbai airport at 1930 hrs on 13th June 2009. Hebei Two are finally freed from South Korea and the Industry vows to continue fight over charges Keith Wallis and Richard Meade. ==================================================== Hebei Two freed Shipping to fight on for freed Hebei Two INDUSTRY pledges to clear pair's names completely of pollution charges. Coming to India 13th June 2009 to a BIG welcome that has been planned from the Indian Seafarers faternity. MASSA + FOSMA has planned a Press Conference along with MUI + NUSI at the Le Meridian Hotel near Mumbai the airport at 1930 hrs on 13th June 2009. ====================================================== 'HEBEI TWO' FREED Thursday, 11 June 2009 The master and chief officer of the tanker Hebei Spirit have been freed following the widely expected ruling from South Korea's Appeal Court that the men were not guilty of the charge of vessel destruction. The two Indian officers have been kept in South Korea for the past eighteen months, some of it in prison. However, the lesser charge of causing pollution was not overturned despite massive pressure from the shipping industry to see the men fully exonerated. ITF general secretary David Cockroft said: "We are pleased - everyone is pleased - to see these men's innocence upheld. But, like everyone in shipping, we find it unacceptable that the lesser charge against them was never removed. We commend them for their bravery these last 18 months, congratulate V Ships for standing by them so effectively, and join everyone who has struggled to get them set free in expressing relief at their imminent return home. We cannot however excuse the unfair criminalisation that they have undergone and the contradictory nature of the dual verdicts." The ship's operator V.Ships described the whole case as "a gross miscarriage of justice" said it was determined to continue to work towards having the pollution charges wiped from the records of the two officers. Tanker owners' group Intertanko welcomed the freeing of the men, but said it was disappointed in the lack of a full exoneration. "While we were pleased to see the Supreme Court reverse the Appeal Court’s decision to imprison these two officers in respect of the charges brought for destruction of the Hebei Spirit, we nevertheless remain surprised and disappointed at the decision to dismiss the appeal concerning the charges of pollution and to uphold the pollution fines," it said. "We are also dismayed that this pollution charge falls short of the 'innocent of all charges' verdict handed down by the Daejeon District Court in June 2008. We maintain that is unjust that these two men should have stains on their records when they should have been fully exonerated of blame and applauded for their behaviour." The ICS and ISF said they were "very concerned about the impact on serving officers of cases where seafarers have been imprisoned or detained for lengthy periods following maritime incidents, contrary to the principles in the MARPOL and Law of the Sea Conventions." "Seafarers deserve the security of uniformity and certainty as to how their conduct and actions will be determined by local courts, based on internationally agreed standards, so they know where they stand. What is required is a change in the current political climate." ==================================================== Nor-Shipping 2009: Cancellations have been inflated CHINESE yards say estimates of shipyard cancellations are being grossly exaggerated. ========================================= Box lines face fight of their lives as ocean rates fall back to zero CONTAINER lines have just four weeks to reverse the slide in Asia-Europe freight rates or risk going out of business. ======================================================== Indian Navy foils piracy bid, leaves pirates high and dry ======================================================= New Delhi, May 29 (IANS) It was an anti-piracy operation with a twist in the tale: Instead of arresting the eight pirates who were attempting to board a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Aden, Indian Navy commandos seized their weapons, emptied their skiff of its fuel and set it adrift, leaving the tidying up to another warship. About 225 nautical miles east of Aden on Thursday, as visibility dropped to less than two nautical miles, the guided missile stealth frigate INS Talwar that is currently patrolling the piracy-infested Gulf of Aden received a distress call from the Liberian-registered MV Maud, with 10 Indian crew on board, saying a skiff with eight armed men on board was approaching at high speed, an official here said Friday. "The Indian warship immediately responded to the distress call and advised the vessel to increase speed and carry out evasive manoeuvres to avoid getting boarded. Simultaneously, a helicopter with marine commandos took off and started closing in on the threatened vessel," a senior Indian Navy official said. The commandos noticed that the brigands had thrown a rope ladder and were attempting to board the Maud from just off the bow. "The visibility being low, it was possible that the pirates may not have sighted the warship and the helicopter. The helicopter crew fired warning shots to deter the pirates from boarding the ship," the official added. Following this, the two pirates who were attempting to clamber up the merchant vessel fell into the water. Commandos from the warship thereafter boarded the skiff and confiscated the weapons and other equipment from the pirates. "Then, fearing further piracy attacks due to the low visibility, the commandos emptied the skiff of its fuel and set it adrift as INS returned to her patrolling duties while warships from other navies arrived on the scene for follow up action," the official said. In response to the timely action of the Indian warship, the Indian master of MV Maud, Captain Manpreet Singh Dhaliwal, sent a message expressing his gratitude. "From available records, this may be the first instance of a piracy attempt being thwarted when the brigands were in the process of boarding a merchant ship," an Indian Navy statement said. Overall, this is the fifth successful action of the Indian Navy against the pirates in the region. On December 13 last year, the guided missile destroyer INS Mysore foiled an attack on an Ethiopian merchant vessel and arrested 23 Somali and Yemeni pirates in the Gulf of Aden. Before that, on November 18, the stealth frigate INS Tabar had sunk a Somali pirate vessel after coming under attack. On November 8, The Tabar had repulsed an attack by pirates to hijack two ships - an Indian and a Saudi Arabian merchant vessel. Earlier this month, the Indian Navy thwarted a piracy bid off the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean Region. ======================================================= German owners give CSAV $360m lifeline FUNDS will be used to pay accumulated debts with and to cover its outstanding charter party commitments. ================================================== Vroon fined over Viking Islay deaths JUDGE fines company £280,000 for safety breaches in incident that left three seafarers dead. ================================================== BIMCO leads move to keep ships unarmed ================================================= Australian warship to join Gulf of Aden anti-piracy fight ================================================= US Navy pinpoints traits of vessels at ‘high risk’ =================================================== Japan sends air support for destroyers on Gulf of Aden anti-piracy patrol ================================================== IMO told faster ships are needed for food aid ================================================== South Korea to free Hebei Two soon SOUTH Korean diplomats expect duon would be allowed to head home to India within two weeks. ==================================================== German owners set to ink CSAV rescue deal SHIPOWNERS heading for agreement to prevent stricken line from bankruptcy ahead of Thursday's deadline. ======================================================== Asian owners stand firm over seafarers criminalisation THE Asian Shipowners’ Forum said it would continue to speak out on the unfair treatment of seafarers. ===================================================== Nigeria piracy attacks seriously under-reported ==================================================== Order cancellations accelerate at China yards THE rate of newbuilding cancellations at Chinese shipyards accelerated sharply last month, while very few new orders are forecast. ===================================================== Somali gunmen 'renounce piracy' A MASS apostasy by hundreds of hardened pirates is reported to have occurred in the northern Somali fishing port of Eyl. ======================================================= Golden Ocean profits dip NORWEGIAN bulk operator Golden Ocean has reported a drop in first quarter profit after a bumpy start to the year, writes Craig Eason. =================================================== Safe Bulkers takes cash for early termination on five ships COMPENSATION under deals to take vessels back early lifts dry bulk owner's first quarter profits. ------------------------------------------ Norway victims return to court VICTIMS of the Norway explosion in 2003 have returned to a US federal court seeking more damages, four years after a bruising US legal battle sent the matter back to the Philippines to be resolved by arbitration ============================================= Pacific box lines concede double-digit rate cuts RATE reductions for transpacific eastbound cargo “quite substantial”, says Maersk Line chief Eivind Kolding. Pacific box lines turn to new bunker formula ==================================================== Teekay Tankers bullish on dividend payments COMPANY buoyed by healthy level of forward employment for its aframax and suezmax vessels. ==================================================== Hapag-Lloyd's UK staff vent anger over redundancy clause SHORESIDE staff accuse company of reneging on a generous redundancy clause in their employment contracts. ================================================ Bill calls for shake-up of UK navigation authorities SPOTLIGHT on Trinity House as Marine Navigation Aids Bill 2009 is published tomorrow. ==================================================== Pirate motherships coordinating Somalia attacks ================================================= Security teams mandated for US-flag ships off Somalia ================================================== US Coast Guard issues security directive on piracy ==================================================== Raising the stakes Pirates kill Indian seafarer ================================================= Profits plunge at Maersk and NOL AP Moller-Maersk has worst ever quarter with net loss of $373m while NOL is $245m in the red. ================================================== Maersk boss warns of box line failures during years of recession ================================================= Somali pirates free Nipayia ============================================ Indian seafarer dies in Somali pirate attack David Osler - Monday 11 May 2009 SOMALI pirates have reportedly killed an Indian seafarer and injured one of his colleagues, in what is thought to be the second deliberate fatality inflicted by pirates during the current spate of attacks against merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden. ============================================== VLCC owners take gamble in bid to boost returns SHIPOWNERS taking trips from Middle East to US for rates as low as -$6,000 a day to pick up cargo with more attractive returns. ===================================================== Spain judge hands over Somali pirates to Kenya ================================================= Shipping must pay up for piracy protection ========================================== Threats to kill captives will backfire on pirates ========================================== Rescued Somali pirates face trial in Spain ===================================== Somali pirates hijack Marathon ============================================= Maersk master and corporate boss differ on arming vessels ================================================= ACP offers short term relief to boxlines PANAMA Canal Authority to offer limited concession to show "sensitivity to customer needs". =================================================== ABS boss sees 'silver lining in gathering clouds' IMPENDING contraction in newbuilding activity offers "opportunity to chart a new course", says Robert Somerville. ================================================= US Shipping outlines bankruptcy plan details US Shipping able to hold on to its $15m cash balance through the bankruptcy period. =================================================== Engine makers fear E2bn of orders at risk MAN Diesel and Wärtsilä say up to €1bn of their respective orderbooks could be lost. ================================================== Donors pledge $213m for Somalia ========================================== Stolt Strength 'at risk of further pirate attack' ================================================== US piracy charge Somali faces life for Maersk hijack ======================================================= Somalia on stilts ===================================== Somali pirate faces life for Maersk Alabama hijack ================================================ Maersk to review piracy response plans =============================================== Maersk switches calls to Felixstowe ============================================= Hapag-Lloyd faces UK unrest over job losses ================================================ MSC storms back into boxship charter market ================================================ French Navy capture pirate ship FORCES seize mothership as pirates free the hijacked Titan and its crew of 24. ================================================= Somali pirates attack yet another two vessels ================================================= Sovcomflot posts record $406m net profit RUSSIAN tanker giant reports record net profit for 2008 but warns of tough year ahead for shipping. ================================================== Greek ship finance set to shrink TOTAL bank funding of Greek shipowners is to shrink for the first time in eight years in 2009, says Petrofin Bank Research. ==================================================== Somali pirates change tactics with night strike on bulker ================================================== Somali pirates step up attacks in good weather =========================================== Sweet Home Alabama! Maersk ship escapes pirates April 9, 2009 London: Maersk Alabama, the 1,100 TEU container vessel that was attacked by pirates and hijacked is now in full control of its crew although one crew member is held hostage by the attackers, Maersk Line said. The armed hijackers who boarded the ship have departed. “The other members of the crew are safe and no injuries have been reported. We are working closely with the U.S. military and other government agencies to continue to respond to this situation as it develops further. “The hijack took place at around 05.00 UTC on Wednesday. The US flagged vessel has a crew of 20 US nationals and is owned and operated by Maersk Line, Limited in the US. ===================================================== Beef up naval presence, urges BIMCO USE of spotter planes and focus on tackling motherships needed to curb Somali piracy. ================================================= Crew regains control of Maersk ship ================================================ Talks underway to free Maersk Alabama master ================================================= Somali pirates hijack Maersk boxship ================================================= Cosco to slash 2009 capital expenditure by 37% CONTAINER terminal operator braces for 'unprecedented challenges' in 2009, as profits slump 36%. ================================================ Excel plans 'unaffected' by $329m fourth quarter loss FOURTH quarter write-downs and other book losses have dragged Excel Maritime Carriers to a net loss of $44.7m for 2008. ====================================================== MSC Cruises targets price cuts in Saint Nazaire renegotiation ==================================================== Syndicated loans grind to a halt FEARS over shipping industry’s ability to raise capital as a major source of funding ‘disappears’. ================================================= Fifth of tanker newbuilds 'will not be delivered' DELAYS of newbuldings are most likely in the suezmax sector, Simpson Spence & Young report suggests. ==================================================== Personal reasons prompted Molaris' departure from Excel "MY mission had come to an end," he tells Lloyd’s List in his first interview after resigning a month ago. ==================================================== Maersk shifts ships from UK to US flag =============================================== Nigeria rivals Somalia for ship attacks ATTACKS off Nigerian coast going unreported and could exceed those occurring off Somalia and Gulf of Aden. ================================================= NYK buys Malaysian logistics operator COMPANY plans to boost its stake in Trans-Asia Shipping to 61%, from 28% currently. ================================================== CSCL to double rates on select routes COMPANY plans to raise freight rates by up to 100% on several key Asia-Europe and transpacific routes. ================================================== Downturn leading to improved prospects for ship safety PRELIMINARY IUMI data shows losses at sea have fallen in 2008 as operational pressures ease. ==================================================== US court ruling moves the goalposts for Rule B cases APPELLATE court decision expected to impede the flow of Rule B lawsuits. =================================================== Tui denies Hapag-Lloyd facing E400m losses HAPAG-Lloyd parent rebuffs report that says line has suffered a loss of €100m in January alone. =================================================== Chevron deal gives Gorgon scheme a boost ================================================= Greek bulker hijacked off Somalia ================================================ Shipowners to highlight impact of planned light dues hike ================================================ K Line phases in larger car carriers as trade patterns change ===================================================== Tanker sector hits new low as medium range rates plummet ====================================================== 'Dismal' aframax rates at their lowest for 10 years RATES in the Mediterranean fall to their lowest levels in 10 years as tonnage supply grossly exceeds available cargoes. ===================================================== 2008 is one of worst years for catastrophe losses SWISS Re study reveals man-made and natural catastrophes led to economic losses of around $269bn. ==================================================== Gas carrier rates deflate as idle vessels await projects ==================================================== AP Moller Maersk rejects need for fresh capital ==================================================== Moller-Maersk warns of tanker freight rate pressure RATES will come under pressure this year as capacity increases at a time of falling demand. =================================================== ExxonMobil to spend $30bn a year for next five years ===================================================== Listed companies should name charterers MOVE will allow investors to properly assess risk, according to Lloyds List poll . =================================================== InterManager to tackle scourge of seafarer criminalisation INTERMANAGER set to launch major initiative to confront head-on the scourge of seafarer criminalisation. ================================================== Maersk battens down the hatches MAERSK Line is expected to suffer another loss this year amid sliding volumes and bleak rates outlook. ==================================================== Seaspan strikes deal to delay newbuilding order NEW York-listed containership owner Seaspan Corp is among the first to negotiate delays. ===================================================== Widdows slams reckless boxship ordering NOL chief blames German investors for bringing industry to its knees and warns of prolonged slump in industry. ================================================== KG offshoot woos Hong Kong and China HONG Kong and China-based shipowners are being targeted by German Ocean Invest. ================================================== Containership lay-ups set to triple in 2010 CLAUS-Peter Offen expects massive lay-ups of boxships in the next three years. ================================================= Banks blasted on credit policies LLOYD'S List poll shows banks could do more to assist shipping companies in the credit crisis. ================================================== EU close to legal framework on piracy prosecutions ================================================== Asian countries prepared to meet surge in pirate attacks ================================================ Chinese navy thwarts Somalia pirate attack ================================================ Danish warship intervenes in Gulf of Aden pirate attack ================================================ IMO hosts UN sessions on Somalia piracy ================================================ Revival of Brazil iron ore cargoes lifts rates hopes EUROPEAN steel mills are booking capesize vessels to ship iron ore from Brazil for the first time since October. ======================================================== North of England a winner in annual renewals NORTH of England emerges from negotiations a winner despite losing long-term member Zodiac. ====================================================== Cosco boss hails stimulus plans STIMULUS plans launched by China, US and Europe are starting to buoy demand and lift the dry bulk market, says Wei Jiafu. ====================================================== European parliament lists IMO's 'weaknesses' LONDON-based United Nations body lacks the power to apply its own rules, says report. ===================================================== Hijacked Longchamp reaches Somalia coast Friederike Krieger, Cologne - Friday 30 January 2009 THE German LPG tanker Longchamp, which was kidnapped by pirates in the Gulf of Aden, has arrived in the coastal waters off Somalia. Longchamp is owned by Hamburg-based MPC Steamship, a subsidiary of MPC Group. “MPC Steamship is a major stakeholder in the private limited partnership which owns the Longchamp,” a MPC spokesman said. &ld... ======================================================== States ink new anti-piracy deal ==================================================== Under fire Dutch owners call for action ==================================================== Japan reviews law on engagement ================================================= Danger money revised as new lanes take effect =================================================== Italy adds frigate to EU flotilla ================================================= Pirates use 'decoy' tactics to capture LPG tanker ================================================ Piracy payday for hijackers and lawyers ========================================== Insurers say pirates should be treated as 'vermin' ================================================= Seaspan founders buy more shares in show of support INVESTORS pump in more money to boost company's position as box trade goes through tough times. ============================================== Norwegian owners welcome change in tax claw-back structure GOVERNMENT set to relax position on unpaid taxes from the country’s shipping companies. ================================================ Bullish Euronav says 2009 could be 'great' year for rates TANKER firm upbeat despite contracting global crude demand. =============================================== US to sign Kenya deal to prosecute Somali pirates THE US government is understood to be nearing a deal with Kenya to detain and prosecute pirates captured off Somalia. ========================================================= Box carriers in crisis as rates continue in freefall CONTAINER shipping is facing its worst year ever, with even the biggest lines not safe from the risk of collapse. =================================================== SHI seeks to cap Hebei spill liability SAMSUNG Heavy Industries applies to court to limit its liability for oil spill at $38m. ===================================================== Brussels 'postpones' start of 24-hour container regulations PLAN to launch US-style rules delayed to ensure uniformity across European Union member states. ======================================================= Court verdict opens floodgates for new Erika claims FRANCE'S top appeal court rules oil spill from Erika can be considered waste for which Total has responsibility. ====================================================== Court verdict opens floodgates for new Erika claims FRANCE'S top appeal court rules oil spill from Erika can be considered waste for which Total has responsibility. ====================================================== Maersk Line pulls out of Charleston ================================================= Stevedoring firm Armed guards on ships could raise liability issues SHIPOWNERS urged to check out position with their P&I clubs before allowing EU escorts on vessels. ==================================================== Vulnerable vessels may get EU armed guards EU Navfor counterpiracy taskforce could offer service to protect vulnerable merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden. ==================================================== Industry slams decision to jail Hebei Two NATIONAL Union of Seafarers of India warns of possible backlash against South Korea. ======================================================= Stena and Concordia back Arlington merger FOUNDING shareholders plan to vote in favour of the New York-listed company’s merger with General Maritime. ======================================================= Weigh boxes at dock gate, urge industry leaders MOVE will boost container shipping safety and eliminate many of the accidents that have dogged the sector. =================================================== Maersk lays up 50,000 teu of surplus vessels. ================================================= Owners fear domino effect from loss of trust ECSA chairman Philippe Louis-Dreyfus warns industry erosion of confidence could force market down further. =================================================== IMO calls for policy on arming vessels FLAG states should work with owners to come up with a policy on carrying armed professional security teams on ships. =================================================== Transpacific box rates dragged down by weak demand ASIA-US rates 'fall substantially' as recession in America hits demand. ================================================ Transpacific box rates dragged down by weak demand ASIA-US rates 'fall substantially' as recession in America hits demand. ====================================================== Maersk Line to lay-up eight boxships DANISH shipping giant to remove more than 50,000 teu of capacity and warns more tonnage could follow suit. =================================================== New twist in Somalia tale By Jerry Frank - Thursday 4 December 2008 THE withdrawal of Ethiopian troops from Somalia looks like the end of the road for the ill-fated transitional federal government and its western-backed fight against Islamist militia. Africa specialists now believe that the decision by Addis Ababa to abandon its two-year campaign in neighbouring Somalia opens the way for an Islamist takeover. This latest sorry chapter in the 17-year tale of war and suffering in the Horn of Africa, however, holds out the only real solution yet to the piracy attacks that have plagued international trade and shipping in the Gulf of Aden. Although the piracy menace emanates from the semi-autonomous northern province of Puntland, an anticipated collapse of the interim government and takeover by Islamist factions in southern Somalia could pose difficulties for officials, warlords and criminals preying on shipping. Regional specialists point out that Islamist militia are openly hostile to piracy, and can be expected to forcibly stop areas under their control being used as bases for these attacks. Earlier this week, the Union of Islamic Courts’ Sheikh Dahir Aweys gave a measure of that intent with his call on pirates to release the hijacked very large crude carrier Sirius Star and other foreign vessels held off the coast of Somalia. The capture of the Saudi Arabian tanker well south of Somalia off neighbouring Kenya was further evidence of the growing audacity of Somalian pirates. An Islamist stronghold in the southern part of the country, including the port capital of Mogadishu, would confine pirates to the north of the country. The decision by the Ethiopians to pull out of Somalia will not itself curb piracy in the north, but there is every chance that a triumphant hardline al-Shabaab and UIC will push to extend their control into Puntland next year. Islamist irregulars may do the dirty work that showcase-equipped western naval and marine forces have been unable to carry out this year. An Islamic extremist victory in Somalia — the very end result the US and western powers did not want — may be the best hope for international shipping running the gauntlet through the Gulf of Aden. ==================================================== FPSO owners sell tankers at discount prices as credit dries up IDLE vessels go up for auction as sector goes into 'meltdown'. ================================================= China urged to join Somalia piracy fight CHINESE naval strategists call on Beijing to deploy warships and raise profile in anti-piracy action. ==================================================== Baltic capesize and panamax indices hit rock bottom CAPESIZE and panamax indices are at the lowest-ever levels recorded in the Exchange’s history. ================================================== Double-pay zone extended MOVE to broaden high risk area comes in the wake of Sirius Star hijack. ================================================== Owners mull switch from flags of convenience ================================================== Double-pay zone extended MOVE to broaden high risk area comes in the wake of Sirius Star hijack. ==================================================== Suspected terror ship intercepted Thursday, November 27, 2008 16:03 IST IANS MUMBAI: An Indian Navy ship Thursday intercepted a merchant vessel that is suspected to have brought 10 terrorists to Mumbai to stage Wednesday's synchronised terror attacks. "As of now, all that can be confirmed is that the vessel has been intercepted," an Indian Navy officer here said. The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) had also deployed two fast patrol vessels and two aircraft to look for merchant vessel, an ICG official said. "The coastline from Gujarat to Mumbai is being currently patrolled to look for the MV Alpha," an ICG official said shortly before the vessel was intercepted. ==================================================== Shipping organisations demand single piracy command MSC mulls re-routing boxships round Cape of Good Hope ================================================= Latest: 60 killed in Mumbai, ATS chief dead • 200 NSG commandoes on way to city • IB confirms it was terror attack ======================================================= MUMBAI UNDER TERROR ATTACK Hotels, hospital, bus stands, cinema halls attacked CNN-IBN At least 16 people are reported to have been killed and more than 45 are reported injured as unidentified groups of gunmen opened fire in at least four places across south Mumbai on Wednesday night. Mumbai police confirm it is a terrorist attack. Two five-star hotels - Hotel Oberoi and Hotel Taj - are under siege and gunmen are reported to have held the occupants hostage. The Rapid Action Force is considering storming the hotels. A petrol pump has been blown up in Colaba by armed men and at least 20 people are reported to have been killed and 50 injured. Eyewitness also said that some grenades were thrown at a police van and also of two bomb blasts near the Oberoi hotel but it was not confirmed by officials. The Mumbai police have cordoned off all the areas. A blast was also reported in a cab in Vile Parle in suburban Mumbai. This is near the Mumbai airport. Additional Commissioner of Police Deven Bharti confirmed the shootout at Colaba but did not give out details. Two persons armed with automatic weapons and hand grenades are reportedly holed up inside CST station. Sounds of gunshots are still being heard. Hundreds of onlookers gathered outside the station. The station and premises have been evacuated. Sources in the Cuffe Parade police station said that the police was still looking for the miscreants behind the firing at Colaba Causeway. Eyewitnesses said that they heard at least 20 shots in CST station. Policemen and ambulances have rushed to the affected areas, they said. ================================================= Cargill snaps up capesize for $1,000 per day DIRE conditions in the capesize market lead to commodities giant fixing relet vessel at extremely low time charter rate. Somalia hijacked ship captain’s wife to meet Sonia Report by Geetika Pokhriyal - CNN-IBN. Time is running out for Indian sailors on the hijacked ship Stolt valor. Somali pirates have threatened to kill them if the ransom money isn't paid within the next 48 hours. And for Seema Goel, wife of one of the captains of that ship all hopes are pinned on Sonia Gandhi she's meeting the congress president to plead for help. “Sonia Gandhi being a lady herself can understand what I am undergoing. She has such an esteemed position. Definitely she will work out something if not on an official basis then personally talk to Japanese owners and Japanese embassy and ask them to expidite the mission,” says Seema Goel. Seema did receive a call from one of the crew members on Tuesday. “He said that they have an ultimatum of 48 hours. you can make all arrangements in that time, it could be a pressure tactic but I don’t trust the hijackers because they are inhumane.They could be nasty, they could do anything. I hope they don’t try any stunts with anybody, that’s what I look forward to.” adds Seema. The high-profile case of the tank ship has put the spotlight on the Somali authorities, particularly in Puntland where most of the pirates are based. Piracy has surged this year, with over 30 ships seized, as gunmen look to cash in on increasingly large ransoms. Security forces now appear to be taking a tougher line.The UN has authorized the use of force when dealing with pirates and the EU, NATO and other nations have agreed to send frigates to combat piracy in the Gulf of Aden. ========================================================== Hijackers releases THREE Indian crew members of the Japanese vessel MT Stolt Valor. According to sources in the ship management company, Fleet Ship Management, Mr. Anthony Clive Themudo from Goa, Mr. Jeeva Kiran D'Souza - Kasargod in Kerala and Mr. Akbar Ali Rafeeque Juwale of Rantnagiri were released. MV Stolt Valor, which had 18 Indians on board, was carrying a cargo of 23,818 tonnes of oil products and was hijacked near the Gulf of Aden by Somali pirates earlier this week. ====================================================== Insurers warned of Gulf of Aden disaster scenario. ================================================== EU ministers approve diluted safety directives TRANSPORT ministers have agreed to radically reduced versions of the civil liability and flag state control directives. ==================================================== Hurtigruten vessels at risk of lay-up FERRY company will be forced to lay-up two ships unless it secures cash from Norwegian government as soon as possible. ================================================= Somalia attacks continue despite naval presence SEVERAL new attacks have occured in Somali waters in recent days, according to NATO sources. ================================================= Brokers stunned by 'zero dollars per day' deal PANAMAX rates continue freefall amid unconfirmed reports a vessel had been fixed for a voyage that covered bunkers and port costs only. =================================================== Boxships head for lay-up as lines axe Pacific loops NEW World Alliance acts to remove capacity from the Pacific ahead of the winter slowdown. =============================================== BP offloads stake in Krystallon OIL major scrubs plans to produce sulphur abatement technology to focus on core activities. ===================================================== New Delhi: The Lok Sabha faced severe embarrassment on Tuesday when several Left and DMK MPs, who are partners in the UPA Government, scuffled with each other. Many Left MPs surrounded Union Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Minister T R Baalu when he was about to introduce the Indian Maritime University Bill, which proposes to shift the Maritime University from Kolkata to Chennai. Left MPs allegedly snatched a copy of the Bill from Baalu. DMK leaders including Minister of State for Finance S S Palanimanickam, formed wall around Baalu. The Cabinet had approved the Indian Maritime University Bill, 2006, on December 18. The Bill proposes the formation of Indian Maritime University with headquarters at Chennai and regional campuses at Kolkata, Mumbai and Visakhapatnam. Chennai has a long maritime history and is an important port in terms of the volume of business. Kolkata, on the other hand, is a river port and reportedly has lesser business compared to Chennai. God gives, but man must open his hand. ~~German Proverb ======================================================= A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on. - John F. Kennedy