Scilly ferry ideas!

A major investment project is currently underway in the UK to provide maintain the vital ship link between the UK mainland and the Isles of Scilly, off the south west coast of the UK. A new £20m state-of-the-art passenger/cargoship is about to be ordered, for year-round service, replacing two ageing passenger and freight vessels, along with major port infrastructure developments at the mainland port of Penzance and the island’s hub, St. Mary’s. However, there are some objections to the proposals, especially with regard to the harbour developments in Penzance. Meanwhile, an alternative vessel proposal has been introduced: using a SWATH-type passenger-only fast ferry during the summer months only. This vessel, however, is gas-turbine powered and can’t take to the ground in St. Mary’s. At the same time, a separate new freight-only vessel would also be required, thereby adding to the costs. Discussions on the new ship are currently being finalised, with the most likely outcome being that on a combined passenger/cargoship for year-round operations. Scilly fast ferry ideas seem to be just that! Sphere: Related Content

Port Everglades handles 50,000 passengers in just one day!

It seems that the world record for handling the most cruise passengers in a single day has gone to Florida’s Port Everglades, which says that it handled 49,234 passengers on 3 January this year, both in and out.

A total of 11 cruise ships were in port on 3 January, including Carnival Splendor, QM2, Discovery Sun, Eurodam, Noordam, Statendam, MSC Lirica, Ruby Princess, Navigator of the Seas and Seabourn Pride. Sphere: Related Content

Southampton call for Silver Spirit

Silversea’s new ultra luxury vessel Silver Spirit will call at the UK’s leading cruise port of Southampton in 2010. Currently under construction at Italy’s Fincantieri, the 540 passenger capacity ship is scheduled to call at Southampton on 7 May, 2010 on a cruise from New York, which also calls at Boston, Cork, Cardiff and Plymouth. Sphere: Related Content

Imtech to retrofit HVAC system on TUI Cruises first ship

Celebrity Cruises’ Galaxy, soon to become new German operator TUI Cruises’ first ship is to be retrofitted with a new HVAC systems by Holland’s Imtech during the ship’s refit at Germany’s Lloyd Werft in March.

All 974 passenger cabins aboard the former Celebrity vessel will be totally refitted, along with the ship’s spa and fitness centre, while new restaurants and cabins with balconies will also be fitted. Sphere: Related Content

EVAC offers a quieter toilet

Leading cruise and ferry vacuum toilet specialist EVAC, has launched its latest system, the EVAC 910, which the Helsinki-based company claims is the quietest vacuum toilet available in the cruise industry today, with a discharge noise of just 4 dB and a peak noise of around 8dB.

The EVAC 910 has already been fitted aboard two river cruise vessels built by Germany’s Neptun Werft for operator Arosa, and delivered at the end of 2008. Meanwhile, 4,000 of the new vacuum toilets will be supplied to RCCL’s new Allure of the Seas, currently building at Finland’s STX Europe, and due for delivery in 2010.

From now on, all of Evac’s cruise ship newbuilding contracts will be fitted with the new EVAC 910 system.

Phoenix Seereisen buys Albatros
Germany’s Phoenix Seereisen has bought Holland’s Cruise Club’s Albatros, following the collapse of the Dutch owner. Albatros has been on charter to Phoenix for a number of years. Phoenix is also looking to buy another Club Cruise vessel it has on charter, the Alexander von Humboldt.

V. Ships Leisure, meanwhile, will handle the management of Albatros for the ship’s new German owner. Sphere: Related Content

Maxim Gorkiy goes for scrap

The Russian owned 1967-built steam turbine powered cruise ship Maxim Gorkiy is to be scrapped after all, at India’s Alang Beach, after a new buyer for the ship couldn’t be found. The vessel, which had been on charter to Germany’s Phoenix Seereisen for many years, was expected to be sold for conversion into a floating hotel in Hamburg, but the deal fell through at the last moment. Sphere: Related Content

Falmouth to get 30 cruise calls in 2009

The south west UK port of Falmouth will receive 30 cruise calls in 2009, with British operator Fred Olsen Cruises leading the way with five calls. Fred Olsen ships putting into Falmouth in 2009 include Balmoral, Black Prince and Black Watch. Other callers at Falmouth this year include: Saga Ruby (3), Grand Princess, Silver Cloud, Vistamar, Astor (2), AIDAcara (2), Oceana, Norwegian Jade, Delphin, Spirit of Adventure, Ocean Majesty, Europa, Prinsendam, Artemis, Mona Lisa, Princess Daphne, Albatros (2) and Delphin Voyager, Sphere: Related Content

Has Fincantieri lost the second Oceania vessel?

Reports from Italy suggest that Fincantieri has lost the contract to build a second luxury cruise ship for Oceania Cruises. However, the Italian yard is denying that this is the case, although it says that it is in discussions with the owner on a second ship. Sphere: Related Content

New Piraeus-Crete ferry service?

Leading Greek ferry group Attica (SuperFast Ferries and Blue Star Ferries) has announced that it is to start-up a new Piraeus-Heraklion (Crete) service from 12 March. The group will re-deploy its SuperFast XII on the route, which currently operates on a service linking Italy and Greece.

By entering the Piraeus-Crete route, Attica is going head-to-head with other leading Greek ferry operators Minoan Line and Anek Lines. Sphere: Related Content

Euroferries to start new Ramsgate-Boulogne service

New start-up UK ferry operator Euroferries is to start a new service this spring linking the south east coast UK port of Ramsgate with Boulogne in France.

The company says that it will operate a ‘state-of-the-art 98m’ craft on the 75 minute crossing, but refuses to name the vessel. Unconfirmed industry rumours suggest that Euroferries will time-charter a 98m wave-piercing catamaran from Australia’s Incat. The only 98m Incat’s currently in service are Brittany Ferries Normandie Express, Accionia Trasmeditteranea’s sisters Milenium dos and Milenium Tres, T&T Spirit, which operates between Trinidad and Tobago, and US operator Bay Ferries The Cat.

Euroferries says that its new ferry will arrive in the UK mid-February and that the service could be up and running by March, offering a first class area, a ‘tax-paid’ shopping area and restaurants. It is currently working out timetable and fare details. The company will have dedicated passenger terminals in both Ramsgate and Boulogne, offering shopping areas, a restaurant and waiting lounges.

Euroferries is also to offer an Express Coach commuter service linking the ferry to and from London, via Canterbury and the Medway Towns. Sphere: Related Content

Quiet winter ferry refit season for A&P Falmouth

The south west UK shiprepairer A&P Falmouth is having a quieter winter ferry refit season than usual. Currently undergoing repairs at the yard are P&O Ferries Pride of Bilbao, which operates between Portsmouth (UK) and Bilbao (Northern Spain), and Irish Ferries 1999-built Austal Auto Express 86 fast ferry Jonathan Swift. The latter is also having bow damage repairs undertaken by fast ferry repair specialists Burgess Marine. Jonathan Swift operates for Irish Ferries on the company’s Holyhead-Dublin route.

Further ferry drydockings this winter include Condor Ferries Commodore Clipper, which operates between Portsmouth and the Channel Islands, and Stena’s Irish Sea fast ferry Stena Lynx Sphere: Related Content

15 shipyards bid for new Isles of Scilly passenger/cargoship

The UK’s Cornwall County Council is currently is currently drawing up a short-list of shipyards bidding to build the new £20m passenger/cargoship that will maintain a year-round link between the UK mainland port of Penzance and St. Mary’s on the Isles of Scilly.

A total of 15 shipyards, from Europe and the Far East, have expressed an interest in building the new vessel. A decision on the successful shipyard is expected in November this year, with the ship due in service in April 2012. Sphere: Related Content

Japan Sending Ships to Fight Pirates Off Somalia

Japan is sending two destroyers from its Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) to the Horn of Africa where they will escort Japanese commercial vessels in an attempt to prevent attacks by Somali pirates.
Read more... Sphere: Related Content

New Requirements for Maritime Cargo Destined for U.S. Ports

Yesterday, DHS confirmed that it was not extending the effective date for the Importer Security Filing and Additional Carrier Requirements interim final rule. So it went into effect as scheduled Monday (1/26) and now maritime cargo carriers and importers must begin to submit additional data to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) before vessels are permitted entry into America's ports. To help provide stakeholders with a better understanding of the new policies, Customs and Border Protection is holding trade outreach events in various locations around the country. For a list of event dates and locations visit the CBP's website here.
Read more... Sphere: Related Content

New Requirements for Maritime Cargo Destined for U.S. Ports

 Yesterday, DHS confirmed that it was not extending the effective date for the Importer Security Filing and Additional Carrier Requirements interim final rule. So it went into effect as scheduled Monday (1/26) and now maritime cargo carriers and importers must begin to submit additional data to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) before vessels are permitted entry into America's ports. To help provide stakeholders with a better understanding of the new policies, Customs and Border Protection is holding trade outreach events in various locations around the country. For a list of event dates and locations visit the CBP's website here.
Read more... Sphere: Related Content

India: Mumbai Port Security Getting Overhaul

Jan 27, 2009 — India is taking steps to try and better secure the Mumbai Port Trust (MpPT) following November's terror attacks in which the assailants reached Mumbai via the sea. As part of this effort, security at MpPT is going to be handed over to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which is responsible for protecting India's vital economic infrastructure.
Read more... Sphere: Related Content

USCG Opens Second New Logistics Center

U.S. Coast Guard held a ribbon cutting ceremony Monday (1/26) at Building 88 of the Coast Guard Yard in Maryland's Curtis Bay to mark the opening of the Surface Forces Logistics Center and Asset Project Office. This is the second of five logistics centers to be established prior to June 2009 as part of the Coast Guard's modernization program.
Read more... Sphere: Related Content

United Kingdom: Most of Timber Lost from Ship Still Floating in Channel

We have a post from earlier last week about the 1,500 tons of sawed timber that fell off the Russian freighter, the Sinegorsk, while it was transiting the English Channel. The wood created a dangerous 8-mile long slick that ships are trying to avoid. Now the timber has begun to wash up on shore and the police along the Kent shore have admitted they are powerless to stop the public from scavenging the wood. However, more than 1,000 tons of the wood is still floating through the Channel.
Read more... Sphere: Related Content

Nigeria: Shipwrecks Threaten Nigeria's Maritime Industry

Piracy has become a well-known threat to maritime trade in recent months, but here is a lengthy article about the threat shipwrecks and abandoned vessels pose to Nigeria's maritime trade and on-going maritime investment. The article points out that not only do these vessels clog and litter waterways restricting the safe and free movement of ships but they also provide hideouts and bases for pirates and criminals to conduct operations.
Read more... Sphere: Related Content

Nigeria: Two Tankers Attacked in Niger Delta

Nigerian militants are being blamed for attacks on two fuel tankers in the last couple days in the Niger Delta. In the first incident a Royal Dutch Shell tanker was targeted, its crew was locked up in the hold, and the militants ransacked and robbed the vessel. In the second attack, militants hit the MT Meredith and kidnapped a Romanian crewmember. The ship was left severely damaged after the militants destroyed the engine with dynamite.
Read more... Sphere: Related Content

South Korea: Another Navy Enters The Piracy Fight

With piracy rampant in the coastal waters off Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden another country has approved sending a naval ship to the area to help protect commercial vessels. South Korea's Cabinet just ratified a plan to send the 4,500-ton naval destroyer Ganggamchan which is equipped with three high-speed boats and a helicopter to aid in anti-piracy efforts as part of the United States-led Combined Maritime Forces.
Read more... Sphere: Related Content

Andaman & Nicobar Islands: India Rescues Refugees Set Adrift by Thailand

Thailand's military is under fire for allegedly setting adrift boats loaded with hundreds of Burmese and Bangladeshi refugees over the weekend. Some of the accusations seem too brutal to believe. The Times reports "that up to 1,000 refugees... were towed out to sea and abandoned in open water, with their hands bound and with little food and water." The Indian coast guard has come to the refugees' rescue. Unfortunately only about 450 people have been found alive so far.
Read more... Sphere: Related Content

Greek Shipping Magnate Freed

 Greek shipping tycoon Pericles Panagopoulos has been freed after a multi-million dollar ransom was paid to his kidnappers. Panagopoulos was snatched eight days ago and was found sitting by police sitting on a bench south of Athens.
Read more... Sphere: Related Content

You can pick your cruise but not your passengers!

One of the biggest problems for first time cruisers, and for that matter established cruisers, is that while you have complete control of the choice of ship that you will sail on, the same can’t be said about your fellow passengers! This fact was brought home to a number of passengers on a New Year’s cruise aboard P&O Cruises’ new Ventura in the Caribbean this month. Passengers, who had booked well in advance for the voyage, were joined at the last minute by a number of travellers who had booked at the 11th hour, at 50% less than the brochure price. Regular passengers complained of food fights, brawling and foul language. There were reportedly fights between two families from Manchester over who ’had the better champagne’ and the ship’s Captain was booed as he tried to count down to midnight on New Year’s eve.

Passenger’s also reported that that some children tried to set fire to the ship’s Tamarind Lounge, while two teenagers were put ashore in the Caribbean due to their continued bad behaviour. However, P&O Cruises’ says that it has yet to receive any formal complaints for Ventura’s 3,300 passengers on the cruise! Heavy discounting is OK, in fact it’s almost de rigueur in the industry today, but cruise lines should be aware of the types of ‘new’ passengers that such cheap fares can attract. The British cruise market is growing fast, but regular passengers don’t need the Chav or Benidorm set taking to the high seas because of bargain prices! Sphere: Related Content

2009/2010 heavy period for cruise ship refits

The next two years will see a significant number of major cruise ship refits undertaken worldwide. Over the period Jan 2009 through to the end of 2010 no less than 19 vessels will undergo significant work at shipyards in Australia, the Bahamas, Portugal and as yet to be announced locations.

Major refits currently underway involve Princess Cruises’ 3,100 passenger capacity Caribbean Princess, while Freeport’s Grand Bahama Shipyard is handling Carnival’s Carnival Sensation and Regent Seven Seas Seven Seas Mariner, while Australian shipyard Forgas Cairncross Dockyard is refitting Paul Gauguin.

March and April will see work on HAL’s Veendam and Princess Cruises’ Golden Princess, with work starting on Silversea’s Silver Cloud in Italy in May. Princess Cruises Sea Princess is set to enter drydock in September, while the end of 2009 will see six major refits started: HAL’s Rotterdam, four vessels from Carnival, Carnival Fascination, Carnival Paradise, Carnival Ecstasy and Carnival Elation, and SeaDream Yacht Clubs’ SeaDream I refitting at Portugal’s Lisnave.

During 2010, there are four major refits scheduled: HAL’s Ryndam, Statendam and Maasdam, and Regent Seven Seas’ Seven Seas Navigator. Sphere: Related Content

Star cruises appoints new Assistant VP of International PR & Communications

Ms Susan Ng has been appointed Assistant Vice President, International PR & Communications at Star Cruises. Ms Ng, who takes over from Ms Charlotte Wong, can be contacted as follows:

Tel: +852 2378 2997
Mobile: +852 6384 3598
Email: susanng@starcruises.com Sphere: Related Content

STX Europe works on Carnival Sensation’s refit in Freeport, Grand Bahama

STX Europe’s lifecycle services division has secured a major contract to upgrade Carnival’s 1993-built Carnival Sensation during her current refit underway at Freeport’s Grand Bahama Shipyard. STX Europe’s work package includes the fitting of 98 additional passenger cabin balconies, as well as new piping for black and grey water treatment systems. Work on Carnival Sensation is due for completion at the end of February. Sphere: Related Content

Gibraltar refit for Oceanic

Pullmantur’s 1,124 passenger capacity Oceanic is currently in the middle of a four week refit at Gibraltar’s Cammell Laird Shipyard. The ship will spend two weeks in drydock undergoing routine repairs, followed by a further two weeks alongside the South Mole.

Oceanic is due in Barcelona on 4 February for a further period of alongside repairs before starting a new series of two and five-day cruises; the two-day cruises will call at Ibiza and Palma, with the five-day voyages calling at Civitavecchia, Ajaccio and Palma. Sphere: Related Content

More details on QE2 conversion in Dubai

Further details have been revealed by the new owners of QE2, Dubai’s QE2 Enterprises, about the vessel’s conversion into a floating hotel and leisure complex. However, they still refuse to confirm that the vessel will be cut in two and lengthened by 30m!

QE2 Enterprises’ CEO Manfred Ursprunger said that the conversion could take as long as three years to complete. All public areas of the ship will be re-built, as well as all cabins and suites, resulting in 200 hotel rooms of 50 sq m, plus 110 apartments ranging in size from 86 sq m to 250 sq m. The vessel’s engineroom will be transformed into a 500-seat Theatre.
Leisure facilities will include a 5,000 sq m indoor/outdoor health and wellness centre, while celebrity chef Michel Roux will oversee the menus of the five new restaurants onboard the vessel. The bridge, Captain’s cabin, and Princess Grill will be kept as is, forming part of the Cunard heritage trail that visitors to the ship can follow. Sphere: Related Content

Giant waterslide for SuperStar Virgo

During her scheduled drydocking this month, Star Cruises’ SuperStar Virgo will be fitted with what is believed to be the world’s first stainless steel water slide on a cruise ship.

Costing US $550,000, the 100m waterslide is a product of Wiegan Maelzer, the supplier to water parks worldwide. The waterslide will rise 10.54m above the ship’s deck and have an average inclination of 10%, providing a maximum speed of 7m/sec, together with a spectacular 5m long glass tube at 25m above the ocean. Sphere: Related Content

Just one F3 for NCL!

Cruise line NCL and French shipbuilder STX France Cruise SA has finally come to an agreement over the contract for the construction of the US company’s F3-class cruise ships. Instead of two newbuildings, there will now only be one ship built. Delivery of the 150,000grt vessel is set for May 2010, the vessel’s original delivery date.

Commenting on the deal between NCL and the French shipyard, Kevin Sheehan, NCL’s president and CEO said: ‘With this agreement we can all focus on completing the new vessel successfully. We are looking forward to the arrival of our much anticipated F3 ship as it represents a major step forward for NCL in terms of ship size, design and innovation.’

NCL is expected to reveal detailed design features of the F3 shortly. Sphere: Related Content

More sailings for Oasis of the Seas in her inaugural season

RCCL has announced two additional sailings aboard the world’s largest cruise ship, Oasis of the Seas’ inaugural season in 2009 – a seven-night Eastern Caribbean sailing on 5 December, and a special four-night voyage on 1 December, to celebrate the launch of an all-new Labadee, RCCL’s private beach resort in Haiti. Sphere: Related Content

Hebridean Princess in 20th anniversary cruise

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Hebridean International Cruises Hebridean Princess, the UK-based luxury operator is offering a special cruise aboard the 49 passenger capacity vessel on 25 February. The former ferry will sail from the Fairlie Jetty at Largs to Oban, via Arran, Islay and Mull, arriving Oban on 1 March. Sphere: Related Content

Pimentel jumps ship at SeaDream

Cruise industry veteran Larry Pimentel, president and CEO of luxury brand SeaDream Yacht Club, has resigned with immediate effect, citing personal reasons. He has been replaced as president by Bob Lepisto, who will also maintain his current position as Senior Vice President, Worldwide Marketing & Sales. Atle Brynestal, chairman and owner of SeaDream takes over the role of chairman. Sphere: Related Content

Fincantieri pulls out of Lloyd Werft take-over

In another sign of the global credit crunch, Italy’s Fincantieri has decided not to go ahead with its planned take-over of Germany’s cruise ship repair and conversion specialist Lloyd Werft. The Italian’s have decided not to exercise it option to increase its stake in the Bremerhaven-based shipyard from 21.1% to 51%, citing the current situation in the shipbuilding market and wider economic factors. Sphere: Related Content

New Denmark-Norway ferry service

Newly established Danish ferry operator Thy Ferries is set to start up services on 1 June between the Danish port of Hanstholm and Kristiansand in Norway. However, the new operator has yet to find a ship to undertake the service.

Thy Ferries has been established by Svein Olaf Olsen, the former CEO of Denmark’s Master Ferries, which was acquired by Norway’s Fjord Line last year. Fjord Line pulled out of the Hanstholm-Kristiansand service in September 2008. Sphere: Related Content

Somali Pirates Free Another Ship

The Japanese-operated, Panamanian-flagged ship African Sanderling, has been released by Somali pirates, however it is not clear if a ransom was paid or not. The release of the vessel and her Filipino crew came late Sunday night (1/11).
Read more... Sphere: Related Content

Norwegian Ship Attacked Off Nigeria

Armed gunmen in speedboats attacked the Norwegian ship Viking Forcados early this morning (1/13) in open waters off the coast of Calabar, Nigeria. Some of the assailants were able to board the ship that was repairing an undersea pipeline. However, the crew barricaded themselves in the ship and the pirates eventually fled. None of the Viking Forcados' crew was injured in the attack.

Read more... Sphere: Related Content

Indonesian Ferry Sinks

A ferry carrying at least 260 people sunk Sunday off the coast of Sulawesi Island in Indonesia. It sank about 50 kilometers off shore and one official says that 150 people did get off the ship before it went down. A search for survivors is underway.
Read more... Sphere: Related Content

Iranian Cargo Ship Freed by Pirates

 The Iranian bulk carrier Delight was released by Somali pirates last Friday (1/9). Lloyd's List reports that the owners, Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines, would not say if a ransom had been paid to free the ship and her 25 crewmembers. Read more... Sphere: Related Content

Somali Pirates Drown with Sirius Star Ransom

Five of the dozens of pirates who took part in the hijacking of the Saudi supertanker Sirius Star drowned on Sunday. The men were in a small boat carrying 8 pirates when it capsized. Three of the criminals survived. It was initially believed that the share of the $3 million ransom that was onboard the small boat was lost at sea. But later on Sunday, the body of one of the pirates washed up on shore with more than $150,000 on it. Read on... Sphere: Related Content

New U.S. Visa Waiver Program Requirements In Effect Jan 12th

Effective today (1/12) all foreign travelers to the United States who are from Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries are now required to obtain approval through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) prior to coming to the United States.
The ESTA website is available at: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/
(U.S. DHS) "DHS will take a reasonable approach to travelers who have not obtained an approved travel authorization via ESTA, and will continue an aggressive advertising and outreach campaign throughout 2009. Travelers without an approved ESTA are advised, however, that they may be denied boarding, experience delayed processing, or be denied admission at a U.S. port of entry."

Read more... Sphere: Related Content

12 new ships to debut in 2009

2009 will see a further 12 new cruise ships added to the world’s fleet, ranging in size from just 104 passengers to 5,400! The first two deliveries of 2009 are scheduled for March, when US operator Pearl Seas Cruises’ 210 passenger capacity Pearl Mist is delivered by Canada’s Irving Shipbuilding and AIDA Cruises’ 2,050 passenger capacity AIDAluna is handed over by Germany’s Meyer Werft.

April and May see two new ships for Costa Cruises; the 2,260 passenger capacity Costa Luminosa and the 3,004 passenger capacity Costa Pacifica, both delivered from Italy’s Fincantieri, while June sees MSC Cruises take delivery of the 3,300 passenger capacity MSC Splendida from France’s STX France. June is also the delivery date for Seabourn Cruises’ luxury 450 passenger capacity Seabourn Odyssey from Italy’s T. Mariotti.

American Cruise Lines’ 104 passenger capacity Independence is due for delivery from domestic shipyard Chesapeake Shipbuilding in August, around the same time as Celebrity Cruises’ 2,850 passenger capacity giant Celebrity Equinox, the second in a series from Germany’s Meyer Werft. September sees Carnival Cruises’ 3,652 passenger capacity Carnival Dream emerge from Italy’s Fincantieri, while the end of October will see the arrival of the world’s largest cruise ship, RCCL’s 5,400 passenger capacity giant Oasis of the Seas. The last two months of 2009 will see Silversea Cruises’ 540 passenger capacity Silver Spirit delivered by Italy’s Fincantieri, and the 2,550 passenger capacity MSC Magnifica delivered by STX France to MSC Cruises. Sphere: Related Content

New Orkney fast ferry finally arrives

Scottish ferry operator Pentland Ferries new fast passenger/vehicle catamaran Pentalina has finally arrived in the Orkney’s from her Philippine builders FBMA Marine. The 67m craft is currently completing final outfitting work in the Orkney’s and trials, and is expected to enter service between Gills Bay and St. Margaret’s Hope in January.

Pentalina can carry up to 350 passengers, 32 cars and nine lorries and was expected to have entered service in June last year. However, main engine problems on the vessel’s delivery voyage from the Philippines to Scotland, meant that the fast ferry had to put into the Omani port of Salalah, where she became stranded. Pentland Ferries’ owner Andrew Banks claims that the main engine problems were due to the shipbuilders’ fitting fuel pipes at the wrong height. The pipes had to be recalibrated in Oman, with the fuel tanks also having to be cleaned. The vessel’s long stay in Salalah, in extreme temperatures, also resulted in flooring in way of passenger areas peeling and having to be re-laid. Sphere: Related Content

Saga’s new ship plans in the air!

UK cruise operator Saga’s replacement plans for its ageing Saga Rose are up in the air following the financial problems at Holland’s Cruise Club. The British operator was in the process of buying Club Cruises’ 500 passenger capacity Astoria and following a multi-million £ refit in the summer of 2009 was to have entered service for Saga as Pearl II in October.

However, all of the Club Cruise fleet are now expected to sold at auction. Sphere: Related Content

New cruise terminals for the Gulf

The boom in cruise business in the Arabian Gulf has resulted in two new purpose-built cruise terminals being built in Bahrain and Oman. Bahrain’s newly opened Khalifa Bin Salman Port features a dedicated cruise/ferry terminal. During 2007/08 Bahrain handled 60,000 passengers and will double this figure over the winter 2008/09 period.

Meanwhile, a new cruise terminal is set to open this year in the Old Town of Oman’s capital Muscat, offering five multi-user berths. Oman is also looking at a base port proposal to link Musandam, in the north, with other Omani ports in Sphere: Related Content

Costa Cruises Call for Middle East/Gulf Cruise Association

Calls for Middle East/Gulf Cruise Association

Costa Cruises’ boss Pier Luigi Foschi has called for the formation of a Middle East/Gulf Cruise Association to debate and progress issues such as port infrastructure, shore excursions, and immigration formalities.
Dubai is the focus of the Gulf’s cruise ship industry, with the Emirate building a modern, new cruise within the massive new Dubai Maritime City complex. However, as this new facility won’t be ready for at least three years, operators are currently having to make do with a temporary facility in Port Rashid.

Others in favour of the establishment of the new association include RCCL’s Vice President Michael Bayley and Bahrain’s Chief Executive for Tourism, Marketing and Promotion, Mohammed Nass.

Meanwhile, the latest operator to position a cruise ship in the Gulf is Cyprus-based Louis Cruises. Sphere: Related Content

MSC Fantasia sets new levels in environmental measures

Last year Celebrity Cruises claimed that it latest vessel Celebrity Solstice was the world’s ‘most environmentally’ designed cruise ship in the world. This claim is now being challenged by MSC Cruises. The Italian operator says that its latest vessel, the 3,274 passenger capacity MSC Fantasia is the world’s ‘greenest cruise ship’. The STX France-built vessel has been awarded Bureau Veritas’ ‘Six Golden Pearls’ designation, the classification societies highest award. Sphere: Related Content

No newbuilding for Travel Dynamics

Travel Dynamics International’s plans to introduce a new ship in November have been dashed by the global recession. It now plans to introduce the new Daphne in 2011. The company currently operates the 100 passenger capacity Clelia II (ex renaissance Four). Sphere: Related Content

Croatian yard to build passenger/cargoship for St. Lawrence service

Croatian shipbuilder Kraljevica Shipyard has won a contract from Canada’s Transport Desgagnes to build a 95m combined passenger/vehicle/container vessel for service on the St. Lawrence seaway.

The newbuilding will be able to carry 380 passengers, as well as an assortment of break-bulk, containerised and ro-ro cargoes, on a weekly service linking 22 ports. Propulsion will come from a diesel-electric propulsion system consisting of four nine-cylinder Wartsila 20CR diesel generators.

When delivered in 2011 the Croatian newbuilding will replace the Canadian operator’s 1974-built 69.5m Nordik Express, which can carry 268 passengers. Sphere: Related Content

Shipping Corp of India looks to build new passenger/cargoships

State owned operator the Shipping Corp of India (SCI) is looking to modernise its ageing fleet of passenger/cargoships that maintain the regular links between the Indian mainland and the Andaman, Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands groups.

Talks are currently underway between SCI, naval architects and shipyards over the design of two 1,200 passenger capacity vessels (157m x 21m) and two 400 passenger capacity vessels (125m x 18m).

SCI currently operates the 1971-built Akbar and the 1974-built Harshavardhana on the services between the mainland and the islands Sphere: Related Content

Thomson falls out with Liverpool

UK cruise line Thomson Cruises has fallen out with the UK port of Liverpool for a series of cruises from the port by its 1,254 passenger capacity Thomson Celebration. The operator claims that there are no baggage handling or customs facilities at the new £19m cruise terminal facility at Liverpool’s Pier Head. Instead, Thomson will use Newcastle and Southampton as homeports for future ex-UK cruises. Sphere: Related Content

Israeli owner buys Rhapsody

Israel’s Mano Maritime has bought the 788 passenger capacity cruise ship Rhapsody from MSC Cruises. Following a winter season in South Africa the 1977-built vessel will re-deploy to Genoa from Durban on 25 March and will be handed over to Mano Maritime and renamed Golden Iris. Following a major refit, Golden Iris will join Mano’s two other vessels, Royal Iris ( ex Eagle, The Azur) and The Iris (ex Konstantin Simonov), in June. All three ships will operate a series of short Eastern Mediterranean cruises out of Haifa. Sphere: Related Content

Pirates in Uniform Attack Malaysian Fishermen

There are reports of an increase in the number of maritime piracy incidents off the southern Malaysian coast in which men dressed in military uniforms are attacking fishing vessels, stealing gear and demanding protection money from fishermen. Malaysia is now seeking help from Indonesia to address the problem.Read more.... Sphere: Related Content

Israeli Navy Clashes with Humanitarian Aid Vessel

Several reports indicate an Israeli Navy gunboat has rammed the Dignity, a vessel trying to bring humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. The incident took place Tuesday in international waters about 90 miles off the Gaza coast. As journalist on board the Dignity supposedly filmed the alleged attack, there should be video available soon.
Read more... Sphere: Related Content

Mexico: Video Shows Woman Going Overboard

While the search for a woman who went missing from the Norwegian Pearl cruise ship continues, investigators say surveillance video shows a woman going overboard on Christmas night. Presumably this is the missing woman, but the FBI has not confirmed it yet. The U.S. Coast Guard and Mexican authorities are still searching the seas off Cancun, Mexico for Jennifer Seitz, who was reported missing by her husband the morning of December 26.
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Piracy Threatens Tanzania Fuel Supply

The Tanzanian daily, The Citizen, is reporting that Tanzania is likely to suffer a fuel shortage as a result of maritime piracy off the coast of East Africa. Petroleum shippers do not want to risk having their tankers hijacked and held for ransom.
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Canada: Strike Looms for Ports in British Columbia

Dec 30, 2008 — More than 5,000 port workers could strike as early as Friday (1/2) in ports in British Columbia, Canada. About 450 ship and dock foremen, members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), Local 514, are planning to walk off the job if their labor demands are not met, and an additional 5,000 port workers are expected to join them in a show of solidarity reports the Canadian Press.
The implications, both good and bad, of a strike would be widespread with international implications. One potential benefit to the U.S. would be ports in Washington state would likely see an increase in traffic, and therefore revenue
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About Off Radar

The Off Radar concept was created by Grant Holmes, CEO of Progress Tourism & Business Services Ltd in synnergy with Mike Hood, Maritime Journalist in May 2006. Off Radar was designed to meet the growing information demands of Cruise & Ferry Lines in addition to the Maritime Shipping industry as a whole.

The Off Radar Newsletter is disributed weekly to over 20,000 readers and compliments an attractive Blog that features a wide variety of interesting Cruise, Ferry, Shipping community and Maritime security related articles that provide up to date professional news and recent developments within the Maritime world from an entirely objectve and independant viewpoint. Unlike most Cruise & Ferry media services, in order to protect the integrity and objectivity of our News, Off Radar accepts no direct advertising from the Cruise, Ferry or Shipping Lines whatsoever.

All articles are genuine with real comment, written by internationally respected and Lloyds List experienced Maritime Journalist, Mike Hood and are published by Progress Media Services. 

The Off Radar News service is free of charge for industry professionals and interested readers alike. Upon receiving our direct and to the point weekly Newsletter by email, one simple click per article transports readers directly to the Off Radar News Blog avoiding unnecessary log-ins, time wasting procedures or costly subscriptions.

Off Radar currently operates in 4 languages (English, Spanish, Italian, Greek). In 2009 we plan to feature new languages according to demand. Moreover, Off Radar is now also available on Facebook;  see Off Radar facebook profile for more details.

The Off Radar News Blog meets the demands of the modern world by providing instant news with RSS feeds, simple email subscription and the opportunity for readers to comment on articles.

THE OFF RADAR TEAM
Editor: Mike Hood UK (30 years Shipping Press experience)
Publisher: Grant Holmes CEO Progress Cyprus Tourism & Business Services Ltd.
Co-Publisher: Sharon Mckinley Progress Cyprus Operations Manager

TRANSLATORS 

Italian: Ms. Antonella Varbaro (Progress Italy)            

Greek: Mr. Alexis Michaelides (Larnaka Muncapality)  

Spanish: Mr. Jaime Rozo (Rozo & co Panama)

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Bon Voyage 2008

 

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