Somali Pirates Threaten to Kill Hostages

Somali pirates have threatened to kill three captive Spanish fishermen unless Spain releases 2 pirates captured early in October. The sailors are part of the 36 person crew from the Spanish tuna boat the Alakrana that was hijacked on October 2.
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Israel Wanted to Bomb Ship Smuggling Arms to Hezbollah

U.S. officials were able to dissuade Israel from bombing the weapons smuggling cargo ship that Israeli commandos intercepted earlier this week. A-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper was first to report this news, which was based on unnamed Israeli sources.
If it is true that Israel was going to blow the Francop out of the water, then it's good that the U.S. was able to stop the attack because the crew and owners of the ship apparently had no idea what type of cargo they were carrying in the sealed containers.
In other relevant news, Hezbollah, and the governments of Syria and Iran deny any involvement in the 500 tons of weapons and ammunition seized by Israel.

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Hurricane Ida Threatens Nicaragua

A tropical storm was upgraded to a category one hurricane this morning as it approached the Nicaraguan coast. According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center, as of 7:00 am EST this morning the government of Nicaragua has issued a hurricane warning for Hurricane Ida from the east coast from Bluefields northward to Puerto Cabezas.
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Magnitude 5.3 Earthquake Off Oregon Coast

Wednesday morning about 4:38 AM local time the U.S. Geological Survey recorded an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.3 off the coast of Oregon. The epicenter was located 124 miles due West of Barview.

The U.S. West Coast Tsunami Warning Center issued a statement that the magnitude was not great enough to generate a tsunami.

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Euroferries saga continues!

The question on many people’s lips on both sides of the English Channel at the moment is the following: will the long, long awaited Euroferries high speed passenger/vehicle service linking the UK and Northern France actually start this year?  The latest news from Euroferries is that the Fred Olsen chartered Incat wave-piercing catamaran Bonanza Express will start daily services between Ramsgate (UK) and Boulogne (France) on 13 November, although the company’s website is not taking bookings until sailings on 15 November. Interestingly, both ports are still not confirming that the new service will start on the November dates.  How can you possibly attract customers with so much uncertainty?

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Lloyd Werft wins Astor refit

Bremerhaven-based cruise ship repair and conversion specialist Lloyd Werft has won the contract from Germany’s Premicon for the refit of the 590 passenger capacity cruise vessel Astor.  Following work later this year the 1987-built vessel will re-enter service in June 2010 for Bremen-based Transocean Tours, featuring new passenger suites with balconies, refurbished cabins and a single sitting dining room.

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Ancona float out for Le Boreal

The first of two new 220 passenger capacity cruise vessels building at Italy’s Fincantieri for French operator Ponant Cruises, Le Boreal, was recently floated out at the builder’s Ancona shipyard.  The luxury Le Boreal is scheduled for delivery in April 2010, with her maiden cruise set for the following month.  Sistership L’Austral is set for delivery in May 2011.

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Hapag Lloyd’s Hanseatic completes Bremerhaven refit

Hapag Lloyd Cruises’ luxury 183 passenger capacity expedition cruise vessel Hanseatic has re-emerged from a two week refit at the Bredo Shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany. Besides the technical side of the refit, the main scope of the work undertaken on passenger areas was the refurbishing of all suites.  

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RCCL becomes ABTA member

RCCL has reinforced its commitment to UK travel trade with the confirmation of its membership of ABTA, effective 1 October 2009. The moves means that cruise-only holidays offered by the company’s three global brands – RCI, Celebrity and Azamara – will be bonded under the ABTA protection scheme from that date, rather than under the current Passenger Shipping Association (PSA) bonding scheme.

Robin Shaw, Vice President and Managing Director, RCCL UK and Ireland commented: ‘Our decision to joint ABTA comes at an exciting time for the organisation and the industry as a whole. Over recent months there is a real feeling that businesses involved in travel and tourism should speak with one voice through one body – and ABTA is taking on the challenge to be the main lobbying body. We look forward to having out say and being able to make a positive contribution on behalf of the cruise sector.

‘Obviously, the ABTA brand resonates with consumers and is a well-known sign of reassurances so it makes sense to switch our bonding arrangements on the cruise-only holiday business.’

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Hamburg refit this December for Fred Olsen’s Black Watch

Fred Olsen Cruises’ 804 passenger capacity Black Watch will enter drydock at Hamburg’s Blohm + Voss shipyard on 2 December to start a 12 day ‘fast track’ refit.  The work package on the 1972-built vessel includes a major refurbishment of the vessel’s public rooms, including the building of a new casual dining area which will be created in the space where the Braemar Lounge and Garden Café are currently situated – midships on Deck 6 (Lounge Deck).

The new casual dining area will be named the Braemar Garden and will have seating for over 120 persons. One section of the new dining option will be screened off; creating a 40-seat room that can be used for private dining. This new area will be completely refitted with new soft furnishings, a new bar and a buffet.

The design of the new areas is being carried out by London-based Space (formerly McNeece), which has previously worked on all of the ships in the Fred Olsen Cruises fleet.

Meanwhile, on the technical side, Black Watch’s last three open lifeboats will be replaced by two new totally enclosed lifeboats, supplied by Germany’s Fassmer Davit International.

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New TEAM boarding bridge enters service with Carnival Dream

The world’s leading designer and manufacturer of sophisticated passenger boarding bridges (PBBs) for cruise and ferry terminals, Spain’s TEAM, has recently completed the installation of the first of two new generation PBBs of the CREUERS BARCELONA class to operate at the A and B cruise terminals on the Adossado quay in the port of Barcelona, Spain. The new PBB was used for the first time during the inaugural call of Carnival Cruise Line’s new 3, 646 passenger capacity Carnival Dream.

TEAM’s new generation CREUERS BARCELONA class PBB has the capability to move along the whole quay and is able to connect with the various levels of the cruise ship entry doors.  The seaside cabin of the PBB is equipped with an uniquely integrated hydraulically operated, telescopic tunnel and docking ramp that, when attached to the side of a cruise ship automatically follows the vessel’s movements and will immediately undock in the event of an emergency.  This PBB provides six metres clearance for the overhanging lifeboats of the latest generation of Mega cruise ships and clearance underneath the structure to allow continuous truck, equipment and supplies traffic on the quayside. 

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Celebrity names new VP Marketing

Celebrity Cruises has appointed Lisa Kauffman as Vice President of Marketing. She will lead the brand’s overall marketing programme, including brand strategy and development, web marketing, research, loyalty and direct marketing, public relations and advertising.  Kauffman will report directly to Celebrity’s President and CEO Dan Hanrahan.

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Euroferries set for mid November start-up

Newcomer to the UK-France cross-channel ferry scene, Euroferries, is now saying that it will start operations between the UK port of Ramsgate and Boulogne, France on 13 November, using the chartered Incat 86m wave-piercing catamaran Bonanza Express.

The UK operator now has a website up and running, although online bookings can’t be made until sailings from 15 November.  However, both port authorities on either side of the channel still say that they are awaiting final confirmation of the service start up.  Euroferries has been saying for over five years now that it was to start a high speed linking between the UK and France ‘anytime now.’

Initially Euroferries will be offering four return sailings a day, rising to six in the summer months.  Prices are believed to be comparable with those of P&O Ferries on its conventional services between Dover and Calais, with a two-day return for a car and two people costing £65.00. 

Bonanza Express will sail from the existing ferry port in Ramsgate and use the Gare Maritime terminal in Boulogne.  Competitor LD Lines is currently operating its high speed ferry, Norman Arrow, from the new Boulogne Port Hub.

 

Bonanza Express will be able to carry more than 700 passengers and 230 cars, or 330 truck lane metres and 80 cars.  Passengers will be carried on two decks divided into four lounges.  Passenger facilities comprise three bars, and a boutique, while those wishing will be able to upgrade to Gold First Class, which provides an exclusive, quiet area at the stern of the vessel, offering complementary refreshments and preference in embarking and disembarking by car.  

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Speedy Exit for Irish Ferries passengers

Speedy Exit is the name given by Irish Ferries to a new customer service being offered on its Ireland-France routes. With the payment of an additional €10 per car per journey, motorists travelling on the company’s cruise ferry Oscar Wilde can avail themselves of priority boarding and a get-underway-fast-discharge.

The Speedy Exit facility, exclusive to the fact that only a limited number of car spaces can be set aside for the service, is available at each of the company’s three ports: Rosslare, Cherbourg and Roscoff, where special marshalling lanes have been assigned to the service.

Bookings can be made online at www.irishferries.com or by calling 0818 300 400.  

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Somali Pirates Attack French Naval Vessel

Somali pirates attacked the French warship La Somme in the Indian Ocean early Wednesday morning. The hijackers apparently thought the naval vessel was a cargo ship. When the French sailors fought back, the pirates fled in their two small boats. La Somme was able to overtake one of the pirate boats and captured five men.

Hopefully, the French government will have enough evidence against these pirates to prosecute them or at least turn them over to what exists of the Somali government for punishment.

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Spanish Fishing Boat Hijacked in Indian Ocean

Somalia — Last Friday (10/2), the Spanish fishing trawler Alakrana was hijacked by pirates in the Indian Ocean between Somalia and the Seychelles. The ship has an international crew of 36 men.

The ship is currently anchored near the Somali coast and is being monitored by a pair of warships - one Spanish and one French. On Sunday, the Spanish navy arrested two of the alleged pirates as they left the Alakrana on a small skiff.

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Owners Pay Ransom for Ship and Crew

Somalia — Somalia pirates have released the Turkish ship MV Horizon-1 and her crew of 23. The Turkish media reported Monday that the owners paid an undisclosed ransom for their ship, which was hijacked on July 8.

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Illegal Entrants Busted on California Coast

United States — Early last Friday (10/2) morning U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested 21 Mexican nationals who are suspected of illegally entering the country. Border agents witnessed the Mexicans arrive on the beach near Carlsbad, California in a smuggling boat, which then went back out to sea with two people aboard.

The Border Patrol was unable to find the smuggling boat.

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Coast Guard Looking for Hoax Caller in Great Lakes Region

United States — The U.S. Coast Guard announced last week that its "Investigative Service is requesting assistance from the public to identify a suspected hoax caller who contacted U.S. Coast Guard Sector Sault Ste Marie on VHF-FM Channel 16 [multiple times] between Sept. 12-27, 2009."

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Comment: All change at LD Lines!

Observers of the cross-channel ferry scene between the UK and France will have been somewhat confused of late by major changes to the fleet and service patterns of relative newcomer LD Lines. A few weeks ago the French operator said that it would be transferring its conventional passenger freight ferry Norman Voyager from its Portsmouth-Le Havre service to a new service linking Cherbourg with Rosslare in Ireland. Almost immediately LD Lines then announced that it was chartering the vessel to rival operator Celtic Link Ferries for its new service between Portsmouth and Cherbourg during the week, and Cherbourg-Rosslare at weekends! But that’s not all. The French ferry operator’s conventional ferry Norman Spirit will switch from her regular Portsmouth-Le Havre run this November to operate between Dover and Boulogne because the brand new fast ferry Norman Arrow on the run can’t offer enough freight capacity. Norman Arrow, meanwhile, is to lay-up before starting a new six month seasonal service (Easter-September) between Portsmouth and Le Havre. All understood?

Meanwhile, still on the cross-channel ferry scene, UK operator Euroferries, which has been saying that it is to start a high speed passenger/vehicle ferry service across the Dover Straits for the past five years or so, claims that its new Ramsgate (UK)-Boulogne (France) service begins on 19 October. Don’t hold your breath! Sphere: Related Content

Fred Olsen starts series of cruises ex Portsmouth

Today (5 October), UK cruise line Fred Olsen Cruises starts for the first time a series of seven cruises from the south coast UK port of Portsmouth aboard its 839 passenger capacity Boudicca. Boudicca is the largest cruise vessel to operate from Portsmouth.

Boudicca sailed today on a 21-night cruise to the Adriatic and commenting on why Fred Olsen chose Portsmouth, Matt Grimes, Planning Director for Fred Olsen, said: ‘Why Portsmouth and not Southampton? In Portsmouth the road links are better. The train access is the same if not slightly better than Southampton, and from a nautical point of view the departure is quite interesting, sailing past the Round Tower, Gunwharf, the Spinnaker Tower. There are nice bits in Southampton Water, and some not so nice bits.’

Following her Adriatic cruise, Boudicca’s next cruise from Portsmouth is on 26 October, a 13-night Mediterranean cruise. Sphere: Related Content

US $1.2bn port development programme in Los Angeles

The recently announced US $1.2bn rejuvenation of the waterfront of the US port of Los Angeles means that the west coast cruise port will get it long awaited new cruise terminal. An estimated $275m will be spent on a new Outer Harbour development, to accommodate vessels up to RCCL’s Freedom-class ships, and upgrades to the existing Inner Harbour berths, which date from the 1960s.

The Outer Harbour development will take place on the eastern side of Kaiser Point (Berths 49-50) instead of the west side (Berths 45-47), which faces a public beach. The port anticipates being able to handle four cruise ships of ‘significant size’ simultaneously. Sphere: Related Content

UK’s Page & Moy charters Athena

One of the world’s oldest cruise ships still in service, the 1948-built Athena, has been chartered by UK cruise operator Page & Moy for four cruises in 2010, replacing another old lady of the seas, Ocean Majesty.

Athena, owned by Portugal’s Classic International Cruises, will undertake two sailings from Harwich and two from Dover next year. The first cruise will be a 15-day Baltic sailing from Harwich on 1 May, which includes a two day stop over in St. Petersburg. This cruise is then followed by a 15-day Iceland/Nordic voyage, calling at three ports in Norway and four in Iceland. Athena then sails again for the UK operator in August, making two cruises from Dover; a 16-day cruise to Iberia, Madeira, Canaries and Morocco, followed by a six day cruise to Amsterdam, Honfleur and Zeebrugge. Sphere: Related Content

Work starts on new Singapore cruise terminal

Work has started at the new International Cruise Terminal (ICT) at Marina South Pier in Singapore. When completed by the end of 2011 the new terminal will double Singapore’s berth capacity and enable more cruise vessels to both homeport and call at the Lion Republic.

Singapore’s first purpose-built cruise terminal is designed to handle the world’s largest cruise ships, including Oasis of the Seas, and expects to achieve a passenger turnaround of just 30 mins from the point of disembarkation to the point of departure from the terminal. Sphere: Related Content

Phoenix buys P&O’s Artemis

Germany’s Phoenix Reisen has bought the smallest vessel in the P&O cruises fleet, the 1,200 passenger capacity Artemis. The 1984-built vessel has been bought by Phoenix set-up Aratania Shipping with delivery taking place in late October. However, Artemis has been chartered back to P&O Cruises for a further 18 months, and will not join the Phoenix fleet until April 2011.

Phoenix Reisen is also believed to be interested in purchasing the 1996-built Alexander von Humboldt, which it currently has on charter. Owned by the now defunct Club Cruises, Alexander von Humboldt was recently towed from Bremerhaven, Germany, to the UK port of Tilbury for auction in November. Owning to the problems with this vessel Phoenix has had to charter in the 1948-built, 556 passenger capacity Athena from Portugal’s Classic International Cruises as a temporary replacement. Sphere: Related Content