 |
 |
| |
|
 |
 AFTER THE ERIKA 1 Bernard Anne, senior vice president and head of BV's Marine Division says, "These proposals will help improve the efficiency of surveys and provide early warning of potential problems." Anne adds, "Today, even if we do not have sufficient information to clearly establish the causes of the Erika sinking, it is of primary importance to the whole shipping industry to focus its efforts on tanker safety in order to avoid any repetition of such a casualty. These efforts should extend to include all tankers, not just the older ones, because it is beyond dispute that other factors, including the size and age of the vessel, and the type and nature of products carried, can have an effect on overall safety. "All parties involved must contribute ideas and initiatives, which should then be consolidated at an international level. This is the purpose of the meeting being organized by the French government on Thursday, at which Bureau Veritas will put forward a number of proposed initiatives." BV's proposals fall into three main categories:
AFTER THE ERIKA 2 It noted that the "Erika accident seems to be categorized as a structural failure accordingto the French Accident Report. But there are uncertainties connected to that report and the INTERTANKO's Executive Committee urges IACS to investigate the Erika accident and make the results public." The INTERTANKO Executive Committee believes that IACS should consider forming anexpert team to give technical support to accident investigations at sea. The findings of such investigations should form the basis for proposed actions to improve the international safety system. Ocean Rig signs Angola
MOU The parties are reviewing alternatives for constructing new drilling rigs capable of operating in ultradeep waters. Utilization of Ocean Rig's two baredeck units currently laid up at Dalian New Shipyard in China are elements in this process. In the interim, the joint venture will market one of Ocean Rig's Bingo 9000-1 or Bingo 9000-2 rigs for work offshore Angola. Those two rigs rigs are currently being outfitted at Friede Goldman Offshore, Pascagoula, Miss. Bingo 9000-1 now scheduled for delivery by October 31, 2000, and Bingo 9000-2 by December 31, 2000,under a revised agreement between Ocean Rig and the yard. As part of that agreement, Friede Goldman and Ocean Rig agreed to appoint Umoe Olje og Gass AS as a mutually acceptable independent organization to take responsibility for planning and scheduling the projects until completion They alson agreed to have agreed to retain an independent company,Moduspec, to organize and manage the commissioning of the rigs. The two baredeck units laid up at Dalian New Shipyard, the Bingo 9000-3 and Bingo 9000-4, are based on a flexible design that makes it possible for the two hulls to be applied for different purposes,
Boston Putford's standby safety vessels ("SBSV"), certain joint venture interests and vessels, and fixed assets will be acquired, for aggregate consideration of approximately £20.0 million (about $32.2). Boston Putford will also receive approximately £5.0 million (about $8 million) for working capital in the companies at closing. Boston Putford's SBSV fleetconsists of approximately 18 vessels, including vessels held in joint ventures but excluding those managed for third parties. They operate primarily in the southern U.K .sector of the North Sea. The purchase will be p[aid £15.0
million in cash, approximately 84,000 shares of Seacor common The parties anticipate that the transaction will close by March 31, 2000. Seacor Chairman and CEO Charles Fabrikant commented, "Boston Putford is the market leader in the SBSV market in the southern North Sea with safety and multi-role vessels working for most of the field operators. Acquiring Boston Putford further enhances our role in the specialist SBSV market and enables SEACOR to better serve a rapidly consolidating client base. In addition, we expect to realize significant cost savings through rationalization of our existing operations."
|
|
initiatives
While
ABS's Frank Iarossi says there's "no mystery" about
why the Erika sank, the Executive Committee of Intertanko seems
to have some lingering doubts. So it wants IACS to investigate.
