Shipping, shipbuilding, offshore news

Navy explains why it's capping DDG 1000 at two ships
design sacrifices capacity for increased capability in an area where Navy already has, and is projected to have, sufficient capacity and capability

DSME books $755 million drillship order
Undisclosed client thought to be Petroserv SA

Record OSV earnings boost HOS results
Hornbeck Offshore Services reports second quarter increases in revenues, operating income, net income and EBITDA

Former ACL execs plan $1.5 billion transportation venture
Mark R. Holden gets Arab investment bank's backing for acquisitions

Secondary oil release from Mississippi spill barge
But more ships are moving as clean-up continues

ACL reports increased revenues
Jeffboat operating performance strongest in several years

Austal submits JHSV Phase II offer
fast intra-theater support vessel for Navy and Army

Boiler fire delays Irish Ferries sailing
fault occurred in thermal oil boiler, causing a minor fire

LCS 1 starts builder trials
Milestone for first of a new breed of warship

Management changes at DeJong & Lebet
Founder Norman DeJong becomes emeritus, Andy Lebet becomes President--and Edward Vaughn returns as VP

CARB tries again on ship emissions
This time tries to regulate fuel

Gulfmark Offshore reports record earnings
Buoyed by record dayrates in Southeast Asia, Gulfmark eyes U.S. Gulf following Rigdon acquisition

USCG probes DRD Towing licenses
Coast Guard says last week's Mississippi mega spill was second incident involving improperly licensed DRD personnel

Donjon expands tug fleet
adds 81 ft, 2,250 HP coastal towing tug

Keppel Singmarine to build multipurpose pipelayer for Romanian owner
to carry new ABS Environmental Safety notation

USCG opens two post-spill decontamination sites
May also give vessels permission to self clean

Mississippi remains closed from New Orleans to Gulf
Though a small number of vessels have been released after decontamination, the Mississippi River closure following a massive spill remains in place

Class action suit filed in Mississippi spill case
Two New Orleans resident file suit

Ted Kennedy makes plea for DDG 1000
He and other senators tell Secretary of Defense that cancelation could result in the Congress providing no funding for new surface combatants in FY09

Robert Allan restructures
Canada's oldest privately owned consulting naval architectural firm aims to stay independent

Coast Guard extends Mississippi River closure
Closure could be for extended period

Kvichak at work on Navy utility boat series
building seven 40-ft high speed landing craft

NTSB faults master in Empress grounding
assigned inexperienced, newly licensed junior third mate to bridge watch from midnight to 4:00 a.m.

Navy cuts DDG 1000 program to just two ships
Cost kills stealth destroyer

Cosco Busan manager indicted on felony charges
Grand jury alleges false statements and obstruction of justice by Fleet Management

Lower Mississippi closed after massive spill
Barge split in half in collision with chemical tanker

Bush signs MARPOL law
What took them so long?

Strategic Marine boosts international capacity
Australian shipbuilder expands yard in Singapore, lays keel in Mexico

Derecktor Shipyards Connecticut files for Chapter 11
Action follows breach of contract suit by catamaran customer

Shipping industry protests Hebei Spirit detentions
Plea to Korea to release two acquitted officers

Somali pirates seize 52,454 dwt bulker
Largest victim ship thus far

NOL makes bid for Hapag-Lloyd container shipping business
it's indicative and non-binding ...and the details are confidential

Royal Caribbean to slash shore-side jobs
rising fuel costs eroding profitability

Horizon Lines indemnifies non-management directors
protected against any liabilities, losses or expenses arising out of a legal proceeding or investigation

Guidry family and investment firm acquire Harvey Gulf
$500 million deal sees Jordan Company takes 74 percent stake

FLC West gets O.K. to take Aker Yards stake
set to finalize deal to take 70 percent of Ukraine and German yards

Sembcorp Marine unit gets repeat jack-up order from Egypt
$220 million order for BMC Pacific 375 for Egyptian Drilling Company

BVT Surface Fleet and ADSB plan joint venture
will provide complete range of support services to GCC navies and security organizations

Offshore work helps keep Detyens busy
Leading Norwegian offshore service vessel operators send vessels to North Charleston, S.C., yard

IHC Merwede launches DSV
Seven Atlantic is under construction for Subsea 7

Hawaii gets second eco-friendly interisland barge
Young Brothers introduces a big barge with a small carbon footprint

Todd Shipyards to rebuild fish processor
Contract from Glacier Fish Company to rebuild fire damaged Pacific Glacier

ST Marine books DSV contract
107.1 m Diving Support Vessel planned for mid-2010 delivery

Textron unit to build MLB's for Mexican Navy
first of six 47 ft Motor Life Boats to be delivered in 19 months

Detained cruise ship cleared to sail for Tampa
more work to be performed on hull

Carlyle Group takes stake in Turkish shipbuilder
Takes 50 percent of chemical carrier specialist TVK

Maersk orders MAN Diesels for 18 ship series
Low rpm of 6S80ME-C9 means greater propulsive efficiency

Todd Grove named President and COO of ABS Pacific Division
Relocates to Singapore to head up key division

Guam Shipyard wins $11.5 million MSC contract
55-day overhaul of replenishment fleet oiler

Foss receives Clean Air Technology Award
Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach honor company for innovative approach to reducing air pollution

Maersk Line Limited buys two cargo RO/RO's
formerly operated by MLL for MSC

Cruise ship detained in New York with multiple discrepancies
Problems with "Peace Boat" include significant hull damage

EC gives Poland deadline for shipyard restructuring rethink
Neelie Kroes: We have now entered the second half of extra time

Owners determined to get Washburn & Doughty back to work
Governor tours fire ravaged shipyard and promises help

Island Offshore back at Aker Yards
orders well intervention vessel

Commissioning delays for Seadrill semi
Drilling package woes delay start of operations for West Phoenix

Bush and Pelosi spar on OCS drilling
Ban on offshore drilling becomes part of election year theater

DNV type approves ballast water treatment system
Certificate for Alfa Laval system

Bollinger delivers tank barge to K-Sea
80,000 bbl unit is first of two near-sisters

Soot study targets tugboats
NOAA-led study says tugboats emit more soot for the amount of fuel used than other commercial vessels

Cornel Martin to be Waterways Council President
will succeed R. Barry Palmer

W&O acquires Valco/Premier
largest U.S. supplier of marine valves, pipe, fittings, engineered products and valve automation solutions acquires copper nickel fittings and flanges specialist

Aker Solutions to supply drilling packages for Odebrecht drillships
$260 million order for two sets from DSME

Fredriksen still eying OSG
SEC filing says he plans discussions on combination with Frontline or acquisition

Fire devastates Washburn & Doughty shipyard
Governor pledges assistance with rebuilding and reopening Maine tugboat specialist

Stolt-Nielsen says SEC probe done
SEC staff won't recommend any enforcement action on stock option practices

Spike in piracy incidents
As ships avoid Somali coast, pirates move into Gulf of Aden

LCS 1 set for dock trials
The propulsion plant of the first Littoral Combat Ship, Freedom (LCS 1), has completed testing

DOF splashes out
Orders anchor handlers and announces plans to raise capital

Aker Yards delivers Skandi Acergy
DOF Subsea gets an advanced construction vessel

NASSCO gets Navy contract with growth potential
LSD modernizations could be worth $210 million

Lautenberg seeks HMT change
bill would exempt water carriage of non-bulk cargo between U.S. ports

B. Navi to pay $1.5 million in pollution case
must serve three year probation term, too

Korea indicts "industrial spy" with ABS ties
Chinese national alleged to have stolen drillship technology

Larry Rigdon wins Entrepreneur of the Year Award
2008 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the Offshore Marine Services category in the Houston and Gulf Coast Area goes to Larry Rigdon, CEO of Rigdon Marine, Inc, an offshore services company recently acquired by GulfMark Offshore, Inc.

India's ABG Shipyard negotiating jack-up contracts
issues clarification of press reports

Odfjell takes 40% stake in two Angelopoulo drillship newbuilds
will be responsible for the construction supervision, marketing and operation of pair

Jeanne M. Grasso elected President of WISTA USA
Blank Rome partner becomes President of the Women's International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) USA.

Polarcus lists on Oslo OTC
Newcomer geophysical company on track with six ship project

New President and COO at ACB
Jim Moore takes helm at Aluminum Chambered Boats

Small ship grounds ... again
The Spirit of Glacier Bay, which was grounded for some nine hours in an incident near Glacier Bay, was grounded in the Intracoastal Waterway last year

Port of Monteal receives a ship load of Iraqi uranium
Yellowcake to be processed into nuclear fuel

Bollinger barge delivery moves Bouchard nearer an ambitious goal
on target for an all double-hull fleet by 2010

Widdows takes helm at NOL
replaces Held

China Oilfield buying Awilco Offshore
$2,5 billion swoop

BW Offshore gets LOI for Australia FPSO
Potential 15 year $1.3 billion ontract

Donjon removes span of railroad bridge
Chesapeake 1000 shows its muscle

Scorpion orders semi at Keppel FELS
DSS 38 will go on 6 year charter to Petrobras

Maersk Daewoo order worth $2.3 billion
Stock exchange filing reveals price tag

DryShips sells three and buys four, from Economou
keeping fleet age profile low with help of $400 million ship en bloc buy from Chairman and CEO

Cosco Busan pilot to retire
seeks to avoid testifying at State Pilot Commission hearing

Atwood Oceanics negotiating semi contract at Jurong
subsidiary has conditionally exercised an option for FG Ex-D Millennium DP rig

Wärtsilä swoops on Vik-Sandvik
W¨a;rtsil¨a; aims to take a leading position in ship design as an independent activity

Philadelphia Gear buys majority of GE's marine gear business
purchase does not include the "CVN 78" nuclear aircraft carrier gear product line

Maersk Line orders another 16
Just 10 days after announcing its major newbuilding splurge at Hyundai, Maersk Line announces a 16 ship newbuilding program at Daewoo

U.K. inks aircraft carrier manufacturing contracts
largest and most potent warships to be designed and built in the U.K.

Coast Guard cutter and Block Island ferry collide
Thick fog, minor dent, no reported injuries

OSG loses round in pollution case
Appeals Court throws out District Court's dismissal of criminal charges

Aker Yards changes Cruise & Ferries management structures
Shake-up sees a veteran exec hired back from a nuclear plant while the former head of the business area switches to sales

Able UK to dismantle former Clemenceau
With all its licenses in place, showcase U.K. ship recycler will now also start long delayed work on four Marad "ghost ships"

GulfMark Offshore closes Rigdon acquisition
Combined company will initially operate 90 vessels with 16 more under construction for delivery through 2010

Navios "blank check" company completes IPO
IPO and private placement raise $260.6 million

IMO makes progress on greenhouse gas emissions
CO2 design index for new ships and CO2 operational index get nearer

Slow steaming could bring law suits
P&I Club tells members to check charterparties before slowing down

NAMMA honors USCG and Hapag-Lloyd
Hapag-Lloyd to receive NAMMA's Seafarer's Salute Award; Coast Guard is the 2008 recipient of the Joe R. Gerson Humanitarian Award

Larsen orders fourth semi at Jurong
$640 million contract for Friede & Goldman Ex-D ultra-deepwater semi for 2011 delivery

UASC places $1.51 billion boxship order with Samsung Heavy Industries
nine 13,100 TEU containerships for 2010-2011 deliveries

NEWS STORIES FOR JUNE 2008