CMA CGM closes in on NOL acquisition

In a statement issued over the weekend, NOL issued a statement announcing that it and its single largest shareholder, Lentor Investments Pte. Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Singapore Government owned Temasek Holdings (Private) Limited), have “entered into an exclusivity agreement with CMA CGM S.A. with respect to a potential acquisition of NOL by way of pre-conditional voluntary general offer.”

CMA CGM has been granted exclusivity until 11.59 p.m. (Singapore time) on December 7, 2015 “to complete customary confirmatory due diligence on NOL and its subsidiaries and negotiate the definitive agreements to be entered into in relation to the offer.”

The rest of the announcement is corporate boiler plate: “There is no assurance that such negotiation will result in any definitive agreement or transaction or that any offer for NOL will be made. NOL will make an appropriate announcement in the event that there are any material developments. Shareholders of NOL and investors are therefore advised to exercise caution when dealing in shares in and other securities of NOL.”

Hempel passes micro-fiber based antifouling milestone

 

Hempel gained the patent for the micro-fiber antifouling technology in 1994, in its Nautic Tin-free 8190C product. Today, the technology is incorporated in all Hempel’s fouling prevention products. It involves introducing an internal skeleton of fibers into the paint to enhance its mechanical strength – in the same way that steel rods can be inserted into concrete to reinforce a structure.

The company is the only coatings manufacturer to use micro-fibers in its paints.

“Our micro-fiber coatings give the advantage of a stronger product that does not crack or peel,” says Group Product Manager Andreas Glud, explaining the value of this technology. “Antifouling products deliver outstanding protection but due to their chemical make-up, their mechanical strength is often weak. That is, the higher grade of antifouling products, the higher risk of cracking. To combat this, we developed our silicate-based micro-fiber technology, which helps reduce dry dock costs.”

The technology is now also being used in other Hempel products such as epoxy cargo tank paints and other anticorrosive coatings.

“Through leading edge R&D activities, we strive to deliver products with outstanding properties,” says Group Marine Marketing Director, Christian Ottosen. “In this case, we were aware that all antifoulings suffer from strength issues and so we invested in the technology to enhance our paints. We are pleased to announce that we have now sold 100 million liters of micro-fibre based coatings. This clearly demonstrates that we are able to meet the demands of the market and help stakeholders in the marine industry overcome their challenges.”

Three honored with AOTOS award

The AOTOS recipients shared the evening with a group of American seafarers who were recognized by the USS for specific acts of bravery at sea.

The evening closed with a remembrance for the the 28 American crew members and five Polish nationals lost in the sinking of the TOTE merchant ship El Faro during Hurricane Joaquin. It was led by Mr. Chiarello, who, rather than his own name, chose to have his AOTOS award engraved with the names of those lost in the tragedy.

“Each of us here at this maritime industry gathering will appreciate the gravity and the impact that the loss of the El Faro and her officers and her crew had on TOTE Maritime,” he said. “Within the firm, each of us has shared the anguish and the grief thrust so unmercifully upon the families and friends of those who were lost. Our hearts are torn bearing witness to their suffering.”

“This year,” he continued, “with the leave of the United Seamen’s Service and by the leave of those of you here with me this evening, I’d ask that we put aside any honor meant expressly for myself, and that we honor instead the valiant men and women that comprised the officers and the crew of the El Faro. This evening, they deserve the AOTOS award far more than I do.”

The ceremony included the reading of the names of those who were lost. Michael J. Sacco, President of the Seafarers International Union, read the named of his union members and Paul Doell, President of the American Maritime Officers, read the names of the AMO union members. Finally, Mr. Chiarello recited the names of the five Polish nationals.

For the 2015 AOTOS Awards, U.S. Senator Cory Booker served as General Chairman. Michael Sacco, President of the Seafarers International Union, was Dinner Chairman and F. Anthony Naccarato of American Maritime Officers Service and Joseph Cox served as National Committee Co-Chairmen.

Proceeds from the AOTOS event benefits USS community services abroad for the U.S. Merchant Marine, seafarers of all nations, and U.S. government and military overseas.

USS, a non-profit agency established in 1942, operates centers in six foreign ports in Europe, Asia, and Africa and in the Indian Ocean, and also provides seagoing libraries to American vessels through its affiliate, the American Merchant Marine Library Association.
Edward Morgan is President and Roger Korner is Executive Director of USS.
USS AOTOS Coordinator is Barbara Spector Yeninas.

ABB unveils Integrated Operations Center

Onboard sensors and software send equipment and performance data via satellite link to the center, allowing shipowners, in collaboration with ABB experts, to perform remote troubleshooting and make informed judgements about the ship’s performance and maintenance plan.

The new center fits into the ABB’s marine Integrated Operations concept which utilizes the “Internet of Things, Services and People” (IoTSP) to connect ships, their owner’s technical headquarters and ABB’s support departments. Through the IoTSP, ABB is able to monitor many of the ship’s critical equipment systems and key parameters, for example on power production and Azipod propulsion.

More than 500 vessels are currently connected to ABB’s Integrated Operations set up.
 
ABB says that with Integrated Operations, shipowners can implement a way of working that saves up to 50% on drydocking costs on ABB equipment, if monitoring, pre-survey, and project execution are managed in close cooperation between ABB and the owner. Data is collected from systems and used as input for maintenance work during dry dockings.

“We are monitoring the key parameters which will have direct impact on the critical equipment and could lead either to downtime or to a significant loss in efficiency,” says Richard Windischhofer, VP Integrated Operations. “We are proactive in our relationship with our customers and with the new Integrated Operations Center we proactively monitor the critical alarms and inform the crew about issues – sometimes even before they notice them themselves.”

ABB says the center is also the next step in the journey to more autonomous shipping operations. The support capabilities available via the IoTSP mean that a larger proportion of an  owner’s highly qualified staff can work on shore with whole fleets rather than on board individual ships.

“Shipowners are always looking for more efficient ways to run their business and the Integrated Operations Center can play an active role in reducing their maintenance costs,” says Heikki Soljama, Managing Director of ABB’s Marine and Ports. “The Internet of Things, Services and People is providing exciting opportunities and we are at the forefront of this new wave of innovation.”

 

One-of-a-kind Harley celebrates LCS 5 commissioning

The motorcycle will be on display during USS Milwaukee Commissioning Week, followed by appearances at U.S. Navy, industry and STEM events over the next year, culminating with its sale at a charity auction to support the National Military Family Association (NMFA).

“We wanted to do something special for the occasion and support the families of our military men and women who sacrifice so much to protect our freedoms,” said Stephanie C. Hill, Lockheed Martin vice president of Ship & Aviation Systems. “We’re excited to collaborate with Milwaukee’s own Harley-Davidson, a company that has been fulfilling dreams of personal freedom for over 100 years.”

“We are honored to be a part of this one-of-a-kind endeavor,” said NMFA Executive Director, Joyce Wessel Raezer. “Both Lockheed Martin and Harley-Davidson have been such wonderful supporters of the military and their families, and we couldn’t be happier to be a part of this commemoration.”

Harley-Davidson Chief Stylist Ray Drea designed the motorcycle, drawing inspiration from touring Fincantieri Marine Group’s Marinette Marine shipyard in Marinette, WI, where the Lockheed Martin-led industry team builds the Freedom-variant LCS. The design also honors historic WWII-era Harley-Davidson motorcycles to model some of the authentic Navy and military custom details.

Following commissioning, USS Milwaukee will transit to its homeport in San Diego, CA, where it will be integrated into the fleet and the industry-Navy team will conduct additional program testing and crew training before the vessel begins its first deployment.

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Polish shipyard to build fishing trawler

NOVEMBER 19, 2015—Poland’s Nauta Ship Repair Yard recently signed a contract to build an 87m x 18m fishing trawler for a Scottish owner. Nauta Shiprepair Yard CEO Krzysztof Juchniewicz says the contract

MAN Diesel & Turbo acquires marine fuel gas supplier

NOVEMBER 19, 2015 — MAN Diesel & Turbo Sverige AB, a wholly owned subsidiary of MAN Diesel & Turbo SE (part of MAN and Volkswagen Group), is acquiring the marine fuel gas

Feds join whistleblower lawsuit against Inchcape

. Inchcape is a marine services contractor headquartered in the United Kingdom. As a ship husbanding services provider, Inchcape arranged for the provision of goods and services to Navy ships at ports in several regions throughout the world, including southwest Asia, Africa, Panama, North America, South America and Mexico.  Inchcape’s services typically included the provision of food and other subsistence items, arrangement of local transportation, waste removal, telephone services, ship-to-shore transportation and force protection services. 

 

The lawsuit, which was unsealed today, alleges that Inchcape knowingly overbilled the Navy by submitting invoices that overstated the quantity of goods and services provided, billed at rates in excess of applicable contract rates and double-billed for certain goods and services.

The lawsuit was brought under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act by three former employees of Inchcape, Noah Rudolph, Andrea Ford and Lawrence Cosgriff, who are represented by Washington, DC, law firm Vogel, Slade & Goldstein, LLP. 

Under the act, a private citizen may bring suit on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery. 

The government may intervene in the case, as it has done here.  The False Claims Act allows the government to recover treble damages and penalties from those who violate it.

“Those who contract with the federal government and accept taxpayer dollars must follow the rules,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.  “The Department of Justice will not tolerate contractors who submit false claims to defraud the armed forces or any other agency of the United States.”

“Ensuring that federal contractors deliver the goods and services at the agreed upon prices in return for receiving the taxpayers’ money is a priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips of the District of Columbia.  “This lawsuit reflects our commitment to combat fraud against federal government agencies.”

“The Department of the Navy continues to hold contractors accountable for the agreements they have made to supply our fleet,” said Captain Amy Derrick, a senior spokeswoman for the Department of the Navy. “We also continue to expect strict adherence to higher standards within the Department and expect the same from industry.”

The case is being handled jointly by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of Columbia, with assistance from the Department of the Navy and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.

The case is captioned United States ex rel. Rudolph v. Inchcape Shipping Services Holdings Limited, et al., No. 1:10-cv-01109 (D.D.C). 

You can access the complaint HERE

Sheriff will use new Moose Boat cat to police Lake Tahoe

NOVEMBER 18, 2015 – San Francisco Bay Area boat designer and manufacturer Moose Boats this month delivered a M2-35 catamaran patrol boat to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office in Carnelian Bay, CA.

Sheriff will use Moose Boat catamaran to police Lake Tahoe

The new Marine 6, a 35 foot all-aluminum catamaran vessel will replace the Placer County Sheriff’s former Marine 6, a 28 foot aluminum monohull vessel which has been in service since 1988.

The Placer County Sheriff utilized California Division of Boating and Waterways funding to assist in the purchase of the vessel, which will have wide ranging duties

“The M2-35 will be responsible for year-round patrol on Lake Tahoe,” says the Sheriff’s Office. “The Marine 6 crew’s primary responsibilities include enforcement of state and federal maritime law and California penal and vehicle codes. Commonly, you will find the crew conducting (BUI) Boating Under the Influence investigations, vessel collision investigations and less often, death investigations. Often, the crew is called to assist with search and rescue operations, locate missing or overdue boaters, provide medical aid and transport, and assist vessels in distress (sinking, mechanical failure, etc.). Marine 6 is also used in the support of law enforcement diving or recovery operations on Lake Tahoe and provides dignitary protection. The crew’s secondary responsibilities include special event supervision such as providing safety and security for water based events, which include paddleboard, kayak and swim race events, and large-scale firework events.”

Propulsion is by twin Yamaha 350 hp four stroke outboards that give the cat a top speed of 42 knots at 6,200 feet above sea level on Lake Tahoe and 45 knots at sea level; a testament to the efficiency of the catamaran hull.

The cabin interior is outfitted to facilitate emergency medical services. It has an enclosed head, a small galley and a work surface for MDC communications.

Ample storage is provided both below the patient bench and under the two shock-mitigating seats. A forced air diesel heater provides defrost and interior heat.

Deck outfitting includes a custom dive/rescue door, lifting davit, storage for EMS supplies and dive equipment, a rescue basket, towing and anchoring equipment, bow and stern ladders and a gasoline powered dewatering pump.

DIMENSIONS, EQUIPMENT

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