NOVEMBER 11, 2015 — Norwegian ballast water treatment system (BWTS) specialist Optimarin says it has become the first UV system supplier to meet the most stringent USCG marine water requirements, positioning it
The three – Yoshiyuki Aoki, Masahiro Kato and Shunichi Kusunose – have been charged with allocating customers and routes, rigging bids and fixing prices for the sale of international ocean shipments of roll-on, roll-off cargo to and from the United States and elsewhere, including the Port of Baltimore. The affected cargo included cars, trucks, construction equipment and agricultural equipment.
Aoki, formerly of Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K-Line), and Kato and Kusunose, formerly of Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), are among seven executives who have been charged in the investigation so far. Four have pleaded guilty and been sentenced to prison. NYK, K-Line and one other company have also pleaded guilty and paid more than $136 million in criminal fines.
“The companies and executives who conspired to restrict competition and raise prices for shipping these products must be held accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Bill Baer of the Antitrust Division. “We previously charged NYK and K-Line for their role in this long-running conspiracy. Today we are continuing our effort to ensure that the executives at those companies who orchestrated the ocean shipping conspiracy face the consequences as well.”
“These felony charges indicate to those intent on corrupting our economy they will be identified and brought to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the FBI’s Baltimore Division. “Our job is to protect victims who don’t see these crimes occurring, but who always end up paying the price.”
The indictment, which was returned by a grand jury in the District of Maryland, charges Aoki with participating in the conspiracy from at least as early as 2001 until at least September 2012; Kato with participating from at least as early as April 2002 until at least September 2012; and Kusunose with participating from at least as early as April 2004 until at least September 2012.
The investigation is being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal I Section and the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office, with assistance from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Internal Affairs, Washington Field Office/Special Investigations Unit.
The deal will see Genting invest EUR 17.5 million for 70% of the new shipbuilding business and a 50% ownership of the shipyard’s land. Genting Hong Kong will complete the acquisition of Lloyd Werft subject to certain final purchase conditions.
“Lloyd Werft has built and lengthened six of the ships owned by an affiliate of the company and has the expertise to build a series of world class cruise ships for the company, which will include the ‘Exclusive Class’ vessels for Crystal Cruises, the world’s most awarded luxury cruise line,” said Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Genting Hong Kong. “Ownership in Lloyd Werft will enable Genting Hong Kong to leverage on the shipyard’s technical expertise and their well-established and long track record in the shipbuilding industry.”
Genting Hong Kong (GHK), the owner of Star Cruises and a major shareholder in Norwegian Cruise Lines, bought two ship luxury line Crystal from Japan’s Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) in a deal announced this March. It followed that up with an announcement in July revealing that over the next three years Crystal will will add not only three new ocean ships but will get into the cruise yacht and river cruise segments and create a new type of luxury travel with its own Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft (see earlier story).
Lloyd Werft will play a key part in the expansion. It is to build the river cruise ships for the new Crystal River Cruises and has a letter of intent to build three new “Crystal Exclusive Class,” polar ice class cruise ships with the first expected for delivery in late 2018.
“With such great anticipation for Crystal River Cruises and Crystal Exclusive Class ocean vessels, we are incredibly excited about Genting’s groundbreaking investment in the Lloyd Werft shipyard that will contribute mightily to Crystal Cruises’ expansion,” said Edie Rodriguez, Crystal’s president and CEO.
Lloyd Werft was founded in 1857 and initially focused on the general ship repair business, moving into the conversion and newbuilding businesses in the 1970s. The yard, situated on 260,000 square meters and comprising of six docks and a 1,600 meter pier, has a newbuilding track record including cruise vessels for Norwegian Cruise Line including Pride of America, Norwegian Sky and Norwegian Sun, mega yachts and pipe-laying vessels.
Lloyd Werft is to build the river cruise vessels for new Crystal River Cruises
AUGUST 9, 2015—So who is the highest valued company in shipping? VesselsValue.com puts shipping and container giant A.P. Møller Maersk as the top dog with a valuation of about $13 billion, with
MAY 19, 2015 — Performance confirmation tests at Kobe Diesel Co., Ltd. have shown that a Low Pressure Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system can enable a low speed two-stroke diesel to comply
MARCH 10, 2014 — A third shipping company executive is being rolled off to a federal prison as the U.S. Justice Department’s investigation into bid rigging and price fixing in the car
MARCH 3, 2015 — Genting Hong Kong (GHK), the owner of Star Cruises and a major shareholder in Norwegian Cruise Lines, is buying two ship luxury cruise line Crystal Cruises, Inc. and
DECEMBER 1, 2014 — Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. has concluded a basic agreement on joint ownership and 20-year charter contract for a newbuilding LNG carrier with Tokyo LNG Tanker Co., Ltd.
NOVEMBER 3, 2014 — MAN Diesel & Turbo says that a single MAN B&W 8S50ME-GI dual-fuel engine will power each of the two LNG fueled PCTC (Pure Car Truck Carriers) ordered earlier
JANUARY 17, 2014 — Clean Marine AS, Lysaker, Norway has been selected by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding, China, to supply exhaust gas scrubbers for two 38,000 dwt chemical tankers being built for Stolt Tankers
