Maritime Reporter, August 2006

<BODY> <div> August 2006 15 LIG Introduces New Program LIG Marine Managers released its new On Line Marine GL and Maritime Employers Liability Rating Program, Thunderstorm, designed to provide instant service and quotes for a wide variety of marine related accounts. The program is designed for marine contrac- tors, boat repairers, stevedores, terminal operators, wharfingers and related marine industries. The Thunderstorm Rating System will be expanded to other lines over the next six months as well. Minimum premium for the Marine GL Program is $25,000 when written monoline, and reduces to $10,000 when written with support business. Minimum premium for the Maritime Employers Liability (MEL) Program is $5,000. ACL Sees 2Q Profits Tripled American Commercial Lines reported that the com- pany's second- quarter profits nearly tripled on strong sales. The Jeffersonville-based company posted net income of $17.7m, compared with $6.03m during the same period a year ago. Sales increased 20 percent. The company announced last month it plans to hire 1,100 people over the next three years. Rodriquez Cantieri Navali Delivers Rodriquez Cantieri Navali do Brasil delivered the first and launched the second of seven 52 m Double Ended CityCats under construction in Niteroi near Rio De Janeiro. Gavea I is the fourth vessel to be complet- ed by Rodriquez's Brazilian shipyard after the three 28- m catamarans delivered in 2005. Entirely built of alu- minum, the vessel measures 52 x 14.2 m and is able to transport 1,300 passengers, 900 of whom seated, for a total payload of 125 tons, with a light displacement of 290 tons. The Citycat 52 DE is a double-ended vessel with a double bridge in order to optimize the time spent at the quayside and two MTU 16V 2000 M70 engines rated at 1050 kW each, placed between the two hulls on the boat's longitudinal axis, each coupled to an azimuth propeller wholly designed by Rodriquez Marine System. This system allows the vessel to reach a service speed of 18 knots with a fuel consumption of 250 liters per hour for each engine. Gavea I will be used to link Rio de Janeiro to the residential and indus- trial city of Niterói, a route used by over 80,000 pas- sengers every day. Apax Partners to Acquire FTMSC France Telecom has signed an agreement with Apax Partners to sell 100 percent of the shares of France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications SA (FTMSC). The completion of the transaction is expect- ed in the near future. FTMSC is a large mobile satellite communications provider, marketing and distributing communications solutions for customers based in areas with limited access to terrestrial telecoms infrastruc- ture. Apax Partners is a private equity investment groups. Its funds invest in specific industries including telecoms, and provide long-term equity financing to build and strengthen world-class companies. This deal will enable FTMSC to consolidate its position on the international mobile satellite communications market. FTMSC's service operator strategy is based on long- term partnerships with all leading mobile satellite com- munications operators (Inmarsat, Thuraya, Iridium etc.). FTMSC combines their maritime and land mobile services with airtime, hardware, in-house developed applications and customised solutions, offering one of the most complete portfolios on the market. In 2005, FTMSC posted revenues of $201m. Partnership Wins LNG Contract Aker Kvaerner in joint venture (50/50) with Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) was awarded a contract for the engineering, procurement and construction of the Ingleside Energy Center regasi- fication terminal in Ingleside, Texas. The contract value to the Aker Kvaerner and IHI joint venture is $665m. The project is expected to take approximately three years to complete, after Ingleside Energy Center elects to issue a Notice to Proceed. Construction is scheduled to begin the first quarter of 2007. The Ingleside Energy Center LNG terminal will be the second large LNG regasification project for the partnership. The design and engineering will be directed from Houston involving approximately 125 personnel from Aker Kvaerner and IHI. In addition, the project will employ a peak construction labor force of approxi- mately 750. RK 280 is now the MAN 28/33D The RK 280, previously developed and sold through the U.K. branch of MAN B&W Diesel, will be trans- ferred to the headquarters in Augsburg and newly launched as an MAN 28/33D engine. The commercial responsibility will shift from the U.K. to the Medium Speed Marine division, headed by Prof. Dr. Wolfram Lausch as of July 1. The 28/33D engine is sold in a 12V, 16V and 20V configuration. It runs on MDO and is rated 450 kW per cylinder. Unique epoxy resin system bonds to almost anything—produces proven, long lasting repairs with outstanding impact strength, tensile strength, and abrasion resistance. • Repairs everything from pinholes and ruptures to complete breaks in pipes, pumps, ducts, tanks, valves, flanges, joints, and machinery casings, including equipment carrying water, low-pressure steam, gases, gasoline, oil, alcohol, and caustics • Bonds tenaciously to most surfaces including steel, plastic, fiberglass composites, ceramic and wood STANDARD RESIN for small holes/cracks (large holes/cracks with reinforcement) RED PUTTY for medium to large holes, cracks and other defects STEEL PUTTY for steel-like repairs on metal— can be drilled, tapped, machined SEALER for small holes and cracks LEVELING COMPOUND for corroded surfaces UNDERWATER PUTTY for repairs in dry, moist, or submerged conditions For detailed literature contact: Ferro Corporation Liquid Coatings and Dispersions Division 1301 N. Flora St., Plymouth, IN 46563 Tel: 574-935-5131 • Fax: 574-935-5278 STRONGER REPAIRS FASTER, EASIER News Moving Mountains to Build Ships Asked what was previously on the site of the new Jiangmen Yinxing Shipbuilding yard, a company representative said, "Mountains, we moved mountains to build ships." Those words express the nature of the new China shipbuilding. With funds reportedly earned from ship breaking, Jiangmen Yinxing's parent firm has built two shipyards, one for building vessels 10,000 to 80,000 tons and this yard, at Jiangmen on a branch of the Pearl River, for vessels under 10,000 tons. In addition to several huge sheds, the yard has several covered and open building and launch ways. These include two each for 3,000-, 6,000- and 8,000-ton vessels. In early July the facility had 800 workers and more were being hired. While a number of the workers were involved in constructing the yard facilities, some had begun cutting steel for one of the new yard's first projects. This will be a 4,250-dwt bunkering craft for South African owner Unicorn Shipping International Ltd. Designed by naval architect Focal Marine & Offshore Corp. Ltd., the vessel will be just under 70-m overall with a beam of 17.6-m and a 7.2-m molded depth. The double-hulled ship will carry cargo in a total of eleven tanks. Main engine power will be a pair of electroni- cally controlled Cummins QSK19-M engines each delivering 660 hp (492 kW) at 1,800 rpm. The mains will turn Schottel SRP330 azimuthing drive units with 1.4-m propellers. A third azimuthing drive, this one a Schottel SRP200 will be located in the bow giving the vessel excellent control when maneuvering alongside other ships. Electrical needs for cargo pumps as well as the electro-hydraulic bow thruster will be met in part by a 370 kW generator powered by a Cummins KTA19 (D)M engine. MR AUGUST2006 #2 (9-16).qxd 8/2/2006 5:17 PM Page 15 </div> <span id="lblContents"></span> <br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.digitalwavepublishing.com/" title="Digital Magazine">Digital Wave Publishing</a> </BODY>