D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on May 27, 2008 5:43:10 GMT -8
www.shippingtimes.co.uk/item_10069.html
Dover steps up a gear with port growth planTerminal 2 needed by 2013 says Chief Executive...Dover Harbour Board today embarks on the third round of consultation for development of its four-berth ferry terminal and new marina project. The Board will submit an application for approval for the £420 million project later this year and hopes to get the go-ahead to build by Summer 2010. The Board is considering a range of options to fund the £420 million development, including seeking private capital or opting for pure debt finance to retain the port’s independence, but it is currently not contemplating a full privatisation of the port. Bob Goldfield, Chief Executive, said: “It is possible that £120 million will come from our cash flows and reserves with the remainder debt finance. Joining forces with a third-party investor, such as an infrastructure fund, is a distinct possibility. This could be a joint venture to form a special purpose vehicle (SPV). “Under such a scenario, any investor would be limited to taking a stake in the SPV for the project, which would be ring-fenced from the rest of the port. We could seek around £100 million from such an investor.” Goldfield said that the project is critical for trade and tourism between the UK and Continental Europe. “Capacity at the Eastern Docks ferry terminal is running out and the forecasts are for growth in both freight and tourist traffic. We would like to have Terminal 2 open by 2013, or Dover is set to be faced with some very difficult traffic management challenges. “This latest round of consultation is an essential part of the Environmental Impact Assessment process, not only to enable people to understand what is being proposed, but also to allow for any concerns or issues to be identified and resolved at an early stage."
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on May 27, 2008 18:10:20 GMT -8
www.shippingtimes.co.uk/item_10068.html
NORCAPE returns to service after Tyne refit
14,087GT ship left Hebburn yard on 23rd May...A&P Tyne Ltd, part of the A&P Group, has recently completed the annual refit onboard the Ro/Ro Cargo ferry ‘Norcape’ for P&O Ferries, the 14,087GT vessel arriving at the Hebburn yard on 26 March 2008. At peak times, over 100 personnel were employed with all contract work completed on day 42 - in line with the original schedule. The 150m vessel departed on 23 May 2008 to return to service between Tilbury and Zeebrugge. A significant part of the project involved using SPS Overlay to reinstate 2300m² of the upper, lower and tank top decks after the removal of 1825m² of existing doubler plates using arc air gouging. SPS Overlay used the existing steelwork to form the underside of a composite. After being blasted and cleaned, perimeter bars and new plates were welded in place to create cavities, which were then injected with a fast-setting elastomer. The result is stronger decks with enhanced resistance to corrosion, fatigue, fire, impact and vibration. Work also included steel insert renewals on various areas of the upper deck with a total of approximately 170m². The project also involved the renewal of the crankshaft of the Mitsui 12V42M starboard main engine. This was a unique experience for A&P to work with only two of four existing Mitsui 12V42M engines in the world. The engine was dismantled and reassembled under the supervision of the main engine manufacturer’s representative, however special care and attention was required when removing the running gear, ie Cylinder Heads Pistons and Liners. It was necessary to remove the exhaust manifold assembly including Turbo Chargers and Coolers to allow sufficient height clearance for lifting the Engine to allow the crankshaft to be removed. Various lifting aids were welded to the Engine Room Deck Head to enable the Engine to be lifted, these also assisted in the removal of the Crankshaft, which was released and lowered into position away from the Engine and then ashore. Specialist equipment was used to laser align / check the Engine entablature after removal, and whilst installing the new crankshaft. All running gear components were overhauled prior to re-assembly and the Engine was re-chocked using Chock- fast Orange Resin. Laser alignment techniques were involved in re-aligning the engine to the gearbox. During her drydocking period, substantial overhauls and Lloyd’s Register (LR) surveys were carried out to the tailshaft, rudder, fwd & aft bowthrusters and port & starboard stabilisers. The port and starboard anchor chains were also renewed in accordance with LR requirements. Iain Campbell, A&P Project Director said, “This was a challenging project due to the significant amount of work being established during survey. I would like to thank P&O staff, A&P personnel and all contractors, in particular Intelligent Engineering and Navikon, for completing all work within the original schedule.”
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on May 28, 2008 6:42:54 GMT -8
www.shippingtimes.co.uk/item_10078.html
Customer confidence secures MacGREGOR RoRo conversion contracts$6 million contract s won for work on Finnline ships and SUPERFAST IX...MacGREGOR has signed around €6 million worth of contracts that include electrically-driven hoistable car decks for Finnlines’ Finnpulp and Finnmill, and conversion work for two-tier loading on board Superfast IX, chartered by Marine Atlantic in Canada MacGREGOR’s RoRo Conversion team – part of Cargotec Corporation – has been awarded a contract from Finnish RoRo operator Finnlines to supply approximately 3,000m2 of electrically-driven plywood car decks to its 25,654gt freight RoRo sisterships Finnpulp and Finnmill. The conversion project will be carried out at a north European shipyard starting in mid-December and to be finalised in end February 2009. “MacGREGOR was chosen because of Finnlines’ confidence in MacGREGOR to deliver proven technology,” says Kim Langelund, director of the MacGREGOR RoRo division’s Conversion business unit. “The owner has already placed orders for MacGREGOR to supply electrically-driven car decks for Finnlines’ six newbuildings being built in Jinling Shipyard in China.” In a further contract for the business unit, the Estonian Tallink Group has entrusted MacGREGOR’s RoRo Conversion team with a contract to convert the bow and stern ramp loading arrangements to two-tier traffic loading on board Superfast IX, which has been chartered for five years by Canadian Marine Atlantic in Canada. For this contract MacGREGOR is delivering: • a relocated stern ramp on deck 3 (main) • a new stern ramp on deck 5 (upper deck) • a new bow ramp on deck 5 (upper deck). The conversion work will be finalised by the end of October [this year].
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Jun 10, 2008 9:17:42 GMT -8
www.shippingtimes.co.uk/item_10086.html
Aker Yards delivers new fast day ferry for Oslo Line ASVessel from Rauma yard second in series of two Superspeed ferries. ... "SuperSpeed2" will start on the route Larvik in Norway to Hirtshals in Denmark. With a service speed of 27 knots, the new ferry will be able to travel this distance in three hours 45 minutes, which is two hours faster than with traditional ferries. The Superspeed ferries are ultramodern fast ships, which are revolutionizing the daytime cruising between Norway and Denmark. The sistership SuperSpeed1 was delivered in February 2008 and use three hours 15 minutes for the crossing from Kristiansand in Norway to Hirtshals. The contract for two vessels worth approx. EUR 250 million meant 1 600 manyears of work to Aker Yards in Rauma. The Superspeed ferries are also fast and efficient while they are in port. Trailers and cars are simultaneously loaded on two different decks, enabling unloading and loading to be completed in less than an hour. "As each of our new deliveries, also SuperSpeed2 brings with it a number of innovations. It features e.g. a clever radio-controlled loading concept for containers", says Juha Heikinheimo, President of Aker Yards, Cruise & Ferries "In addition to these fast ferries, Aker Yards has previously built two of the world's largest cruise vessels with car decks for Color Line. We highly appreciate the reliance they as ship owners have placed on Aker Yards and are confident that we have a strong foundation to continue the cooperation with further world class vessel projects in the future", Heikinheimo continues. The approximately 211 metre long and 26 metre wide vessel has 2,000 lane metres of vehicle space and takes 1,900 passengers. There are no passenger cabins in the day ferry. Aker Yards' business area Cruise & Ferries consists of three yards in Finland and two in France, and has after today's delivery a total of 14 passenger vessels in the orderbook. As one of the world's largest cruise ship builders and the leading ferry builder, the company has for years set new standards in vessel design, size, and comfort, both in the cruise industry and the ferry transportation market.
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Jun 20, 2008 4:54:16 GMT -8
www.shippingtimes.co.uk/item_10087.html
Largest ever channel ferries ordered from Aker shipyard49,000 ton monster ferries will debut in 2010 and 2011...P&O Ferries has signed a Letter of Intent with the Finnish shipbuilder, Aker Yards, to construct two new ships for the Dover-Calais service. The first of these will enter service in December 2010 and the second in September 2011, replacing the Pride of Dover and the Pride of Calais. At 49,000 gross tonnes, the new ships will be the largest ferries ever to operate in the Short Sea sector and, at 210 metres in length, will be the largest ships capable of fitting into facilities in the Channel ports. With space for more than 160 articulated lorries they will double the freight carrying capacity of the ships they are replacing, whilst additionally providing a third vehicle deck for up to 250 tourist vehicles. Facilities for up to 1,500 freight drivers and passengers will set a new benchmark in quality standards. These ships will be as environmentally friendly as possible, offering significant advances in fuel efficiency. The company will also be selecting eco-friendly materials in their construction and intends obtaining for them a “Green Passport” issued by Lloyd’s Register. The value of the order to Aker Yards is approximately 360 million euros. With this investment, P&O Ferries, the largest ferry operator on the Strait of Dover, is planning to capture growth in the freight market, currently running in excess of five per cent per annum, whilst also serving the premium tourist market with a superior on board offer. The company, and ultimately its customers, will also benefit from the huge economies of scale and lower running costs that such large ships can offer. "We are glad to have P&O Ferries as our customer. The company is an esteemed operator on the English Channel vehicle and passenger traffic". says Juha Heikinheimo, President of Aker Yards, Cruise & Ferries. "When the contract is finalised, it will be of crucial importance for the whole Finnish maritime cluster", he continues. Aker Yards, Cruise & Ferries, consisting of three yards in Finland and two in France, has today a total of 13 passenger vessels in the orderbook, 6 of which are ferries. As one of the world's two largest cruise ship builders and the leading ferry builder, the company has for years set new standards in vessel design, size, and comfort, both in the cruise industry and the ferry transportation market.
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Post by BreannaF on Jun 22, 2008 4:17:32 GMT -8
news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080622/ap_on_re_as/philippines_typhoon700 missing after Philippines typhoonBy PAUL ALEXANDER, Associated Press Writer MANILA, Philippines - Hundreds of passengers were feared trapped and may have died after their ferry capsized in the Philippines during Typhoon Fengshen, said two survivors who struggled to shore Sunday. The storm left at least 155 dead, submerging entire communities and setting off landslides, said Sen. Richard Gordon, head of the national Red Cross, but there were concerns the death toll would jump dramatically. The 72 people listed as missing did not include the more than 740 passengers and crew aboard the MV Princess of Stars, and worried relatives wept as they waited for news. Gordon said he has asked U.S. authorities for help in finding anyone who might still be alive inside the ferry and was told "they are going to try very, very hard." A rescue ship battling huge waves and strong winds reached the ferry Sunday, one end jutting out of the water upside-down, more than 24 hours after it lost radio contact. There was no sign of survivors at the site, and only four people who were on board were known to have reached shore alive. "They haven't seen anyone. They're scouring the area. They're studying the direction of the waves to determine where survivors may have drifted," coast guard spokesman Lt. Senior Grade Arman Balilo said. Villagers found six bodies — including a man and a woman who had bound themselves together — along with children's slippers and life jackets that washed ashore nearby. Officials were checking reports that a large number of survivors might have reached one nearby island and that a lift raft was spotted off another, coast guard spokesman Cmdr. Antonio Cuasito said. "We can only pray that there are many survivors so we can reduce the number of casualties," he said. Reynato Lanoria, a janitor on the ship, estimated about 100 people could have survived, "but the others were trapped inside." "I think they are all dead by now," he told DZMM radio after making it to shore by jumping in the water and reaching a life raft. Lanoria said he was on the top deck when a crew member ordered people to put on life vests around 11:30 a.m. Saturday. About 30 minutes later, the ship tilted as elderly people and children fell on the rain-slickened deck. Passenger Jesus Gica also worried that many people were trapped below when the ship listed. "There were many of us who jumped overboard, but we were separated because of the big waves," he said. "The others were also able to board the life rafts, but it was useless because the strong winds flipped them over." The ferry initially ran aground a few miles off central Sibuyan island Saturday, then capsized, said Mayor Nanette Tansingco of Sibuyan's San Fernando. With the upturned ferry visible from her town, she appealed for food, medicine and formalin to embalm bodies. Pope Benedict XVI said Sunday he was praying for the victims of the ferry disaster. Benedict told pilgrims in St. Peter's Square that he learned with great emotion of the tragedy and expressed particular sorrow that apparently many children were feared to be among the victims. He said he felt spiritually close to all those hit by the typhoon. The Philippines is predominantly Catholic. The typhoon lashed the central Philippines for about four hours Saturday, setting off landslides and floods, knocking out power and blowing off roofs. In the central province of Iloilo, Gov. Neil Tupaz said 59 people drowned, with another 40 missing. "Almost all the towns are covered by water. It's like an ocean," Tupaz said, adding that thousands have been displaced in the province that is home to 1.7 million people. Packing sustained winds of 74 miles per hour and gusts of up to 93 mph, the typhoon shifted course Sunday to the northwest and battered Manila at dawn, dumping heavy rain on the capital. Major streets were flooded, and numerous traffic lights were out. Rescue vessels aborted an initial attempt Saturday to get to the 23,824-ton ferry. Efforts resumed in stormy weather Sunday, coast guard chief Vice Adm. Wilfredo Tamayo said, although the churning sea kept smaller vessels away. Four coast guard ships and three from the navy were deployed, and the air force was asked to send aircraft as soon as the weather clears. The ferry — with 626 passengers and 121 crew members on board — was "dead in the water" after its engine failed around noon Saturday, Tamayo said. About two dozen relatives trooped to the Manila office of Sulpicio Lines, some quietly weeping as they waited for news about their loved ones. "I'm very worried. I need to know what happened to my family," said Felino Farionin, his voice cracking. His wife, son and four in-laws were on the ferry. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who left for the United States late Saturday, talked to officials in a teleconference aired live on nationwide radio Sunday, scolding coast guard officials for allowing the ferry to leave Manila late Friday despite the bad weather. Ferries are the main form of inter-island transportation in the sprawling Philippine archipelago, site of the world's worst peacetime maritime disaster when the ferry MV Dona Paz sank in 1987, killing more than 4,341 people.
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Post by Scott on Jun 22, 2008 13:58:49 GMT -8
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Post by ferryrider42 on Jun 22, 2008 17:52:03 GMT -8
Using the link John provided I did some sleuthing around the rest of the site. This appears to be the company’s main website, but there is a serious lack of information being released by the company.
Other then a passenger manifests; there is no acknowledgement that anything serious has occurred on the website. With such a tragedy, the least I would hope for is a message front and centre advising everyone that there has been ‘a major incident’.
Perhaps locals don’t rely on the web as heavily as us westerners do. In any case, I hope this company is making a serious effort to communicate what has occurred to the locals.
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Post by BreannaF on Jun 23, 2008 2:06:30 GMT -8
Actually, looking at the situation, the ferry disaster appears to be only one of the bad things that happened there in the Phillipenes due to the typhoon. There is a lot more going on there, with a region dealing with landslides, flooding, and all the other things that go along with a major storm of this magnitude. The main question I would be asking here is why the ferry was out there in a typhoon in the first place.  A BBC story complete with pictures and more story than what was posted before can be found HERE.  |
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Neil
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Post by Neil on Jul 5, 2008 11:25:03 GMT -8
A follow up to a March post.
New Zealand government renationalizes rail and ferries
from: RAILNEWS.co.uk
NEW Zealand’s rail and ferry services were taken back into government ownership on 1 July and renamed KiwiRail — and the former prime minister who oversaw privatisation 15 years ago has been put in charge.
Jim Bolger, who was prime minister of the opposition conservative National Party, which sold the railways in 1993, was announced by the present Labour government as head of the new interim company to run the network.
The Bolger government received $NZ328 million (£125 million) in 1993 when it became the first country in the world to fully privatise its railways as a single entity.
It sold the network to a consortium headed by US-based Wisconsin Central and a local investment bank. The Wisconsin-led consortium later went on to buy British Rail’s freight services and operate them as EWS — now owned by German Railways.
The New Zealand rail and ferry operations were sold in 2004 to Australia’s Toll Holdings, while the government bought back the infrastructure. Toll Holings Ltd today received a total of $NZ690 million (£363 million) from the government. The price includes a rail and car ferry, which crosses Cook Strait separating the North and South islands, and the leases on two other ferries.
Launching KiwiRail, finance minister Dr Michael Cullen said: “For a decade after its sale, there were stories of financial scandal, of asset-stripping, and of neglect.
“In recent years, Toll Holdings has worked hard to turn this around, but in the end all have acknowledged that it is not possible to run an effective rail network in New Zealand without significant financial support from the New Zealand taxpayer.
“By bringing our rail system back into public ownership — following the buyback of the tracks four years ago — we will spare future generations from subsidising a private rail operator and will be able to create an integrated, sustainable transport system.”
He added: “New Zealand’s rail network is now back in New Zealand’s hands. We will now be able to make the investments necessary to develop a world-class 21st century rail system for New Zealanders.”
Prime Minister Helen Clark said government ownership would allow it to make strategic decisions and investments to help rail make New Zealand more sustainable.
“One locomotive can pull the equivalent freight of 65 trucks,” she said.
The Prime Minister said by 2040 the government hoped that total freight transport movements would more than double.
• The 1 July deal was the New Zealand Labour government’s second major transport renationalisation. It bought back Air New Zealand after it nearly collapsed in 2001, 13 years after the carrier had been privatised.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jul 6, 2008 16:16:05 GMT -8
re Trinidad & Tobago, here's a story about a new water taxi service. The story has some history of the "water taxi" idea too. =============== www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,82008.html Water taxis ahoy – riding the waves to work By MELISSA DASSRATH Sunday, July 6 2008 The long awaited Water Taxi Service will soon set sail. On Monday, three high-speed, hydro-cruiser catamarans docked at the Gulf of Paria, San Fernando and a fourth vessel shipped from the Netherlands is on its way. The maiden voyage of these vessels will be some time between the end of July or the beginning of August when the Water-Taxi Service transports the first set of seafaring folk. The water-taxi service between North and South Trinidad will be introduced at an estimated cost of TT $252 million as part of the National Infrastructure Development Corporation’s (NIDCO), plan to alleviate traffic congestion on the nations highways. A water-taxi or water bus is a boat service that is used to provide public transport with multiple stops and shuttles passengers between various points, thus, operating in a similar manner to a taxi or bus. Once humans created boats and discovered that they could travel, the sea ceased to be a boundary and became uncharted terrain. Boats have been used since ancient times as a method of short distance transportation along rivers and calm seas. The Sumerians and Egyptians used boats constructed of reed and tar as far back at 3000 BC. The history of the notorious Norsemen, the Vikings, as adventurers, pirates, merchants and warriors are a testimony to the ship building ingenuity. They used large, agile and ornate ships called “Drakkars” that could navigate independently from the wind. These ships were used for warfare and exploration to expand overseas during the eighth Century. The Sampan is a wooden Chinese boat. It is about 12-15 feet long and has shelter on board. It was often used to transport people between villages. It was also a permanent floating home on inland waters. Pirogues are small flat-hulled paddle boats that have been used primarily by the Cajuns of the Louisiana marshlands in the United States to travel around. The semi-seafaring culture of the Native Americans of North America used hollowed-out logs as canoes to navigate through interlocking river systems and find fishing grounds. Tribes like the Haida and Tlingit created canoes with high, decorated prows that had the capacity to carry between 30-50 people. Christened the “City of Water”, Venice in Italy is famous for its many waterways. The classical Venetian water vessel the “Gondola” was, for centuries, the chief means of transportation within Venice. They played an important role in public transport serving as “traghetti” (ferries) over major canals. The construction of the gondola continued to evolve until the late 19th century, when motorized boats began to replace the traditional mode of transport. In recent years, the luxurious Vaporetto water-buses were developed to cater to tourists. But, many other countries also use their own unique version of the water taxi. Over 40 cities around the world operate a water taxi service to transport people to places not directly accessible by land. The United Kingdom’s “Bristol Ferry Boat”, “London River Services” and “Thames Clippers”, the “Abras” water ferries of Dubai, “Osaka Suij Bus” and “The Yokohama Port Service” and “Keihin Ferry Boat” in Japan, “Sydney Ferries” and “Brisbane CityCat” of Australia, Gothenburg, Sweden’s “Paddan” tour boat and “Älv-snabben” water bus lines, Xochimilco, Mexico City’s “Chalupa”, and Canada’s “False Creek Ferries” and “SeaBus”. The Singapore River plays a significant economic role in the country’s development which has shifted from trade towards tourism. “River Taxis” and “Bumboat Cruises” ply along the Singapore River to shuttle passengers to the harbour front of downtown Singapore, which has become the most popular tourist attraction. A SGD$3 dollar fare will take visitors at several stops scattered along the way with bars, restaurants and shops. Water-Taxis are also commonly used in nearby Guyana, where a bumpy two-hour long water ride from Parika to Bartica along the Essequibo River which costs about GUY$2000, is preferable to a pricy plane trip. A water-taxi ride from Georgetown to West Bank Demerara costs about GUY$70 and passengers reach their destination within five minutes flat. If, however, you were to take a taxi a 20 minute trip would cost at least GUY$300. Once the water-taxi service comes on stream, it will transport some 9,000 passengers daily along the west coast, docking at: The Breakfast Shed (Port of Spain), Flatrock (San Fernando), Point Fortin (Clifton Hill), Waterloo (Chaguanas/Orange Valley) and Point Cumana (north of Invaders Bay). A $15 one-way trip on the sleek catamaran will skip to across Trinidad within 30-45 minutes which is a drastic reduction from the two to three hours travel time during the rush-hour traffic. ============================= |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jul 12, 2008 18:11:30 GMT -8
Here's a New Zealand story re a person banned from the ferry, for cheating on his fare. ===================== www.nzherald.co.nz:80/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10521264Cheating the ferryman just doesn't pay 5:00AM Sunday July 13, 2008 By Rebecca Milne Gary Dobson has fallen foul of Fullers' zero-tolerance policy after using a fake pass. Photo / Martin Sykes A "stupid error" has left a Waiheke resident fearing he will have to sell his home to avoid being stranded on the island. Gary Andrew Dobson has appeared in the Auckland District Court facing two charges related to falsifying a Fullers Ferry monthly pass. Fullers says it has a "zero-tolerance policy" and plans to ban Dobson from its ferries for two years. But the married 49-year-old printer told the Herald on Sunday he was caught short with no money and his actions were not premeditated. "I'm totally dependant on Fullers. Waiheke is a great place to live but I underestimated the implications of my stupid error." Waiheke is the second largest of the Hauraki Gulf islands with 40km of beaches and a population of 8000. Fullers is the only firm offering hourly ferries from Matiatia Bay, at the western end of the island, to downtown Auckland. Commuters can buy $300 monthly unlimited-trip tickets which are stuck to a plastic pass alongside their mugshot. With no money and desperate to get home, Dobson told the Herald on Sunday he "stuck a label" on an old pass on June 7. Fullers staff failed to spot the fake, but three weeks later, when the British migrant tried to reuse the card, he was questioned by ferry staff and had to buy a one-way ticket to Auckland. Thinking the issue had been dealt with, Dobson was surprised to see police waiting at the wharf. "It was a stupid mistake. It wasn't like the crime of the century." Fullers general manager Michael Fitchett said it was the first case of its kind he could remember during his 18-year career with the firm. "We have zero-tolerance policy for this sort of thing. One of our staff was vigilant and knew something wasn't quite right." Since being charged, Dobson has had to take a 45-minute ferry to Half Moon Bay in Auckland's eastern suburbs, followed by two buses, to reach his workplace in Mt Wellington. Fullers have since allowed him to buy a 10-trip pass, which can be used until the ban is enforced. Senior Sergeant Ben Offner said the maximum penalty for fraud was 14 years in prison but Dobson's solicitor has asked for diversion. Dobson told the Herald on Sunday the shame of being arrested for the first time was punishment enough. He is to reappear in court later this month and said the "ball is completely in Fullers' hands". ==================== ;DFunny, they guy says he was desperate, re the first time. But then he did it again 3 weeks later. Sounds like it was habit forming. Good on the ferry company for being firm. |
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Post by BreannaF on Jul 14, 2008 4:05:08 GMT -8
Here's a New Zealand story re a person banned from the ferry, for cheating on his fare. =================== ;DFunny, they guy says he was desperate, re the first time. But then he did it again 3 weeks later. Sounds like it was habit forming. Good on the ferry company for being firm. Yup -- the first time was certainly not honest, but could have been written off as "dumb things people do". The second time is nothing if it is not premeditated. Story 1: I remember a day when I got on the light rail here a couple of years ago. It would have been a March 1 after a February 28, and I had not switched the monthly pass in my wallet that morning. I didn't notice the error 'til I remembered that I had to advance the date on my wristwatch, and, oops, I felt pretty uncomfortable for the rest of the trip into town that day. But that is a certainly different story than altering the pass. And thank goodness no fare inspector that day.  Story 2: You are desperate to make the last ferry home to VI after a day in Vancouver, and find upon arrival at Horseshoe Bay that your money and credit card fell out of your wallet. Subject for possible discussion: How difficult would it be to either "borrow" the walk-on fare from a fellow passenger or convince an unyielding BC Ferries employee to let you on and you'll pay tomorrow? (This is as much a cultural issue as anything.) My guess would be that it would be an easier project getting on the last Bowen Island ferry, especially if you are a resident, than getting to Naniamo. Just a better chance of "knowing" someone. Thoughts? |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Aug 8, 2008 17:02:56 GMT -8
A Scotland article that discusses issues which are applicable to us on the N.American west coast: =============== www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/737736?UserKey=0Efficient ferries key factor for Scotland’s islandsBy Gareth Williams Published: 28/07/2008 SCOTLAND’S islands are among its most distinctive features, but many island communities face long-term threats from under-perfoming economies and depopulation. With ferries probably the biggest factor is sustaining island life and economies, this issue was a key theme of the Scottish Council for Development and Industry’s policy paper for Holyrood’s transport committee on ferry services. Its recent report will inform a Scottish Government review to be launched later this year. There have been few substantial changes in ferry routes over the last 30 years and, while current services generally seem to serve the needs of existing users, there is strong evidence of suppressed demand. Timetabling or capacity constraints may stop people accessing employment opportunities elsewhere and restrict growth in industries such as tourism and Scotch whisky. Some problems should be addressed in the short term, but tight contract specifications for operators seem to be stifling innovation, and there is a need to look to the future. SCDI has proposed a route development fund to test new routes, and the idea is included in the MSPs’ report. More than £200million may need to be spent simply on replacement vessels and on ports over the next decade. If, as SCDI hopes, road equivalent tariff schemes are rapidly rolled out, this will also create extra capacity demands. Big numbers, but also an opportunity to ask how services can become enablers rather than purely lifelines. Can new vessel technology be utilised to cut journey times? Are existing ports are in the optimum position and how can integration with the wider transport network be improved? Would fixed links be better for short crossings? SCDI called for a 30-year investment plan to transform ferry services and the transport committee agreed. We share its concerns about the lack of detail on the Scottish Government’s review. In the meantime, the European Commission has launched an investigation into Scottish ferry services. SCDI has written to express strong concern that the break-up and re-tendering of CalMac and NorthLink services would lead to cherry-picking, undermining integration and the viability of other routes. A protracted investigation risks creating uncertainty and deflecting attention. David Martin MEP has been pursuing the commission on its timescale, but there is little information as yet. The top priority must be meeting the needs of passengers and the economy. SCDI has urged the commission to conclude its investigation rapidly and to then focus on working with the Scottish Government to look at how service and innovation can be improved across the entire Scottish ferry network. Gareth Williams is Highlands and Islands manager with the Scottish Council for Development and Industry ================== |
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Aug 15, 2008 7:06:23 GMT -8
www.shippingtimes.co.uk/item_10098.html
340 Miles of Caravans to Pass Through Dover Advice: Just don't forget your caravan!...Over 50,000 caravans will travel through the Port of Dover during the summer holidays – the equivalent to 340 miles if parked in a single line or the distance from Dover to Durham. “At a time of increasing pressures on family budgets due to the credit crunch, a caravan holiday by ferry becomes a very attractive option,” says Keith Southey of the Port of Dover, the busiest departure point for enthusiasts. The Port of Dover offers the following advice to those travelling with a caravan: - Know the height of your caravan – this helps the ferry operator plan the loading for the ferry for each sailing and makes boarding quicker and easier
- Once on the ship, apply the parking brake of the caravan – and remember to take it off when leaving the ship
- It is permitted to travel with gas bottles but the regulations require the bottles are disconnected while onboard
- Finally, remember your caravan! According to Brian Rees of P&O Ferries, a couple once pulled up at the ferry operator’s check-in at Dover and a member of staff called up the booking and remarked that they had decided not to take their caravan. The couple looked behind the car in horror. In their enthusiasm to start their holiday, they had left the caravan at home on the drive.
The Caravan Club (www.caravanclub.co.uk) offers comprehensive advice for those travelling abroad with a caravan for the first time. Caravanners can obtain a reservation with P&O Ferries (www.poferries.com or telephone 08716 646464), SeaFrance (www.seafrance.com or telephone 08705 711711) or Norfolkline (www.norfolkline.com or telephone 0870 8701020). Media contact Hadstrong: David Armstrong/Becky Hadley 020 7808 7997
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Mill Bay
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Post by Mill Bay on Aug 19, 2008 21:35:22 GMT -8
O.k., send this to the Nanaimo News and The Province and whoever else out there that likes to muck-rake to show them that we are not the only ones whose ferries have problems with *ahem* backed up toilets, so they can stop writing news stories that make it seem like a big scandal  . Ferry passengers in toilet ordeal A ferry company has apologised to passengers after toilets were unusable for most of an overnight crossing from Liverpool to Belfast at the weekend. Norfolkline Ferries said the plumbing system broke down on Sunday morning at about 12am after an item of clothing was flushed down a toilet. One passenger said: "We spent almost 10 hours on the ship without toilets - it was disgusting." The company said it had apologised to passengers for the "inconvenience". "Engineers worked to resolve this issue through the night and it was resolved at approximately 0705am, after passengers disembarked the ship." One of the passengers, who contacted the BBC, said there were many families with young children on board. "The ship was disgusting and it should not have sailed," he said. He said when they arrived in Belfast at about 6am, the terminal building was still closed and no public toilets were open in the city. "It was the quickest journey of my life home to the north coast. It was very distressing for everyone concerned," he said. |
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Post by Northern Exploration on Sept 3, 2008 14:23:47 GMT -8
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Sept 15, 2008 11:36:21 GMT -8
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Mill Bay
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Post by Mill Bay on Sept 15, 2008 14:34:15 GMT -8
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Mill Bay
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Long Suffering Bosun
Posts: 2,885
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Post by Mill Bay on Sept 15, 2008 14:53:03 GMT -8
'We fled 1,000C tunnel fire as fuel exploded'
Published Date: 13 September 2008
By Lyndsay Moss
LORRY drivers caught up in a major fire which paralysed services through the Channel Tunnel yesterday told of the dramatic scenes as they struggled to escape the blaze.
Some were forced to smash train windows to escape after doors became jammed shut, with tyres and fuel tanks exploding around them.
Services through the tunnel remained suspended yesterday, affecting thousands.
Further disruption is expected throughout the weekend, with Eurostar urging passengers to make alternative travel arrangements.
The fire was extinguished yesterday morning after burning for more than 16 hours.
Lorry driver Patrick Lejein, 50, from Bruges, Belgium, gave a dramatic account of his desperate escape from the blaze. "There was a burning lorry and a series of explosions – about 20 of them," he said. "Everything was exploding around us – tyres, fuel tanks – and then there was this smoke which prevented us from seeing and breathing properly."
Mr Lejein went on: "The door of our carriage was locked, impossible to open. We had to save ourselves by smashing a window with a hammer.
"We escaped from the train through this window. It was at that moment that we panicked the most. We imagined ourselves trapped there. We really were very lucky."
Three-hundred firefighters – 100 British and 200 French – were involved in tackling the blaze, which began on a freight train carrying lorries from Folkestone to Calais.
Thirty-two lorry drivers, including seven Britons, and train staff fled down a safety and maintenance tunnel when fire broke out just before 3pm on Thursday.
Six people suffered smoke inhalation injuries but did not need hospital treatment.
Bill Feeley, Kent Fire and Rescue Service chief officer, described the difficulties his team faced as they tackled the blaze in temperatures of around 1,000C.
Firefighters using breathing apparatus faced thick black smoke in the tight tunnel space.
Mr Feeley said: "Even one burning tyre, if you imagine the smoke that emits, if you multiply that several times, that's the kind of conditions our people have been facing.
"That's obviously the reason why we've used a number of firefighters."
An investigation into the cause will start once the tunnel is made safe.
Kent Police were managing the huge queues of traffic around the port in a move named Operation Stack, which was expected to continue throughout the weekend.
P&O Ferries said it had manned all its Dover to Calais ships overnight to help with the flow of traffic through the port.
The full article contains 415 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.Page 1 of 1
Last Updated: 12 September 2008 9:31 PM
Source: The Scotsman
Location: Edinburgh
15 September 2008
More ferries on board after Eurotunnel fire
Published: 12 September 2008 12:03 PM
P&O Ferries has said it will be increasing its service from Dover to Calais in response to yesterday’s fire on a Eurotunnel Shuttle carrying trucks.
The ferry company is upping its freight only service from two to five return trips a day, which will run in addition to five multipurpose ferries capable of carrying 100 freight units each.
Michelle Ulyatt of P&O Ferries said: “We are doing everything we can to clear the backlog of freight, as well as maximising service for our passengers.”
The Port of Dover said in the first 12 hours since the fire broke out it had handled nearly 1,000 more vehicles than normal, including an additional 250 freight vehicles.
The fire broke out yesterday afternoon at 3pm in the north tunnel on a train travelling from England to France approximately 11km from the French tunnel exit. Thirty-two people were on board the train, but all were evacuated unharmed. It has been suggested that the fire was caused by a truck breaking system overheating.
The Channel Tunnel comprises three tunnels in total – two for rail traffic and one for maintenance and evacuation.
The company said the south tunnel was not affected by the incident, but it will have to undergo a “detailed inspection” before being brought back into service.
Jacque Gounon, chairman and chief executive of Eurotunnel, said: “Eurotunnel is conscious of the disruption caused by this situation and will do all it can to restore the best possible service as soon as this can be done.”
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Sept 17, 2008 10:59:57 GMT -8
Followup reports can be found here. It's a little too long to post in its entirety. |
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Sept 17, 2008 11:06:25 GMT -8
www.travelmole.com/stories/1131427.php?mpnlog=1
SeaFrance adds capacity after Channel Tunnel fire SeaFrance has added extra capacity to its sailing schedule to accommodate travellers impacted by Channel Tunnel fire. The Dover-Calais ferry operator said it is gearing up for another busy weekend but has “ample space to cope with the anticipated increase in volumes”. SeaFrance managing director Robin Wilkins said: “Our booking systems and operations are coping well with the current surge in volumes of people travelling via the port. “We have increased our space to cope with current demand, and have spare capacity available to meet any further increases this weekend and in the coming months, if necessary. “Added to the Channel Tunnel situation, the recent turmoil in the travel industry has led people to book directly with operators, rather than go via third party agents whose stability may be in question. Our booking systems are robust and coping well with the current increased levels of demand.” By Bev Fearis
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Sept 17, 2008 11:16:25 GMT -8
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Sept 18, 2008 7:43:34 GMT -8
www.nytimes.com/2008/09/18/nyregion/18ferry.html?ref=nyregion
Judge Gives Man Paralyzed in Ferry Crash Highest Award So Far
By ANDY NEWMAN
Published: September 17, 2008
A few weeks after the 2003 Staten Island Ferry crash, which killed 11 people and injured scores more, the city asked a judge to limit its liability in the accident to $14.4 million, based on a 19th-century maritime law that ties a boat owner’s liability to the value of the boat. The answer that came back last year from a federal judge was a resounding no, owing to what the judge held was the city’s negligence. With 40 of the more than 170 lawsuits still to be resolved, the city’s tab for the crash continues to balloon. So far, the city has agreed to pay $54.3 million to the victims and their families. And on Wednesday, in the first of the ferry suits to go to trial, the city’s liability leapt to $72.6 million when a different federal judge in Brooklyn awarded $18.3 million to a former fish-market worker paralyzed in the crash. The award granted to the worker, James McMillan Jr., 44, of the Bronx, by Judge Jack B. Weinstein of Federal District Court, is more than double the highest amount received so far by any of the 130 victims who settled before trial. If it stands — lawyers for the city indicated to the judge on Wednesday that they planned to appeal — it would be the highest judgment ever against the city in a personal injury case, the city Law Department said. The Law Department declined to comment on the growing cost of the ferry litigation. It was unclear what effect Mr. McMillan’s case would have on the remaining 40 ferry cases. The city had offered him $10 million, so by taking his case to trial he increased his award by 83 percent. The jury in Mr. McMillan’s case issued an advisory verdict of $23 million last week, but Judge Weinstein reduced it Wednesday. The judgment comes as the city faces suits over numerous high-profile cases, including crane collapses this year, a steam pipe explosion in 2007 and the Sean Bell shooting in 2006. The city has set aside $658 million for the 2009 fiscal year for payouts in suits against it, down half a percent from fiscal year 2008 but up 17 percent from 2007, according to the Independent Budget Office. Despite Mr. McMillan’s large award, lawyers for the city and some of the victims said they did not expect a raft of eight-figure judgments to follow. Mr. McMillan, who lost the use of his arms and legs, was the passenger hurt worst in the crash and was likely to recover the most money — in lawsuits, catastrophic injuries typically result in higher judgments than deaths. The pending cases include those of four of the dead. After the trial, Judge Weinstein also reduced the fee to Mr. McMillan’s lawyer, Evan E. Torgan, to 20 percent of the judgment, rather than the standard one-third personal injury lawyers receive, a move that Mr. Torgan and other personal injury lawyers said could have a “chilling effect” on lawyers’ inclinations to take ferry cases to trial. The crash of the ferry, the Andrew J. Barberi, into the dock at Staten Island on Oct. 15, 2003, with about 1,500 passengers aboard, was one of the worst transportation disasters in the city’s history. The assistant captain operating the ferry blacked out at the wheel. The city was held liable for the crash because there were not two captains in the pilot house at the time of the crash, as required by city rules. The pilot who blacked out, Richard J. Smith, and the city’s ferry director, Patrick Ryan, both pleaded guilty to negligent manslaughter. Mr. McMillan, who worked in the Fulton Fish Market, was standing near the bow when the accident occurred. He was pinned facedown by debris and several bones in his spine were crushed, rendering him permanently quadriplegic. He now requires assistance and physical manipulation by an aide for even the most basic acts, court papers say. He suffers migrainelike headaches and cannot regulate his body temperature, among other complications. The jury awarded him $10.3 million for future medical expenses, $685,000 for past medical expenses, $7.4 million for future pain and suffering and $4.6 million for the pain and suffering he had experienced so far. Judge Weinstein reduced the award for future medical expenses to $5.6 million but left the rest of the verdict intact. Mr. Torgan, Mr. McMillan’s lawyer, said that he and his client could live with the reduced award. “I’m not criticizing the judge’s reduction,” Mr. Torgan said. “He has the worldview of a federal judge, not as the conscience of the community as a jury does.” Mr. Torgan was less sanguine about Judge Weinstein’s decision to slash his fee from one-third to 20 percent after the trial, which reduced his paycheck to $3.7 million, from $6.1 million. “I do think it’s unfair,” Mr. Torgan said at the judge’s hearing on Wednesday “that lawyers who go to trial should get their fee cut and those who don’t go to trial don’t get their fee cut.” He noted that Mr. McMillan had sworn in an affidavit that he believed Mr. Torgan was entitled to the one-third fee he had agreed upon. The president of the state Trial Lawyers Association, Nicholas Papain, called Judge Weinstein’s fee reduction “highly unusual and also very unfortunate,” adding, “It’s only through the contingency fee system that any client, no matter how rich or how poor, can get the representation that they deserve.” Judge Weinstein told Mr. Torgan that he had declined his invitation to submit papers justifying his fee and added that Mr. McMillan was welcome to rectify the situation himself. “If the client should give you a gift of two and a half million dollars,” he told Mr. Torgan, “I’m not approving or disapproving it.”
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Sept 18, 2008 8:36:50 GMT -8
allafrica.com/stories/200809170159.html
Mozambique: New Ferry Boats for Mozambican CitiesAgencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo)
Maputo The Mozambican government has invested about 7.5 million US dollars in the purchase of six new ferry boats for passenger transport in the cities of Maputo, Inhambane, Beira, and Quelimane, reports Tuesday's issue of the Maputo daily "Noticias". The head of the government's Transport and Communications Project Management Unit, Sergio Cassamo, said that the boats, expected to arrive in November, were purchased from Bangladesh. The largest of these boats has a capacity for 250 passengers, 10 light vehicles and four 10 tonne trucks. It will operate on the crossing of the bay between Maputo city and Catembe. A second boat, with a capacity for 80 passengers, will link Maputo to the island of Inhaca. Links between Beira and Buzi district, in Sofala, and between Quelimane and Recamba, in Zambezia province, will be assured by boats that can carry 80 passengers. Another ferry, with a capacity for 60 passengers and two tonnes of cargo will operate between the cities of Inhambane and Maxixe. Cassamo said that there is an ongoing discussion about the management of these ferry services. Some people think they should be run by the government, while others believe that management should be farmed out to private companies. The purchase of these boats is part of the government's approach to minimise the shortage of resources and to promote maritime transport as an alternative to road transport. The Transport Ministry has warned that it is urgent to replace the existing ferry boats, because they are old and becoming obsolete.
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