D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Dec 27, 2009 3:50:20 GMT -8
And again! www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/12/26/philippines-ferry-sinking026.html Philippines ferry sinking leaves 3 dead, 22 missingA passenger ferry sank in the northern Philippines in a second sea disaster in three days. Three bodies were recovered and 22 people were missing, the coast guard said Sunday. Search-and-rescue teams rescued 63 passengers and crew of the MV Baleno-9 and were scouring the seas for others still unaccounted for, the coast guard said in a statement. It quoted survivors as saying the vessel took in water coming from the bow ramp and listed before going under while traversing the area of Verde Island Passage off Batangas province, south of Manila. On Christmas Eve, a wooden-hulled ferry with 73 people on board collided with a fishing vessel near the mouth of Manila Bay and 24 people are still missing. Three bodies and 46 survivors have been recovered from that accident, which prompted President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to suspend operations of the companies involved in the collision. Officials suspected Thursday's accident was likely caused by human error, but a formal inquiry was expected to begin Monday. Sea accidents are common in the archipelago because of tropical storms, badly maintained boats and weak enforcement of safety regulations. Last year, a ferry overturned after sailing toward a powerful typhoon in the central Philippines, killing more than 800 people on board. In December 1987, the ferry Dona Paz sank after colliding with a fuel tanker, killing more than 4,341 people in the world's worst peacetime maritime disaster.
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Post by EGfleet on Dec 27, 2009 16:13:13 GMT -8
And again! www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/12/26/philippines-ferry-sinking026.html Philippines ferry sinking leaves 3 dead, 22 missingA passenger ferry sank in the northern Philippines in a second sea disaster in three days. Three bodies were recovered and 22 people were missing, the coast guard said Sunday. Search-and-rescue teams rescued 63 passengers and crew of the MV Baleno-9 and were scouring the seas for others still unaccounted for, the coast guard said in a statement. It quoted survivors as saying the vessel took in water coming from the bow ramp and listed before going under while traversing the area of Verde Island Passage off Batangas province, south of Manila. On Christmas Eve, a wooden-hulled ferry with 73 people on board collided with a fishing vessel near the mouth of Manila Bay and 24 people are still missing. Three bodies and 46 survivors have been recovered from that accident, which prompted President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to suspend operations of the companies involved in the collision. Officials suspected Thursday's accident was likely caused by human error, but a formal inquiry was expected to begin Monday. Sea accidents are common in the archipelago because of tropical storms, badly maintained boats and weak enforcement of safety regulations. Last year, a ferry overturned after sailing toward a powerful typhoon in the central Philippines, killing more than 800 people on board. In December 1987, the ferry Dona Paz sank after colliding with a fuel tanker, killing more than 4,341 people in the world's worst peacetime maritime disaster. I'm thinking if I ever visit the Philippines, I'll skip taking any ferry excursions.
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Dec 28, 2009 5:45:02 GMT -8
And again! www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/12/26/philippines-ferry-sinking026.html Philippines ferry sinking leaves 3 dead, 22 missingA passenger ferry sank in the northern Philippines in a second sea disaster in three days. Three bodies were recovered and 22 people were missing, the coast guard said Sunday. Search-and-rescue teams rescued 63 passengers and crew of the MV Baleno-9 and were scouring the seas for others still unaccounted for, the coast guard said in a statement. It quoted survivors as saying the vessel took in water coming from the bow ramp and listed before going under while traversing the area of Verde Island Passage off Batangas province, south of Manila. On Christmas Eve, a wooden-hulled ferry with 73 people on board collided with a fishing vessel near the mouth of Manila Bay and 24 people are still missing. Three bodies and 46 survivors have been recovered from that accident, which prompted President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to suspend operations of the companies involved in the collision. Officials suspected Thursday's accident was likely caused by human error, but a formal inquiry was expected to begin Monday. Sea accidents are common in the archipelago because of tropical storms, badly maintained boats and weak enforcement of safety regulations. Last year, a ferry overturned after sailing toward a powerful typhoon in the central Philippines, killing more than 800 people on board. In December 1987, the ferry Dona Paz sank after colliding with a fuel tanker, killing more than 4,341 people in the world's worst peacetime maritime disaster. I'm thinking if I ever visit the Philippines, I'll skip taking any ferry excursions. Oh, where's your sense of adventure? Toothbrush...check...underwear...check...wet suit...check...SpareAir...check...EPIRB...check...
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Jan 21, 2010 9:41:29 GMT -8
maritimeprofessional.com/News/333093.aspx Additional Fast-Ferry Mobilized for Haiti U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood announced that the Department’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) has started preparing the Alakai, a combined cargo and passenger ship built for ferry service in the Hawaiian Islands, for relief duty in Haiti. The ship will be crewed with U.S. civilian mariners. “This ship will help our relief workers on the ground by allowing quick movements of people in and out of Haiti from various staging points,” said Secretary LaHood. “It is another example of why our country’s merchant marine is so important.” The Alakai is a high-speed passenger and vehicle ferry, originally built for a specific service in the Hawaiian Islands. It is capable of carrying up to 866 passengers, as well as relief cargo at a top speed of nearly 40 knots in the open ocean. The catamaran hull gives the ship great stability in the water. It is currently undergoing preparations to leave its current location in Norfolk, Va. The Alakai joins five other MARAD ships activated over the past week: the Gopher State and the Cornhusker State, based in Newport News, VA; Cape May and Huakai, which are sailing from Norfolk, Va., and Petersburg, which is based in Alameda, Calif.
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Post by stvfishy on Jan 23, 2010 14:16:19 GMT -8
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Feb 2, 2010 4:42:04 GMT -8
marinelink.com/en-US/News/Article/333181.aspx Sperry Marine Radars for Australian Ferry FleetNorthrop Grumman Corporation’s (NYSE: NOC) Sperry Marine business unit has been chosen to supply radars for the Sydney Harbour Ferries fleet. Sydney Harbour Ferries will fit the Sperry Marine new-generation VisionMaster FT chart radars on all 28 vessels in the fleet. Electrotech Australia Pty Ltd, Sperry Marine’s licensed sales and service representative in Australia, will install and commission the radars and will provide technical support through its Sydney office. “The VisionMaster FT chart radars enhance situational awareness for watch officers by providing an overlay of radar images on a detailed electronic chart display,” said J. Nolasco DaCunha, vice president of Naval Systems International at Northrop Grumman’s Naval and Marine Systems Division. “These new-generation radars employ advanced digital technology for automatic clutter suppression, providing a clearer picture of radar targets under difficult weather and sea conditions.” “An important factor is the 24/7 availability of local support from our fully equipped service workshop and technical facilities in Sydney,” said Stephen Renkert, general manager of Electrotech. “For a ferry service running on fixed schedules, it is critically important to avoid downtime for repairs and maintenance.” Sydney Harbour Ferries operates a fleet of 28 vessels, which transport more than 14 million passengers and travel more than 1.3 million kilometers per year. The extensive ferry network connects 39 destinations, including Parramatta, Manly and Watsons Bay, from its hub at Circular Quay on Sydney’s waterfront. Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine, headquartered in Charlottesville, Va., and with major engineering, business development, international sales and support offices in New Malden, United Kingdom and Hamburg, Germany, provides smart navigation and ship control solutions for the international marine industry with customer service and support through offices in 16 countries, sales representatives in 47 countries and authorized service depots in more than 250 locations worldwide.
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Feb 26, 2010 5:19:34 GMT -8
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8535235.stm Greek protesters clash with police during strikeClashes have broken out between police and protesters in Greece, as up to two million people continue to strike over austerity measures. Police fired tear gas at a group of some 50 protesters on the edges of the rally. It is the second general strike in two weeks and coincides with growing anger at the EU's response to the crisis. More than half-a-million civil servants have reportedly abandoned their posts, leaving the country paralysed. Trains and ferries have been cancelled, the country's airspace closed to all flights, and tourist attractions closed, leaving travellers stranded. Malcolm Brabant reports from Athens. www.etravelblackboard.com/showarticle.asp?id=102274&nav=130 Massive strikes in Greece disrupt rail, plane and ferriesFrom Wednesday tens of thousands of Greeks have been on strike, in a joint effort by both public and private unions, it's understood that half of Greece's workforce is represented. While many shops are still open, the strikes in Athens has crippled the nation's transport systems, with airports, rail systems and ferries all disrupted by the massive protests. Workers are railing against government action, which is aimed at pulling the country out of recession, claiming that the markets which caused the debt crisis should be the ones funding the recovery. The Greek Government has looked at a pay-freeze on civil-service wages, called for a new fuel tax, and is looking to close tax loopholes for many professions. "We will fight to keep the little we have. The government and the EU must understand the crisis must be paid by the rich," said one union leader to the Wall Street Journal. At the Athens airport all but emergency flights to and from Greece have been grounded. Buses, trains and ferry services have all been disrupted as disgruntled travellers and locals alike wait at stations with no transport.
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Post by whalebreath on Feb 26, 2010 11:13:40 GMT -8
The Tongan Ferry Princess Ashika disaster inquiry has resulted in three arrests.Hard to say if these people will be held to account, Tonga is a tiny place notorious for corruption and this is most likely just window dressing. www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=52174Another official connected to Tonga’s Princess Ashika ferry is arrestedPosted at 18:28 on 26 February, 2010 UTCIn Tonga, the Secretary of the Shipping Corporation of Polynesia Ltd, Lord Ramsay Dalgety, has been arrested. Lord Dalgety was arrested after giving evidence to the Commission of Inquiry into the sinking of Princess Ashika yesterday. The vessel sank in August last year with the loss of 74 lives. Matangi Tonga Online reports the police arrested Lord Dalgety and read out the warrant of arrest as he left the Convention Centre after a whole day of giving evidence. The paper says he taken away in a police car to the police station for questioning. The Deputy Police Commander, Taniela Faletau, would not comment on the arrest or confirm the nature of any charges that may have been made. However he said the police would make a full statement on Monday. Lord Dalgety is the third person arrested this week connected with the vessel, earlier in the week saw the arrests of Maka Tuputupu, the vessels captain, and New Zealander John Jonesse, the CEO of the Shipping Corporation of Polynesia.
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Post by whidbeyislandguy on Mar 4, 2010 18:13:33 GMT -8
Story Published: Mar 4, 2010 at 4:13 PM PST Story Updated: Mar 4, 2010 at 4:13 PM PST In this photo made from TV ships are seen trapped in ice in the Baltic Sea on Thursday, March 4, 2010. Sweden's sea rescue service says four passenger ferries with more than 1,000 people on board are trapped in ice in the Baltic Sea.
STOCKHOLM (AP) - Dozens of ships including a passenger ferry with nearly 1,000 people on board were trapped Friday in heavy pack ice in the Baltic Sea off Sweden's east coast, officials said.
Ice breakers were trying to free the ferry Amorella and two cargo ships stuck at the edge of an archipelago northeast of Stockholm, while rescue helicopters and military hovercraft were on standby to evacuate passengers if needed. Gale-force winds were hampering the effort, the Swedish Maritime Administration said.
"As soon as they break the ice, it freezes over again," sea rescue spokesman Peter Lindquist said. He said no one was hurt and there were no immediate plans to evacuate the ships.
The Maritime Administration said the Amorella had 753 passengers and 190 crew on board. The 10-deck ship belongs to Viking Line, which operates Baltic Sea cruises between Sweden and Finland.
The other ships stuck in the area were the roll-on-roll-off ferry Sea Wind with 32 people and the Regal Star, a cargo ship with 56 people on board. Three other ferries that got stuck in the ice were able to break free earlier Thursday.
One of those ships, the Finnfellow, collided lightly with the Amorella when the ice pressed the two ships together, but there was no major damage to either ship, Lindquist said. "Just some paint that was scratched off," he said.
A total of about 50 ships were stuck in ice along Sweden's eastern seaboard, said Johny Lindvall, who manages the maritime administration's ice breaker service. Heavy ice cover is not uncommon further north, but the ice rarely gets thick enough in the Stockholm archipelago to trap powerful passenger ferries like the Amorella.
"There's no danger for the passengers as long as there's food and drink on board," Lindvall told The Associated Press.
Mats Nystrom, a passenger on the Amorella, told Swedish broadcaster SVT that there was no panic on the ship.
"The atmosphere is calm so there is no danger in that sense," said Nystrom, who is a sports presenter for the network. He said the most dramatic event had been when the two ships touched.
"Suddenly in the loudspeakers there's a voice saying that all passengers must immediately move to the stern. Of course at that moment the passengers got worried and wondered what was happening," Nystrom said.
The maritime administration said the ships had ignored warnings about the icy conditions.
"Normally we can handle this type of obstacle," Viking Line CEO Jan Karstrom told SVT. "But in this case the wind is unfortunate. It's blowing toward land and it means that (the ice) is packed more and more against land."
Three Swedish icebreakers were trying to free the ship. Finland also dispatched an icebreaker to help out, said Benny Paulsson from a maritime rescue center on Finland's southwest coast.
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Associated Press Writer Matti Huuhtanen in Helsinki contributed to this report.
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Mar 5, 2010 3:51:25 GMT -8
This morning's follow up to the ice bound ferries: www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ibTek3wDPvkh3pxhY-RfLTvhHFKwD9E813280 4 passenger ferries stuck in ice off Swedish coastSTOCKHOLM — Sweden's sea rescue service says four passenger ferries with more than 1,000 people on board are trapped in ice in the Baltic Sea. The Swedish Maritime Administration says that there are 1,133 passengers and crew on the four ships, which have been stuck for hours just off the Swedish coast. Rescue spokesman Peter Lindquist says no one is hurt and there are currently no plans to evacuate, but rescue helicopters and military hovercraft are on standby in case people need to be brought off the ships. Two other ferries that were previously stuck in the ice were able to break free earlier Thursday. edition.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/03/05/sweden.ice.ships.stuck/ Ferries freed from ice off Swedish coastFour ferries carrying about 1,000 passengers have been freed from heavy ice off the coast of Sweden and were back in port Friday, said the Maritime Search and Rescue Center. Arctic winds hampered icebreakers' efforts to free the ferries and at least 30 other ships from the icy grip of the Baltic Sea on Thursday, according to Birger Knutsson, a spokesman for the maritime center, in Gothenburg, Sweden. The area with the worst ice was bounded by mainland Sweden, the Stockholm archipelago and the Finnish island of Aland, according to the Swedish Maritime Administration. "It has been a lot colder than normal in the southern parts of the Baltic Sea. But in the north, all is normal, with normal levels of ice," said Tommy Gardebring with the maritime group. "However, in the worst-affected areas, the icebreakers that normally operate haven't been able to cope with the ice. "There was never any danger for the safety of the vessels. But we have increased our preparedness, just in case, since the ice puts a lot of pressure on the sides of the ships," Gardebring said. www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/dozens-of-ships-and-ferries-stuck-in-baltic-sea-ice-freed/story-e6frf7lf-1225837524807 DOZENS of vessels, including passenger ferries, are now able to travel once more, Swedish maritime authorities reveal."There are no more ships stuck in the ice," said Ann Ericsson, of the Swedish Maritime Administration's ice breaker unit. All the vessels that became stuck yesterday just outside the Stockholm archipelago, including the large Amorella ferry with around 1000 passengers and crew, broke free from the ice, she said. Many cargo ships and commercial vessels also got trapped further north in the Bay of Bothnia, with initial assessments from the maritime administration saying around 50 ships in total were stuck. Two large Viking Line ferries that regularly shuttled thousands of passengers between Sweden and Finland were among the frozen ships. One ship, Amorella, collided with another trapped ship while trying to free itself from the ice, but the Viking Line said no damage was done to the ship and that there had at no time been any danger to the passengers. Passengers on the Amorella were requested to move to the front of the boat to avoid any collision impact, according to Mats Nystroem, one of the passengers. The two ships "were simply drifting towards each other,'' the Amorella passenger said told Swedish public radio from the stranded ferry. Another passenger, 55-year-old Rigmor Okoli, said it was frightening just drifting out on the Baltic Sea. "It is so dark everywhere,'' she told the Expressen tabloid's online edition. "We have no idea how or when we'll get home.'' The Swedish Maritime Administration issued a warning to ships not to take the route where most of the ferries became stuck. Freezing winds whipping over the area pushed thick ice towards the coast, Johny Lindvall, also of the Swedish Maritime Administration's ice breaker unit, told AFP on Thursday. "They got caught outside the archipelago, where there is moving ice. It's hard to navigate,'' he said, adding that he had not seen so many ships stuck at once since the mid-1980s. Sweden has suffered an unusually harsh winter this year, with temperatures across the country almost continuously well below freezing since December.
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Post by davewood on Mar 11, 2010 14:01:58 GMT -8
www.royaliris.co.ukHi Folks, this is a news article about a petition I started, to have the Royal Iris ferry returned to Liverpool's River Mersey. She is currently rotting away on the River Thames. She's a Liverpool icon and The Beatles played on her before they were famous. I hope you'll consider signing the above. I'll add a few shots after the news article below. Regards, Dave -------------------- Article ref:Online bid to save Liverpool's Mersey ferry the Royal Iris Mar 4 2010 by Liam Murphy, Liverpool Echo AN ONLINE campaign to bring the Royal Iris back to the Mersey was launched after the ECHO revealed the perilous state of the much-loved former Mersey ferry. Now berthed on the Thames, the Royal Iris was found by the RNLI flooded during high tide and photographs revealed the poor state of the vessel. Now photographer Dave Wood has set up the petition, which he plans to present to the owner in a bid to convince him to sell the vessel so that it can be returned to the Mersey. Mr Wood, who was born and brought up in Liverpool and now lives in Luton, has visited the boat numerous times since he learned it was on the Thames. He said: “When I heard the Royal Iris was in London, back in 2002, I remembered the ferry from when I was a kid and thought I’d go down and take a look at it. “When I saw the state of her it was shocking – she was not in good nick even back in 2002.” He said he contacted the owner and discussed the plans to convert it into a floating restaurant on the Thames, but later lost touch with him. Mr Wood said: “I’ve been popping down there and having a look now and again, but – especially now with the recession and everything – I can’t see how it would make any money in London because it’s got no history down there. “When I saw about her taking on water I thought there was nothing down for the boat and it worries me because there are lots of nick-knacks on it, things that you can’t put a price on which a couple of sturdy bloke with a van could easily take. “It has to be sorted out soon, and that’s why I set up the petition. Hopefully people who want to see the boat brought back will sign it and I’ll present it to the owner and maybe even Greenwich council to see if something can be done about bringing it back to the Mersey.” Last month a businessman from Wirral revealed he is in negotiations with the owner of the Royal Iris to buy the much-loved historic former ferry, known as the “fish and chip” boat. The Wirral businessman – who wishes to remain anonymous while negotiations continue – said he hoped to bring the boat back to the Mersey. He said: “I visited her again last week and some people had actually repaired the hull.” He said if the Royal Iris can be brought back, he hopes to set up a not-for-profit organisation to oversee repairing the boat and allowing her to cruise the Mersey again. The online petition is at www.RoyalIris.co.uk----------------
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scotpix
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Post by scotpix on Mar 12, 2010 1:17:02 GMT -8
Proposed timetable change to NorthLink Ferries' Aberdeen to Orkney and Shetland routes will "involve ferries running on two engines instead of four for the length of the journey" according to the Scottish Government. The aim is to reduce costs by extending the journey times by an hour and reducing fuel consumption. What the Scottish Government maybe doesn't know is that many of the journeys operated by the two NorthLink Ferries ships HJALTLAND and HROSSEY are already run on only two engines and sometimes on only one, yet still these two excellent ships can easily manage the overnight crossing at around 16 knots. Bureaucrats in Edinburgh have presumably counted the number of engines on each vessel and then halved the number they first thought of! Meanwhile NorthLink executives are thinking hard about how they can meet Scottish Government criteria by switching off totally, erecting sails and still taking an hour longer to get to destination.... ;D Attachments:
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Mar 12, 2010 5:11:06 GMT -8
Proposed timetable change to NorthLink Ferries' Aberdeen to Orkney and Shetland routes will "involve ferries running on two engines instead of four for the length of the journey" according to the Scottish Government. The aim is to reduce costs by extending the journey times by an hour and reducing fuel consumption. What the Scottish Government maybe doesn't know is that many of the journeys operated by the two NorthLink Ferries ships HJALTLAND and HROSSEY are already run on only two engines and sometimes on only one, yet still these two excellent ships can easily manage the overnight crossing at around 16 knots. Bureaucrats in Edinburgh have presumably counted the number of engines on each vessel and then halved the number they first thought of! Meanwhile NorthLink executives are thinking hard about how they can meet Scottish Government criteria by switching off totally, erecting sails and still taking an hour longer to get to destination.... ;D The new transportation "fee": ...as of today all passengers will be required to produce one oar or paddle at check-in. All passengers will also be required to supply 1/4 hp of rowing/paddling power for the duration of the passage. Any passengers unable to do so will be subjected to a flogging on the main deck. Continued failure to produce 1/4 hp will result in the said passenger being summarily dispatched and rendered for auxiliary fuel supplies...
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Apr 1, 2010 5:25:07 GMT -8
marinelink.com/News/Article/333806.aspx Incat Crowther Launches Passenger Ferry Photo courtesy Incat Crowther Incat Crowther is pleased to announce the launch of their latest 95.2-ft ferry, Freedom Monarch. Built by Aluminium Marine / Reefmaster Boats, Freedom Monarch will be operated out of Rosslyn Bay in Queensland, Australia, by Freedom Fast Cats, servicing the Keppel Islands. Freedom Monarch has delivered its owners low fuel consumption, a reliable and robust craft, high passenger comfort and innovative features such as its beach landing capability.When using shore-side facilities, the operator can load passengers through side boarding gates at both ends of the main deck as well as the aft end of the mid deck. When servicing the islands, the operator can call upon the foredeck-mounted ramp. This ramp is rotated manually and deploys with hydraulic assistance. The ramp allows the operator to transfer passengers direct to locations without shore side infrastructure. Once on board the vessel, passengers have the choice of two interior decks and a sun deck. The main deck passenger cabin is a large, light and airy space featuring seating for 182 passengers in a mix of forward facing and booth configurations. At the aft end of the cabin is a kiosk and a walkaround servery. At the forward end of the passenger space is a vast luggage area, allowing passengers to stow and pick up their bags in close proximity to the fwd doors that led to the bow ramp. The main deck features a total of four toilets, one of which is accessible. On the mid deck, there are 30 external seats and 75 internal seats. Located forward of this is the wheelhouse, featuring excellent visibility over the bow, which aids beach landings and makes for safe loading over the bow. It also features external bridge wing stations for extra operational safety and flexibility during close quarter berthing. The sun deck is fitted with low benches that allow passenger access to the rails to take in the views. Freedom Monarch is powered by two Yanmar 6AYM – GTE main engines and is propelled by fixed-pitch 5-bladed propellers. The vessel has ample space around the main engine for maintenance and ventilation in a hot climate, and utilizing Incat Crowther’s latest generation hull form, is an extremely efficient vessel. Specifications: Length, o.a. 95.2 ft Length, waterline 87.9 ft Beam, excluding sponsons 27.9 ft Draft, max 5.4 ft Depth 11.8 ft Construction Marine grade aluminium Capacities: Fuel oil (main tanks) 1,795 gal Fresh water 264 gal Sullage 528 gal Crew 8 Passengers (internal) 257 Passengers (external) 45 Max. deadweight 37 tonnes Propulsion and performance: Speed 25 knots Main engines 2 x Yanmar 6AYM - GTE Power 950hp / 670kW Propulsors Propellers Gensets 1 x Cummins 4BT 40kVa, 1 x Cummins 6BT 80 kVa Regulatory Survey / Class NSCV 1D/ 1C Flag Australia
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Post by Scott on Apr 16, 2010 22:54:08 GMT -8
From the BBC: US pop star Whitney Houston was forced to take a car ferry from Britain to Ireland for a concert after her flight was cancelled. Link to article: news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8626505.stmForced... poor Whitney. The major air-travel disruptions in Europe due to the volcanic ash has meant a major boost in business for trains and ferries.
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scotpix
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Post by scotpix on Apr 19, 2010 1:37:22 GMT -8
This weekend the boot was, as they say, firmly on the other foot. As a result of the volcanic ash from Iceland (heading toward the NE coast of Canada and USA at the moment) leading to the cancellation of all flights between Scotland, Orkney and Shetland, NorthLink were asked to put in an extra return sailing from Aberdeen, undertaken by the Hrossey. She demonstrated her credentials admirably, keeping up an average 22 knots on passage. Fuel savings were not a consideration! Just getting folk to and from the isles was.
Meanwhile the Scottish Government has shelved plans to cut speeds on the regular services, having been met with howls of prpotest and derision at their initial request.
The issue has not gone away - further "consultation" will now take place
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scotpix
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Post by scotpix on Apr 19, 2010 1:40:35 GMT -8
Buying a few shares in the builders of ferries and transatlantic liners seems a good long term investment!
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Apr 22, 2010 2:33:25 GMT -8
From Fairplay Weekly News Service (news@fairplay.co.uk):
10% ferry pax rise backed
P&I CLUBS have no reservations against UK’s decision to suspend SOLAS rules to enable UK-flag ferries to exceed passenger limits by 10% to get British travellers home.
Andrew Bardot, secretary and executive officer of the International Group of P&I Clubs in London told Fairplay: “The sufficiency/adequacy of lifesaving equipment/capacity should not be an issue.”
The reason: “Passenger vessels engaged on short international voyages are required to carry lifeboats and life rafts amounting to 125% of the total number of passengers such vessels are normally permitted to carry,” he pointed out.
European airspace was reopened today, but with so many planes having been grounded by volcanic ash hazards, it could take weeks to clear the backlog, Reuters reported.
"Aviation authorities and airlines have agreed that it now poses a negligible risk to airliners," said IHS Global Insight, but it also warned: "Winds are now pushing the heaviest ash concentration towards Canada's northeastern coast, threatening new disruption for North America."
As disputes increased internationally over the need for the air ban, the EC said today that a single authority should be allowed to override national sovereignty over EU airspace to determine whether aircraft can fly safely despite volcanic ash, the New York Times reported. Such overarching authority to govern its 27 European countries might be part of its 'Single Sky' scheme planned by 2012.
Celebrity Cruises sent its 2,852-passenger Celebrity Eclipse from Southampton to Bilbao in northern Spain yesterday to pick up stranded British travellers.
Meanwhile, the European Shippers’ Council said the clogging of global chains is causing inventory scarcities for production lines.
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on May 6, 2010 2:28:17 GMT -8
From Fairplay Weekly News Service (news@fairplay.co.uk):
SeaFrance wins time for rethink
SEAFRANCE, the loss-making ferry operator, is drafting a new recovery plan after its application for legal protection from creditors was accepted. The Dover-Calais company was last week granted protection until 15 September by the Paris Court of Commerce, but the group told Fairplay that its objective was to complete the new plan “as quickly as possible”. In a letter to employees, SeaFrance’s CEO Pierre Fa warned that the new plan would be “very certainly more severe” than the preceding one drawn up, with supervision from a government-appointed mediator, at the end of last year. That blueprint called for 482 layoffs among SeaFrance’s 1,580 workers. SeaFrance now told Fairplay that it could not say whether the new blueprint would call for more layoffs. The court appointed two administrators to aid SeaFrance managers in their task. Even after this process, the court could decide that the company cannot be returned to a viable footing. SeaFrance would then be put into receivership and face a court-imposed recovery plan or liquidation. Pierre Fa said the company would need to transform its mode of operation to survive: “I am convinced that there is still a chance of saving our company, but, assuredly, we will only succeed if we are all determined to accept the changes and the efforts which will be necessary.”
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on May 12, 2010 2:54:36 GMT -8
marinelink.com/News/Article/334200.aspx Northrop Grumman IBS for Stena SuperferriesNorthrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has been selected to supply integrated bridge systems (IBS) for two new vehicle-passenger (RoPax) ferries being built for Stena Line at Wadan Yards in Wismar, Germany. The IBSs for the two ships will be based on Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine’s advanced VisionMaster FT navigation technology with TotalWatch multi-function workstations. The scope of supply will include radars, electronic chart display and information systems, digital gyrocompasses, adaptive self-tuning autopilots, manual steering systems, voyage data recorders, automatic identification systems, GPS, echosounders, central alarm management systems, sound surveillance systems and complete communications stations to meet Global Maritime Distress and Safety System requirements. Northrop Grumman will also supervise installation, commissioning and factory acceptance tests to meet Lloyd’s Register specifications. The first of the two 787.4 ft 62,000 gross ton Superferries, Stena Hollandica III, will be delivered from the shipyard in May 2010, with the second ship, Stena Britannica III, to follow in October. The giant vessels will carry up to 300 trucks, 230 cars and 1,200 passengers. Both ships will be placed on the Hoek van Holland-Harwich route.
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on May 21, 2010 3:18:25 GMT -8
From Fairplay: 17 missing after PNG sinking
AT LEAST one person has died and about 17 are missing after a ferry reportedly capsized in Papua New Guinea. An official said 57 people were rescued after the accident on 17 May off the country’s northeastern coast, AFP reported. He said it is believed the vessel was overloaded and was struggling with steering problems before the incident. The name of the vessel is not known. A survivor told a local newspaper that he floated all night holding his exhausted niece before being rescued, AFP said.
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on May 27, 2010 2:47:05 GMT -8
www.marinelink.com/news/crowther-launches-incat334367.aspx Incat Crowther Launches Cat FerryIncat Crowther announced the launch of a second 37m Catamaran Passenger Ferry for Coastal Fast Ferries in Tanzania. Built by Richardson Devine Marine in Tasmania, the vessel is a repeat order from the operator, validating both the design and build quality delivered in the sistership Kilimanjaro. Like its predecessor, Kilimanjaro II has been specifically designed and engineered for operation in Africa. The vessel utilizes previous design experience in designing vessels for operators in remote areas with limited infrastructure. The systems and structures have been simplified to create a vessel that is efficient to maintain and operate. The high-capacity vessel will typically carry 400 passengers, and is engineered and certified to carry 500 passengers in peak scenarios. Attention has been paid to the loading and circulation of the large number of passengers. Simple hinged ramps are fitted to the vessel on both sides for passenger loading, whilst another pair of ramps is fitted aft for luggage loading. The aft deck has been arranged with four toilet spaces, luggage room and a staircase. The main cabin contains seating for 200 passengers with further seating for 128 in the vessel’s middeck cabin. In addition, there are exterior seats on the foredeck, aft mid-deck and upper deck. With the wheelhouse located on the upper deck, the mid-deck has a full length first class cabin, offering 360 degree visibility. The vessel features durable construction, including heavy hull plating and heavy duty fendering. Powered by twin Cummins KTA38M2’s each producing 1200HP the vessel has a maximum speed of 28 knots. Coastal Fast Ferries will operate the Kilimanjaro II alongside its sister ship between Tanzania’s largest city, Dar Es Salaam, and Zanzibar. Main Particulars: Length, o.a. 121 ft Length, w.l. 111.5 ft Beam, o.a. 31.2 ft Depth 11.2 ft Construction Marine grade aluminum Capacities: Fuel Oil, main tank 3,170 gal Fresh water 396 gal Sullage 703 gal Crew 6 Passengers 500 Max. Deadweight 56 tonnes Propulsion Performance: Speed, max 28 knots Speed, cruising 24 knots Main Engines 2 x Cummins KTA 38 M1 Power 2 x 1300hp / 969kW @ 1800rpm Gearbox 2 x ZF 305D Propulsors 2 x Five Bladed Propellers Generators 2 x Cummins 170kVA, 50 Hz 1 x Cummins 17kVA, 50 Hz Regulartory: Class/ Survey USL 1C Flag Tanzania
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Post by fargowolf on May 29, 2010 6:46:06 GMT -8
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Jun 4, 2010 6:00:24 GMT -8
www.marinelink.com/news/interferry-recruits-seeks334446.aspx Interferry Seeks Ro-Ro Recruits to boost IMO VoiceTrade association Interferry is mounting a membership drive with ro-ro operators among key targets in a further move to strengthen its representation at the International Maritime Organization. Interferry, which has had IMO consultative status since 2003, recently became an associate member of the influential International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and has just set up a regulatory committee to direct safety and environmental submissions by its newly expanded delegation. Now the association – formed 35 years ago by passenger sector interests - is aiming for more ro-ro members after becoming increasingly involved in issues that also affect freight-only ferries. In March Interferry argued at the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee’s 60th session that Energy Efficiency Design Index proposals - designed to cut greenhouse gas emissions – were based on calculations for trans-ocean shipping and penalised the specific power arrangements required for short-sea ro-pax and ro-ro cargo operations. The lobbying helped win a decision to allow another two years for the development of a workable EEDI formula for ferries. Interferry CEO Len Roueche said,“Issues like this will impact on all types of ferry so it’s vital to have input from across the industry. Our membership already includes major multi-purpose passenger and freight operators – like latest recruit Acciona Trasmediterranea of Spain - but reaching out to pure-freight carriers will strengthen the platform for putting forward universally viable solutions.” Position papers on Interferry’s future IMO interventions will be overseen by the newly-formed regulatory committee. As well as emissions, priority topics already identified include vessel and terminals security, sewage treatment, cold ironing and ship recycling. The committee includes three Interferry board members – chairman John Steen-Mikkelsen, COO of Scandlines; Jan-Eric Nilsson, chairman and CEO of Rederi AB Gotland; and Hakan Enlund, VP sales for shipbuilder STX Finland. Other committee members include Mike Langley, newbuilding programme manager at P&O Ferries; Johan Roos, director of sustainability at Stena Rederi; Wilco van der Linden, business development director at Wartsila Ship Power/Ship Design; and John Waterhouse, a partner in the US-based Elliott Bay Design Group. Interferry has also established a more effective IMO delegation in which the CEO is now regularly supported by a range of expert personnel from its 220 member companies in 33 countries. Underlining Interferry’s growing regulatory role, ICS marine director Peter Hinchliffe will review environmental issues as a special guest speaker at the association’s 35th anniversary conference in New York City in October. An expected 250 industry leaders will discuss ‘navigating through a new world economy’ in sessions covering emergency preparedness, access to finance, technical innovations, social communications media, emerging markets and the bottom line benefits of strong interior design.
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Jun 7, 2010 2:34:56 GMT -8
marinelink.com/news/guadeloupe-operator334463.aspx Guadeloupe Operator Orders Repeat Austal FerriesGuadeloupe-based ferry operator L’Express des Iles has selected Austal to design and construct two 154-ft high speed catamaran ferries. The order consists of one vehicle-passenger ferry and one passenger ferry, and is the company’s third contract with Austal since 1997. The vessels are intended to operate from Guadeloupe to the Caribbean islands of Marie Galante, Dominique, Martinique and St Lucia, where they will provide an important inter-island link for tourism and trade. The vehicle ferry will have the capacity for 364 passengers and 10 cars. The passenger ferry will have the capacity for 437 passengers. Both vessels will have a maximum speed of more than 32 knots and are designed to also carry cargo. L’Express des Iles currently operates Austal-built ferries Gold Express and Silver Express, which were delivered in 2005. Compared to the four-engine arrangements of L’Express des Iles’ previous deliveries, the new vessels will each be powered by two MTU 16V4000 M71 diesel engines driving Kamewa 71 SIII waterjets. The new vessels will be built at Austal’s Western Australian facility and are scheduled for delivery in mid-2011. Principal Particulars: Length, o.a. 154 ft Length, w.l. 135 ft Beam, moulded 36.4 ft Depth, moulded 13 ft Hull draft 5.9 ft Capacity: Vehicle-Passenger Ferry Passengers 364 Vehicles 10 cars Cargo 17 crates Passenger Ferry Passengers 437 Cargo 15 crates Propulsion: Main engines 2 x MTU 16V4000 M71 diesel engines Waterjets 2 x Kamewa 71S3NP Performance: Speed >32 knots Classification: Bureau Veritas 1 X HULL X MACH X AUT-CCS, HSC - Cat. A French Flag
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