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Monday 27 August 2012

Bureau Veritas issues offshore unit and ship conversion guidance

LEADING international classification society Bureau Veritas has published guidance on Ship Conversion into Surface Offshore Units and Redeployment of Surface Offshore Units.

BV Guidance Note NI 593 sets out the requirements for structural assessment when operators are considering converting a ship into an offshore unit or making major modifications to offshore units in service.

Dan Frorup, head of offshore services, Bureau Veritas, says, “We have extensive experience with assessing the structures of offshore units, especially conversions. In the current hot offshore market we see a drive to yet more conversions. However, operators need to ensure that enough attention is given to assessing the structure of the hull against its new service parameters and required design life before the conversion is done. That is why we have published this guidance, to ensure nothing is missed when planning conversions or modifications.”

The guidance note specifies the structural assessment methodology covering the ship itself, its proposed operating area and fatigue.

Visit Bureau Veritas’ offshore team at ONS, Stavanger, 28 – 31 August. Hall J, Stand 946.

Press may request a copy of the guidance note from chris@merlinco.com

Bureau Veritas is a world leader in conformity assessment and certification services. Created in 1828, the Group has 58,000 employees in 940 offices and 340 laboratories located in 140 countries. Bureau Veritas helps its clients to improve their performance by offering services and innovative solutions in order to ensure that their assets, products, infrastructure and processes meet standards and regulations in terms of quality, health and safety, environmental protection and social responsibility.
www.bureauveritas.com for corporate information                             
www.veristar.com for marine information

For more information:     

Dan Frorup
Offshore Global Business Unit
Bureau Veritas
+33 1 55 24 75 87

Philippe Boisson                                           
Bureau Veritas Marine Division
Communication Director                                       
+33 1 55 24 71 98                                       
philippe.boisson@bureauveritas.com

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Liberia welcomes MLC ratification and trains record number of inspectors


THE Liberian Registry has welcomed ratification of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006) and has reinforced its role as a world leader in maritime safety and seafarer welfare by further strengthening its team of flag state inspectors qualified to undertake MLC 2006 inspections.

Following recent ratification by Russia and the Philippines, MLC 2006 is set to enter into force in 2013. Liberia was the first country to ratify MLC 2006, and has consistently led the way in pushing for swift overall ratification. Scott Bergeron, CEO of the Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry (LISCR), the US-based manager of the Liberian Registry, says, “Liberia is proud of its reputation for upholding the highest standards of crew welfare, and believes that the introduction of MLC 2006 will create a better connection between the people at sea and their management ashore. It will bring a new level of openness and communication that will help eliminate many of the frustrations and insecurities that seafarers experience in their relationships with shipowners, managers and crewing agents. Everything should be transparent, open and, ultimately, audited.”

Meanwhile, Liberia is continuing to prepare for the introduction of the convention, by training its personnel thoroughly and well ahead of implementation. Following a successful five-day training course at Southampton in the UK this month, 35 new MLC inspectors were certified, bringing to a record 135 the number of qualified MLC inspectors ready to conduct compliance and enforcement duties on behalf of the Liberian Registry.

Attendees of the Southampton course heard a presentation by The Rev Canon Peters, who last year was presented with an honorary master’s licence by Liberia, in recognition of the generous and continued support he has provided in connection with Liberia’s MLC 2006 inspector training courses. The Rev Canon Peters says, “I am delighted to be involved in Liberia’s industry-leading initiatives in relation to MLC compliance, by imparting practical knowledge and understanding on crew welfare issues. Liberia understands the importance of these issues, and has taken timely action to protect and improve the interests of seafarers.”

Liberia also completed the successful training at Southampton of an additional 24 ISM-ISPS auditors. Liberia was a leading proponent in the implementation and ratification of ISM, and it was the first ship registry to combine audits for the ISM and ISPS codes, thereby saving owners time and money while achieving swift compliance. The Liberian Registry has an unrivalled team of auditors and inspectors, which it continues to augment, and it remains committed to ensuring that the Liberian flag is fully compliant.

The Liberian Registry is one of the world’s largest and most active shipping registers, with nearly 4,000 vessels aggregating in excess of 135m gt. It has a long-established track record of combining the highest standards for vessels and crews with the highest standards of responsive service to owners. The latest annual Shipping Industry Flag State Performance Table published by the International Chamber of Shipping and the International Shipping Federation awarded Liberia positive performance indicators in every category covered by the report - port state control, ratification of major international maritime treaties, use of compliant recognised organisations, age of fleet, reporting requirements, and attendance at IMO meetings. Liberia features on the White List of all Port State Control Memorandums of Understanding, worldwide, and is included in the US Coast Guard’s QUALSHIP (Quality Shipping for the 21st Century) programme, to which only a small percentage of foreign-flag ships calling at US ports are admitted, based on the excellence of their port state control record. www.liscr.com

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Tuesday 14 August 2012

Marco Polo Seatrade exits Chapter 11

Marco Polo Seatrade and its affiliated companies have obtained final approval of their Plan of Liquidation from the New York Bankruptcy Court overseeing the Chapter 11 case. The plan was unanimously approved by all Marco Polo creditors, and the Court entered the final order at the confirmation hearing held today.


Antonio Zacchello, managing director of Marco Polo Seatrade, says, “Our companies worked hard with the banks and our creditors to devise a Chapter 11 Reorganisation Plan, but that did not prove possible. Therefore we have agreed to a consensual Liquidation Plan which maximises the recovery for all parties. As provided in the plan the six Marco Polo-owned vessels have been handed over to the financing banks and the cash and assets of Marco Polo will be distributed amongst the unsecured creditors. Marco Polo will exit the Chapter 11 proceedings and will continue to retain certain interests in its subsidiaries.


“I am satisfied that this restructuring is finally over after long period and a lot of efforts from all my staff and with the valuable support of the legal and financial advisors. It has achieved the best possible result in the interest of our stakeholders. The coincidence of a very poor shipping market and of the bank credit crunch is hitting severely both our company and the shipping market in general. A painful lesson has been learnt but I am confident that we can once again in the future do what we have always done in more than sixty years of history – which is to deliver a high quality, safe and reliable transportation service to our clients.”

Monday 13 August 2012

New world record for highest freefall lifebaot

The world’s leading lifeboat and davit manufacturer Schat-Harding has set a new freefall lifeboat record with its new generation FF1200 boat. The boat was successfully dropped from a freefall height of 60 metres. The world record drop was conducted as part of the certification tests of the boat.

“The FF1200 managed this height in an excellent way,” says Geir Arne Veglo, CEO of Umoe Schat-Harding Equipment AS.  “The FF1200 entered the water cleanly and made excellent headway.”
 
The boat was loaded with seven tonnes to simulate the full capacity of 70 100kg people.  As part of the test, the engine was started immediately and was left running for four hours along with different manoeuvring tests.
 
The FF1200 is the only lifeboat that has completed the full-scale tests set by the new requirements for freefall lifeboats on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, DNV-OS-E406 standard.  After the freefall test this week, the FF1200 is now the highest certified freefall lifeboat.
 
Thee ability to drop safely from greater heights is required as offshore installations get larger. The FF1200 was designed for that purpose and to meet stringent new standards for performance in heavy seas which will facilitate the evacuation of rigs and installations in the Norwegian North Sea.
 
“This lifeboat has been well received in the market.  Schat-Harding has already secured orders for 47 systems and is now receiving more requests for new projects.  We have exciting times ahead as the Norwegian and global offshore markets develop,” says Veglo.

The FF1200 boat can carry 70 persons secured in special seats with 5 point harnesses. After dropping into the water the boat momentum carries it clear of the rig, after which a high power 280 hp engine speeds the boat clear of the rig.
A brochure of the FF1200 can be downloaded from www.schat-harding.com
 

Photos from the drop can be downloaded in high resolution from  http://bit.ly/sCR30i

 or e mail john@merlinco.com.   Photos must be credited to Arild Lokøy.

A video can be viewed at:



l Umoe Schat-Harding is the global market leader in marine life-saving systems and offers the largest worldwide service network in the industry. When designing, manufacturing and servicing, it provides lifetime support for a wide range of innovative lifeboats, davits, winches and rescue boats which all have one purpose: the safe evacuation of crews, passengers and offshore workers. www.schat-harding.com


For more information:

 Geir Arne Veglo
CEO
Umoe Schat-Harding Equipment AS
+47 900 49 049
geir.arne.veglo@schat-harding.com
 

Jennifer Manning
Marketing Manager
USH Service
+47 45 86 74 47
jennifer.manning@schat-harding.com


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