Guidance on security certification for seafarers agreed

Guidance on training and certification requirements for ship security officers and seafarers with designated security duties has been agreed by IMO, to address practical difficulties seafarers have reportedly experienced in obtaining the necessary security certification under the 2010 Manila amendments to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) and STCW Code.

The guidance recommends that, until 1 July 2015, relevant training under section 13 (Training, drills and exercises on ship security) of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code should be accepted as being equivalent to that required under the STCW Convention and Code.

The guidance was agreed by the Sub-Committee on Human Element, Training and Watchkeeping (HTW), meeting for its first session from 17 to 21 February 2014, which expressed its concern that large numbers of seafarers were reportedly unable to have access to approved training courses or were unable to be issued certification of security-related training in accordance with the STCW regulations. … Continue Reading

Versalis and Elevance partner in “green” innovation for premium applications

Versalis and Elevance partner in “green” innovation for premium applications

Versalis, the chemical subsidiary of Eni, and Elevance Renewable Sciences Inc. – USA, a producer of specialty chemicals from natural oils, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a strategic partnership to jointly develop and scale a new metathesis technology to produce bio-chemicals from vegetable oils.
San Donato Milanese (Milan – Italy) – Chicago (Illinois) – 6 February 2014 – Versalis, the chemical subsidiary of Eni, and Elevance Renewable Sciences Inc. – USA, a producer of specialty chemicals from natural oils, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a strategic partnership to jointly develop and scale a new metathesis technology to produce bio-chemicals from vegetable oils.

Versalis and Elevance intend to focus on jointly developing and scaling new catalysts, leveraging the significant progress of this technology that has already been accomplished by Elevance. … Continue Reading

TEEKAY TANKERS AND TEEKAY CORPORATION ANNOUNCE THE CREATION OF A NEW TANKER COMPANY

TEEKAY TANKERS AND TEEKAY CORPORATION ANNOUNCE THE CREATION OF A NEW TANKER COMPANY

HAMILTON, BERMUDA — (Marketwired) — 01/21/14 — Teekay Tankers Ltd. (Teekay Tankers) (NYSE:TNK) and Teekay Corporation (Teekay) (NYSE:TK) today jointly announced the creation ofTanker Investments Ltd. (TIL), which will seek to opportunistically acquire, operate and sell modern secondhand tankers to benefit from an expected recovery in the current cyclical low of the tanker market. TIL has completed a $250 million private equity offering in which Teekay Tankers and Teekayhave co-invested $25 million each for a combined 20 percent ownership interest in the new company. The balance of the privately placed TIL shares, which will trade on the Norwegian over-the-counter market, have been purchased by a group of institutional investors primarily based in the United States, Norway and United Kingdom.

Transaction Summary

A portion of the net proceeds from the private equity offering will be used to acquire four 2009 and 2010-built Aframax crude oil tankers for an aggregate purchase price of approximately$116 million. … Continue Reading

Veliky Novogorod to become largest gas carrier in Gazprom’s fleet

A naming ceremony took place today for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier at STX O&S shipyard in the city of Jinhae (South Korea). The vessel was named Velikiy Novgorod. It will be the fifth in Gazprom’s tanker fleet.

Taking part in the ceremony were Alexander Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee and Sergey Frank, Director General of Sovсomflot.

Velikiy Novgorod is a gas carrier with membrane cargo tanks and a cargo capacity of 170.2 thousand cubic meters. It is equipped with a diesel-electric drive, which can be fueled by LNG, fuel oil or gasoil. The vessel is certified as Ice2 class vessel and can ship cargoes in low-temperature conditions, including via the Northern Sea Route during the navigation period in the open water.

The ship is classified according to the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping and Lloyd’s Register. The crew will be made up of Russian sailors. … Continue Reading