blog

Help save the MARY A. WHALEN

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:13:15 -0500

I would be most grateful if readers in the New York area could take a moment to read about the PortSide project and sign the petition to preserve the MARY A. WHALEN.

Fun evening

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 08:36:59 -0500

The Propeller Club New York and New Jersey Chapter and NYMAR have a dinner cruise coming up on May 2nd - see you there? Details at the Propeller Club's website.

GA interest and the pre-2004 York Antwerp Rules

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 08:35:27 -0600

The UK Association of Average Adjusters has circulated a paper today addressing market concerns about the rate of interest admissible in General Average under the 1974 and 1994 Rules.

I largely agree with what they say but would also make the point that I think that it is within the discretion of the average adjuster under the 1994 Rules to deviate from a lettered or numbered Rule if it is inconsistent with the Rule Paramount.

St. John's course cancellation

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 08:32:19 -0600

This spring, St. John's will not be running the hull adjusting course that Richard Carney and I have put together every couple of years since 2006 because there is not enough enrollment. Is this because no-one is training in this market, the course is too expensive or there are better alternatives?

'Business-social' networks

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:49:59 -0600

Still struggling to figure out what LinkedIn might be useful for. Any ideas?

Go Tommy

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:48:19 -0600

Kudos to my client Mr. Thomas Leeds, a Risk & Insurance magazine 2011 Power Broker.

From the "Strange things that happen at sea" department

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:18:06 -0600

A report from the December 28th 2011 on-line version of TradeWinds:

An unexplained incident in one of the busiest arms of the Baltic Sea has left a UK-flag, German-controlled containership pierced through the bow, with gaping holes through hull and deck.

No one knows what penetrated the 700-teu Johanna (built 1999) on 22 December in the busy waters of the Kadett-Rinne between Denmark and the coast of the German state of Mecklenburg. But whatever it was made a 1.1m hole through the tip of the starboard bow above the anchor and another the same size higher up on the port side, according to German newspaper accounts.

The ship, said to be under repair now in the Swedish port of Karlskrona, is controlled by German owner HG Voge, based in Drochtersen near the mouth of the Elbe.

The incident was first reported yesterday and several available reports contradict each other in essential details, some dating the incident to 18 December or placing the ship in a Finnish yard for repairs.

But all available accounts agree in ruling out any very obvious explanation.

German naval sources are quoted as denying that they possess any missiles or torpedos that could leave a hole that big, or emerge that far from the water to pierce the hull of a vessel. The heavily-traveled waterway is furthermore completely off-limits to exercise or target practice by any country's miliatry.

Some have speculated that a component of a windmill could have fallen and penetrated the ship. However, the edges of the starboard hole are reportedly bent inwards and those of the higher hole to port bent outwards, presumably indicating the object's upward trajectory.

Comment from the owner was not immediately available.

Great Hudson River tugboating calendars

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 22:15:19 -0600

I really enjoy the work that a photographer called Jeff Anzevino produces in the mid-Hudson River area. You can find a great selection of his 2012 tugboat calendars at http://www.zazzle.com/hudsonian

Jeff also accepts custom commissions - use the 'Send Message' link on his catalog page. The calendars are on sale for 50% off (you must buy two or more) until January 2 if you use the code GIFT4THEYEAR at checkout.

Staying current

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:33:53 -0600

For up-to-the-minute maritime news in the US, I don't think you can beat Dennis Bryant's near-daily blog at Bryant's Maritime Consulting.

Spencer Says

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 06:24:53 -0500

Jonathan Spencer is happy to unveil the new up-to-date website. Visit Spencer's Corner to get the latest news from World HQ.