Shipping, shipbuilding, offshore news

APRIL

House panel completes FY2007 Navy shipbuilding markup
Legislative initiatives to keep Navy to its own cost estimates

Todd leases part of yard to bridge builder
Kiewit-General will build bridge anchors at Harbor Island

USCG endorses cruise ship fire safety recommendations
Endorses UK MAIB recommendations following Star Princess balcony fire

USCG publishes maritime ID credential notice
Implements dock worker screening program announced by Chertoff

Bourbon orders 12 tugs
Expands capabilities of towage and salvage division

Kirby announces record earnings
Increases capital spending guidance

MAIB finds problems with ships' balcony fire protection
Polycarbonate balcony dividers generated intense heat and dense smoke

CNO says shipbuilding is top Navy budget priority
says current 281 ship fleet is as low as Navy can safely go

ACL revenue soars
benefits from spot business demand surge

Background checks for port employees
names will be compared with terrorist watch list

Keppel sets up Indonesia fab yard
on southeast coast of Bintan Island

Panama Canal expansion plan
third lane, new locks

USCG expels ship from Port Canaveral
Ship was too unsafe for inspectors to remain on board

Bourbon places OSV orders worth $808 million
56 vessels ordered since January 1

No U.S. Navy agreement on pirates
State Department says "no such agreement"

Gulf Craft delivers high speed cat
52 m Incat Crowther design for Ft Myers--Key West service

Rem orders OSV's at Kleven
Multipurpose subsea operation support vessels

Noble profits surge
Offshore driller's first quarter net income nearly triples on buoyant day rates

SeaDrill reorganizes following Smedvig acquisition
Smedvig CEO and CFO get top jobs in new SeaDrill Management AS

Blocked car deck drains cited in Egyptian ferry sinking
Seen as evidence of lack of safety inspection

Fincantieri christens fast ferry
122 m Gotlandia II has 40 knots maximum speed

MAN B&W power for Q-Max LNG ships
Two 21,770 kW 7S70ME-C diesels in each 265,000 cu.m ship

Princess takes balcony fire precautions
New measures after Star Princess incident

Plan for 88 vessel Bay Area disaster response fleet
Plan unveiled as centenary of 1906 earthquake nears

Refinery woes impact Maritrans
Idle time in spot fleet hits first quarter utilization

Awilco orders another jack up
Exercises option at PPL Shipyard

Labroy bags cement carrier contract
30,000 dwt self-discharger

MAN B&W makes inroads offshore
Over 80 engines sold to sector thus far this year

Hercules Offshore prices IPO
Expects to raise $54.3 million

Horizon Lines completes box ship deal
Leases five Korean built newbuilds

Stolt find Arab Gulf partner
Gulf Navigation takes over newbuild options

$100 million for USCG icebreakers
Conferees put icebreaker recapitalization into Coast Guard Authorization Act

Fredriksen orders six more AHTS's at ABG
Indian yard now has 12 on order for Sea Tankers

Hawaii's Young Brothers to add tugs, barges
Announces $186 million expansion program

Aker delivers arctic container vessel
Double acting vessel can break ice up to 1.5 m thick

Viking chooses Wartsila power for RoPax
Wartsila 46 main engines optimized to vessel's complex operating profile

Jurong to complete Noble Bingo semis
First unit on tow to Singapore

Red faces at Vietnamese yard
Diamond 53 damaged on launch

Conferees torpedo Cape Wind
Coast Guard authorization bill includes killer amendment

Charters for two more Aker Philadelphia tankers
Two for Tesoro

UNB leases Marseilles dry docks
Spanish company will market to cruise and gas carrier operators

Ulstein to build X-bow construction vessel
Island Offshore orders first vessel in Ulstein Design S Series

Aker Yards bags more OSV orders
Books orders for six more vesssels plus four options

Big wheel deal
America West Steamboat parent to acquire Delta Queen

Washington State Ferries plans massive expansion
Ridership projected to grow 70 percent by 2030

Sevan orders drilling package for innovative platform
Aker Kvaerner gets $87 million contract

Donjon-SMIT opens Alexandria office
Moves from Houston to DC area

USCG and FBI need to resolve turf wars
Report from DOJ Inspector General

Second IFA ferry delivered
Dakota Creek completes Stikine

Competition inspectors swoop on Color Line
Surprise inspection

Siem orders second MRSV at Kleven
$50 million order for multifunctional ROV support vessel

Petrojack to sell rigs
$600 million for three jackup newbuilds

Shipowners in U.S. trades face IRS deadline
Think you don't have to file? Think again!

Noble sells Smedvig stake
SeaDrill now controls 99 percent of Smedvig ASA capital

NASSCO teams with Daewoo
Will pursue Jones Act projects

Trico Marine orders PSV
Marin Teknikk MY6009 Mk II will be built at Solstrand

Stolt takes $13.8 million charge
Ups provision for antitrust settlements

Concordia orders more P-MAX tankers
Seventh and eighth vessels added to Brodosplit series

ABB announces $110 million in orders
Electrical power systems for 12 vessels and five rigs

$102 million upgrade for Diamond Offshore semi
Fourth Victory class upgrade at Keppel FELS

Bourbon splashes out in India
Orders five AHTS's at Bharati Shipyard

RCMP investigates BC Ferries sinking
Possible breaches of Criminal Code and Canada Shipping Act