tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27122101131352858812024-03-13T15:35:22.133-04:00Flags of ConvenienceFlags of Convenience:
The largest shipping registries are Panama, Liberia, Greece, Marshall Islands and the Bahamas,
Approximately 6,300 sail under the Panamanian flag, making Panama the largest. The Greek-controlled fleet is at almost 90 million gross tons.
The Marshall Islands is fourth with 1, 500 vessels and 37 million tons. Bahamas has 1,500 vessels at 27 million tons.
Other significant flags include Cyprus and Maltakokstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02486048015925497542noreply@blogger.comBlogger923125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712210113135285881.post-11854488131350032812024-03-09T19:57:00.000-05:002024-03-09T19:57:02.971-05:00"This [French] defensive action contributed directly to the protection of the cargo ship True Confidence (under Barbadian flag)"<p> France's defence ministry said on Saturday its fighter jets and one warship had shot down four drones in the Gulf of Aden.</p><p><br /></p><p>"This defensive action contributed directly to the protection of the cargo ship True Confidence (under Barbadian flag), which was hit on March 6 and is currently being towed away," it said in a statement.</p><p><br /></p><p>A ministry spokesperson confirmed the four drones were among the 15 destroyed in total by the coalition.</p><p><br /></p><p>French forces have been operating in the Red Sea as part of the European Union's parallel Aspides mission -- announced last month -- to protect international shipping from the Huthi attacks.</p>kokstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02486048015925497542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712210113135285881.post-31918282881253927462018-04-10T19:15:00.000-04:002018-04-12T14:07:57.747-04:00Some naval dispositions near Syria<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These Russian Ships now gone from Tartus</td></tr>
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P-8 patrols Latakia Harbor</div>
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US Navy Ohio-class guided missile submarine USS Georgia with 158 cruise missiles changed its area of operations to the Mediterranean. USS John Warner nuclear submarine is also deployed in the region,DDG USS Laboon somewhere near the Mediterranean and DDG USS Carney deployed somewhere in Mediterranean . The British can offer the fire power of an Austute-class submarine, which has been already ordered to approach Syria. These carry 38 Tomahawk IVs cruise missiles. Add to that strike potential of B2 Stealth Bombers, F-22 Raptors based in the region and Britain’s Tornado bombers based on Cyprus.<br />
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USS IWO JIMA (LHD-7) ARG transited Suez Canal March 27 and entered in the Djibouti on April 3. The U.S already has one guided-missile destroyer, The Donald Cook, in the Eastern Mediterranean. The USS Porter arrived in Cherbourg on April 7. The USS Ross is in Plymouth April 8.<br />
USN's P-8A Poseiden and EP-3E aircraft operated in the same time slots close to Crimea on April 3.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><a href="https://twitter.com/BabakTaghvaee/status/983676853402644480" style="color: blue; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/BabakTaghvaee/status/983676853402644480</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">A carrier strike group is slated to replace the USS Theodore Roosevelt in the Med after it completed four months of operations in the Persian Gulf. US Navy aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and its associated carrier strike group are getting underway from Norfolk on Wednesday, April 11, to start a deployment to the Mediterranean Sea and Middle East. In addition to US Navy ships, the group will be joined by German air defense frigate FGS Hessen for the first half of the deployment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">Guided-missile destroyers USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) and USS The Sullivans (DDG 68) will join the strike group at a future date.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "roboto" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt) arrived in Manilafor a scheduled port visit, April 11.</span></span></div>
kokstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02486048015925497542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712210113135285881.post-74743812484987748972016-08-29T16:56:00.000-04:002016-08-29T16:56:01.877-04:00Deepwater Horizon: flic opens September 30<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A story set on the offshore drilling rig Deepwater Horizon, which exploded during April 2010 and created the worst oil spill in U.S. history..</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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[10/17/13 H<b>alliburton manager pleads guilty,to deleting data]</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A former Halliburton manager pleaded guilty October 15 to destroying evidence in the aftermath of the deadly rig explosion that spawned BP’s massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Anthony Badalamenti, 62, of Katy, Texas, faces a maximum sentence of 1 year in prison and a $100,000 fine after his guilty plea in U.S. District Court to one misdemeanor count of destruction of evidence. His sentencing by U.S. District Judge Jay Zainey is set for Jan. 21.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Badalamenti was the cementing technology director for Halliburton Energy Services Inc., BP’s cement contractor on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig. Prosecutors said he instructed two Halliburton employees to delete data during a post-spill review of the cement job on BP’s blown-out Macondo well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Last month, a federal judge accepted a separate plea agreement calling for Halliburton to pay a $200,000 fine for a misdemeanor stemming from Badalamenti’s conduct. Halliburton also agreed to be on probation for three years and to make a $55 million contribution to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, but that payment was not a condition of the deal.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Badalamenti isn't the first individual charged with a crime stemming from the Deepwater Horizon disaster.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">BP well site leaders Robert Kaluza and Donald Vidrine await a trial next year on manslaughter charges stemming from the rig workers' deaths. Prosecutors claim they botched a key safety test and disregarded abnormally high pressure readings that were glaring signs of trouble before the well blowout.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Former BP executive David Rainey is charged with concealing information from Congress about the amount of oil that was spewing from the blown-out well in 2010. Former BP engineer Kurt Mix is charged with deleting text messages and voicemails about the company's response to the spill.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The April 20, 2010, rig explosion killed 11 workers and led to the nation’s worst offshore oil spill.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[September 19]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Halliburton pleaded guilty September 19 to federal charges of destroying evidence relating to BP's Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010. 11 workers killed and millions of barrels of oil spilled into Gulf of Mexico. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Anthony Badalamenti, who had been the cementing technology director for Halliburton Energy Services Inc., was charged in federal court with instructing two other employees to delete data during a post-spill review of the cement job on BP's blown-out well. On September 19, a federal judge accepted a plea agreement that calls for Halliburton to pay a $200,000 fine for a misdemeanor stemming from Badalamenti's alleged conduct.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[September 2 2011]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">BP gave inaccurate information after the blowout as well in an effort to blame others for the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig, Halliburton said
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Houston – Sept. 2, 2011 – On September 1, 2011, Halliburton (NYSE: HAL) filed claims against BP in Texas state court for negligent misrepresentation, business disparagement and defamation related to the April 20, 2010, Macondo incident. Halliburton has also moved to amend its claims against BP in the multi-district litigation in New Orleans, Louisiana, to include fraud.
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">These allegations are based upon BP providing Halliburton with inaccurate information prior to performing cementing services on April 19, 2010, and BP’s use of and omission of that information in subsequent public statements, filings and governmental investigations.
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Halliburton has learned that BP provided Halliburton inaccurate information about the actual location of hydrocarbon zones in the Macondo well. The actual location of the hydrocarbon zones is critical information required prior to performing cementing services and is necessary to achieve desired cement placement.
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Halliburton remains confident that all the work it performed with respect to the Macondo well was completed in accordance with BP’s specifications for its well construction plan and instructions, and that Halliburton is fully indemnified under the contract.
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Macondo blowout and the explosion that followed killed 11 workers and set off the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history. The accident and spill led to hundreds of lawsuits against London-based BP and its partners and contractors. The lawsuits over economic losses and personal injuries have been combined before U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier in New Orleans.
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The lawsuits also name as defendants Transocean Ltd. (RIG), the Switzerland-based owner and operator of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that exploded; Houston-based Halliburton; and Cameron International Corp. (CAM), which provided blowout-prevention equipment. BP’s minority partners in the well, Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (APC) and Mitsui & Co.’s Moex Offshore LLC unit, were also sued.
</span>kokstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02486048015925497542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712210113135285881.post-37622031478427362752016-08-12T11:02:00.001-04:002016-08-12T11:02:23.884-04:00USS Ross:"we’re calling on all sides to reduce” tension.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Guided missile destroyer USS Ross enters Black Sea to ‘strengthen regional security’<br />23 Jul, 2016 A US guided missile destroyer, USS Ross, equipped with the Aegis advanced missile defense system has entered the Black Sea and is heading to the Ukrainian port city of Odessa to join the international maritime exercises Sea Breeze 2016. On Thursday, USS Whidbey Island, an amphibious warship able to carry up to 500 US marines, entered the Black Sea and joined the drills. The growing activity of the US Navy in the Black Sea raises concerns in Russia. Russian armed forces will draw conclusions from the activities of the US naval vessels in the region, Vladimir Komoedov, the head of the Russian State Duma’s Defense Committee and former commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, told journalists.<br /><br />“The US continues to take an interest in the Black Sea region. The arrival of the US amphibious assault ship sparks concern. It is of no importance under what pretext it takes place. This move provokes only condemnation,” Komoedov said, as quoted by RIA Novosti.<br /><br />He also stressed that the arrival of the US warships in the Black Sea serves as evidences of the aggressiveness of the US policy. “I am sure that we will draw conclusion from this situation,” Komoedov added.<br /><br />Russia deployed S-400 Triumph air defense systems in Crimea, the Moscow-based RIA Novosti news service reported August 12. The S-400 Triumph (NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler) is an air defence missile system developed by Almaz Central Design Bureau of Russia. The new system replaced the S-300P and S-200 air defence systems of the Russian Army. “This is a very tense time,” U.S. State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau told reporters in Washington late August 11. “It’s time to take a step back, we’re calling on all sides to reduce” tension. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault also spoke with Lavrov Thursday, calling for both sides to avoid exacerbating the crisis.</span><br /><br />kokstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02486048015925497542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712210113135285881.post-18306834489554397012016-07-01T13:33:00.000-04:002016-07-01T13:33:44.559-04:00Not clear why more crude at sea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://s.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/SVBn_N8f.vEiIETX5TTqWg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTQyMTtweG9mZj01MDtweW9mZj0wO3E9NzU7dz03NDk-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/3e9a8ef3cb6e6c10d80e6a706700f84a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://s.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/SVBn_N8f.vEiIETX5TTqWg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTQyMTtweG9mZj01MDtweW9mZj0wO3E9NzU7dz03NDk-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/3e9a8ef3cb6e6c10d80e6a706700f84a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Off the coast of Iran, some large oil tankers are anchored. Until January, there were sanctions prohibiting the export of Iranian oil. While those sanctions were in place, some of the country’s oil was stored offshore. It’s not clear why those stocks haven’t moved since sanctions have lifted. And there is an increase from 85 to 120 oil tankers at anchor around the world. In 2009, the IEA tracked 112 million barrels of crude oil at sea – compared to the 94 million in July 2016. </span></span></div>
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[February 14 <b>Iran loads three for Europe </b>]<b><br /></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J8dFvpduBXQ/VsCeoIX0vaI/AAAAAAAAEVc/zuNvOKrk2zQ/s1600/atlantas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J8dFvpduBXQ/VsCeoIX0vaI/AAAAAAAAEVc/zuNvOKrk2zQ/s320/atlantas.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Total chartered the VLCC Atlantas, Spain’s Cepsa booked the Suezmax Monte Toledo and Litasco booked the Distya Akula. The Atlantas is scheduled to head for European ports, the Monte Toledo for Spain and the Distya Akula for Constantza, Romania, .</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/details/ships/shipid:754938/mmsi:636014688/imo:9389899/vessel:ATLANTAS</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/details/ships/shipid:299583/mmsi:255740000/imo:9271573/vessel:MONTE_TOLEDO</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/details/ships/shipid:3641618/mmsi:419001060/imo:9087972/vessel:FRONT_GLORY</span><br />
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[January 26 <b>Laden VLCC Serena departed Iran for South Korea, passes Mumbai </b>]<br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Sanctions lifted, Iranian VLCC tanker, Serena (IMO 9569645), was recently cast off from the port of Assaluyeh after being moored there for more than a year, and is expected to arrive in Uslan, South Korea, on February 11, 2016. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">IMO: 9569645</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Name: SERENA</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">MMSI: 677057300</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Type: CRUDE OIL TANKER</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Gross Tonnage: 160000</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Summer DWT: 318000 t</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Build: 2013</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Flag: ZANZIBAR</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[August 28 2015 Iran: <b>four laden tankers depart despite sanctions</b>]</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o9plVoIZ92U/VeBZWqcrTEI/AAAAAAAAEUA/UDg-bhiX1MU/s1600/tankersiran.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o9plVoIZ92U/VeBZWqcrTEI/AAAAAAAAEUA/UDg-bhiX1MU/s320/tankersiran.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MT Hedy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c3OCebJaW58/VeBZvR1yJ3I/AAAAAAAAEUI/zrlsad3W6CA/s1600/tankersnancy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c3OCebJaW58/VeBZvR1yJ3I/AAAAAAAAEUI/zrlsad3W6CA/s320/tankersnancy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MT Nancy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kRnER4ptEC8/VeBZ93EHNDI/AAAAAAAAEUQ/M4qVbIWWKro/s1600/tankersnoble.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kRnER4ptEC8/VeBZ93EHNDI/AAAAAAAAEUQ/M4qVbIWWKro/s320/tankersnoble.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MT Noble</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XUYUkPJS4OE/VeBaNAB3N2I/AAAAAAAAEUY/3xjn7EpBSZ8/s1600/tankersstarla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XUYUkPJS4OE/VeBaNAB3N2I/AAAAAAAAEUY/3xjn7EpBSZ8/s320/tankersstarla.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MT Starla</td></tr>
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HEDY </div>
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(Ship name as reported by AIS: HUWAYZEH)</div>
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Crude Oil Tanker Crude Oil Tanker</div>
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IMO: 9212888</div>
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MMSI: 256869000</div>
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Call Sign: 9HEJ9</div>
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Flag: Malta (MT)</div>
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AIS Type: Unspecified</div>
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Gross Tonnage: 160930</div>
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Deadweight: 299242 t</div>
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Length × Breadth: 333m × 58m</div>
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Year Built: 2002</div>
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Status: Active</div>
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NANCY</div>
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Crude Oil Tanker Crude Oil Tanker</div>
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IMO: 9079107</div>
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MMSI: 677032300</div>
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Call Sign: 5IM423</div>
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Flag: Tanzania (TZ)</div>
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AIS Type: Tanker - Hazard C (Minor)</div>
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Gross Tonnage: 156809</div>
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Deadweight: 298732 t</div>
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Length × Breadth: 332m × 58m</div>
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Year Built: 1996</div>
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Status: Active</div>
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NOBLE</div>
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Oil Products Tanker Oil Products Tanker</div>
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IMO: 9358280</div>
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MMSI: 205667000</div>
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Call Sign: ONHZ</div>
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Flag: Belgium (BE)</div>
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AIS Type: Tanker</div>
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Gross Tonnage: 159911</div>
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Deadweight: 307284 t</div>
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Length × Breadth: 333m × 58m</div>
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Year Built: 2008</div>
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Status: Active</div>
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STARLA</div>
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Tanker Tanker</div>
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IMO: 9569621</div>
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MMSI: 677021600</div>
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Call Sign: 5IM316</div>
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Flag: Tanzania (TZ)</div>
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AIS Type: Tanker</div>
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Gross Tonnage: 164796</div>
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Deadweight: 317475 t</div>
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Length × Breadth: 333m × 60m</div>
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Year Built: 2012</div>
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Status: Active</div>
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[<b>September 30 2014 Six months under an interim nuclear deal, sanctions regime remains strong]</b></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sodPFxHz5mM/UZFRoNBAw4I/AAAAAAAAD1Q/sG86BVFPMsI/s1600/sambouk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sodPFxHz5mM/UZFRoNBAw4I/AAAAAAAAD1Q/sG86BVFPMsI/s320/sambouk.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://static.projects.iq.harvard.edu/files/styles/os_files_xlarge/public/iranproject/files/total_exports.png?itok=-cQqzRbn" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://static.projects.iq.harvard.edu/files/styles/os_files_xlarge/public/iranproject/files/total_exports.png?itok=-cQqzRbn" width="400" /></a></div>
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The International Energy Agency, an independent group that analyzes energy markets for Western governments, estimates that Iran averaged about 1.1 million bpd of crude oil from February to June, which is in the range of the administration’s “around a million barrels per day.” After six months under an interim nuclear deal, the sanctions regime remains strong and negotiations toward a final deal remain in progress. There are challenges for the P5+1 to face moving forward, but on balance the JPA has succeeded in preserving the leverage that sanctions provide while creating the political space for serious negotiations.<br />
<br />
[June 1 <b>Iran's crude oil exports increased in May: violation of the Joint Plan of Action ?]</b><br />
Iran's crude oil exports increased in May after a decline in April, according to sources who track tanker movements, moving above the level allowed by November's interim deal on curbing Tehran's nuclear programme.<br />
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"More Iranian crude appears to be finding its way into markets in violation of the Joint Plan of Act;ion despite the Obama administration's commitment to Congress that it would keep a tight control over the oil lifeblood of the Iranian economy," said Mark Dubowitz, of U.S.-based independent think-tank Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
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"If this continues, it would be a clear violation of Iran's obligations under the JPOA, which binds Tehran to both nuclear and sanctions-related commitments."
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There is no generally accepted figure for the oil exports of many producers, including Iran. Information takes time to filter out from opaque oil and shipping markets. Consumer countries, meanwhile, detail imports with a time lag or not at all.<br />
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[April 9]
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The tanker market is still waiting for Iran's crude export cargoes to start flowing in the international scene at levels enough to make a difference, in terms of freight rates </div>
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The National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) said in January it is resuming crude oil delivery to Asian buyers in its own vessels as sanctions ease following the implementation of Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers. At the beginning of April 2014, half of the NITC VLCC fleet was either on its way to China or on the ballast voyage back to Iran. This includes two units, moving under new names, which had previously been storing in the Middle East and Gulf since the 3rd quarter last year. Two VLCCs are currently heading to Ulsan, with another three returning to Kharg Island. </div>
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Iran’s January oil shipments to the Indian customer were 31 percent higher year on year. One VLCC and one Aframax both ballasting from India to the Gulf. NITC movements into the Mediterranean reveal Suezmaxes to Turkey and an Aframax heading back to Iran from Syria. It should also be considered that the NITC fleet grew by 33% between September 2012 and July last year which has had a significant impact on Iran’s ability to export crude. </div>
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Oiltanking Partners LP (NYSE:OILT) is a $3.17 billion market cap oil and gas midstream company engaged in the terminaling, storage and transportation of crude oil, refined petroleum products and liquefied petroleum gas. Since the beginning of the year, several insiders have been buying its stock, which has already escalated more than 22%. Since Oct. 2013, the price has risen 39%.</div>
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[February 15]<br />
The rate for the benchmark Ras Tanura-Chiba route averaged Worldscale 63.5 or $46,107/day, while the Arabian Gulf-Singapore rate gained 1.8 points to W64.5. Reported fixtures show Singapore Petroleum Company agreed W67.5 to secure Dynacom's Boston as a replacement for Overseas Kilimanjaro, while Indian oil company Reliance agreed W72.5 for Overseas Equatorial. Brokers describe the market sentiment as steady to firm, after rates slidFerbruary 7 due to the Lunar New Year holidays in China.<br />
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Fixtures have been centered around late February and early March in the Arabian Gulf." Last month average earnings reached $61,630 a day their highest level since Feb 2010 before a rally lost steam.
As refineries head into maintenance in Q2 rates may to move into more subdued territory although clearly recent months have highlighted the potential for upside.
VLCC rates from the Gulf to the United States were at W33.08 on February 11 versus W31.12 on February 10 and W30.46 last February 4.<br />
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In contrast, Black Sea and Mediterranean crude tanker rates continued to weaken after rallying last month to their highest since 2008 as weather related disruptions in the Turkish Straits raised the cost of transporting cargoes.
Rates for suezmax tankers on the Black Sea to Med route fell to W62.92 or $6,439 a day. That compared with W65.40 or $8,956 a day on February 10 and W79.56 or $21,792 a day February 4.<br />
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[December 2 2013]<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span id="articleText">Rates for VLCCs exceeded $50,000 in November, primarily on
seasonal demand and strong exports from the Middle East, and
December bookings indicate rates can be sustained over the short
term.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span id="articleText"> </span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[November 14]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Rates for the largest oil-tankers surged as Chinese freight traders led an acceleration in Asian demand for the ships to load Middle East crude, sapping a fleet surplus that made the carriers unprofitable almost all year.
A very large crude carrier built 16 years ago was hired today at about 13 percent more than yesterday’s prevailing prices, according to Dynacom Tankers Management Ltd., an Athens-based owner. There hasn’t been a bigger one-day gain in 2013, according to data from the Baltic Exchange, a London-based publisher of freight costs on more than 50 trade routes.
Rising demand has cut a capacity surplus to the smallest since June 4, according to weekly surveys by Bloomberg News. Increased bookings by Chinese buyers depleted the excess in the largest loading region, according to Halvor Ellefsen, a shipbroker at Galbraith’s Ltd. in London. VLCCs earned $5,598 a day on average this year, less than they need to cover running costs including crew and repairs, Baltic Exchange data show.hina, India, Japan and South Korea bought about 972,600 bpd of Iranian oil in the first half of 2013, down from the 1.235mn bpd in the same period last year.China plans to cut imports from Iran by 5%-10% in 2013 from 2012, meaning that it will have to slow purchases more in the second half to meet even the lower end of its stated goal.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">While sourcing oil from different suppliers and ensuring sufficient volumes may present Chinese refiners with a challenge, so far there doesn’t appear to be any financial cost to cutting volumes from Iran.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">China paid about $99.97 a barrel for Iranian crude in June, according to customs data.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This was only slightly cheaper that the $100.46 a barrel average for all China’s purchases in June.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It’s also interesting to note that while China’s imports from Iran dropped 39% in June from a year earlier, shipments from Iraq soared 445%.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Iraqi volumes have gained 38% in the first six months and now exceed those supplied by Iran.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Iraqi oil is also cheaper than that supplied by Iran, with the Chinese paying $97.84 a barrel in June.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">While their may be slight quality differences, it appears that China has been able to replace Iranian volumes with cheaper cargoes from Iraq.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Iraq Oil Report July 23rd, 2013<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Iran has signed an agreement to send 850 million standard cubic feet per day (scf/d) of natural gas through a pipeline into Iraq, fueling power stations to feed electricity-starved Iraqis and testing the U.S.'s sanctions regime. This is while the construction of the “friendship” pipeline between Iran, Iraq and Syria has been under way since last year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The pipeline will stretch from Assaluyeh, near the massive offshore South Pars Gas Field in southern Iran, and will continue into neighboring Iraq to feed Iraqi power plants running on gas. Iran, which sits on the world's second largest natural gas reserves after Russia, is making efforts to up its gas production by increasing foreign and domestic investments, especially in South Pars Gas Field.</span></div>
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<span class="focusParagraph" style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans";"></span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;">5/9/2013</span><br />
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<b><i>Action Identifies Front Company and Vessels Attempting to Obscure Iranian Oil Deals Using Ship-to-Ship Transfers and Designates Iranian Bank</i></b></div>
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The Treasury Department said that Ferland Company Limited, which is
based in both Cyprus and Ukraine, facilitated deceptive transactions for or on
behalf of the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC). The two entities
conspired with Dimitris Cambis, a Greek businessman who has been previously
identified as using his tankers to help Iran hide oil shipments in a scheme to
sell Iranian crude oil deceptively. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The US on Friday identified eight petrochemical companies it says are
owned or controlled by the government of Iran and are therefore subject to
sanctions. The eight companies named as being owned or controlled by Iran
include: Bandar Imam Petrochemical Company, Bou Ali Sina Petrochemical Company,
Mobin Petrochemical Company, Nouri Petrochemical Company, Pars Petrochemical
Company, Shahid Tondgooyan Petrochemical Company, Shazand Petrochemical
Company, and Tabriz Petrochemical Company. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The two companies identified by the State Department as
conducting petrochemical products transactions are Jam Petrochemical Company
and Niksima Food and Beverage JLT.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>[May 13]</b><br />
<b>WASHINGTON</b> – The U.S. Department of the Treasury is taking a number of actions today against Iranian attempts to circumvent international financial sanctions. As part of the Treasury Department’s continuing vigilance against Iran’s efforts to use front companies and deceptive business practices to sell their oil on the international market, today Treasury identified Sambouk Shipping FZC as subject to sanctions under Executive Order (E.O.) 13599, which, among other things, targets the Government of Iran (GOI) and persons acting for or on behalf of the GOI. Sambouk Shipping is tied to Dr. Dimitris Cambis who, along with a network of front companies, were sanctioned in March 2013 under E.O. 13599 and the Iran Threat Reduction Act and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 (TRA) after the U.S. government uncovered Dr. Cambis’s scheme to evade international oil sanctions against Iran. In an attempt to continue his scheme, Dr. Cambis is using the recently formed Sambouk Shipping to manage eight of the vessels that he operates on behalf of the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC). These vessels have been used to execute ship-to-ship transfers of Iranian oil in the Persian Gulf. These transfers are intended to facilitate deceptive sales of Iranian oil by obscuring the origin of that oil.</div>
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<span class="focusParagraph" style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans"; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;"> Dimitris Cambis has been black-listed by U.S. Treasury, <a href="http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl1879.aspx">here</a> </span><br />
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<span class="focusParagraph" style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans";">- U.S. lawmakers will introduce a bill on February 27 that expands economic penalties against Iran and is designed to force countries like <a data-ls-seen="1" href="http://www.reuters.com/places/china" style="color: #006e97; cursor: pointer; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" title="Full coverage of China">China</a> to buy less Iranian crude oil</span></div>
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The legislation by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Republican Ed Royce of California and the panel's top Democrat Eliot Engel of New York builds on existing U.S. sanctions that have so far led to the devaluation of Iran's currency and slashed the country's main source of funding - oil revenues.</div>
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[February 26]</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I33yEe44GLU/USzW2YNP3oI/AAAAAAAADvQ/ohMEKgwAULo/s1600/Leycothea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I33yEe44GLU/USzW2YNP3oI/AAAAAAAADvQ/ohMEKgwAULo/s320/Leycothea.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Leycothea</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Nereyda</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ocean
Nymph</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ocean
Performer</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , "sans";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ulysses
I</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zap</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Dimitris
Cambis, </span><span style="color: #444444;">President
at </span><span style="color: black;">Athene</span><span style="color: #444444;">
</span><span style="color: black;">consulting
</span><span style="color: #444444;">house
sa</span><span style="color: black;">
, </span>6, Vassilissis Sofias Ave. GR-10674 Athens, Greece +30 210 7263300 +30 210 7263399 <a href="mailto:ach@ach.gr">ach@ach.gr</a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> who last year bought the ships - eight very large crude carriers,
or VLCCs - to carry Middle East crude to Asia, flatly denied doing
any business with Tehran or running clandestine shipments of its oil
to China</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">He
denied his vessels have loaded oil from Iran while at anchor in the
Gulf. Known as ship-to-ship transfers, or STS, such movements are
hard to track as crews can switch off tracking beacons or not update
their recorded positions for periods to conceal that one vessel has
come alongside another.</span></div>
kokstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02486048015925497542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712210113135285881.post-78398489899627684492016-05-10T09:47:00.000-04:002016-05-10T09:47:04.558-04:00Big Oil drop $2.5 billion in drilling rights rent for U.S. Acrtic, Norway seeks Big Oil for Barents Sea<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hh75LDxMyKc/VdXI0iDwLHI/AAAAAAAAETc/0fZR-OOCG4E/s1600/arctic%2Bshell.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hh75LDxMyKc/VdXI0iDwLHI/AAAAAAAAETc/0fZR-OOCG4E/s320/arctic%2Bshell.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Off Barrow Alaska</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">After plunking down more than $2.5 billion for drilling rights in U.S. Arctic waters, Royal Dutch Shell, ConocoPhillips and other companies have quietly relinquished claims they once hoped would net the next big oil discovery. The pullout comes as crude oil prices have plummeted to less than half their June 2014 levels, forcing oil companies to slash spending. For Shell and ConocoPhillips, the decision to abandon Arctic acreage was formalized just before a May 1 due date to pay the U.S. government millions of dollars in rent to keep holdings in the Chukchi Sea north of Alaska. The U.S. Arctic is estimated to hold 27 billion barrels of oil and 132 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, but energy companies have struggled to tap resources buried below icy waters at the top of the globe. Shell last year ended a nearly $8 billion, mishap-marred quest for Arctic crude after disappointing results from a test well in the Chukchi Sea. Shell.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Norway is opening more of the Barents Sea off its northern tip to oil explorers as it seeks to boost national crude production that’s dropped by half since 2000. The government plans to award licenses before the summer in the Barents Sea Southeast, an area disputed by Russia until a 2010 border agreement, which includes the northernmost blocks ever offered by Norway. It’s attracted interest from international explorers just as other parts of the Arctic, such as Alaska and Greenland, are relinquished amid a collapse in oil prices</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[September 29 2015 <b>Noble Discoverer: The Hillary thing </b></span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Royal Dutch Shell's abrupt announcement that it would cease all offshore drilling in the Arctic is surprising for several reasons. One is the unusual degree of confidence the company expressed as recently as mid-August that it had identified 15 billion barrels of oil beneath the well known as Burger J it's now abandoning. More significant than the immediate environmental activism is Shell's concern about who will oversee Arctic regulation come January 2017. In August, Hillary Clinton made her first major break with President Obama over the environment, announcing that she opposed Arctic drilling. "Given what we know, it's not worth the risk," Clinton said on Twitter. Despite the candidate's current struggle to shake off primary foe Senator Bernie Sanders, Shell may fear that a Clinton presidency would doom its chancy northern exploration.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">it continues to hold 275 Outer Continental lease blocks. Indeed, Marvin Odum, director of Shell Upstream Americas, said in the written statement that the company "continues to see important exploration potential in the basin, and the area is likely to ultimately be of strategic importance to Alaska and the U.S."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[September 2 <b>Noble Discoverer disconnected in the Chukchi Sea</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Noble Discoverer semisubmersible has been disconnected from its anchors in the Chukchi Sea by Shell after weather temporary put a halt to its Arctic operations over the weekend. Shell had received approval at the end of July to only drill into the top sections of the Burger J and Burger V wells, Shell was prohibited from conducting simultaneous drilling activity at Burger J and Burger V. Shell must plug and abandon the top section of the first well before proceeding with any drilling activity at the second well site. <a href="http://convenientflags.blogspot.com/2013/01/kulluk-shell-rig-aground-investigation.html">read</a> and <a href="http://convenientflags.blogspot.com/2012/04/noble-discoverer-injunction-issues.html">more</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[August 20 <b>Burger J: Fennica with capping stack to contain any potential spill, on site near Chukchi]</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The drill rig Polar Pioneer has been at work at Burger J since July 30, but was prohibited from drilling to oil-bearing depths until the Fennica, a vessel carrying a capping stack to contain any potential spill, was on site, and it arrived at Burger J on Aug. 12.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> FENNICA</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Tug/Supply Vessel Tug/Supply Vessel</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Create notifications for this Vessel Add to Fleet</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">IMO: 9043615</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">MMSI: 230245000</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Call Sign: OJAD</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Flag: Finland (FI)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">AIS Type: Other</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Gross Tonnage: 9392</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Deadweight: 1650 t</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Length × Breadth: 116m × 26m</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Year Built: 1993</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Status: Active</span></div>
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[May 15 <b>Polar Pioneer , Marshall Is-flag , High Specification Semi-Submersible rig, for Chukchi</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img.offshore.no/sak/PolarPioneer-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://img.offshore.no/sak/PolarPioneer-1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Transocean Polar Pioneer</td></tr>
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<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Polar Pioneer is one of two drill rigs that Netherlands-based Royal Dutch Shell petroleum plans to use as it moves ahead with plans to use leased space at the Port of Seattle to load drilling rigs and other vessels with supplies and personnel. It is preparing to explore for oil this summer in the Chukchi Sea off Alaska's northwest coast.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Activists expect a large turnout May 16, when a flotilla rally is scheduled against the Polar Pioneer’s presence in Seattle. Another big event is planned for May 18 near Terminal 5. Kayaks May 14 threw an “unwelcome party”.The Port is leasing Terminal 5 to Foss under a two-year, $13 million agreement. Foss plans to load drilling equipment and supplies for the summer onto the Polar Pioneer and the Noble Discoverer, a 514-foot-long drill ship now docked in Everett. "That rig is freaky big and scary,” a protester said.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[February 21 <b>NOBLE DISCOVERER: Plans to drill in the Chukchi]</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Shell has not given up on the Noble Discoverer or plans to drill in the Chukchi.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It has filed plans with the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, calling for the Noble Discoverer and a second ship, Polar Pioneer, to drill as many as six wells. The Noble Discoverer has been “ice strengthened,” claims the oil giant, with “state of the art drilling and well control equipment.”</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Rig Name:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Transocean Polar Pioneer</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Rig Manager:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Transocean Ltd.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Rig Owner:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Transocean Ltd.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Competitive Rig:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Yes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Rig Type:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Semisub</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Semisub Generation:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>4</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Rig Design:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Hitachi Zosen Arctic</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Rated Water Depth:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1,640 ft</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Drilling Depth:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>25,000 ft</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">rig photo</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">RIG CONTRACT & OPERATING STATUS</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Operating Status:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Drilling</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Operator:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Shell</span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">RIG LOCATION</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Region:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>N. America - US Alaska</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Country:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>US</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Classification:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>DNV</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Rig Design:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Hitachi Zosen Arctic</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Shipyard:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Japan</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Delivery Year:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1985</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Flag:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Panama</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />[March 2 2012<b>]</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--lc0QnRAn9w/T3nGaGPoUaI/AAAAAAAADKU/wiRYeIdALgw/s1600/n+discover+seat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--lc0QnRAn9w/T3nGaGPoUaI/AAAAAAAADKU/wiRYeIdALgw/s320/n+discover+seat.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Noble Discoverer</td></tr>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Oc6JHju_-dE/T3nGc9mMesI/AAAAAAAADKc/3LUU8Sa65Q0/s1600/n+discover+seattle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Oc6JHju_-dE/T3nGc9mMesI/AAAAAAAADKc/3LUU8Sa65Q0/s320/n+discover+seattle.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shipyard for arctic modifications</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">At mid-afternoon April 1, Royal Dutch Shell Oil's drillship </span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> entered Elliott Bay enroute to Vigor Shipyards, where it is scheduled to undergo cold-weather modifications before departing for the Arctic. The ship has been granted permission by the EPA to drill exploration wells in Alaska's Beaufort and Chukchi seas, beginning this summer. Additional approvals are required before drilling can begin.
</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_eC8rElJOgk/VdXIXmiMfsI/AAAAAAAAETU/AugfZim9Mmw/s1600/arctic%2Bshell.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_eC8rElJOgk/VdXIXmiMfsI/AAAAAAAAETU/AugfZim9Mmw/s400/arctic%2Bshell.JPG" /></a>
[May 15
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On February 26 Lucy Lawless, the actress who played Xena, [--b. 1968, 2011 Hunted: The Demon's Forge (Video Game) Seraphine (voice)] and six other Greenpeace activists illegally boarded a drilling ship leased to Shell Oil off New Zealand's western shore. <br />
Lawless and the other activists have "occupied" the drillship to prevent it from departing on a "6,000 nautical mile journey from New Zealand to the remote Arctic to start an exploratory oil drilling program that threatens to devastate the Alaskan coastline,"<br />
NOBLE DISCOVERER<br />
Length x Breadth: 156 m X 26 m<br />
Gross Tonnage: 13485, DeadWeight: 15296 t<br />
Speed recorded (Max / Average): 5.7 / 5.4 knots<br />
Flag: Liberia [LR] <br />
Call Sign: A8XM6<br />
IMO: 6608608, MMSI: 636014934<br />
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Ex Names History<br />
Vessel's Name Flag Call Sign Last Reported<br />
NOBLE DISCOVERER Liberia A8XM6 2012-02-25 22:48<br />
FRONTIER DISCOVERER Panama 3FUS2 2010-08-17 07:17<br />
DISCOVERER 511 2001-08-29 00:00<br />
OFFSTAR 1982-04-18 00:00<br />
JESSICA 1973-12-31 00:00<br />
MATSUSHIRO MARU 1971-12-31 00:00<br />
Rig Data: Noble Discoverer<br />
Rig Name: Noble Discoverer<br />
Rig Manager: Noble Drilling<br />
Rig Owner: Noble Drilling<br />
Competitive Rig: Yes<br />
Rig Type: Drillship<br />
Drillship Type: Turret Moored<br />
Rig Design: Sonat Discoverer Class
Rated Water Depth: 2,500 ft<br />
Drilling Depth: 20,000 ft</span></span>kokstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02486048015925497542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712210113135285881.post-56011772515591284422016-05-06T11:34:00.000-04:002016-05-06T11:36:46.539-04:00Red Line: new Chinese construction on Scarborough Shoal off Subic Bay<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Filipino military experts increasingly use the term “red line” to discuss the prospect of new Chinese construction on Scarborough Shoal. They refer to it as the “last straw” and worry that China plans to turn the area into a military base. This year, the Philippines moved forward with the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, or EDCA, which allows the U.S. military to build facilities at five Philippine bases and will likely mean more hardware at Subic Bay, which is now technically a commercial, not a military port. at the South China Morning Post on April 25, Minnie Chan reported that according to “a source close to the PLA Navy”:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">China will start reclamation at the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea later this year and may add an airstrip to extend its air force’s reach over the contested waters…A measure of confirmation of these external signals was provided by the distribution on Sohu’s military channel of an article by the popular Xinhua tabloid “Reference News” (Cankao Xiaoxi) citing the SCMP report.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /><br />[February 15 <b>U.S. and Japan plan united front against Beijing's maritime projects, </b>]</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.starfleet-museum.org/cabbage-willson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://www.starfleet-museum.org/cabbage-willson.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Romulan starfleet Cabbage class cruiser</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />U.S. 7th Fleet commander Vice Admiral Joseph Aucoin. said he had a “greater fear” about other actors, “whether it’s coast guard or what we refer to as white shipping or cabbage ships, not sure about their professionalism.”</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20151226&t=2&i=1105002217&w=644&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXMPEBBP03N" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20151226&t=2&i=1105002217&w=644&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXMPEBBP03N" height="211" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">China Coast Guard vessel No. 31239 sails in the East China Sea near the disputed isles known as Senkaku isles in Japan and Diaoyu islands in China, in this handout photo taken and released by the 11th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters-Japan Coast Guard December 22, 2015.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The United States and Japan plan to hold a meeting of coast guard commanders and their Australian and Philippine counterparts in order to build a unified front against Beijing's maritime projects,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">20 miles northwest of the Senkaku Islands,, Chinese vessels equipped with heavy machine guns vessels were seen in February , including vessels No. 31241, 2102 and 2305. Japanese patrol boats warned the Chinese ships and prevented their entry into Japanese territorial waters</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In addition to the dispute in the East China Sea, Japan has been vocal in its opposition to Beijing's land reclamation activities in the South China Sea and has joined regional alliesbut Japanese patrol boats warned the Chinese ships and prevented their entry into Japanese territorial waters who have protested China's moves.</span><br />
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[December 26 <b>Chinese gunboat off Senkaku Islands says Japan</b>]<br />
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A Chinese coastguard vessel with what appeared to be gun turrets entered territorial waters claimed by Japan in the East China Sea, Japan's coastguard said on December 26, adding that it was the first such incursion by an armed Chinese vessel in the disputed area.<br />
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The vessel was one of three that appeared in the waters off the disputed Senkaku Islands, known in China as the Diaoyus, shortly after 9:30 a.m. (0030 GMT) and left Japanese-claimed waters about 70 minutes later, a Japan coastguard spokeswoman said.China said its vessels were carrying standard equipment and doing nothing wrong in Chinese waters.</div>
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Chinese coastguard vessels sail regularly near the islets but the Japanese coastguard spokeswoman said none had ever been seen equipped with arms.</div>
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[September 4 <b>Chinese flotilla moving toward the Aleutian Islands, which are split between U.S. and Russian control]</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ea/PLANS_Changbaishan_(LSD-989)_20150130(2).jpg/300px-PLANS_Changbaishan_(LSD-989)_20150130(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ea/PLANS_Changbaishan_(LSD-989)_20150130(2).jpg/300px-PLANS_Changbaishan_(LSD-989)_20150130(2).jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.3199996948242px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Type 071 amphibious transport dock ship </span><i style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.3199996948242px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Changbai Shan</i><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.3199996948242px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"> (989)</span></td></tr>
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United States have been tracking the movements in recent days of three Chinese combat ships, a replenishment vessel and an amphibious landing ship after observing them moving toward the Aleutian Islands, which are split between U.S. and Russian control. </span><br />
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<table class="infobox" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); clear: right; color: black; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.3199996948242px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.5em 0px 0.5em 1em; padding: 0.2em; width: 315px;"><tbody>
<tr style="vertical-align: top;"><td style="vertical-align: top;">Type:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphibious_transport_dock" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Amphibious transport dock">Amphibious transport dock</a></td></tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: top;"><td style="vertical-align: top;">Displacement:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;">18,500 metric tons (18,200 long tons; 20,400 short tons)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-1" style="font-size: 9.85599994659424px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_071_amphibious_transport_dock#cite_note-1" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[1]</a></sup></td></tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: top;"><td style="vertical-align: top;">Length:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;">210 m (689 ft 0 in)</td></tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: top;"><td style="vertical-align: top;">Beam:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;">28 m (91 ft 10 in)</td></tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: top;"><td style="vertical-align: top;">Draft:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;">7 m (23 ft 0 in)</td></tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: top;"><td style="vertical-align: top;">Propulsion:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CODAD" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="CODAD">CODAD</a><br />
4 × <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaanxi_Diesel_Engine_Factory" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Shaanxi Diesel Engine Factory">Shaanxi</a> 16 PC2.6 V400 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_engine" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Diesel engine">diesel engines</a>, 47,200 hp (35,197 kW)<br />
2 × shafts <a class="external autonumber" href="http://www.kanwa.com/dnws/showpl.php?id=255" rel="nofollow" style="background: linear-gradient(transparent, transparent) 100% 50% no-repeat, url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%2210%22%20height%3D%2210%22%3E%3Cg%20transform%3D%22translate%28-826.429%20-698.791%29%22%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%225.982%22%20height%3D%225.982%22%20x%3D%22826.929%22%20y%3D%22702.309%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%20stroke%3D%22%2306c%22%2F%3E%3Cg%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M831.194%20698.791h5.234v5.391l-1.571%201.545-1.31-1.31-2.725%202.725-2.689-2.689%202.808-2.808-1.311-1.311z%22%20fill%3D%22%2306f%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M835.424%20699.795l.022%204.885-1.817-1.817-2.881%202.881-1.228-1.228%202.881-2.881-1.851-1.851z%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E) 100% 50%; color: #663366; padding-right: 13px; text-decoration: none;">[1]</a></td></tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: top;"><td style="vertical-align: top;">Speed:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;">25 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knot_(unit)" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Knot (unit)">knots</a> (46 km/h; 29 mph)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2" style="font-size: 9.85599994659424px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_071_amphibious_transport_dock#cite_note-2" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[2]</a></sup></td></tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: top;"><td style="vertical-align: top;">Range:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;">10,000 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nautical_mile" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Nautical mile">nmi</a> (19,000 km) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3" style="font-size: 9.85599994659424px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_071_amphibious_transport_dock#cite_note-3" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[3]</a></sup></td></tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: top;"><td style="vertical-align: top;">Boats and landing<br />
craft carried:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;">• 4 × <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jingsah_II_class_LCAC#Type_726_LCAC" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Jingsah II class LCAC">Type 726 <i>Yuyi</i> class LCAC</a><br />
• 2 × <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing_craft" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Landing craft">landing craft</a> on port/starboard davits</td></tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: top;"><td style="vertical-align: top;">Capacity:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;">15-20 armoured vehicles</td></tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: top;"><td style="vertical-align: top;">Troops:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;">500-800 troops</td></tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: top;"><td style="vertical-align: top;">Complement:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;">120</td></tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: top;"><td style="vertical-align: top;">Sensors and<br />
processing systems:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;">• 1 × <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_360_Radar" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Type 360 Radar">Type 360 Radar</a> Seagull S, E/F-band surface search radar<br />
• 1 × <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_364_Radar" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Type 364 Radar">Type 364 Radar</a>, Seagull C, G-band air search radar aft<br />
• 1 × <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_344_Radar" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Type 344 Radar">Type 344 Radar</a>, I band fire control radar<br />
• 1 × navigational radar</td></tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: top;"><td style="vertical-align: top;">Armament:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;">• 1 × <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AK-176" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="AK-176">AK-176</a> 76 mm (3.0 in) gun<br />
• 4 × <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AK-630" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="AK-630">AK-630</a> 30 mm (1.2 in) <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIWS" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="CIWS">CIWS</a><br />
• 4 × 18-tube Type 726-4 decoy/<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaff_(countermeasure)" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Chaff (countermeasure)">chaff</a>launcher<br />
• Possible installation of 2-4 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_machine_gun" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Heavy machine gun">heavy machine guns</a> (Fitted <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_but_not_with" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="For but not with">for but not with</a>)</td></tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: top;"><td style="vertical-align: top;">Aircraft carried:</td><td style="vertical-align: top;">4 <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%C3%A9rospatiale_Super_Frelon" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Aérospatiale Super Frelon">Z-8 Super Frelon</a></td></tr>
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December 5 2013 <b> USS Nimitz has left South China Sea: Senkaku islands fall under the U.S.-Japan security alliance]</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">December 4 2013. USS Nimitz, along with embarked Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 11, CVW- 11 and Destroyer Squadron 23 made the brief stop at Honolulu while headed home after an eight-and-a-half month deployment to the U.S. 5th, 6th and 7th Fleet areas of responsibilities (AORs).
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz in the South China Sea, which is part of its area of responsibility, Nov. 19, 2013. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">December 2, 2013. Japan and the United States held a joint sea maneuver over waters off Okinawa. November 29, China launched two fighter planes to investigate flights by a dozen U.S. and Japanese reconnaissance and military planes in its new ADIZ. Both sides are getting ready for saber rattling. The United States sent two B-52 bombers to China's new ADIZ on Nov. 26. China didn't take action against the “intruding” planes, because the ADIZ restrictions apply only to civil aviation, not to military aircraft.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel reiterated November 30 that the Senkaku islands fall under the U.S.-Japan security alliance, which obligates the United States to defend the territory against any potential attempt to seize them.
The islands were transferred from U.S. to Japanese possession in 1972, along with Okinawa. China does not recognize the legitimacy of the transfer and claims the islands should have been returned to them along with Taiwan following World War II. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(Sept. 21, 2013)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> A landing craft air cushion (LCAC) from Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 4 leaves the well deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3). Kearsarge is the flagship for the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group and, with the embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (26th MEU), is deployed in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">GULF OF ADEN (Sept. 7, 2013) The amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) conducts operations at sea. Kearsarge is the flagship for the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group and, with the embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, is deployed in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The ARG includes the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), the amphibious transport dock ship USS San Antonio (LPD 17), which left the 5th Fleet AOR during summer, the amphibious dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50), Assault Craft Unit 4, and Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC 28).</span></div>
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[October 6]</div>
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US military forces have conducted an operation in Somalia targeting a member of the rebel group al-Shabab.<br />
On October 5, George Little, the press secretary for the US Department of Defence, confirmed the raid was carried out.<br />
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He said that the operation was aimed at capturing a "high value al-Shabab terrorist leader" and that no US personnel were injured or killed.<br />
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"US personnel took all necessary precautions to avoid civilians casualties in this operation and disengaged after inflicting some al-Shabab casualties. We are not in a position to identify those casualties," said Little.<br />
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Although the Shabab leader was believed to have been killed during the assault, the SEALs had to withdraw before they could confirm the kill.."The Baraawe raid was planned a week and a half ago, It was prompted by the Westgate attack," A senior Somali government official told the newspaper that "the attack was carried out by the American forces and the Somali government was pre-informed about the attack."<br />
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[October 5]<br />
A U.S. official described the action in Barawe as a capture operation against a high-value target in a two-story beachside house. The official said a U.S. Navy SEAL team engaged al-Shabab militants and sought to avoid civilian casualties. The U.S. forces disengaged target after inflicting some casualties on fighters.<br />
The leader of the al-Qaida-linked Somali militant group al-Shabab, Mukhtar Abu Zubeyr, also known as Ahmed Godane, claimed responsibility for the attack on the upscale mall in Nairobi, Kenya, a four-day terrorist siege that began on Sept. 21 and killed at least 67 people. A Somali intelligence official said the al-Shabab leader was the target of Saturday's raid.<br />
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Al Arabiya<br />
Somalia’s Islamist militia al-Shabaab said on October 5 that a dawn raid at its strongholds in the small town of Barawe in the south of the country was carried out by British and Turkish special forces.
The commander of the British force, it said, was killed during the attack and four other SAS operatives were critically wounded. One Turkish soldier was also wounded, A British Defence Ministry spokeswoman said: "We are not aware of any British involvement in this at all." A Turkish Foreign Ministry official denied any Turkish part in such an action.<br />
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October 4:“The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group is operating in the Red Sea as a prudent positioning of forces should the capabilities of the strike group be needed there, and it places that group in a position to conduct maritime security operations and exercises with our partners in that part of the region.”
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CVN-75 Truman Carrier group 24Se-01Oct2013, North Arabian Sea<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.578125px;"> USS Georgia (SSGN 729) transited Suez Canal September 14.</span><br />
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"White soldiers" arrived by boat at the port of Barawe. Residents in Barawe, which is controlled by militants, say they were woken up by heavy fighting before dawn on October 5.
"Gunfire broke out for about 10-15 minutes,"
No-one has admitted the attack. The targets of the raid were "high-profile" foreigners.
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[March 24 2010]<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_bDsV9xf-Zw4/S6ofwnItydI/AAAAAAAABMk/shUUaIlXEIY/s1600/Almezaan.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452205218885126610" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_bDsV9xf-Zw4/S6ofwnItydI/AAAAAAAABMk/shUUaIlXEIY/s200/Almezaan.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 133px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bDsV9xf-Zw4/S6ofTc_1sxI/AAAAAAAABMM/3ZAKWRbsqYM/s1600/Almezaan+2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452204717947335442" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bDsV9xf-Zw4/S6ofTc_1sxI/AAAAAAAABMM/3ZAKWRbsqYM/s400/Almezaan+2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 96px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 145px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bDsV9xf-Zw4/S6ofTJGG9FI/AAAAAAAABME/vd9HaCIIMYU/s1600/Almezaan+3.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452204712604922962" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bDsV9xf-Zw4/S6ofTJGG9FI/AAAAAAAABME/vd9HaCIIMYU/s400/Almezaan+3.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 96px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 145px;" /></a><br />
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Almezaan IMO: 7906710<br />
owner: Shahmir Maritime, <br />
manager: BIYAT INTERNATIONAL GROUP OF COMPANIES L.L.C.<br />
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Nov. 30, 2009<br />
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MOGADISHU //[Crew members spoke on board the ship, which is now docked in Mogadishu’s port.] The hijackers attacked in broad daylight. Just after noon, when the intense sun casts a harsh glare off the deep blue Indian Ocean, three small speedboats ferrying about 10 pirates each approached the MV al Mezaan.<br />
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Mohamed Bashir Baht, left, the Pakistani engineer of the ship, said the pirates told the crew they were going to shoot them.<br />
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“They started firing in the air and they shot a rocket launcher,” said Mohammed Shafi Noor, 70, the captain, who is from Mumbai. “They had powerful boats. They came on board and hassled us very badly. They told me to stop the vessel.”<br />
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The MV al Mezaan set sail from Ajman on October 25 destined for Mogadishu, Somalia’s war-racked capital. The vessel is operated by Biyat International, a Dubai shipping company, and is owned by Shahmir Maritime, a company based in the Caribbean nation of St Vincent and the Grenadines, maritime experts said. It is registered in Panama.<br />
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Sushil Kumar Verma, the second engineer on MV al Mezaan. He was aboard the vessel when it was previously hijacked twice this year.<br />
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One week into the voyage, on November 3, the 2,000-tonne, 50-metre vessel was seized in open waters and was rerouted to the town of Garacad, a notorious pirate lair in the northern Somali region of Puntland.<br />
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Some of the cargo may have been offloaded in Garacad, but the crew had no way of confirming this. <br />
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According to the captain of the Mezaan, the ship was carrying “general cargo” – sugar, cooking oil, building materials and used cars – to be sold in Mogadishu.<br />
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Last month’s seizure was not the first time the ship had been hijacked. The Mezaan, which is regularly chartered by Somali businessmen to ferry goods from Dubai to Mogadishu, was held by pirates for one week in May. The second engineer, Sushil Kumar Verma, an Indian, was on board during both hijackings.<br />
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“The second time was more difficult,” he said. “The first time was only six days and was easy. This time was two weeks.”<br />
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The next day, just as mysteriously as they had arrived, the pirates slipped back into their skiffs and motored away and the Mezaan was free to continue its journey to Mogadishu. The captain said he does not know if a ransom was paid.<br />
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The crew were in good spirits as they waited aboard the ship for instructions from the shipping company. Mr Noor said he is ready to go home, but would make the trip to Somalia again if called upon.<br />
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“We are ready to go home if they can send us,” he said. “We are seafarers. If they send us back [to Somalia], we don’t have a choice. Our stomachs have to be filled somehow.”<br />
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Another report: <br />
This now clarifies that the vessel sea-jacked last Friday and now approaching the Somali coast is MV AL MEZAAN (IMO number: 7906710) a general cargo ship with a gross tonnage of 2086 built 1979 and sailing under the flag of convenience of Panama. The vessel sports as "registered owner" SHAHMIR MARITIME of St Vincent & The Grenadines while BIYAT INTERNATIONAL from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates serves as ship-manager. Only questions remaining: Are there armored vehicles on board as claimed by the pirates and will the Somali businessmen involved be able to get the crew and vessel free as soon as possible? "We decided to free the merchant ship" when it reaches the coast, Muse Salad, a pirate spokesman, said today by telephone to Bloomberg. "The ship carries foodstuffs like rice, flour, sugar and building materials". The vessel was under way from the United Arab Emirates to Mogadishu when it was seized, Ali Mohamed Siyad, a market traders’ chief at Bakara, Somalia, said by telephone. The crew is Asian, including Indians, and the cargo is owned by Somali businesspeople, he said. <br />
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Early on the morning of Tuesday 23 March, a Panamanian-flagged cargo ship, UAE owned, MV ALMEZAAN, en route to Mogadishu, was attacked by pirates off the Somali coast. <br />
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The ship was approximately 60 miles south of Haradere.<br />
EU NAVFOR understands that the attack was successfully repulsed, the pirates broke off their attack and they have left the vicinity of the ALMEZAAN. All personnel onboard the ALMEZAAN are reported to be well. Early on the morning of Tuesday 23 March, an EU NAVFOR warship received a distress call from a merchant ship off the Somalia coast and proceeded at high speed to assist.<br />
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As previously reported, the Panamanian-flagged cargo ship, MV ALMEZAAN, en route to Mogadishu, was under attack from pirates. An armed private vessel protection detachment on board the ship returned fire, successfully repelling the first attack, but the pirates continued to pursue. A second attack was repelled and the pirates fled the area.<br />
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The EU NAVFOR frigate ESPS NAVARRA, from the Spanish Navy, was dispatched by the Force Commander, Rear Admiral Giovanni Gumiero of the Italian Navy, and raced to the scene of the incident. She launched her helicopter, quickly locating the ALMEZAAN and the pirates’ boats, known as skiffs. When the suspects failed to heed the helicopter’s instructions to stop, warning shots were fired by the aircraft, after which a team from NAVARRA boarded a skiff.<br />
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There were three boats, comprising one mother ship and two pirate skiffs. In the first skiff they found three suspected pirates and, in the second, three suspects and a fourth individual, who had died. The body has been transferred to NAVARRA, and an investigation indicated that the individual had died from small calibre gunshot wounds. The mother ship has now been destroyed and the remaining six suspects have been taken onboard the NAVARRA.kokstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02486048015925497542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712210113135285881.post-40545640706000822052016-05-01T12:15:00.000-04:002016-05-01T12:15:04.096-04:00Eastern Libya NOC crude export termed illegal by UN<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">MT Distya Ameya </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Indian-flag <i>Distya Ameya</i> arrived April 30 at about 9 a.m. local time at Zawiya in western Libya, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The UN Security Council added the vessel to its sanctions list on April 27 after the Mediterranean island of Malta refused to let it dock there. The NOC in Tripoli called the shipment illegal and informed Libya’s newly formed UN-backed unity government about the eastern government’s attempt to export oil independently. The Indian-flagged tanker <i>Distya Ameya</i>, which left the eastern Libyan port of Hariga carrying oil they said could not be lawfully sold. The eastern government has set up its own National Oil Corporation (NOC) to act in parallel to the Tripoli-based NOC that is recognised internationally as the only legitimate seller of Libyan oil.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A UN-backed unity government, which arrived in the capital in March, includes figures from across Libya’s divides but has not yet been fully accepted by either of the two loose alliances fighting for power since 2014.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the shipment had been ordered for a company called DSA Consultancy FZC, registered in the United Arab Emirates. Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman, DSA, despite being three separate emirates, form a continuous urban area</span></div>
<br /><br />[November 10 2014 <b>Second tanker to load crude at Eastern Libyan Marsa El Hariga </b>]<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ELBTANK GERMANY</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A second tanker would dock later on November 23 at the port located in Tobruk to load 600,000 barrels of oil, NOC spokesman Mohammad el-Harari said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">IMO: 9188764</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Name: ELBTANK GERMANY</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">MMSI: 255805270</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Type: TANKER</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gross Tonnage: 22848</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Summer DWT: 35407 t</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Build: 1999</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Flag: MADEIRA INTERNATIONAL REGISTER</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tb Marine Shipmanagement</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hamburg, Germany</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With the exception of fishing vessels, MADEIRA INTERNATIONAL REGISTER accepts the registration of all types of commercial vessels, including oil rig platforms, as well as commercial and pleasure yachts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Madeira’s Register also offers a very competitive tax regime, applicable to both vessels and shipping companies licensed within the legal framework of the International Business Centre of Madeira.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For the convenience of our clients, the process of provisional registration of a vessel in MAR may now be initiated on-line.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> the licence is deemed to be granted in favour of the company once the applicant furnishes proof of the formation and registration of such company.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">previous ports</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">MISURATA [LY] (2014-11-05 18:28:00)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">AUGUSTA [IT] (2014-11-14 19:48:00)</span></div>
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[November 10 <b>Tobruk guards block tanker loading ]</b></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p7bF8utcJYA/VGEDHPyYRAI/AAAAAAAAENE/gePkEj7arF8/s1600/Marsa%2Bal%2BHariga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p7bF8utcJYA/VGEDHPyYRAI/AAAAAAAAENE/gePkEj7arF8/s1600/Marsa%2Bal%2BHariga.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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A tanker had been waiting for three days to lift oil from Hariga, located in Tobruk, but the guards did not allow it to do so,. The port was only open for fuel imports and the exports of refinery products, The protesters at Hariga were part of a state security oil force that has gone on strike over pay several times this year.<br />
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[July 3 2011 <b>Captain X Kyriakou: last crude out of Tobruk, Libya</b>]<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hcR4VGWbCIE/TjVWSDnQPmI/AAAAAAAACvw/Ua_EM3te_5A/s1600/cxKyriakou.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635505376931626594" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hcR4VGWbCIE/TjVWSDnQPmI/AAAAAAAACvw/Ua_EM3te_5A/s400/cxKyriakou.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 225px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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Captain X Kyriakou, Suezmax tanker, MH-flag, was chartered from Athenian Sea Carriers Ltd. by Swiss-based trading house Vitol earlier in July and is now leaving a position off Sarroch, Sardinia on a course of 157° perhaps towards Suez. It had been seen off Marsa El Hariga near Tobruk and Benghazi in eastern Libya, the rebels' stronghold.<br />
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The ship can carry up to 1 million barrels but was only partially loaded. The oil was from storage tanks rather than being fresh barrels from oilfields.<br />
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The cargo is the second export from the rebels and it may be the last before Libyan production restarts.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uLwtAXuV-2o/TjVYt0Z9agI/AAAAAAAACv4/rb3mDEc6ZuI/s1600/cxKyriakou%2Bmx.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635508052908927490" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uLwtAXuV-2o/TjVYt0Z9agI/AAAAAAAACv4/rb3mDEc6ZuI/s400/cxKyriakou%2Bmx.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 241px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 134px;" /></a><br />
Athenian Sea Carriers Ltd.<br />
Minos Kyriakou (b. 1942) established in 1965 Athenian Tankers Inc., with two small tankers he already owned. He initially built his business on the transportation of vegetable oils. In 1976, he established two oil trading corporations, Bacoil International and Athenian Oil Trading Inc., which trade petroleum products worldwide. At the age of 38, Minos became the youngest member of the Lloyd's Register of Shipping Committee in London, which oversees some 60 committees.<br />
In 1999 Minos Kyriakou expanded his activities by establishing Antenna Group, the leading media group in Greece and the Greek-speaking world. In 1997, Kyriakou took over the Panellinios athletics club. The club organizes the Athens Tsiklitiria international meeting; in 1999, Maurice Green ran the 100 m in 9"79 (world record). In 2002, the IAAF decided to include the Athens meeting among the seven meetings of the Super Grand Prix. Kyriakou is also President of the the Hellenic Olympic Committee<br />
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CAPTAIN X. KYRIAKOU<br />
Ship Type: Tanker<br />
Year Built: 2003<br />
Length x Breadth: 274 m X 48 m<br />
DeadWeight: 159113 t<br />
Speed recorded (Max / Average): 12.7 / 7.4 knots<br />
Flag: Marshall Is [MH] <br />
Call Sign: V7FD6<br />
IMO: 9269087, MMSI: 538001913kokstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02486048015925497542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712210113135285881.post-82522842713447910282016-04-28T16:27:00.000-04:002016-04-28T16:27:03.065-04:00 Pakistan’s Gwadar Port vs South China Sea crude route<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gwadar</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chinese Overseas Ports will manage Pakistan’s Gwadar Port free-trade zone the free-trade zone on a 43-year lease. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gwadar port is a deep sea port that sits next to the Strait of Hormuz, the key oil route in and out of the Persian Gulf and it lies only 120km from the Iranian border.. With a deep-sea port in the Arabian Sea and a land route to remote western China, some of Beijing’s Middle Eastern oil could travel the short route through Pakistan, instead of 6,000 miles through the Malacca Straits to Shanghai. That’s the route more than 80 percent of China’s oil and natural resources now have to take. The South China Sea extends from the Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan, where China is in conflict with the United States and its allies for control . The newly-minted USN commander of the carrier strike group said the increased U.S. military presence in Southeast Asia does not risk making things worse. Last year, the U.S. began to challenge China by sailing warships near its reclaimed reefs in so-called freedom of navigation operations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“This is a routine, scheduled deployment,” Rear Adm. Marcus Hitchcock said. “We’ve committed to unimpeded commerce in this region.” The resumption of freedom of navigation operations in the area is not a challenge to sovereignty, he added. “They are challenges to excessive territorial claims. We take no position on sovereignty other than to say we hope there is a peaceful and diplomatic resolution to sovereignty challenges here in this region.”</span><br />
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[February 5 <b>Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54) in FONOP</b>]</div>
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<a href="https://img.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=https://img.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2016/01/2300-uschina0131-v2.jpg&w=1484" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://img.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=https://img.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2016/01/2300-uschina0131-v2.jpg&w=1484" width="304" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">On January 30, the United States Navy conducted its second freedom of navigation operation (FONOP) in recent months. This time, the destroyer USS Curtiss Wilbur transited within twelve nautical miles of Triton Island—a PRC-held feature in the Paracels also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan. Unlike Subi Reef, which was the focus of the USS Lassen’s FON patrol last October, Triton Island is not one of China’s artificial islands. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying condemned the operation, stating that the American vessel “violated the relevant Chinese law [on innocent passage] and entered China’s territorial sea without authorization.” Her counterpart, Lu Kang, suggested that the operation was nothing more than “the pursuit of maritime hegemony . . . under the cloak of ‘freedom of navigation.’
,U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia Daniel Russel clarified that the ASEAN summit that President Obama will host this month is “not anti-China.” The Pentagon did not notify any of the three countries of its plans to transit the area.
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[May 3 2008 <b>China's concern about its access to vital sea lanes</b> </span><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bDsV9xf-Zw4/SByPGDaMD-I/AAAAAAAAAFw/TuDarcvdlf4/s1600-h/sub+entrance.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196185404235845602" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bDsV9xf-Zw4/SByPGDaMD-I/AAAAAAAAAFw/TuDarcvdlf4/s200/sub+entrance.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0;" />Sanya Hainan</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Jane's Intelligence Review editor Christian Le Miere said: "China's nuclear and naval build-up at Sanya underlines Beijing's desire to assert tighter control over this region.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"China's increasing dependence on imported petroleum and mineral resources has contributed to an intensified Chinese concern about defending its access to vital sea lanes, particularly to its south.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"It is this concern that in large part is driving China's development of power-projection naval forces such as aircraft carriers and long-range nuclear submarines." <a href="http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iema9n-4jKuB4iI2osBoXGyJHiUQ">here</a></span>kokstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02486048015925497542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712210113135285881.post-59893070885801072692016-04-11T10:05:00.000-04:002016-04-11T10:07:43.750-04:00USN Special Projects Patrol Squadron (VPU) 2 “Wizards” had a spy<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lt. Cmdr. Edward C. Lin faces several counts of espionage and other charges outlined during a April 8 Article 32 hearing in Norfolk, Va. Lin had a career as a signals intelligence specialist on the Navy’s Lockheed Martin EP-3E Aries II reconnaissance aircraft. The U.S. Naval Institute said Lin also had been a department head with the Special Projects Patrol Squadron (VPU) 2 “Wizards” at Kaneohe Bay, a highly secretive group that flies specially-modified spy planes and has been known to change aircraft paint schemes and identifying numbers to blend in with other Navy planes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lin’s job on the Aries II, which bear a resemblance to the maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare P-3C Orion, was to manage the collection of electronic signals from the aircraft – a central coordinator. The specifics of how the U.S. gathers signals from potential adversaries are among the military’s most closely guarded secrets. Knowing the methodology for how the U.S. gathers signals intelligence – information that Lin would likely have with his Aries II experience – could allow adversaries to devise ways to counter U.S. monitoring.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[July 20 2014 <b>RIMPAC gets four China navy ship participants and one spy </b>]</span></div>
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<a href="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/y2dR9lqhUZGhp4yQ2IdR0Q--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NQ--/http://globalfinance.zenfs.com/en_us/Finance/US_AFTP_SILICONALLEY_H_LIVE/China_Deploys_Spy_Ship_Off-de4214bd4bad4eca576bb59b309df9e9" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/y2dR9lqhUZGhp4yQ2IdR0Q--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NQ--/http://globalfinance.zenfs.com/en_us/Finance/US_AFTP_SILICONALLEY_H_LIVE/China_Deploys_Spy_Ship_Off-de4214bd4bad4eca576bb59b309df9e9" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: start;">Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy electronic surveillance ship Beijixing (pennant number 851). A ship of this class is currently off the coast of Oahu, monitoring RIMPAC 2014. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> “This AGI is most likely to be the Type 815 Dongdiao-class intelligence collection vessel Beijixing (pennant number 851), home ported in the East Sea Fleet,” Erickson, an associate professor at the Naval War College said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“Beijixing is the most experienced vessel from the PLAN’s [China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy ] most advanced class of AGI. Based on Internet photos and Japanese government and other media reports, Beijixing is China’s most well-traveled AGI, having operated frequently near and within Japan’s claimed Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).” What’s strange about the Chinese ship monitoring RIMPAC from afar is four PLAN ships and their crews have already been included in most levels of the operation. RIMPAC — held every two years — includes 50 ships, 200 aircraft and more than 25,000 military personnel from 23 nations. The exercises will run until August.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[March 9 2013]</span></div>
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<strong style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;">Chinese Navy's missile destroyer "Harbin" fires during the AMAN-13 exercise in the Arabian Sea, March 8, 2013. Naval ships from 14 countries, including China, the United States, Britain and Pakistan, joined a five-day naval drill in the Arabian Sea from March 4, involving 24 ships, 25 helicopters, and special forces.</span></span></strong></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #424858; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">The U.S., which
traditionally has maintained an impressive array of naval forces comprised of
units of the Sixth Fleet, had decided to reduce its naval presence in the
Eastern Mediterranean, but in view of the increased traffic -- from Russia,
China and especially the Islamic Republic of Iran -- has now changed its mind
and will retain a significant naval force in the area.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.5pt;">Regional security
arrangements have changed considerably since the onset of the Arab Spring, and
developments in the Middle East have enhanced Cairo’s role within the strategic
framework. Reliable sources say the Muslim Brotherhood-controlled government
has offered Washington “more than facilities” in order to ensure Washington’s
continued support during the Muslim Brothers’ crisis-ridden bid to secure
control over the state.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.5pt;">Officials at the US embassy in
Cairo confirmed the impression of a continuing close relationship between
Egypt’s Armed Forces, the US Defense Department and the administration in
Washington.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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[March 1]The 14th naval squad, sent by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, departed February 16 from China to the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters for escort missions.</div>
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[February 25 2011]</div>
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China said it was sending a navy ship to protect its citizens being evacuated. The PLA Navy has just dispatched Xuzhou,F530, a Type 054 Jiangkai-II class missile frigate, from the ongoing seventh PLAN anti-piracy task force deployment off Somalia to steam to Libyan coast to provide support and protection for the ongoing evacuation mission there. The escort mission has been approved by the Central Military Commission, according to Xinhua, and at least 6,300 of the roughly 30,000 PRC citizens in Libya have been evacuated. Xuzhou incorporates many stealth features: sloped hull design; radar absorbent materials; and reduction of surface equipment and features.</div>
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Builders: Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard</div>
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Huangpu Shipyard</div>
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Operators: People's Liberation Army Navy</div>
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Preceded by: Type 054 frigate</div>
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Succeeded by: Type 054B frigate</div>
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Cost: ¥ 1.58 billion</div>
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Completed: 10</div>
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Xuzhou</div>
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General characteristics</div>
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Type: Frigate</div>
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Displacement: 4,053 tonnes (full), 3,600 tonnes (standard)</div>
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Length: 134 m (440 ft)(CCTV report)</div>
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Beam: 16 m (52 ft) (CCTV report)</div>
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Propulsion: CODAD, 4 x SEMT Pielstick 16 PA6 STC diesels, 5700 kW (7600+ hp @ 1084 rpm) each</div>
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Speed: 30 kn estimated</div>
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Range: 3,800 miles estimated</div>
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Sensors and processing systems: </div>
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Type 382 Radar (Upgraded from Type 381 Radar "Sea Eagle S/C") 3D air/surface search radar</div>
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Type 344 (Mineral-ME Band Stand) OTH target acquisition and SSM fire control radar</div>
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4 x Type 345 (MR-90 Front Dome) SAM fire control radars</div>
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MR-36A surface search radar, I-band</div>
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Type 347G 76 mm gun fire control radar</div>
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2 x Racal RM-1290 navigation radars, I-band</div>
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MGK-335 medium frequency active/passive sonar system</div>
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ZKJ-4B/6 (developed from Thomson-CSF TAVITAC) combat data system</div>
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HN-900 Data link (Chinese equivalent of Link 11A/B, to be upgraded)</div>
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SNTI-240 SATCOM</div>
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Electronic warfare</div>
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and decoys: Type 922-1 radar warning receiver</div>
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HZ-100 ECM & ELINT system</div>
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Armament: 1 x HQ-16 32-cell VLS SAM launcher</div>
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2 x 4 C-803 anti-ship / land attack cruise missiles</div>
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1 x 76 mm dual purpose gun</div>
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2 x Type 730 7-barrel 30 mm CIWS guns</div>
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Triple 324 mm YU-7 ASW torpedoes</div>
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2 x Type 726-4 18-tube decoy rocket launchers</div>
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Aircraft carried: 1 Kamov Ka-28 'Helix' or Harbin Z-9C</div>
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Aviation facilities:</div>
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<a href="http://convenientflags.blogspot.com/2011/02/tien-hau-7th-escort-taskforce.html"></a><a href="http://convenientflags.blogspot.com/2011/02/tien-hau-7th-escort-taskforce.html">earlier</a></div>
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kokstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02486048015925497542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712210113135285881.post-73101034439543682232016-03-05T17:43:00.000-05:002016-03-05T17:43:07.472-05:00North Korean ship Jin Teng seized, Ocean Maritime Management Company sanctioned<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: start;">Jin Teng</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Philippines said on March 5 it had seized a North Korean freighter that was covered by harsher United Nations' sanctions against Pyongyang over its nuclear program.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Manila will also deport the vessel's 21 North Korean crew and will await a U.N. inspection team from the United Nations. Jin Teng 6,830 deadweight tonne (dwt) cargo ship Jin , flying a Sierra Leone flag, arrived on Feb. 27 and was unloading palm kernels. The U.N. resolution said the 31 ships were "economic resources controlled or operated by Ocean Maritime Management and therefore subject to the asset freeze".</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Jin Teng has called at Palembang, Indonesia, and Kaohsiung, Taiwan, since the beginning of this year</span>.</div>
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[July 30 2014 <b> Ocean Maritime Management Company sanctioned for smuggling arms on Chong Chon Gang, North Korean ship seized </b>]</div>
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<span style="line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">U.S. Treasury Department announced July 30 it was imposing sanctions on the Chongchongang Shipping Company, which owned the ship. It also sanctioned Ocean Maritime Management Company, which allegedly provided the ship's captain and crew with instructions to conceal the weapons and provide false documentation</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[February 15 <b>Chong Chon Gang:departs Panama for Cuba</b>]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Chong Chon Gang, North Korean ship seized with undeclared Cuban weapons on board is returning to Cuba, says the Panamanian government.Panama's Foreign Ministry said the ship set off on February 15.</span></div>
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[July 31 2013]</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">About 25 percent of the sugar has been removed so far. Officials have found most of the weapons Havana said were on board, including the two fighter jets, originally produced by the Soviet Union in the late 1950s, and two missile radar systems.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Investigators have gone through most of two storage houses in the 155-meter (510 foot) vessel, but three more warehouses remain.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Pentagon had long since written off the island as a military threat.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Since Cuba's military doctrine was designed to deter any attack, it needs to maintain the arms it has, he added.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">'Cuba cannot afford to buy anything newer and does not have repair facilities of its own for such needs,' he said.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">'Thus if it is not to scrap, for example, the aircraft entirely, it must repair and potentially update them in some areas.'</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In early July, a top North Korean general, Kim Kyok Sik, visited Cuba and met counterparts on the island.</span></div>
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[July 22]</div>
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PANAMA CITY, Panama — Panamanian authorities have found two Soviet-era MiG-21 fighter jets aboard Chong Chon Gang, a North Korea-flagged ship seized this month as it tried to pass through the Panama Canal after departing from Cuba.</div>
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[July 18]<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arms smuggler?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Another old North Korean freighter, the 390-foot O Un Chong Nyon Ho, had made the same trip last year without attracting suspicion, passing through the Panama Canal and calling at the same two Cuban ports.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The two freighters were among five North Korean cargo vessels that had traversed the Panama Canal since 2010, underscoring the rarity of North Korean shipping in the area.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It was not known what cargo the O Un Chong Nyon Ho might have carried to or from Cuba in 2012 but it made the same Cuban port calls as its impounded sister vessel, stopping first in Havana for a few days in May 2012, then visiting Puerto Padre, a major sugar export point, for five days, then returning to Havana for a stopover of about three weeks before heading home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">O UN CHONG NYON HO<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>IMO:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>8330815<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Description:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Port of registry: Chongjin (North Korea) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">IMO: 8330815 </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Call sign: HMAD </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ex-names: - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Type/class: General cargo </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Built by: Chongjin Shipyard - Huichon (North Korea) in 1983 </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">DWT: 9,913 </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Home port:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Chongjin</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Class society:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Korean Shipping Register</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Build year:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1983</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Builder*:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Chongjin Shipyard</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Huichon, North Korea</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Owner:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Ocean Maritime Management</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Pyongyang, North Korea</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Manager:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Ocean Maritime Management</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Pyongyang, North Korea</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">North Korea is also known to be seeking to evade sanctions and get spare parts for its own weapons systems, particularly Mig jet fighters. That raises the possibility that in lieu of cash, Cuba was paying for the repairs with a mix of sugar and jet equipment, experts said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“We think it is credible that they could be sending some of these systems for repair and upgrade work,” said Neil Ashdown, an analyst for IHS Jane’s Intelligence. “But equally there is stuff in that shipment that could be used in North Korea and not be going back.Panamanian authorities said it might take a week to search the ship, since so far they have only examined two of its five container sections.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[July 17]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">On July 17, Cuba, one of North Korea's few allies, claimed the shipment as its own, with the foreign ministry listing 240 metric tons of "obsolete defensive weapons," including two anti-aircraft missile systems, as being on board.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There were also "nine missiles in parts and spares," various Mig-21 aircraft parts and 15 plane motors, "all of it manufactured in the mid-20th century" and "to be repaired and returned to Cuba."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"The agreements subscribed by Cuba in this field are supported by the need to maintain our defensive capacity in order to preserve national sovereignty," the ministry said in an English-language statement. Analysts in Seoul said the North, which successfully launched a long-range rocket to put a satellite into orbit last December, was fully capable of providing missile repair services for other countries.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"But we cannot rule out the possibility of North Korea importing parts for its own Soviet-era missiles", Shin In-Kyun, president of the private Korea Defence Network</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[July 16]</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">Chong Chon Gang IMO: 7937317</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ausairpower.net/PVO-S/SNR-75M3-PV-Van-MiroslavGyurosi-3S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://www.ausairpower.net/PVO-S/SNR-75M3-PV-Van-MiroslavGyurosi-3S.jpg" height="320" width="210" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">SNR-75 fire control radar</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Chong Chon Gang was tracked leaving Vostochnyy, Russia on April 12, according to Lloyd's List Intelligence, a maritime intelligence company. It was next registered arriving in Balboa, on the Panama Canal's Pacific side, on May 31, and crossed the waterway the next day with a stated destination of Havana, Cuba.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It then disappeared from the tracking system and reappeared in Manzanillo, Panama, on July 11, according to shipping data obtained by research group IHS Maritime. IHS said there were indications it had changed cargo in the interim.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">IHS Jane, a global analytics firm, said it had identified the equipment shown in the images as an SNR-75 'Fan Song' fire control radar for the SA-2 family of surface-to-air missiles.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Listen to the full report in the following audio.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="190" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="20080119csrcsrnac_5" scrolling="no" src="http://www.radiopanama.com.pa/playermini.aspx?id=1933286"></iframe>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hidden in sugar</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Panamanian authorities have seized a North Korean-flagged ship traveling from Cuba that was carrying “undeclared military cargo," Panama's president, Ricardo Martinelli, said late Monday night.It retained a ship in the Port of Manzanillo in Columbus with military equipment from Cuba, North Korea flag President Ricardo Martinelli said : "The ship brought sugar, removing the first litter found military equipment, the captain committed suicide, and the crew refused to cooperate. "</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The seizure reportedly took place last Friday afternoon when Panamanian security forces boarded the Chong Chon Gang IMO: 7937317, as it prepared to enter the Panama Canal, apparently on its way to North Korea.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Vessel's Details</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ship Type: Cargo</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Year Built: 1977</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Length x Breadth: 155 m X 20 m</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Gross Tonnage: 9147, DeadWeight: 13990 t</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Speed recorded (Max / Average): 6 / 5.5 knots</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Flag: DPR Korea [KP]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Call Sign: HMZF</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">IMO: 7937317, MMSI: 445114000</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Last Position Received</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Area: Panama Canal</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Latitude / Longitude: 9.3700° / -79.8846° (Map)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Speed/Course 0 knots / 207˚</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Last Known Port: MANZANILLO</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Info Received: 2d 3h 41min ago (AIS Source: 98)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Not Currently in Range</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Itineraries History</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Voyage Related Info (Last Received)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Draught: 8.9 m</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Destination: PANAMA</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ETA: 2013-07-09 17:30</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Info Received: 2013-07-14 06:56 (2d, 3h 41min ago)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> "The French Aircraft Carrier Charles De Gaulle today passed through the Suez Canal," maritime officials from the Authority managing the Egyptian waterway said March 3.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On March 1 a "French military source" cited by an Arab media organ indicated that the aircraft carrier is headed "toward being off the Libyan coast" and was taking on board "fighting groups at the disposition of the French Army to gather information on Libya by air and sea".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The French source, cited by Al-Wasat, had indicated that the aircraft carrier left the Persian Gulf a week earlier and was due to arrive off the coast of Libya "at the end of the current week," which in Islamic countries finishes Friday, March 4. It was sent to the Gulf in December to strike ISIL in Syria. It will carry out joint exercises with Egypt - a country very concerned about the ISIL's activities in Libya that conducted air strikes there in 2015.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">[April 28 2014 <b>Mediterranean: all those submarines</b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">American adversaries, such as Iran, Syria and Russia itself, still believe that President Obama is capable of using force to advance American interests, despite his reluctance to strike Syria last year. “We’ve now seen 15 to 20 percent of those chemical weapons on their way out of Syria with a very concrete schedule to get rid of the rest,” Obama says. “That would not have happened had the Iranians said, ‘Obama’s bluffing, he’s not actually really willing to take a strike.’ If the Russians had said, ‘Ehh, don’t worry about it, all those submarines that are floating around your coastline, that’s all just for show.’ Of course they took it seriously! That’s why they engaged in the policy they did.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">[;March 2 3014]
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">USS George H W Bush (CVN 77)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The US Navy's Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George H W Bush (CVN 77) departs Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, on 15 February on its second deployment to support US Fifth and Sixth Fleet operations. It will carry out maritime and theatre security activities, and will support Operation 'Enduring Freedom'.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HST CSG) and French Navy Task Force 473 concluded five weeks of combined carrier strike group operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet Area of Responsibility (AOR) Feb 2.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The two strike groups began conducting integrated operations Dec. 26 in the Gulf of Oman and have operated together in the northern Arabian Sea and the Arabian Gulf</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush left Naval Station Norfolk on February 15 on its second deployment, leading a strike group of ships and aircraft to the Persian Gulf and Mediterranean Sea.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The deployment is part of an ongoing rotation of U.S forces in the region, the Navy said.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Besides the Bush, the strike group consists of the guided missile destroyer USS Truxton, which also left from Norfolk, plus two warships based at Naval Station Mayport in Florida: the guided missile destroyer USS Roosevelt and guided missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The strike group is commanded by Rear Adm. John C. Aquilino and includes Carrier Air Wing 8, which consists of squadrons of fighter jets, early-warning aircraft, support planes and helicopters.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The USS Boxer ARG with the 13th MEU embarked is underway in the U.S. 5th Fleet AOR supporting maritime security operations and conducting theater security cooperation efforts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The USS Bataan with the 22nd MEU embarked is underway for an eight-month deployment in the US 5th and 6th Fleet AORs supporting maritime security operations and conducting theater security cooperation efforts.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">USS Maine (SSBN 741) </span></td></tr>
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The Ohio-Class Ballistic Missile Submarine USS Maine (SSBN 741) returns home to Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor following a strategic deterrent patrol.<br />
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[February 28]<br />
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A Russian warship is blocking the port of Balaklava in the Crimea. A Russian Tarantul-Class Missile Boat is seen in the video below blocking Balaklava bay incuding a coast guard base. Ivanovets # 954, Black Sea Fleet, 295th Sulinsk Missile Boat Division,Tarantul lll class corvette(1988).</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://turkishnavy.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/kaliningrad-774x320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://turkishnavy.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/kaliningrad-774x320.jpg" height="132" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaliningrad from Syria for Sevastopol?</td></tr>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uRVjt6fHSpI/UYE01uSYDgI/AAAAAAAAGxc/YQ-x-_pch7I/s640/IMG_0264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uRVjt6fHSpI/UYE01uSYDgI/AAAAAAAAGxc/YQ-x-_pch7I/s640/IMG_0264.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Two Ropucha class landing ship from Russian Navy passed through Bosphorus returning from their Syrian deployment. In Crimea, tensions are mounting as the Russian majority population threatens to secede and join Russia. Rallies have been held across the region, including in Sevastopol, which is home to Russia's Black Sea fleet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Behind<i> Kaliningrad</i> at an interval of 20 minutes, at 07:40, was landing ship <i>Minsk</i>, 127. </span><span class="" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">This ship also belongs to the 71th Brigade of the Russian Navy.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[February 26]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">On February 25, the Taylor's commander, Cmdr. Dennis Volpe, was relieved after the ship ran aground Feb. 12, 2014, in the Black Sea.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">U.S. Naval Forces Europe confirms that the frigate USS Taylor is being inspected for damage after it ran around February 12 while preparing to moor in the northern Turkish port of Samsun which is 240 miles southwest of Sochi. The vessel was able to moor without further incident. There was some damage to the propeller blades, but there appears to be no damage to the hull.</span><br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Santa visits Russian sailors aboard carrier Admiral Kuznetsov while anchored off Scotland this Christmas <a href="http://t.co/cURxjDOweE">pic.twitter.com/cURxjDOweE</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">— NavyLookout (@NavyLookout) <a href="https://twitter.com/NavyLookout/statuses/420842566066524160">January 8, 2014</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov stopped briefly in the Outer Moray Firth to refuel in December 2013.
The Clyde-built HMS Defender escorted the group while it was in the "UK's area of interest", said Mr Hammond.
The minister was responding to challenges from MPs on Monday that the Royal Navy was not prepared for the appearance of the Russian warships.
Mr Hammond said that the Russian task group's deployment was "openly declared" on social media sites.
Nato was also informed of the route and planned training exercises.
Mr Hammond said: "Once it became apparent that the task group was indeed likely to enter the UK's area of interest, HMS Defender, as the fleet ready escort ship, was ordered to sail from Portsmouth to meet and escort the group through the UK's area of interest.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YQ0IVZQkiXI/Uv42aITgm9I/AAAAAAAAEFE/sGPYU2NHY9c/s1600/HMSdefender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YQ0IVZQkiXI/Uv42aITgm9I/AAAAAAAAEFE/sGPYU2NHY9c/s200/HMSdefender.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HMS Defender from The aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov</td></tr>
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[February 9]
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://theaviationist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/USS-Mount-Whitney.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://theaviationist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/USS-Mount-Whitney.png" height="152" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">USS Mount Whitney off Sochi</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://theaviationist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/USS-Taylor-685x325.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://theaviationist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/USS-Taylor-685x325.png" height="151" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">USS Taylor off Sochi</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zizIFCVEouI/UvZSgq-sqPI/AAAAAAAAEE0/90eM6ZjsEag/s1600/lawenforced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zizIFCVEouI/UvZSgq-sqPI/AAAAAAAAEE0/90eM6ZjsEag/s400/lawenforced.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Seliger", it was commissioned in December 2012 and was described at the time as a "deep-sea research vessel".</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GB61eZNC8ts/UvTyhYsWdBI/AAAAAAAAEEk/zeHdlCIdOo0/s1600/mountwhitneybos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GB61eZNC8ts/UvTyhYsWdBI/AAAAAAAAEEk/zeHdlCIdOo0/s400/mountwhitneybos.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Officer of the watch, USS Mount Whitney, in the Bosphorus</td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9mJg2EKRNc8/UvP0HElod_I/AAAAAAAAEEU/UFkxZ7tuKgA/s1600/mountwhitney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9mJg2EKRNc8/UvP0HElod_I/AAAAAAAAEEU/UFkxZ7tuKgA/s1600/mountwhitney.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="notranslate">February
4, at 16:10 (Kiev time) command ship of the U.S. Navy «Mount Whitney» was the Bosphorus
(Turkey) in the direction of the Black Sea.</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> [February 5]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The command ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC-20), which carries 300 military and civilian personnel arrived in The Black Sea on February 4.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate USS Taylor (FFG-50) is expected to enter the Black Sea February 5.</span></div>
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Besides the mini-naval task force expected to sail between the Dardanelles within the week,<a class="inline_link omniture-click-processed" href="http://www.examiner.com/topic/us-marines-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0088cc; text-decoration: none;">US Marines</a> out of Camp Lejeune, NC are already in the Black Sea Area of Operations.</div>
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<b style="box-sizing: border-box;">When it absolutely, positively has to be destroyed overnight ...</b></div>
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Formed as a rapid reaction force in 2010, Marines have been tasked with manning the Black Sea Rotation Force (BSFR) if and when the United States needs people killed and things destroyed in the region, post haste.</div>
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With the exact number of Marines assigned to BSRF-14 not available for public consumption, the Military Times noted on Jan. 11, 2014, that Leathernecks from the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance (LAR) Battalion are currently deployed, with their base of operations being out of the Black Sea port city of Constanța, Romania.</div>
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<a href="http://www.stripes.com/polopoly_fs/1.263130.1390265338!/image/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/large_article/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.stripes.com/polopoly_fs/1.263130.1390265338!/image/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/large_article/image.jpg" height="216" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">The USS Mount Whitney supports maritime security operations with the Georgian coast guard in the Black Sea, which is within the U.S. 6th Fleet’s area of responsibility, Nov. 13, 2013.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://static.navaltoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/USS-Taylor-Participates-in-Operation-Ocean-Shield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://static.navaltoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/USS-Taylor-Participates-in-Operation-Ocean-Shield.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">guided-missile frigate USS Taylor (FFG 50)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The USS Mount Whitney left its homeport of Gaeta, Italy, January 31 — the first of two U.S. Navy ships that will be operating in the Black Sea during the Sochi Olympics.
The other vessel, the frigate USS Taylor, is scheduled to depart an Italian port on February 1. Both ships will likely enter the Black Sea sometime over the coming week.
The USS Mount Whitney (LCC-20) left Italy “to conduct scheduled maritime security operations in the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations.
The USS Taylor (FFG-50) began operating in the Sixth Fleet in early January, officials said.
The fact that two U.S. Navy ships would deploy to the Black Sea around the time of the Winter Games has been known for a few weeks but Pentagon officials had not identified the vessels until today.
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">29 January 2014, 17:11</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Welcome to Sochi, no US warships required. In reality however there is no need for US warships. The Russian Black Sea Fleet is perfectly capable of dealing with such contingencies</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> The Voice of Russia http://voiceofrussia.com/</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[January 25]</span></div>
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<a href="https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/s403x403/65646_202072613319298_1843857933_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/s403x403/65646_202072613319298_1843857933_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>
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<span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">The January 17, 2014 Ramage Sailor of the Day is CTT2 Kevin Hammick from Stockton, California. He reported onboard the USS Ramage in July 2013 and serves as an Electronic Warfare Operator in CIC. During the recent port visit in Istanbul, Turkey, CTT2 Hammick responded to an early morning Snoopie Team call. Although not in a duty status, CTT2 did not hesitate to proceed on station, bringing along critical equipment needed by the Team for data collection to the Pilot House. Thank you for your selfless devotion to duty and a job well done!</span><br />
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Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby<a href="http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/01/23/pentagon-us-has-no-plans-to-assist-russia-ahead-of-sochi-olympics"> clarified</a> reports that the U.S. had deployed two Navy ships to the Black Sea solely to provide assistance if called upon by the Russians. His office had issued a statement earlier this week saying two ships would be available in the Black Sea for support.</div>
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"They are not in the Black Sea now. I don't want to get ahead of the ship's movements," he said, adding the ships already had been planning to steam into the Black Sea for unrelated reasons.</div>
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Breedlove, commander of U.S. European Command, had considered offering up the ships to assist the Russian government, Kirby said, but only in anticipation of the Russians possibly asking for help.</div>
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"The responsibility for security at the Olympics rests with the Russian government," Kirby said. "It's their responsibility and not anybody else's."</div>
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"There are no such requests and we don't envision any such demand" from the Russians, he added. "There has been no specific planning for evacuation. There has been no request to have a plan to do that right now."</div>
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Most Navy ships are able to deploy and receive helicopters and provide medical assistance. They also can serve as command-and-control centers if the need arises, Kirby said.</div>
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U.S. warships occasionally make port calls to countries in the region, such as Ukraine, Romania and Georgia. A ship has also participated in the annual Sea Breeze naval exercise, held each summer with co-host Ukraine.</div>
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Turkey limits the number and tonnage of foreign warships passing through the Turkish Straits and operating in the Black Sea through a 1936 convention that the U.S. has adhered to in the past. Aircraft carriers or large amphibious ships often used for humanitarian assistance would exceed the aggregate 30,000-ton weight restriction of the agreement, although smaller dock landing ships, destroyers and cruisers, would all fall under the limit. </div>
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Foreign naval vessels are only allowed to stay in the Black Sea for 21 days under the convention</div>
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<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/fbi-efforts-to-assist-sochi-olympics-limited-by-russians/2014/01/24/7c17c6fe-8370-11e3-8099-9181471f7aaf_story.html">In comparison</a>, for the Athens Games in 2004, the FBI sent 150 agents and the Defense Department positioned an aircraft carrier off the coast, said Raymond Mey, a former FBI agent and deputy on-scene commander at the time. </div>
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[October 7 2013]</div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">An accused al-Qaida operative captured by U.S. commandos in Libya</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">, known by the alias Anas al-Liby, is in military custody on the USS San Antonio and is being interrogated for intelligence purposes without a lawyer present. </span> The USS San Antonio, an amphibious ship carrying Marines, arrived September 4 in Haifa, Israel. A Navy press release called the visit routine. Amphibious dock landing ship Carter Hall was still in the Middle East as of Sept. 2
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">[September 18]</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Russian Mediterranean TASK FORCE UNITS ARRIVING (SEPT 29)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Corvette – RFS Ivanovets – Tarantul Class Guided Missile Corvette</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">With over 30 sales on the export market the Tarantul has been a relative success for the Russian shipbuilding industry.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Corvette – RFS Shtil – Nanuchka Class Guided Missile Corvette</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">These ships were designed around the P-120 Malakhit anti ship missile. It was the Mirazh, a Nanuchka Class corvette, that sank a Georgian vessel during an attempted attack on Russian ships near Abkhazia's coast on August 10, 2008</span></span><br />
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The destroyer Smetlivy left a naval base in Sevastopol, Ukraine, on September 10 on a mission to the Syrian coast. Smetlivy would travel to the Mediterranean with the amphibious assault ship Nikolai Filchenkov, which left Novorossiysk carrying unidentified supplies for the Damascus government.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">USS Kearsarge - USS Arctic</td></tr>
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GULF OF OMAN (Aug. 30, 2013) The amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) conducts a replenishment-at-sea with the Military Sealift Command fast combat support ship USNS Arctic (T-AOE . Kearsarge is the flagship for the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group and, with the embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, is deployed in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.<br />
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Russian missile cruiser, the Moskva [ex-Slava], will arrive by Sept. 17 . The Slava class cruiser (Soviet designation Project 1164 Atlant), launched 1979, commissioned 1982, renamed in 1995. As there was nothing revolutionary about the design of the class western observers felt they were created as a hedge against the failure of the more radical Kirov class.</div>
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The helicopter hangar deck is located 1/2 deck below the landing pad with a ramp connecting the two The Baltic and Black Sea fleets are each sending a destroyer</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kuznetsov to deliver Yak-130 jets on order?</td></tr>
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“At the end of the year, most likely in early December, the Project 11435 heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser the Admiral Kuznetsov will set off on a long-distance sea voyage during which it will call at the Russian Federation Navy's logistical support centre located in the Syrian city of Tartus,” Russia refers to the ship as an aircraft-carrying cruiser because “under international treaties aircraft carriers are banned from passing through the Bosporus and Dardanelles…. But this ban does not extend to aircraft-carrying cruisers.”
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spy ship Priazovye</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 25px;">The reconnaissance ship Priazovye left Russia's naval base in the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Sevastopol for the Syrian coast on September 1</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Nimitz <span style="line-height: normal;">Carrier Strike Group </span> had been in the Indian Ocean supporting U.S. operations in <a data-ls-seen="1" href="http://www.reuters.com/places/afghanistan" style="color: #006e97; cursor: pointer; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" title="Full coverage of Afghanistan">Afghanistan</a> but was due to sail east around Asia to return to its home port in Everett, Washington, after being relieved in recent days by another aircraft carrier, the USS Harry S. Truman.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Given the situation in Syria, U.S. military officials decided to reroute the Nimitz and send it west toward the Red Sea, and possibly the Mediterranean, officials said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The five American guided-missile destroyers and one amphibious transport are going to continue to stay in place for now. President Barack Obama pushed back the timetable August 31 for a potential attack on Syria, saying, the chairman has indicated to me that our capacity to execute this mission is not time-sensitive; it will be effective tomorrow, or next week, or one month from now. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Defense officials did not – and do not ever – address the movements of U.S. Navy submarines, which also may be lurking in the waters off Syria and could be called upon to launch missiles.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Missile firing from Horizon-class Frigate <span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">Chevalier Paul,</span></td></tr>
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The French Navy frigate Chevalier Paul, is steaming toward the eastern Mediterranean.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_AxAS8qkXvUU/S6Ujep56vwI/AAAAAAAAAyc/mnAQra-iEmw/s320/florida+SCP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_AxAS8qkXvUU/S6Ujep56vwI/AAAAAAAAAyc/mnAQra-iEmw/s320/florida+SCP.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">USS Florida</td></tr>
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KINGS BAY, Ga. (July 3, 2013) The Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Florida (SSGN 728) departs Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay. Florida will perform routine operations while at sea. </div>
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July 11, 2013. As political unrest continues in post-coup Egypt, USS San Antonio amphibious assault ship has moved to the coast there.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">USS San Antonio <span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">GULF OF ADEN (Aug. 18, 2013)</span></td></tr>
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August 31, 2013. The USS San Antonio, an amphibious ship with several hundred US Marines on board, was positioned near five US destroyers armed with cruise missiles.</div>
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San Antonio's passage into the Mediterranean was long-planned, but officials thought it prudent to keep the ship in the eastern Mediterranean near the destroyers given the current situation.</div>
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"It's been kept there as a precaution," one said.</div>
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The destroyer Stout is en route to the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, marking the fifth destroyer to be positioned near Syria, a defense official tells Navy Times.</div>
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It’s unclear how long five destroyers would be in the area, but the official said all are expected to remain “for the time being.”</div>
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The Stout is expected to arrive in the eastern Med later August 29 the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity</div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: "helveticaneue" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px;">Pentagon has yet to release to the public if the Truman Battle Group is steaming back to the Mediterranean or towards the Arabian Sea.</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The MoD cryptically says that "a number of warships recently left <a class="inline_link omniture-click-processed" href="http://www.examiner.com/topic/britain" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0088cc; text-decoration: none;">Britain</a> for exercises in the Mediterranean."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A Royal Navy (RN) currently has a Naval Rapid Reaction Force on station in the Eastern Mediterranean centered around the helicopter carrier HMS Illustrious along with two frigates and a yet to be identified nuclear-powered Trafalgar class submarine as well as three RFAs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[earlier]</span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">On 25 August, 2013 </span><span style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">fhere are now four destroyers positioned in the eastern Mediterranean Sea: the Mahan, Barry, Gravely and Ramage. The Mahan was initially scheduled to head home, being replaced by the Ramage. But for now, Mahan will remain deployed, the official said.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Mahan has been ordered to patrol the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, amid the rising rumors of an imminent military action in Syria. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Factions within the administration line up largely along two fronts: those who want the U.S. to take more decisive action to counter widespread violence in both Egypt and Syria, and senior military who are arguing for moderation. Aug. 21, 2013 “The use of U.S. military force can change the military balance,” Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, added. “But it cannot resolve the underlying and historic ethnic, religious and tribal issues that are fueling this conflict.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Instead, he spoke in favor of an expansion of the Obama administration’s current policy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The U.S. can provide far greater humanitarian assistance and, if asked, do more to bolster a moderate opposition in Syria. Such an approach “represents the best framework for an effective U.S. strategy toward Syria,” Dempsey said.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The lack of a unified position — both within the administration and in Congress — is giving Obama time and space for his cautious approach.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Class & type:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Arleigh Burke-class destroyer</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Displacement:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Light: approx. 6,805 tons</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Full: approx. 8,939 tons</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Length:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>505 ft (154 m)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Beam:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>66 ft (20 m)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Draft:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>31 ft (9.4 m)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Propulsion:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>4 General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines, two shafts, 100,000 total shaft horsepower (75 MW)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Speed:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>>30 knots (56 km/h)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Range:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>4,400 nautical miles at 20 knots</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(8,100 km at 37 km/h)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Complement:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>33 Officers</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">38 Chief Petty Officers</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">210 Enlisted Personnel</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sensors and</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">processing systems:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">AN/SPY-1D 3D Radar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">AN/SPS-67(V)2 Surface Search Radar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">AN/SPS-73(V)12 Surface Search Radar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">AN/SQS-53C Sonar Array</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">AN/SQR-19 Tactical Towed Array Sonar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">AN/SQQ-28 LAMPS III Shipboard System</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Electronic warfare</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">& decoys:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">AN/SLQ-32(V)2 Electronic Warfare System</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">AN/SLQ-25 Nixie Torpedo Countermeasures</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">MK 36 MOD 12 Decoy Launching System</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">AN/SLQ-39 CHAFF Buoys</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Armament:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1 × 29 cell, 1 × 61 cell Mk 41 vertical launch systems with 90 × RIM-156 SM-2, BGM-109 Tomahawk or RUM-139 VL-Asroc missiles</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1 × Mark 45 5/54 in (127/54 mm)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2 × 25 mm chain gun</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4 × .50 caliber (12.7 mm) guns</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2 × 20 mm Phalanx CIWS</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2 × Mk 32 triple torpedo tubes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Aircraft carried:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1 SH-60 Sea Hawk helicopter can be embarked</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The aircraft carrier USS Harry S Truman, by far the most powerful warship in the region, left the Mediterranean last weekend, passing through the Suez Canal into the Red Sea. ST CSG includes Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 10; aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75); guided-missile cruisers USS San Jacinto (CG 56) and USS Gettysburg (CG 64); guided-missile destroyers USS Bulkeley (DDG 84) and USS Mason (DDG 87); embarked 1st Combined Destroyer Squadron staff; and embarked Carrier Air Wing 3 and its squadrons: Strike Fighter Squadrons (VFA) 32 "Swordsmen," VFA-37 "Ragin' Bulls," and VFA-105 "Gunslingers," Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 312 "Checkerboards," Airborne Early Warning Squadron 126 "Seahawks," Electronic Attack Squadron 130 "Zappers," Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 7 "Dusty Dogs," and Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 74 "Swamp Foxes".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Having completed a major refit in the past few weeks, the French nuclear aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is operational. Officials say she remains for now in the Mediterranean port of Toulon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The helicopter carrier HMS Illustrious left Portsmouth Naval Base and will join the navy flagship HMS Bulwark, which has sailed from Devonport for the Cougar '13 operation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sailing on August 27 will be HMS Westminster, a type 23 frigate, which will visit Gibraltar en route.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Other UK ships taking part are another type 23 frigate, HMS Montrose, and six Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ships. The Royal Navy has kept</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.578125px;"> a nuclear-powered Trafalgar class submarine, armed with Tomahawk missiles,</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">in the Mediterranean in recent months </span>kokstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02486048015925497542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712210113135285881.post-41096401965422604162016-02-23T16:26:00.000-05:002016-02-23T16:26:14.093-05:00 Sabine Pass LNG terminal in Louisiana operational<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://ponderosa-advisors.com/evergreen/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Sabine-Pass-LNG-terminal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ponderosa-advisors.com/evergreen/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Sabine-Pass-LNG-terminal.jpg" height="232" width="320" /></a></div>
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The first tanker that will carry LNG from Cheniere’s Sabine Pass terminal in Louisiana has arrived. Asia Vision, Owner Chevron San Francisco Ca, U.s.a. Operator<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Chevron San Francisco Ca, U.s.a, . has moored at Sabine Pass, The Asia Vision is one of two tankers that had been at anchor in the Gulf of Mexico since January waiting to enter Sabine Pass LNG terminal. The other ship is the Energy Atlantic, <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Owner:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Spectacle Shipping and Trading Ltd. Operator: Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (Hellas) SPLLC.<br />
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<span>[October 28 2010<b> </b></span><b>Maido: Crew holes up, cuts power, pirates sail off ]</b><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><span>shy guy, not recent: Dr.Niels Hartmann </span></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_bDsV9xf-Zw4/TMmTvAwGrzI/AAAAAAAAB7Y/9cidy9aSd4I/s1600/maido+hart.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533116053066264370" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_bDsV9xf-Zw4/TMmTvAwGrzI/AAAAAAAAB7Y/9cidy9aSd4I/s200/maido+hart.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 134px;" /></a><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><span>Dietrich Schulz</span></span><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_bDsV9xf-Zw4/TMmTuBB2gfI/AAAAAAAAB7Q/gCp5O06Bves/s1600/maido+har+1280x720.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533116035960832498" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_bDsV9xf-Zw4/TMmTuBB2gfI/AAAAAAAAB7Q/gCp5O06Bves/s200/maido+har+1280x720.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 172px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_bDsV9xf-Zw4/TMmTrzwRXoI/AAAAAAAAB7I/_7q8pS5x_gQ/s1600/maido+1280x720.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533115998037696130" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_bDsV9xf-Zw4/TMmTrzwRXoI/AAAAAAAAB7I/_7q8pS5x_gQ/s200/maido+1280x720.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 112px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_bDsV9xf-Zw4/TMmTrdMjluI/AAAAAAAAB7A/3BUdIaGaTls/s1600/maido+h+1280x720.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533115991982315234" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_bDsV9xf-Zw4/TMmTrdMjluI/AAAAAAAAB7A/3BUdIaGaTls/s200/maido+h+1280x720.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 112px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
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Gas carrier Maido was boarded by pirates Tuesday, October 26 from one skiff approximately 100 nautical miles south east from Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, later in the evening they eventually abandoned it, after having been unable to get control over the crew who had locked themselves in. <br />
Ship Name: LPGC MAIDO<br />
IMO: 9135779<br />
MMSI: 226028000<br />
Callsign: FNHC<br />
Flag: France<br />
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Category: Tanker<br />
Beam: 15<br />
Length: 98<br />
Draught: 5.3<br />
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Hartmann Reederei of Leer, Germany, confirms that its managed gas carrier Maido was boarded by pirates yesterday evening (Tuesday, October 26), at a position around 100 miles off the Tanzanian coast. Maido is now known to be safe, the pirates have left the vessel and there are no injuries among the 13 seafarers on board.<br />
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The vessel’s crew reacted promptly and professionally during the attack. The authorities, including the regional military command, were alerted immediately, Maido’s power systems were shut down and all crew took shelter in a designated secure area. Having failed to enter this area, the pirates left the vessel. Maido then continued its voyage.<br />
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The vessel flies the French flag and has a crew of three French nationals (including the Master), one Polish national and nine Filipinos. She had loaded a cargo of liquefied petroleum gas at Mauritius. The Master reported safe arrival at the planned discharge port of Dar Es Salaam this morning (Wednesday, October 27). During the attack, Maido suffered superficial damage from gunfire.kokstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02486048015925497542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712210113135285881.post-2365562517939227652016-02-23T14:00:00.000-05:002016-02-23T16:28:34.317-05:00Arctic Sea: now L.T.W. Express, Gustavia I., Anguilla<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5EaKMzbJ7Uc/Vsyo5Ncj3hI/AAAAAAAAEVs/st1eOfoTUzQ/s1600/L%2BT%2BWEXPRESS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5EaKMzbJ7Uc/Vsyo5Ncj3hI/AAAAAAAAEVs/st1eOfoTUzQ/s320/L%2BT%2BWEXPRESS.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L.T.W. Express, ex-Shelley Express, Gustavia I., Anguilla</td></tr>
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L.T.W.EXPRESS </div>
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(Ship name as reported by AIS: L.T.W. EXPRESS)</div>
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[Leading the way, LLC .... UAE leading the way in energy transition ??]</div>
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General Cargo General Cargo</div>
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IMO: 8912792</div>
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MMSI: 376859000</div>
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Type: GENERAL CARGO</div>
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Gross Tonnage: 3988</div>
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Summer DWT: 4706 t</div>
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Build: 1991</div>
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Flag: SAINT VINCENT & GRENADINES</div>
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ex-names</div>
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Vessel Name: SHELLEY EXPRESS</div>
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Flag: PA</div>
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Last Reported: 2015-05-07 09:40:00</div>
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Vessel Name: ARCTIC SEA</div>
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Flag: BB</div>
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Last Reported: 2011-11-03 15:26:00</div>
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Vessel Name: ARCTIC SEA</div>
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Flag: MT</div>
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Last Reported: 2010-05-12 08:55:00</div>
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Vessel Name: JOGAILA</div>
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Last Reported: 2005-03-01</div>
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Vessel Name: TORM SENEGAL</div>
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Last Reported: 2000-05-01</div>
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Vessel Name: ALRAI</div>
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Last Reported: 1998-12-01</div>
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Vessel Name: ZIM VENEZUELA</div>
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Last Reported: 1998-05-01</div>
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Vessel Name: OKHOTSKOE</div>
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Last Reported: 1996-01-01</div>
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<a href="http://convenientflags.blogspot.com/2012/02/ex-arcticsea-chariot-alleged-arms-ships.html">read</a>, <a href="http://convenientflags.blogspot.com/2011/12/arctic-sea-shelley-express-flies-what.html">also</a>, <a href="http://convenientflags.blogspot.com/2011/11/arctic-sea-becomes-shelley-express.html">see</a></div>
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[March 14, 2015 <b>The AIS satellite-tracking device removed and transmitting? ]</b>:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zw9cytgrbxk/VS0o_xACgUI/AAAAAAAAEP0/U1Vq8zWuVM4/s1600/shelley%2Bexpress15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zw9cytgrbxk/VS0o_xACgUI/AAAAAAAAEP0/U1Vq8zWuVM4/s1600/shelley%2Bexpress15.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Shelley Express ex-Arctic Sea</span></td></tr>
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Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 13 lifted a five-year ban on delivery of the S-300 air defense missile system. It would significantly bolster the Islamic republic's military capability by providing a strong deterrent against any air attack. The White House said Secretary of State John Kerry had raised concerns over the move in a conversation with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.<br />
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]March 3 2014 <b>Shelley Express at Las Palmas]</b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fJP8hm-5AAw/UUh7cb5ynFI/AAAAAAAADyU/4D9GES30gJE/s1600/shelley+express+13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fJP8hm-5AAw/UUh7cb5ynFI/AAAAAAAADyU/4D9GES30gJE/s320/shelley+express+13.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shelley Express still at Las Palmas</td></tr>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ccRmf2-1a3Y/SrRCkCgsKyI/AAAAAAAAApY/F_I3ek5w8cw/s144/as%252520riddle.jpg?gl=US" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ccRmf2-1a3Y/SrRCkCgsKyI/AAAAAAAAApY/F_I3ek5w8cw/s400/as%252520riddle.jpg?gl=US" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q8QjlSn-idY/UD5jfguSbsI/AAAAAAAADbQ/x4AJHUGe02Y/s1600/as+shelley+aug+12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q8QjlSn-idY/UD5jfguSbsI/AAAAAAAADbQ/x4AJHUGe02Y/s400/as+shelley+aug+12.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shelley Express, ex Arctic Sea It's ba-ack</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In August 2009, the 'hijacked' Arctic Sea was off Las Palmas. Three Russian Il-76 transport plane</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">s (each capable of carrying 44 tons of cargo) were used to bring in the crew and</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> maybe Surface-to-Air S-300 missiles destined for Iran by the Russian industrial complex. Perhaps after the urging of interested nations, the Moscow government intervened with naval forces, 'found' the vessel and sentenced the woeful hijackers, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"> a </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">Latvian and an Estonian, as well as three others described as stateless. This is a brief statement of an intriguing mystery. <a href="http://convenientflags.blogspot.com/2009/09/arctic-sea-located-16-nautical-miles.html">more</a> <a href="http://convenientflags.blogspot.com/.../arctic-sea-becomes-shelley-e..">also</a></span> <a href="http://convenientflags.blogspot.com/2011/01/arctic-sea-wobegone-hijackers-go-to.html">and read</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Owner Pmac Maritime, P.O.# 60011, Sharjah UAE >>>Petrofac International Ltd.[FTSE 100] ??? {April 2013)</span>kokstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02486048015925497542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712210113135285881.post-8690734963483770902016-02-12T11:32:00.000-05:002016-02-12T11:32:51.245-05:00Tankers up on Contango return: container rates down on slow trade<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://assets.bwbx.io/images/iwOagovq0l.M/v3/-1x-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://assets.bwbx.io/images/iwOagovq0l.M/v3/-1x-1.png" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Were daily tanker earnings to drop to $40,000, traders would be able to use the ships to store millions of barrels of crude at sea because the oil-price structure means they can sell cargoes for later in the year at a profit. Rates of $40,000 would be higher than the annual averages in 2009-2014.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">January saw the worst start to a year for container ship earnings for three years. Vessels returned just $5,957 a day on average. The average between 2010 and 2014 was $7,712.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Many of the world’s busiest container shipping routes are suffering from the slowdown in emerging markets and weak growth in Europe. China’s economy grew at 6.9 percent last year, the slowest since 1990. Europe’s predicted 1.5 percent expansion in 2015 would be among the weakest globally</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">[January 25 <b>As OPEC saw its prices sink below $30 a barrel:. the cost to ship the commodity rose.</b> <b> ]</b>.</span><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MkCOq-gPV0s/VqZ4mzf838I/AAAAAAAAEUw/_HD97MD2Zy8/s1600/tanker%2Brates%2B16.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MkCOq-gPV0s/VqZ4mzf838I/AAAAAAAAEUw/_HD97MD2Zy8/s320/tanker%2Brates%2B16.jpg" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/gadfly/articles/2016-01-25/oil-tankers-ride-high-on-cheap-oil">source</a>
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[December 7 2011 <b>Low rates yield slow steaming]
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Shipping companies are cooperating to ease overcapacity and revive rates. Vessels reduce their speeds, known in the industry as slow steaming, to better manage overcapacity within the global fleet of about 600 VLCCs, Sejling chief commercial officer at Maersk Tankers. said. Lower speeds increase the amount of time needed to complete a voyage, effectively curbing the supply of ships.<br />
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SLOW steaming very large crude carriers to an average speed of 12 knots could increase fleet utilisation as tonnage is absorbed on voyages of longer durations, A new time charter clause for slow and super slow steaming will be published shortly by BIMCO. The clause was adopted by the Documentary Committee subject to the drafting team conducting a pre-publication review of some of the key features of the clause. The team met in London on 30 November and made a number of improvements to the layout and structure of the clause. The clause will now be circulated to all Documentary Committee members before being published by Special Circular along with explanatory notes.<br />
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The Clause deals with a number of potentially difficult technical and legal issues as it is designed to cover all types of ships and trades from the container to the bulk sector. The technical aspects have been resolved and clarified with the assistance of engine designers Wartsila and MAN Diesel. Two types of slow steaming are contemplated by the Clause: Slow steaming down to a level which would not require the owners to make any modifications to the engine – basically the cut-out point for the engines auxiliary blowers; and, should the owners and charterers agree that the vessel can slow steam to a greater degree, then an additional optional provision is given to deal with “ultra” slow steaming – which will apply only in a few cases.<br />
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In all cases the master retains the right to refuse to slow steam as the right of the charterers to order slow steaming is subject to the obligations of the master in respect of the safety of the vessel, crew and cargoThe trend to run many ships at speeds of 16 knots or even less is stoking problems for main engines<br />
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All six members of the Bloomberg Tanker Index (TANKER) from Frontline to General Maritime Corp. will lose money this year as fleet capacity exceeds the number of cargoes, We’ve had the longest period of sustained upturn in the history of the tanker markets until 2008,” Serck-Hanssen said. <br />
Frontline, also based in Hamilton, will report a net loss of $228.3 million for this year, compared with 2010 net income of $161.4 million, the mean of 20 estimates showed. The company said Nov. 22 it would pay no third-quarter dividend and may run out of cash in 2012. The shares slumped 83 percent in Oslo this year, valuing Frontline at 1.99 billion kroner ($345 million). General Maritime, the New York-based operator of 29 tankers, filed for bankruptcy protection on Nov. 17.<br />
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BIMCO is the largest of the international shipping associations representing ship-owners controlling around 65 percent of the world’s tonnage and with members in more than 120 countries drawn from a broad range of stakeholders having a vested interest in the shipping industry, including managers, brokers and agents. <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-07/survivor-of-oil-tanker-rout-sees-biggest-returns-in-coal-carriers-freight.html">read</a>kokstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02486048015925497542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712210113135285881.post-80131623377848615942016-02-11T15:38:00.000-05:002016-02-11T15:38:09.493-05:00Navy to Convert UCLASS Program Into Unmanned Aerial Tanker<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i0.wp.com/news.usni.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/150422-N-CE233-457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i0.wp.com/news.usni.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/150422-N-CE233-457.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: center;">In part informed by the Pentagon’s UAV strategic program review (SPR) led by Deputy Secretary of Defense, the Navy’s Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) effort is being retooled as primarily a carrier-based unmanned aerial refueling platform. </span><a href="http://news.usni.org/2016/02/01/pentagon-to-navy-convert-uclass-program-into-unmanned-aerial-tanker-accelerate-f-35-development-buy-more-super-hornets" style="text-align: center;">Read more</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">[May 19 2013 USS <b>George H. W. Bush: Northrop Grumman X-47B launches,touch and go</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The prototype X-47B took off successfully May 14 from the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George H. W. Bush in the Atlantic Ocean off Virginia and made two low approaches to the ship before heading back toward land.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The test aircraft, which has been designed and built by the weapons maker Northrop Grumman, isn't intended for operational use; instead, the military is using the information it gathers during these demonstrations to develop the drone program.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Navy already operates two other unmanned aircraft: the small, low cost ScanEagle, which does not carry weapons; and the Fire Scout, which is armed but built more like a helicopter.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The program cost is $1.4billion over eight years. A planned variant of the craft, the X-47C will have a larger payload provision of 10,000lbs and a wingspan of 172ft.</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10px;"><br /></span>
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The U.S. Navy is inaugurating its first squadron that mixes
advanced unmanned drones with conventional aircraft. The maritime strike squadron, nicknamed the
"Magicians," will be officially launched at the Naval Air Station
North Island on Coronado, near San Diego.
Along with eight manned helicopters, the squadron will include a number
of unmanned helicopter drones, known as MQ-8B Fire Scouts, that can track
targets at sea or on land.<o:p></o:p></div>
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[June 22 2011]<br />
The aircraft was conducting a targeting mission, meaning it was using its onboard sensor package to lase a target for another aircraft, the program source says.<br />
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The aircraft was launched from the USS Halyburton frigate during a deployment to support anti-piracy and littoral missions around the Middle East. The ship was recently diverted to support the NATO mission in Libya, . Two Fire Scouts were deployed on the Halyburton earlier this year.<br />
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Last year, a Fire Scout lost communications with its ground station during a test flight out of NAS Patuxent River, Md. The incident drew national attention because an anomaly occurred that allowed the aircraft to slowly head into restricted airspace 40 mi. away from Washington, which is under strict airspace rules. Flight testing of the Fire Scout restarted last September after about a six-week testing pause owing to the incident; a fix has been implemented.<br />
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The testing standdown pushed back timing for a formal operational evaluation slated for last fall. Instead, Navy officials opted to deploy the Fire Scouts for operations on the Halyburton. <a href="http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=defense&id=news/awx/2011/06/21/awx_06_21_2011_p0-338953.xml&headline=Fire%20Scout%20Crashes%20During%20Libya%20Mission">Aviation Week</a><br />
A team of Northrop Grumman engineers and operators on board the ship helped re-familiarize Navy operators with Fire Scout’s control systems. Northrop Grumman is the Navy’s Fire Scout prime contractor.<br />
<a href="http://www.suasnews.com/2010/12/3078/firescout-set-to-operate-from-uss-halyburton/">here</a>kokstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02486048015925497542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712210113135285881.post-66335373709461903182016-02-08T13:50:00.000-05:002016-02-08T13:50:55.951-05:00NATO’s SNMG2 takes shape<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">EGV Bonn and HMCS Fredericton as seen from the speedboat. Image:2016</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">German Navy’s combat support ship EGV Bonn, together with the Italian frigate ITS Libeccio and the Canadian frigate HMCS Fredericton, headed for the eastern Mediterranean. Turkish frigate TCG Barbaros joined them in Aksaz, Turkey.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The group conducted a range of drills before and after their port call in Aksaz. The drills included replenishment at sea exercises and helicopter landings.</span><br />
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[November 15 2015 <b> France.s only carrier to Eastern Med </b>]<br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Charles de Gaulle (R91) can hold up to 40 aircraft and support 100 flights a day. - The aircraft carrier has already been deployed against IS.
The ship - France's only such vessel - was used as a base for French jets in the Gulf from February to April.
The Charles de Gaulle carrier is usually accompanied by several frigates, a refuelling ship and an attack submarine
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> French nuclear aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91) has entered the Persian Gulf and could soon start strike missions against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS or ISIL) France said on February 20.The ship entered crossed the Strait of Hormuz and entered the region on Feb. 15 after completing operations in the Gulf of Aden and is set to join USS <em style="border: 0px; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Carl Vinson</em> (CVN-70) in conducting airstrikes. [Mosul?]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“They’re in the [Persian] Gulf,” a spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) ,<br />“They haven’t gone operational yet but they probably will soon.” </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.4700002670288px; line-height: 26.5200004577637px;">French president François Hollande announced the mission on Jan. 14, a week after the attacks in Paris on the offices of satirical magazine <em style="border: 0px; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Charlie Hebdo</em>. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.4700002670288px; line-height: 26.5200004577637px;">During his remarks in Toulon, Hollande said the attacks, “justifies the presence of our aircraft carrier.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[January 12 </span></div>
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;<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Charles de Gaulle (R91) will deploy to the Persian Gulf to strengthen the French contingent already fighting ISIS in the region, The aircraft carrier would operate in the Gulf on its way to India, where the French Navy’s flagship is scheduled to take part in drills in mid-April and the deployment is set to be announced by President Francois Hollande on Jan. 14, during the annual New Year’s speech to the armed forces. . It is a CATOBAR-type carrier that uses two 75 m C13‑3 steam catapults of a shorter version of the catapult system installed on the U.S. Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, one catapult at the bow and one across the front of the landing area. The addition of Charles de Gaulle would add up to another 30 aircraft to France's commitment to operations</span><br />
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[September 16 2014<b> USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77):: airstrikes against Sinjar and against SW of Baghdad]</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">F/A-18C Hornet launches from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) on Sept. 10. The strikes destroyed six ISIL vehicles near Sinjar and an ISIL fighting position southwest of Baghdad that was firing on ISF personnel. All aircraft exited the strike areas safely.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">August 4:There are reports of significant displacement from Sinjar City and surrounding areas to Jebel Sinjar (Sinjar Mountain) and areas predominantly to the west and north of Sinjar, with some displacement to the east as well. The exact number of displaced people on Jebel Sinjar is unknown; however reports indicate that some 35-50,000 people displaced in nine locations, reportedly surrounded by ISIS armed elements.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“The airstrike southwest of Baghdad was the first strike taken as part of our expanded efforts beyond protecting our own people and humanitarian missions to hit ISIL targets as Iraqi forces go on offense." </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helveticaneue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 24.0000019073486px;">The US air strike was against IS fighters in the Sadr al-Yusufiyah area, 25 kilometres (15 miles) from Baghdad,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helveticaneue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 24.0000019073486px;"> </span><br />
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<br />kokstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02486048015925497542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712210113135285881.post-52819284979455386422016-01-20T09:24:00.000-05:002016-01-20T09:24:44.778-05:00Haiyang Shiyou 981 oil rig:enters disputed weaters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160120&t=2&i=1110979043&w=644&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC0J0GR" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160120&t=2&i=1110979043&w=644&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC0J0GR" height="184" width="320" /></a></div>
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China's Maritime Safety Administration said on January 20 it would be drilling roughly 140 km (87 miles) south of the resort city Sanya on China's Hainan island, and 150 km (93 miles) west of the Paracel Islands that China occupies and Vietnam claims. It is 210 km (130 miles) from the coast of Vietnam, which places it in roughly the same area as between June and October 2015.<br />
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The agency said it would be operating there until March 10 and warned ships to stay 2,000 m (6,562 ft) away. China considers most of the South China Sea to be under its jurisdiction but Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have competing claims. About $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes through the waters each year.<br />
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[August 25 2015<b> Haiyang Shiyou 981 oil rig: 110 nautical miles east of the Vietnam coast </b>]<br />
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Maritime Safety Administration said that Haiyang Shiyou 981 would continue drilling until October 20. The rig’s intended coordinates put it roughly 110 nautical miles east of the Vietnam coast and 72 nautical miles south of the resort city of Sanya on China’s Hainan Island.</div>
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[March 3 <b> its first overseas deepsea exploration well]</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The $1-billion, semi-submersible giant drilling rig started drilling on Feb. 7 in a water depth of 1,721 metres, in. The same drilling rig had previously drilled in waters claimed by both China and Vietnam in the South China Sea. "Haiyang Shiyou" literally means "offshore oil".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The well offshore Myanmar is targeting a depth of 5,000 metres from the surface of the sea. China National Petroleum Company (CNPC) is chartering the rig and is the operator of the offshore oil block in the Andaman Sea. Myanmar authorities awarded to CNPC in early 2007 three deepwater blocks AD-1, AD-6 and AD-8, with a total area of 10,000 square kilometres.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[July 18 2014 <b>China's National Petroleum Corp moved the rig back into Chinese territory July 15]</b></span><br />
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China's National Petroleum Corp moved Haiyang Shiyou 981 oil rig back into Chinese territory July 15.</div>
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Kang Lin, of China's National Institute for South China Sea Studies, said a "good amount" of energy reserves with "huge commercial value" were found and he expected Chinese ships would return to the area near the disputed Paracel Islands - which China calls the Xisha Islands and Vietnam calls the Hoang Sa Islands - because signs of oil and gas were found. Artificial islands that China had been building would be the base for logistics for further operations, Kang said.</div>
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The original three-month schedule was planned to allow for any impact from typhoons. But work had carried on without the need for any suspensions over the past two months.</div>
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The announcement came a day after Barack Obama had a phone call with President Xi Jinping . Last week, the US Senate passed a resolution calling on claimants in the disputed waters to freeze activities.</div>
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But there was no sign the moving of the rig was related to the phone call or the Senate resolution. http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1555221/china-says-oil-rig-finishes-mission-waters-vietnam</div>
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[May 18]<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2014-05/18/133342090_14003958494591n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2014-05/18/133342090_14003958494591n.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Passenger ship "WU ZHI SHAN" leaves for Vietnam from Xiuying port in Haikou</td></tr>
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Passenger ship "WU ZHI SHAN" leaves for Vietnam from Xiuying port in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, May 18, 2014.<br />
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China began on Sunday to send five ships to evacuate Chinese nationals caught in a deadly anti-China violence in Vietnam, the Ministry of Transport has said. "Wuzhishan" was the first ship leaving for Vietnam.<br />
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<br />
Name of the ship WU ZHI SHAN<br />
Type of ship RO-RO/PASSENGER SHIP<br />
IMO number 9734458 MMSI 413523180<br />
Gross tonnage 10940 tons
DWT 2073 tons
Year of build 2013
Builder KOUAN SHIPBUILDING - TAIZHOU JIANGSU, CHINA<br />
Flag CHINA<br />
Home port HAINAN<br />
Manager & owner STRAIT SHIPPING - HAINAN, CHINA<br />
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China is sending five ships to evacuate Chinese nationals from Vietnam following a wave of anti-Chinese riots.
The Chinese government has already evacuated more than 3,000 people, Chinese state-run media report<br />
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[May 9]
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<a href="http://static.tuoitre.vn/i/s150/2014/05/zwUiqpxQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://static.tuoitre.vn/i/s150/2014/05/zwUiqpxQ.jpg" height="341" width="400" /></a></div>
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During a visit to Hanoi May 8, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel urged both sides to "refrain from unilateral actions,” adding the global economy is "too fragile to brook the possibility of a crisis that could escalate into conflict."
"Every country has the right to advocate for its position and for its claims to territorial sovereignty. However, the consistent position of the U.S. is that advocacy must be diplomatic and the means for advancing one's claims must be consistent with international law, including the U.N. convention on the law of the sea," Russel said.
He said the onus is on China to define its claims in a manner that’s consistent with the convention. He said the Vietnamese officials with whom he discussed the issue accepted that the U.S. does not take a position on the relative merits of the sovereignty claims.
[May 8]
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<a href="http://www.petrotimes.vn/stores/news_dataimages/hoangchienthang/052014/08/16/20140504_172809.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.petrotimes.vn/stores/news_dataimages/hoangchienthang/052014/08/16/20140504_172809.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> a notice issued by China's Maritime Safety Administration on May 3, which said the rig would be operating within a one-mile radius of 15-29.58N/111-12.06E for "South China Sea drilling work" from May 2 to August 15 this year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In Washington, U.S. State Department spokeswoman <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="color: #1c2249; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">Jen Psaki</a> told reporters: "Given the recent history of tensions in the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="color: #1c2249; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">South China</a> Sea, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="color: #1c2249; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">China</a>'s decision to operate its oil rig in disputed waters is provocative and unhelpful to the maintenance of peace and stability in the region."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"These events point to the need for claimants to clarify their claims in accordance with international law, and reach an agreement ... about what types of activities should be permissible within disputed areas,"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Vietnamese government and state-owned PetroVietnam have objected to drilling operations by China National Offshore Oil Corp. in the South China Sea, saying that a rig owned by the Chinese company is in Vietnamese waters.
Vietnam's foreign ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh said Sunday that CNOOC's deepwater rig Haiyang Shiyou 981 had been dispatched into Vietnam's waters.
"Any activity conducted by foreign countries in Vietnam?s waters without its permission is illegal and has no value," Binh said in a government statement.
Binh's response was to a notice issued by China's Maritime Safety Administration on May 3, which said the rig would be operating within a one-mile radius of 15-29.58N/111-12.06E for "South China Sea drilling work" from May 2 to August 15 this year.
Binh said the location identified in the notice was "totally within Vietnam's exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, about 120 miles from its coast."
The drilling area overlaps Vietnam's block 143 and is 119 miles off the Vietnamese central coast, PetroVietnam-run Petrotimes daily said in a report Sunday.
The acreage is located near Vietnamese blocks 118, 119 and 144. The first two blocks were previously awarded to ExxonMobil and the third to Murphy Oil by PetroVietnam.
PetroVietnam said it had sent a letter of protest to CNOOC and requested it to stop its operations and move the rig away from Vietnamese waters, according to the statement by the Vietnam government.</span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
What fun for the lawyers</i></div>
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<blockquote>
<b>Rough Google translation from Vietnamese of Petro Times
05.08.2014</b> </blockquote>
<blockquote>
(PetroTimes) - In 2 days, 7 and 8/5, while the water is boiling so brazen act of hegemonic China is on some Internet forums, social networking appears the idea that: The drag China Sea rig 981 in Vietnam's actions can be explained.
These people cite some knowledge from the International Convention on the beach to say:
1 - In waters 12 nautical miles from the baselines:
This is the area we have "sovereignty" and "jurisdiction" while other states have "right through to no harm."
That is their Chinese vessels wandering about, we do not have the right to expel, or prevent threats. They did not need to ask permission. Unless we discover they have these problems detrimental to our sovereignty then we execute "sovereign right" to chase them away.
2 - From territorial waters, widened to 188 nautical miles (or 200 nautical miles from the baseline) as its exclusive economic zone, the waters that we have sovereign rights to perform the operation. At the same time, Vietnam has jurisdiction to agree or disagree to exploit other countries.
However, China is the freedom to ships, aircraft operating in the area can match the freedom of navigation and aviation.
This information is the conclusion: The HD 981 make a journey "through" exclusive economic zone or on the 12 nautical mile territorial sea adjacent to the slopes of Vietnam is also acceptable provided that they are not threats or exploit natural resources in such waters.
This idea also justify the huge floating rig 981 can be understood as a means of sea - so it's going to be normal.
Rig 981.
From this perspective, we can immediately see the false information they need adjustment.
First: There is no Chinese drilling rig 981 in the exclusive economic zone of Vietnam a "carefree", happened to pass by without anything ploy.
The first is the day 3/5, on the website of the China Customs Department has taken some 14 033 maritime warning about Oceanic 981 rigs (HD 981) "operation in the South China Sea".
The warning said, from 2/5 to 15/8, 981 HD rig will coordinate activities at 150 29'N / 1110 12'E. Blocks all types of vehicles are not entering HD 981 active areas within a radius of 1 mile.
In accordance with the coordinates on the HD 981 rig in Block 143 infringed on the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of Vietnam, Ly Son island 119 nautical miles (221km) south of the island and Tri Ton of pants Vietnam's Paracel island about 18 nautical miles. This area is entirely located in the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of Vietnam.
As such, can not understand that China is the well-drilling "go through" the waters of Vietnam. That the purpose of exploration, exploitation and the ban was made clear. In this case, China has replaced the arrogant show host "sovereignty" and "jurisdiction". This is the first unruly.
Notice no sail rig operating near 981 by the China Customs Bureau.
Second: The Chinese ship carrying 38, including warships into the exclusive economic zone of Vietnam to protect the rig 981. This is not international waters or territorial sea of China to this country have the right to ship with the aim of aggression on the ships of other countries.
In this case, to take the waters with Vietnam to host aggression is even more impossible. This is totally contrary to the rights "movement is not harmful to the host country" in the Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Third: It is the recognition means 981 as a mobile water (same ship) is the lack of awareness and actual machinery. In fact, the main General Maritime Corporation China Petroleum (CNOOC) announced drilling rig 981 is - there is no excuse that we must try to infer it is "ship".
With all the preparation in terms of tactics, diplomacy, aggression ... China showed that this job really intentional and hegemonic ambitions. That those who have hegemonic ambitions often seek to go beyond the law.
Let me explain some more information for you to read that China's actions are wrong about international law and is what Vietnam as well as international opinion is never acknowledged. So, the justification on a number of forums is not necessary and should cease immediately to avoid public confusion.</blockquote>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--hxQMcdNNSs/U2vdQvwYHUI/AAAAAAAAEG4/jJsDv_Lek1o/s1600/rig981fight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--hxQMcdNNSs/U2vdQvwYHUI/AAAAAAAAEG4/jJsDv_Lek1o/s1600/rig981fight.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></td><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> A Chinese ship rams a Vietnamese ship in Vietnam’s water </span></td></tr>
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[April 2013]<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fONRtYay8-o/T5ARalYJ-wI/AAAAAAAADL4/BGIrt6IPgWM/s1600/HAIYANGSHIYOUApril13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fONRtYay8-o/T5ARalYJ-wI/AAAAAAAADL4/BGIrt6IPgWM/s320/HAIYANGSHIYOUApril13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">China's first locally-built deepsea drilling rig has returned to work in a South China Sea gas field after almost two months of repairs, according to state-owned rig owner CNOOC.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The $1 billion rig Hai Yang Shi You (or Offshore Oil) 981 was being chartered by Canada's Husky Energy, which operates the Liwan project in the western part of South China Sea, a major offshore gas discovery, industry officials said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Leaks have been repaired and maintenance works finished. Offshore Oil 981 has returned to works at Liwan 3-1 gas field,"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[May 9 2012]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">CNOOC has spudded its debut deep-water well. Hai Yang Shi You - 981 or Marine Oil 981 has been recently been moved into place 320 kilometers (or 198 miles) southeast of Hong Kong, at the northern end of the South China Sea and within the country's Exclusive Economic Zone. Operations at the rig are slated to begin </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"For to be strengthened to safeguard the state sovereignty, the maritime law enforcement. Safe operation of the hole must be ensured as well. Following the conventions of maritime safety laws, a water of 500 meters will be marked out around the hole. A trip of foreign vessels, including fishing boats, are prohibited in this water. "</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[April 19]China National Offshore Oil Corp, the country's biggest marine oil producer, signed a production-sharing contract on April 18 with Eni China BV for a deepwater block in the South China Sea.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Italy-based Eni will operate the 30/27 block, which has a total area of 5,130 square kilometers and lies 400 kilometers off the coast of Hong Kong.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Eni will conduct three-dimension seismic surveys and drill one exploration well in the block and cover all expenditures during the exploration period.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">CNOOC will have up to a 51 percent interest in any commercial discoveries in the block.Since China's near-shore area offers very limited potential for further oil and gas exploration, it's imperative for the company to go to deepwater projects.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">CNOOC is testing its first domestic semi-submersible drilling rig, the Haiyang Shiyou 981, which is capable of operating at a maximum water depth of 3,000 meters, as part of its ambitions to achieve deepwater output of 50 million tons of oil equivalent by 2020. <a href="http://convenientflags.blogspot.com/2011/07/hai-yang-shi-you-981-another-for.html">more</a></span>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The United States and European Union on January 16 revoked sanctions that had cut Iran's oil exports by about 2 million barrels per day (bpd) since their pre-sanctions 2011 peak to little more than 1 million bpd.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Iran, a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), issued an order on January 18 to increase production by 500,000 bpd, the country's deputy oil minister said.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The following activities<a href="http://eeas.europa.eu/top_stories/pdf/iran_implementation/information_note_eu_sanctions_jcpoa_en.pdf"> are allowed</a>: sale, supply, transfer or export of naval </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">equipment and technology for ship building, maintenance or refit, to Iran or to any Iranian </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">persons engaged in this sector; the design, construction or the participation in the design or </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">construction of cargo vessels and oil tankers for Iran or for Iranian persons; the provision of </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">vessels designed or used for the transport or storage of oil and petrochemical products to </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Iranian persons, entities or bodies; and the provision of flagging and classification services, including those pertaining to technical specification, registration and identification numbers of </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">any kind, to Iranian oil tankers and cargo vessels.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">All cargo flights operated by Iranian carriers or originating from Iran have access to the </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">airports under the jurisdiction of EU Member States.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Inspection, seizure and disposal by EU Member States of cargoes to and from Iran in their </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">territories no longer apply with regard to items which are no longer prohibited.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Provision of bunkering or ship supply services, or any other servicing of vessels, to Iranian owned </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">or Iranian-contracted vessels not carrying prohibited items is allowed; and the</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">provision of fuel, engineering and maintenance services to Iranian cargo aircraft not carrying </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">prohibited items is permitted.</span><br />
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[May 1 2013 <b>IRISL: new Iran sanctions by U.S. Treasury]</b></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-buNsJ-Eo_gY/UYER678dAeI/AAAAAAAADz4/9QdFe-NXeC0/s1600/babik.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-buNsJ-Eo_gY/UYER678dAeI/AAAAAAAADz4/9QdFe-NXeC0/s320/babik.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Babak Zanjani, chairman
of more than 60 companies known as the Sorinet Group of the United Arab
Emirates allegedly conspired with First Islamic Investment Bank of Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia as </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">accused violators of the Iranian sanctions</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Two Sorinet companies --
Sorinet Commercial Trust Bankers of Dubai and International Safe Oil of Labuan,
Malaysia -- were named by the Treasury Department as allegedly being involved
in the multibillion-dollar scheme .
Account International Safe Oil<a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/12/us-iran-oil-sanctions-idUSBRE88B1IO20120912"> was previously reported</a> to be
involved in the transfer of Iranian oil at the port of Labuan, Malaysia<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Glammarine agreed to let a company called Account International
Safe Oil use the Titan Ruchira and <a href="http://convenientflags.blogspot.com/2012/09/esperanza-kamari-i-tranship-iran-oil.html">Titan Tulshyan</a> to store 4 million barrels of
Iranian oil, shipping sources said. Account International is not registered in
Malaysia or Hong Kong. A Middle East
industry source familiar with the company said Account International was an
affiliate of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC). A second source based in
East Malaysia said the firm had business links to HK Intertrade, a Hong
Kong-based firm sanctioned by the United States in July for operating as a
front company for Iran.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
Individual: AFZALI, ALI<br />
DOB: July 1, 1967<br />
<br />
Entity: PEARL ENERGY COMPANY LTD<br />
Address: Level 13(E) Main Office Tower, Jalan Merdeka, Financial Park Complex, Labuan, 87000, Malaysia<br />
<br />
Entity: PEARL ENERGY SERVICES, SA<br />
Address: 15 Avenue de Montchoisi, Lausanne, 1006 VD, Switzerland<br />
<br />
Individual: Mohhammad Hossein DAJMAR<br />
AKA: Mohammad Hossein DAJMAR<br />
DOB: February 19, 1956<br />
Iranian Passport: K13644698, expires May 16, 2013<br />
<br />
Individual: Gholam Hossein GOLPARVAR<br />
AKA: Gholamhossein GOLPARVAR<br />
DOB: January 23, 1957<br />
Iranian Passport: U14643027, expires November 11, 2013<br />
<br />
Individual: Hassan Jalil ZADEH<br />
AKA: Hassan JALILZADEH<br />
DOB: January 26, 1959<br />
Iranian Passport: A1508382, expired February 24, 2010<br />
<br />
Individual: Mohammad Hadi PAJAND<br />
DOB: May 28, 1950<br />
Address: 73 Blair Court, Boundary Road, London, NW8 6NT, United Kingdom<br />
<br />
Entity: ASHTEAD SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED<br />
Address: Manning House, 21 Bucks Road, Douglas IM1 3DA, Isle of Man<br />
<br />
Entity: BYFLEET SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED<br />
Address: Manning House, 21 Bucks Road, Douglas IM1 3DA, Isle of Man<br />
<br />
Entity: COBHAM SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED<br />
Address: Manning House, 21 Bucks Road, Douglas IM1 3DA, Isle of Man<br />
<br />
Entity: DORKING SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED<br />
Address: Manning House, 21 Bucks Road, Douglas IM1 3DA, Isle of Man<br />
<br />
Entity: EFFINGHAM SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED<br />
Address: Manning House, 21 Bucks Road, Douglas IM1 3DA, Isle of Man<br />
<br />
Entity: FARNHAM SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED<br />
Address: Manning House, 21 Bucks Road, Douglas IM1 3DA, Isle of Man<br />
<br />
Entity: GOMSHALL SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED<br />
Address: Manning House, 21 Bucks Road, Douglas IM1 3DA, Isle of Man<br />
<br />
Entity: HORSHAM SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED<br />
Address: Manning House, 21 Bucks Road, Douglas IM1 3DA, Isle of Man<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Mohhammad Hossein Dajmar, designated today, is Chairman and Managing Director of IRISL and three previously-designated front companies – Safiran Payam Darya Shipping Company (SAPID), Hafiz Darya Shipping Company (HDS), and Soroush Sarzamin Asatir Ship Management Company (SSA). Also designated today are Gholamhossein Golparvar, Managing Director of SAPID and a director of SSA and HDS, as well as Hassan Jalil Zadeh, Managing Director of HDS. Finally, Mohammad Hadi Pajand, Company Secretary of Irinvestship Ltd., and a company director of Lancelin Shipping Company Ltd. – two previously-designated IRISL affiliates – was also designated by Treasury today.<br />
<br />
<br />
11/30/10<br />
The following [NPWMD] entries have been<br />
added to OFAC's SDN list:<br />
ASHTEAD SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED,<br />
Manning House, 21 Bucks Road, Douglas IM1<br />
3DA, Man, Isle of; c/o Islamic Republic of Iran<br />
Shipping Lines (IRISL), No. 37, Aseman Tower,<br />
Sayyade Shirazee Square, Pasdaran Avenue,<br />
PO Box 19395-1311, Tehran, Iran; Business<br />
Registration Document # 108116C (Man, Isle of);<br />
Email Address smd@irisl.net; Website<br />
www.irisl.net; Telephone: 982120100488; Fax:<br />
982120100486 [NPWMD]<br />
BYFLEET SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED,<br />
Manning House, 21 Bucks Road, Douglas IM1<br />
3DA, Man, Isle of; c/o Islamic Republic of Iran<br />
Shipping Lines (IRISL), No. 37, Aseman Tower,<br />
Sayyade Shirazee Square, Pasdaran Avenue,<br />
PO Box 19395-1311, Tehran, Iran; Business<br />
Registration Document # 118117C (Man, Isle of);<br />
OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL CHANGES TO SDNLIST IN 2010<br />
- 88 -<br />
Email Address smd@irisl.net; Website<br />
www.irisl.net; Telephone: 982120100488; Fax:<br />
982120100486 [NPWMD]<br />
COBHAM SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED,<br />
Manning House, 21 Bucks Road, Douglas IM1<br />
3DA, Man, Isle of; c/o Islamic Republic of Iran<br />
Shipping Lines (IRISL), No. 37, Aseman Tower,<br />
Sayyade Shirazee Square, Pasdaran Avenue,<br />
PO Box 19395-1311, Tehran, Iran; Business<br />
Registration Document # 108118C (Man, Isle of);<br />
Email Address smd@irisl.net; Website<br />
www.irisl.net; Telephone: 982120100488; Fax:<br />
982120100486 [NPWMD]<br />
DORKING SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED,<br />
Manning House, 21 Bucks Road, Douglas IM1<br />
3DA, Man, Isle of; c/o Islamic Republic of Iran<br />
Shipping Lines (IRISL), No. 37, Aseman Tower,<br />
Sayyade Shirazee Square, Pasdaran Avenue,<br />
PO Box 19395-1311, Tehran, Iran; Business<br />
Registration Document # 108119C (Man, Isle of);<br />
Email Address smd@irisl.net; Website<br />
www.irisl.net; Telephone: 982120100488; Fax:<br />
982120100486 [NPWMD]<br />
EFFINGHAM SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED,<br />
Manning House, 21 Bucks Road, Douglas IM1<br />
3DA, Man, Isle of; c/o Islamic Republic of Iran<br />
Shipping Lines (IRISL), No. 37, Aseman Tower,<br />
Sayyade Shirazee Square, Pasdaran Avenue,<br />
PO Box 19395-1311, Tehran, Iran; Business<br />
Registration Document # 108120C (Man, Isle of);<br />
Email Address smd@irisl.net; Website<br />
www.irisl.net; Telephone: 982120100488; Fax:<br />
982120100486 [NPWMD]<br />
FARNHAM SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED,<br />
Manning House, 21 Bucks Road, Douglas IM1<br />
3DA, Man, Isle of; c/o Islamic Republic of Iran<br />
Shipping Lines (IRISL), No. 37, Aseman Tower ,<br />
Sayyade Shirazee Square, Pasdaran Avenue,<br />
PO Box 19395-1311, Tehran, Iran; Business<br />
Registration Document # 108146C (Man, Isle of);<br />
Email Address smd@irisl.net; Website<br />
www.irisl.net; Telephone: 982120100488; Fax:<br />
982120100486 [NPWMD]<br />
GOMSHALL SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED, c/o<br />
Soroush Sarzamin Asatir (SSA) Ship<br />
Management Co, Shabnam Alley, Golriz St, Vafa<br />
Alley, Fajr St, Shahid Motahari Avenue,<br />
1589675951, Tehran, Iran; Manning House, 21<br />
Bucks Road, Douglas IM1 3DA, Man, Isle of;<br />
Business Registration Document # 111998C<br />
(Man, Isle of); Email Address info@ssa-smc.net;<br />
Website www.ssa-smc.net; Telephone:<br />
982126100191; Fax: 982126100192 [NPWMD]<br />
HORSHAM SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED, c/o<br />
Soroush Sarzamin Asatir (SSA) Ship<br />
Management Co, Shabnam Alley, Golriz St, Vafa<br />
Alley, Fajr St, Shahid Motahari Avenue,<br />
1589675951, Tehran, Iran; Manning House, 21<br />
Bucks Road, Douglas IM1 3DA, Man, Isle of;<br />
Business Registration Document # 111999C<br />
(Man, Isle of); Email Address info@ssa-smc.net;<br />
Website www.ssa-smc.net; Telephone:<br />
982126100191; Fax: 982126100192 [NPWMD]<br />
• 11/30/10<br />
The following [NPWMD] entries have been<br />
added to OFAC's SDN list:<br />
AFZALI, Ali, c/o Bank Mellat, Tehran, Iran; DOB 1<br />
Jul 1967; nationality Iran (individual) [NPWMD]<br />
PEARL ENERGY COMPANY LTD., Level 13(E)<br />
Main Office Tower, Jalan Merdeka, Financial<br />
Park Complex, Labuan 87000, Malaysia;<br />
Telephone:6087541688; Fax: 6087453688<br />
[NPWMD]<br />
PEARL ENERGY SERVICES, SA, 15 Avenue de<br />
Montchoisi, Lausanne, 1006 VD, Switzerland;<br />
Business Registration Document # CH-<br />
550.1.058.055-9; Telephone: 0216140614<br />
[NPWMD]<br />
• 11/30/10<br />
The following [NPWMD] entries have been<br />
added to OFAC's SDN list:<br />
DAJMAR, Mohammad Hossein (a.k.a. DAJMAR,<br />
Mohhammad Hossein); DOB 19 Feb 1956;<br />
nationality Iran; Passport K13644698 (Iran)<br />
expires 16 May 2013 (individual) [NPWMD]<br />
DAJMAR, Mohhammad Hossein (a.k.a. DAJMAR,<br />
Mohammad Hossein); DOB 19 Feb 1956;<br />
nationality Iran; Passport K13644698 (Iran)<br />
expires 16 May 2013 (individual) [NPWMD]<br />
GOLPARVAR, Gholam Hossein (a.k.a.<br />
GOLPARVAR, Gholamhossein); DOB 23 Jan<br />
1957; nationality Iran; Passport U14643027<br />
(Iran) expires 11 Nov 2013 (individual)<br />
[NPWMD]<br />
GOLPARVAR, Gholamhossein (a.k.a.<br />
GOLPARVAR, Gholam Hossein); DOB 23 Jan<br />
1957; nationality Iran; Passport U14643027<br />
(Iran) expires 11 Nov 2013 (individual)<br />
[NPWMD]<br />
JALILZADEH, Hassan (a.k.a. ZADEH, Hassan<br />
Jalil); DOB 26 Jan 1959; nationality Iran;<br />
Passport A1508382 (Iran) expires 24 Feb 2010<br />
(individual) [NPWMD]<br />
PAJAND, Mohammad Hadi, 73 Blair Court,<br />
Boundary Road, London NW8 6NT, United<br />
Kingdom; DOB 28 May 1950; nationality Iran<br />
(individual) [NPWMD]<br />
ZADEH, Hassan Jalil (a.k.a. JALILZADEH,<br />
Hassan); DOB 26 Jan 1959; nationality Iran;<br />
Passport A1508382 (Iran) expires 24 Feb 2010<br />
(individual) [NPWMD]kokstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02486048015925497542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712210113135285881.post-71405247545086520102015-12-08T17:06:00.000-05:002015-12-08T17:06:48.610-05:00Russia confirms submarine Rostov-on-Don fired cruise missiles at Raqqa<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on December 8 that Russia had for the first time struck Islamic State targets in Syria with missiles fired from a submarine in the Mediterranean.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"The targets were two large terrorist positions in the territory of Raqqa," Shoigu told President Vladimir Putin in a televised meeting, adding that the Calibre missiles had been fired from the submarine Rostov-on-Don.</span></div>
November 19 <b>Varshavyanka-class sub strikes at Raqqa with cruise missiles</b><br />
19 2015 15:01</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Cruise missiles were launched from the diesel-electric submarine «Rostov-on-don». However, the Kremlin denied these reports.</div>
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The Varshavyanka-class (Project 636), an improved version of the Kilo-class submarines, features advanced stealth technology, extended combat range and provides the ability to strike land, surface and underwater targets. Designed for anti-shipping and anti-submarine missions in relatively shallow waters, the submarines can cruise underwater at a speed of 20k and has a cruising range of 400 miles.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Capable of accommodating a crew of 52, the submarines can patrol for 45 days and are armed with 18 torpedoes and eight surface-to-air missiles.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
«I think the mere presence of these forces in the Eastern Mediterranean will not only be sober adversary, but will also force ISIS to make serious conclusions. When they see what power they are opposed, they will realize that it is pointless to do what they are doing now», — said the former commander of Northern fleet Admiral Vyacheslav Popov</div>
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<br /></div>
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[November 17 <b>Russia strikes at Raqqa with cruise missiles from Med</b></div>
<a href="http://s1.ibtimes.com/sites/www.ibtimes.com/files/styles/v2_article_large/public/2015/09/25/rtx130bm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://s1.ibtimes.com/sites/www.ibtimes.com/files/styles/v2_article_large/public/2015/09/25/rtx130bm.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Russian missile cruiser Moskva is moored in the Crimean Black Sea port of Sevastopol on May 10, 2013, A variety of ships, including the Moskva, were reported to have left from Russia's Sevastopol port in Crimea September 25, according to the independent Turkish ship-spotting blog Bosphorus Naval News.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Two U.S. defense officials say Russia has attacked Raqqa, the Islamic State group's self-declared capital in Syria, with cruise missiles and bombs on Tuesday.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss non-U.S. military operations. They provided no details on targets or the scale or outcome of the attacks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One of the officials said the Russians gave the U.S. prior notification of the attacks by communicating with the U.S.-led coalition's air operations center at al-Udeid air base in Qatar. The official said this was in accordance with protocols worked out by U.S. and Russian officials in October</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/images/102256/83/1022568317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/images/102256/83/1022568317.jpg" height="173" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Grad Sviyazhsk and Uglich, are the first in the new Buyan-M class</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[October 8 <b>Russian Navy launches cruise missiles at Jaish al-Fatah, rather than on the Islamic State]</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Moscow said it had fired 26 cruise missiles at Syrian targets from naval vessels in the Caspian Sea, 900 miles away, using a Gepard-class frigate Dagestan and the Buyan-M-class corvettes Grad Sviyazhsk, Uglich and Veliky Ustyug. They’re armed with Kalibr-NK launchers.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[September 23 2014<b>] DDG launch of Tomahawk Land-Attack Missiles (TLAM) against ISIL targets]</b></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vl06xTT9DjI/VCFwqg0thrI/AAAAAAAAEJc/c1wozhDzs2k/s1600/phillippine%2Bsea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vl06xTT9DjI/VCFwqg0thrI/AAAAAAAAEJc/c1wozhDzs2k/s1600/phillippine%2Bsea.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Published on Sep 23, 2014<br />
RED SEA (Sept 23, 2014) The guided-missile destroyer USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) launches Tomahawk Land-Attack Missiles (TLAM) against ISIL targets. Arleigh Burke is deployed in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.<br />
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Published on Sep 23, 2014<br />
ARABIAN GULF (Sept. 23, 2014) The guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) launches Tomahawk Land-Attack Missiles (TLAM) against ISIL targets. Philippine Sea is deployed as part of the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) Carrier Strike Group supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.<br />
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<br />
More than a dozen airstrikes have hit Islamic State military targets and administrative buildings in Aleppo and Raqqa provinces in the north as well as al Qaeda's official arm in the country, al Nusra Front in the northwestern city of Idlib.<br />
<br />
[March 20 2011 <b>Trafalgar: class submarine fire RN Tomahawks]</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tRbq4su-h-4/TYYnd4hisRI/AAAAAAAACiY/DOLNthT1Oz0/s1600/prov%2Btrafalgar.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586195782142439698" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tRbq4su-h-4/TYYnd4hisRI/AAAAAAAACiY/DOLNthT1Oz0/s400/prov%2Btrafalgar.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 225px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
The UK has launched guided Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAM) from a Trafalgar Class submarine as part of a co-ordinated coalition plan to enforce the UN resolution on Libya.<br />
A UK submarine is understood to have been stationed in the Mediterranean for some time without being detected.kokstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02486048015925497542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712210113135285881.post-41211880974538164852015-11-14T16:41:00.000-05:002015-11-14T16:42:13.557-05:00Tankers sail in figure eights<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-isK4KlENc0k/VFDhzlfVb4I/AAAAAAAAEM0/AsYToa0CWj4/s1600/imo%2Binvalid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="45" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-isK4KlENc0k/VFDhzlfVb4I/AAAAAAAAEM0/AsYToa0CWj4/s1600/imo%2Binvalid.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">reported tanker locations</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Not everyone associated with the oil industry is losing these days. As the enormous ships sail in figure eights around the globe, the tanker companies are reaping the rewards, making as much as $70,000 a day, if not more, for their services.</div>
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Such is the state of the oil industry these days that there is sometimes nowhere to put the oil. Off the coast of Texas, a line of roughly 40 tankers has formed, waiting to unload their crude or, in some cases, for a willing buyer to come along. Similar scenes are playing out off the coasts of Singapore and China and in the Persian Gulf.</div>
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[June 5<b> floating storage: low crude steep contango]</b></div>
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<a href="http://spreadcharts.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/CL_m_contango.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://spreadcharts.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/CL_m_contango.png" height="160" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">50 million barrels of crude were added to floating storage globally since January, According to Iranian officials, the country's approximate 50 million barrels stored at sea is mostly condensate and fuel oil, and not crude as some traders fear. Ccondensate condenses out of the natural gas if the temperature is reduced to below the hydrocarbon dew point temperature of the raw gas. Due to the steep contango in the forward curve, the investors best positioned to execute on a long oil trade are those who have the capacity to buy a few thousand barrels of oil, store it in their backyard, and sell it in a few months. For everyone else, be prepared to pay handsomely for that storage.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 21px;">[June 5 </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">The fading contango: tankers used for floating storage.freed up as oil unloaded]</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 21px;">Physical oil is coming under pressure as trade houses unwind a profitable storage play after several months that saw them holding millions of barrels on tankers at sea. C</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16px;">harterers made fresh efforts to get rates below the psychological mark of w60</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16px;">Worldscale rates for VLCCs on the Persian Gulf to East routes, The key PG-Japan rate was assessed unchanged at w59.. The market is very volatile and if there are one or two replacement or date sensitive cargoes, they push up the rates,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[earlier]</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Layuzn9pX-w/VTpk1J-3k6I/AAAAAAAAERg/m1EhTHlYuLY/s1600/oilproduction%2B15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Layuzn9pX-w/VTpk1J-3k6I/AAAAAAAAERg/m1EhTHlYuLY/s1600/oilproduction%2B15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Freight rates for dirty tankers in the East of Suez market have gone up sharply to hit their highest level so far in 2015 lately, amid strong demand to move crude and fuel oil and spike in interest for floating storage. The long waiting time in Basrah for ships to load and delays in discharging at South Korea and China due to logistics and weather issues also reduced tonnage supply, contributing to firming rates.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[May 13 ]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">More VLCCss were being used for storage over the last four – six weeks. A third of the vessels taken on time charter earlier in the year are now used for floating storage. Most of these are in the Arabian Gulf, but there also some in Singapore, West Africa and the Mediterranean.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[April 24 <b>tankers for crude storage]</b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Invalid locations?</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As much as 90 percent of global oil storage capacity is “captive,” or controlled by major producers such as Royal Dutch Shell Plc, BP Plc or Chevron Corp. That means only a small part of land-based oil storage is <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/12/us-oil-tanks-analysis-idUSKBN0KL0AZ20150112">available for independent traders</a> to lease to exploit the market contango, which has prevailed since July.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Some of the world’s largest oil traders have moved to secure floating storage in tankers to take advantage of the market contango. Vitol, Koch Industries Inc., Shell and Trafigura Beheer BV, have booked tankers that could be used to store crude at sea for one-year charters, The last time the oil market moved into a significant contango during the global financial crisis of 2008 and 2009, traders stored 100 million barrels at sea.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[December 12 2014 ]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Seaborne oil trade will rise by 3.5 percent in 2015, against no change in the fleet, 83 very large crude carriers were bound for Chinese ports, at about 8:30 a.m. December 12in London. The ships would transport 166 million barrels, assuming standard cargoes, the largest number in data starting in October 2011. The cost of hiring the vessels surged to the highest in almost five years. Part of the tanker freight-rate rally may be because of rising shipments from West Africa. Traders booked 33 cargoes of crude on VLCCs from the region this month, 43 percent more than a year earlier.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[October 29 <b>Phantom Ships in the Northwest Passage]</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To hide their crimes on the high-seas, hundreds of ships broadcast false identities by using transmitters taken from scrapped vessels on the black market and by typing in made-up ID numbers and hoping they don't arouse suspicion. Fifteen percent of all ships transmitting fake identities are tankers, typically carrying oil or oil products. Vessels smuggling oil shipments or other raw materials can lead to significant gaps in intelligence on supply and demand. large shipping companies seeking to maintain market opaqueness, oil tankers circumventing international sanctions, and large oil producers<a href="http://windward.eu/press/AIS_Executive_Summary-Windward.pdf"> concealing oil via floating storage</a> in order to affect global oil prices. This group will likely be followed by far more ships seeking to conceal their information in the future.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[May 9 2010 <b>Sitting Ducks for pirates: idling tankers]</b></span><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bDsV9xf-Zw4/S-bPSizaC7I/AAAAAAAABgE/8ONOjyg2i-g/s1600/vlcc+store.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469286714975062962" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bDsV9xf-Zw4/S-bPSizaC7I/AAAAAAAABgE/8ONOjyg2i-g/s400/vlcc+store.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 225px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At least 15 VLCC crude carriers are idling in the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and Gulf of Suez. The tankers can store a combined 30 million barrels of oil.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Traders store oil hoping to benefit from a so-called contango structure in futures markets, in which prompt prices are lower than contracts for later delivery. Traders can make money when the difference in prices is greater than the cost to charter the ship.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The contango between the front-month crude contract traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange and the second-month contract to the highest level since Dec. 15. Dirty products usually include crude oil and may include fuel oil.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The VLCC rate was $43,876 a day as of April 23, according to the London-based Baltic Exchange. The rate has more than doubled this year. VLCCs can carry about 2 million barrels of oil. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Iran, OPEC’s second-biggest oil producer, added three supertankers to its fleet of vessels storing crude, matching a similar program in 2008 that helped freight rates to triple, ship tracking data show.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Two years ago, Iran used as many as 15 tankers for storage, constricting vessel supply and helping to more than triple freight rates in less than three months.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Iran is likely storing oil because of weakening demand as refineries across Asia, accounting for almost two-thirds of global demand for supertankers, carry out maintenance. National Iranian Tanker Co., which operates the supertankers, also has a laden suezmax tanker idling off Iran, ship-tracking data show. A suezmax can hold about 1 million barrels of oil</span>.kokstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02486048015925497542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712210113135285881.post-10812346923411840132015-10-18T10:42:00.000-04:002015-10-18T10:42:50.520-04:00Liaoning: generally considered by military experts to be a training carrier<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Oct 14, 2015 Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, when asked if China had or would send forces to Syria, told a daily news briefing that she had also noticed the reports.</div>
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"I can tell you that as for China's warships, for example the Liaoning, whether it has gone to join, for this issue, as far as I know, there is no such plan. At this time the Liaoning is in a phase of carrying out technical training and military exercises." The Liaoning is generally considered by military experts to be a training carrier, while China builds its own carriers and works out how to operate them.</div>
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<a href="http://convenientflags.blogspot.com/2013/04/south-korean-navy-to-track-any-missile.html">more</a></div>
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The authority in Changzhou, in eastern Jiangshu province, boasted on social media on February 1 that a local firm had won a contract to supply electrical cabling for China's second aircraft carrier. It later deleted the post, but not before it had been widely circulated. </div>
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[July 4 2013 <b>Shi Lang Varyag: now Liaoning, F-5 takes off]</b></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bG6NRs1DpSU/UdYXCXaMh4I/AAAAAAAAD18/EWrYl7UMYZM/s416/j15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bG6NRs1DpSU/UdYXCXaMh4I/AAAAAAAAD18/EWrYl7UMYZM/s400/j15.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Photo shows a J-15, China's first-generation multi-purpose carrier-borne fighter jet, taking off from the deck of the Liaoning, China's first aircraft carrier, on June 29, 2013. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane%27s_Fighting_Ships" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; color: #0b0080; line-height: 19.1875px;" title="Jane's Fighting Ships">Jane's Fighting Ships</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;"> had previously stated that the ship would be named </span><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">Shi Lang</i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;"> and assigned </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennant_number" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; color: #0b0080; line-height: 19.1875px; text-decoration: none;" title="Pennant number">pennant number</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;"> 83 but a</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">t the commissioning ceremony, the carrier was officially named </span><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">Liaoning.</i></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rHbRJYEY3RY/Te-EVAD9cII/AAAAAAAACr8/u87pUTphMew/s1600/Shi%2BLang%2BVaryag.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615852756683026562" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rHbRJYEY3RY/Te-EVAD9cII/AAAAAAAACr8/u87pUTphMew/s400/Shi%2BLang%2BVaryag.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 225px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">[September 25 2012]</span><br />
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China's first aircraft carrier was delivered to the Chinese Navy at the port of Dalian on September 23, 2012.
The carrier, built on former Ukrainian vessel Varyag, is capable of carrying around 30 fixed wing fighters and helicopters and a crew of about 2,000. And the hull number, "16," has been painted on the ship recently.
[earlier]China has renovated the Varyag, an incomplete Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier purchased from Ukraine, and carried out the first trial navigation in August 2011. China seems to be advancing training of carrier-based aircraft pilots and development of the J-15, a carrier-based fighter. In addition, it has constructed a structure on land which replicates an aircraft carrier and is developing an airfield for take-off and landing training. Based on these facts, it is believed that China is now earnestly advancing research and development on technologies necessary for possession of aircraft carriers. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In view of these developments in the modernization of the Chinese Navy, it is believed that China is trying to build capabilities to conduct operations in more distant areas. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In recent years, when environment surrounding military has greatly been changing including advancement in military specialization and diversification of missions according to the modernization of military, some see that relations between the CCP leadership and the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has been getting complex and others see that the degree of military influence on foreign policy decisions has been changing13. The situation attracts attention as a risk management issue too. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.mod.go.jp/e/publ/w_paper/pdf/2012/07_Part1_Chapter1_Sec3.pdf">Japan, Defense White paper, July, 2012</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">[6/8/11]The carrier was constructed in the 1980s for the Soviet navy but was never completed. When the Soviet Union collapsed, the rusting hull of the Varyag sat in dockyards in Ukraine.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A small Hong Kong company called the Chong Lot Travel Agency Ltd.it said wanted to turn it into a floating casino in Macau and purchased it at auction for US$20 million. The total cost of acquiring the hulk was over $30 million USD: $25 million to the Ukrainian government for the hull, nearly $500,000 in transit fees, and some $5 million for the towing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The head of China's General Staff of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has confirmed that China's first aircraft carrier is under construction.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In fact, China faces severe ocean threats, Qi Jianguo, Assistant Chief of General Staff, says, China is now in the oceans are facing the pressure of several directions, to see how the situation changes. You see, now that the sea, the island chain, the South China Sea issue, the Taiwan Strait issue, the East China Sea issue, the question the Yellow Sea, the world can there be a large country like China is facing such a complex marine problems?" <a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?act=url&hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=zh-CN&tl=en&twu=1&u=http://www.hkcd.com.hk/content/2011-06/07/content_2751772.htm">Hong Kong Commercial Daily</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gen Chen Bingde refused to say when the carrier - a remodelled Soviet-era vessel, the Varyag - would be ready.</span>kokstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02486048015925497542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712210113135285881.post-18719803392093826532015-09-02T14:16:00.000-04:002015-09-02T14:16:58.756-04:00Freedom, Lockheed Martin Corp frigate to Saudi?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/USS-Freedom-130222-N-DR144-174-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/USS-Freedom-130222-N-DR144-174-crop.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15.0000009536743px; line-height: 24.0000019073486px;">Saudi Arabia is in advanced discussions with the U.S. government about buying two frigates based on Freedom a coastal warship [LCS] that Lockheed Martin Corp is building for the U.S. Navy,</span></div>
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September 29 2014 <b>Philippine Bilateral Exercises start near Scarborough Shoal, seized by Chinese]</b></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mFfwkLv7_y0/Tfct1EWLZuI/AAAAAAAAAMk/zw4ExhgtLhs/s1600/Spratly+islands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mFfwkLv7_y0/Tfct1EWLZuI/AAAAAAAAAMk/zw4ExhgtLhs/s320/Spratly+islands.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Joint air and marine exercises "Philippine Bilateral Exercises," or Phiblex, of Philippines and U.S marine units began on Sepember 29 near disputed waters in the South China Sea, testing the readiness of the two oldest security allies in the southeast Asian region to respond to any emergency.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">China has expanded its territory in the Gaven, Johnson South, Cuarteron and Chigua reefs in the Spratlys, reclaiming land to build islands to assert its claims.
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Philippines has monitored the presence of more than 120 Chinese warships and fishing boats in the Spratlys in the first half of 2014, establishing firm control over disputed areas.
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">China seized control of Scarborough Shoal, a rocky outcrop north of the Spratlys, in June 2012 after a three-month standoff with the Philippines, denying Filipino fishermen access to the rich fishing ground.
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the Scarborough Shoal, the Philippines has also reported the presence of an increasing number of ships, from 11 in the last quarter of 2013 to 34 in the first quarter this year.Two U.S. amphibious ships, USS Peleliu and USS Germantown, are participating in the exercises. Besides simulating boat raids and beach assaults, they will feature aerial live fire, mechanized armor maneuvers and parachute drops.
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Annual war games are being held under the 1951 Mutual Defence Treaty (MDT), part of a web of security alliances the United States built in the Asia-Pacific region during the Cold War.
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[April 5 2013<b> USS Freedom: LCS bound for Singapore, nothing to do with North Korea</b>]
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The U.S.’ littoral combat ship USS Freedom is en-route to Singapore for temporary deployment as part of the country’s recent military shift toward Asia.
Such a shift can further strain relations with China, which is in territorial dispute with its neighbors.
A brand new class of ship the USS Freedom is one of just two littoral class combat ships of the U.S. Navy and it pulled into Guam's waters this morning to dock at the Apra harbor.
The USS Freedom carries with it two smaller boats that it can launch from two doors in it's rear or aft. These boats carry special interdiction teams trained to board vessels.
Commander Timothy Wilke says it's deployment has nothing to do with recent threats from North Korea.
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Before it can do that however, the $670 million ship has to get there. The USS Freedom has suffered three blackouts so far in its transit between Hawaii and Guam. As reported by <a href="http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/awx_03_22_2013_p0-562016.xml" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #000066; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Aviation Week</a>: <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The most recent two this week — including one March 21 — brings the outage total to three, all during the ship’s transit from Pearl Harbor to Guam en route to Singapore, says U.S. Pacific Fleet spokesman Darryn James. The outage problems appear to be similar to those the ship suffered during a deployment in the Atlantic when the vessel was first pressed into Navy service, a source intimately familiar with Freedom operations says.</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Other than not being able to keep the lights on, the guns on the <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">USS Freedom</em> are also reported not to work properly, and her helicopter is too small to perform mine-sweeping. Additionally the Navy has admitted in a <a href="http://www.dote.osd.mil/pub/reports/FY2012/pdf/navy/2012lcs.pdf" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #000066; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">recent report</a> that the “LCS is not expected to be survivable…” in combat. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">[March 4 2011]</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s6HmiRxyhVA/TX5irNcURLI/AAAAAAAACf4/2Viq7_bIhdQ/s1600/Independence%2B%2528LCS-2%2529.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584009082468320434" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s6HmiRxyhVA/TX5irNcURLI/AAAAAAAACf4/2Viq7_bIhdQ/s400/Independence%2B%2528LCS-2%2529.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 197px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 349px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vmtp-SIGMFY/TX5irCVBfkI/AAAAAAAACfw/k17LmvdxVw8/s1600/Freedom%2B%2528LCS-1%2529.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584009079484939842" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vmtp-SIGMFY/TX5irCVBfkI/AAAAAAAACfw/k17LmvdxVw8/s400/Freedom%2B%2528LCS-1%2529.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 355px;" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Northrop Grumman-built MQ-8B Fire Scout vertical takeoff and landing tactical unmanned aerial vehicle (VTUAV) flew its first test flights from the U.S. Navy's littoral combat ship, USS Freedom (LCS-1).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The U.S. Navy in the last week of 2010 awarded contracts to industry teams led by Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics to build one Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) with options for nine more over the next five years, as well as technical data packages and support services. Total value of the Lockheed Martin award is $491.9 million; the General Dynamics team contract is for $465.4 million. Saudi Arabia has expressed an interest in Freedom Class vessel, LCS-I</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Suppression of enemy air defense for a no-fly zone is done with strike fighters or bombers. This means that any sort of no-fly-zone will have to be enforced by NATO allies, most likely England, France and Italy. There haven’t been any talks about increasing the number of ships near Libya but rather there have been discussions about repositioning naval assets already there. On March 8 that there were no plans to move the carrier Enterprise now in the Red Sea, around a day-long cruise from the Mediterranean. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> [April 5 2013]U.S.Navy F/A-18 Warplanes have been sent To Philippines For Military Drills.
"There will be table top exercises on how the militaries of the two countries would respond to a destructive typhoon as well as in the event of a major ship collision on the high seas," Garcia said, adding the combat aspect would showcase the capability of the U.S. Navy's multi-role fighters
The F/A-18 Hornet, an all-weather aircraft, is used as an attack aircraft as well as a fighter. In its fighter mode, the F/A-18 is used primarily as a fighter escort and for fleet air defense; in its attack mode, it is used for force projection, interdiction and close and deep air support. The presence of the warplanes is not connected to tensions on the Korean peninsula, a Philippine army spokesman said.
</span>kokstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02486048015925497542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712210113135285881.post-45945945925414413622015-08-14T08:59:00.000-04:002015-08-14T09:02:53.329-04:00Hercules Offshore files for voluntary bankruptcyHercules Offshore files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to navigate weak crude oil market.Hercules said its net operating days in the United States declined by more than half year-on-year and the average day rate to lease a rig declined from $108,237 during second quarter 2014 to $92,538.<br />
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[July 27 2013 <b>Hercules 265: fire out - natural gas leak, then fire</b>]
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The natural gas well blowout and fire earlier in the week that spread to a jackup, causing part it to collapse, has gone out.
The chain of events began July 23 when Walter Oil & Gas’ A-3 natural gas well in South Timbalier 220, off the coast of Louisiana, suffered a gas leak, resulting in a blowout. That brought about the safe evacuation of 44 rig workers, James Noe, a vice-president with Hercules Offshore, owner of the rig, told Rigzone.
The gas that continued to leak from the well ignited around 10:50 p.m. local time Tuesday and the fire spread to the rig, the Hercules 265 (250’ MC) jackup. Several hours later, the rig derrick collapsed and continued to burn, and Walter Oil & Gas began officials thought about drilling a relief well.
Before the well owner had to make that decision, the natural flow of sand and sediment into the well bore plugged the well in a process known as “bridging over”. With the flow of natural gas cut off, the well fire soon burned out, and the fire on the rig was contained to the portion of the rig that had collapsed. That fire has since burned itself out, as well.
A portion of the Hercules 265 (250’ MC) jackup has collapsed after catching fire .<br />
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“Two firefighting vessels were in the area and re-located a safe distance from the fire. A third vessel equipped with fire-fighting capability and improved monitoring system is enroute and expected to arrive late morning. The 87-foot Coast Guard Cutter Pomano is standing by to assess the situation and enforce the security zone. The Coast Guard Cutter Cypress is enroute and will arrive at approximately noon,” the BSEE said in a press statement.There was no fire as of evening at the site, about 55 miles off the Louisiana coast in the Gulf of Mexico, but natural gas was spewing from the Hercules 265 drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana, Tuesday, July 23, 2013. No injuries were reported in the midmorning blowout. The fire started around 10:50 p.m. Tuesday evening, when natural gas leaking from the A-3 natural gas well at South Timbalier Block 220 ignited off the coast of Louisiana. The fire then spread to the Hercules jackup. Hercules 265 is a 250′ mat-supported cantilevered jackup unit.<br />
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kokstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02486048015925497542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2712210113135285881.post-67556187619085241132015-07-18T10:31:00.000-04:002015-07-18T10:31:32.845-04:00Egyptian Gunboat hit by a modified anti-tank missile<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fefefe; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #262626; line-height: 115%;">State of Sinai,</span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: #262626;"> </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>ISIS-affiliated militant group<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>,used a "guided
missile" to target the ship near Rafah, on the border with Gaza. It <span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;">could have used a
modified anti-tank missile to strike the ship, which in the photographs of the
attack does not appear to be far from the shore</span>.</span>kokstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02486048015925497542noreply@blogger.com0