Moscow to Rule Northern Sea Route

Deputy Minister of Transport Victor Olerskyz informed that the Northern Sea Route will be administrated from Moscow.

The new headquarters for the Northern Sea Route (NSR) will open in Moscow on January 28 2013. A representative office may be opened in Arkhangelsk later, according to the 'Barents Observer'.

The Northern Sea Route is becoming a more and more important route for transportation of cargo between Europe and Asia. 2012 was a record season both in relation to the amount of cargo and the number of vessels. 46 vessels sailed the route in 2012, compared to 34 in 2011 and only four in 2010. The total cargo transported on the NSR last year was 1 261 545 tons – a 53 percent increase from 2011, when 820 789 tons was shipped on the route.

Moscow was chosen as host town for the NSR administration office so that no other region might feel offended, as Murmansk and Arkhangelsk have for years been hoping that the office would be located there, reports 'RiaNovosti'.

Another reason to choose Moscow before any Arctic town is that there is where the Ministry of Emergency Situations, emergency rescue services and the Agency for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring are located.

Sources: Barents Observer/Ria Novosti

Stranded Kulluk Rig Update

The mobile drilling unit 'Kulluk', Shell Oil’s 266-foot-long floating drill rig, remains aground on the southeast shore of Sitkalidak Island, Alaska,

Rear Adm. Thomas Ostebo, commander, Coast Guard 17th District and commander of Coast Guard forces in Alaska, said:

"“My primary concern is ensuring the unified command has the personnel, assets and equipment they need to safely salvage the Kulluk,” said Ostebo. “I have over flown the Kulluk twice and am fully aware of the remote location, weather challenges and the extensive plans that will have to be developed to ensure this incident is managed in safe and effective manner.”

Ostebo is also working with the unified command to ensure that the public, stakeholders and elected officials are kept up to date on the response and its objectives.

“This is a very large and complex response and it is important that the American public and our elected officials understand the dangerous and difficult challenges being faced by the response crews,” said Ostebo. “We are continuing our collaborated response with other shareholders in the unified command until the grounded Kulluk no longer poses a threat to the pristine Alaska maritime environment. Throughout the response, our number one priority has been and will continue to be ensuring the safety of the crews involved in response operations.”

NOAA adds to the USCG statement that the next step for the response is assessing the condition of the rig and planning to remove the oil on board. Of note is the fact that the shores of Kodiak Island, where the rig grounded, fall within critical habitat for the endangered Steller sea lion .

Picture: Rear Adm. Thomas Ostebo, observes the conical drilling unit Kulluk from an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter during a second overflight Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013.

Life on board a river cruise vessel

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Видео презентация за работата, условията и живота на Речен Круизен Кораб

<  Life on board a river cruise vessel - video presentation - 16.04 min. >

Life on Board

Начин на живот на борда на кораб

Круизните кораби са като големи плаващи хотели. Капацитетът на новите, модерни круизни кораби е повече от две хиляди пасажера на всеки круиз, и с повече от деветстотин служители и членове на екипажа, които работят на борда.

По-големите кораби са с повече от дванадесет палуби, имат десет до петнадесет обществени асансьора, плюс асансьори на екипажа.

Условията за екипажа в повечето случаи са добри - с две думи ако екипажа е доволен то и пасажерите ще са доволни, така и круизът ще е по-приятен, а бакшишите по-големи.

Повечето от круизните компании са в жестока конкуренция помежду си.

Всички членове на екипажа на борда на кораба, имат свои собствени, индивидуални съоръжения. Размерът и качеството зависи от ранг или в длъжност.

Членовете на екипажа споделят една кабина в която живеят с друг/и членове на екипажа. Много двойки работят на един и същ кораб и споделят една кабина.

Кабините за екипажа обикновено имат две или четери легла (две двоетажни) и баня. Много круизни компании осигуряват телевизор, хладилник във всяка кабина.

На повечето круизни кораби, фитнесът работи за екипажа след 22:00 часа.

Почти всеки кораб има и Crew Bar - бар само за екипажа на кораба, където да релаксират след 12 часовия уморителен ден.