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

Gulf of Thailand PSV Charter Fixed

Miclyn Express Offshore's Thai J/V has taken delivery of the PSV 'UM Supporter' from Poet Shipbuilding & Engineering.

The vessel immediately entered into a 3 year firm contract, plus two 1 year extension options, to provide coil tubing support services to a major oil and gas company’s activities in the Gulf of Thailand. This new contract is a continuation of a long standing relationship with between the two companies in this region.

The fully SPS 2008-compliant vessel has total accommodation for 50 people and 500m2 of clear deck area space. Combined with a service speed of 12kts with twin 1946kW main engines, it is also fitted with two 9 tonne bow thrusters and a telescopic boom crane. Capacity for dry bulk and bulk liquids (muds, brine, drill water, fuel, etc) with a dedicated integral tank of 150m3 for cement is also available.

Established in 1999, Uniwise Offshore, a Joint Venture of the Unithai Group, a major Thai offshore, shipyard and logistics group, and Miclyn Express Offshore (MEO), an Australian listed Singapore based leading provider of offshore service vessels covering South-East Asia, Australia and the Middle East, has grown to become Thailand’s leading indigenous offshore support vessel (OSV) company.

Uniwise Offshore owns and operates the largest crew boat fleet in the Gulf of Thailand, supporting the Kingdom’s offshore oil and gas activities with transportation of crew changes and inter-field small sized cargo.

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.