Page 81: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (July 1997)

IMO Drafts Bulk Carrier Safety Regulations

The Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) of the IMO has drafted reg- ulations to improve the safety of bulk carriers. The regulations will be put forward for adoption at a special bulk carrier safety confer- ence to be held at IMO headquar- ters in London in November.

The regulations bring in new structural requirements for bulk carriers to prevent vessels from sinking if water enters for any rea- son, and will apply to new and existing ships. Existing ships which are not in compliance will have to be reinforced or comply with restrictions on cargo being carried.

This could mean limiting car- goes to light cargoes such as grain, oil or timber, or altering the way cargoes are loaded, which could imply carrying less cargo.

The aim of the regulations is to reverse the rise in accidents involving bulk carriers since the early 1990s. The regulations are based on standards drawn up by the International Association of

Classification Societies (IACS).

For more information, contact the

IMO at tel: +44 171 463 4040.

Benor To Buy Three

Product Carriers

For $55.5 M

Benor Tankers won a contract to purchase three product carri- ers from Exmar for $55.5 million.

The 46,100-dwt, double-bot- tomed and sided product carriers — Leopard, Panther and Tiger — were built at the Boelwerf yard in

Belgium in 1985.

All three ships are time char- tered out until July, August and

September 1999 respectively, at a rate of $15,000 a day. The cash and stock purchase is expected to close at the end of this month.

In a separate transaction, the

Benor board agreed with the company's main shareholder, the

TransPetrol Group, to purchase product carrier Endurance for $22 million.

Endurance was built at

Hyundai in 1988 and is fixed until March 1998 at a time char- ter level of $14,750 per day.

Poland Invites Bids For

Baltic Fleet PZB iThe Polish Treasury ministry is inviting bids for a stake of not less than 10 percent in Polska Zegluga Baltycka SA (PZB), a shipping firm operating in the

Baltic region.

A newspaper advertisement said that investors have until

September to place bids.

PZB is based in Kolobrzeg, and the company reportedly owns five ferries, seven smaller ships, two ferry hubs and a commercial port (in Kolobrzeg) with a loading capacity of 350,000 tons.

PZB reportedly serviced 383,800 passengers last year and carried 74,930 cars and 19,956 commercial vehicles. vi 4* .-si,..

O'Gara Satellite Networks 1 Brandywine Drive, Deer Park,

NY 11729 USA

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 00 + (1) 516 586 5100

Fax: 00 + (1) 516 586 5531

Internet: www.ogara.com/osn

NEXT Destination LTD 25 The Clarendon Centre,

Salisbury Business Park, Salisbury

SP1 2TJ U.K.

TEL: +44 (0) 1722 410800

FAX: +44 (0) 1722 410777

Email: [email protected]

An O'Gara Company

NEXT • 64 kbps high speed data transmission • Use a digital multiplexer to carry up to 8 simultaneous voice/fax calls or up to 20 data channels or full motion "store + forward" video or live 2-way H.320 video conferencing • Options for compressed colour video, 15KHz broadcast audio, up to 8 voice and 4 data channels and group IV fax • Antenna can be mounted up to 500 feet from indoor unit with optional cable lengths

Boatfone/Carfone • Compact, affordable marine & vehicle Mini-M available soon; call now for further information

Mercury Voyager • Inmarsat-M mobile communications centre • Low profile aerodynamic antenna maintains accurate alignment during vehicle motion over rugged terrain or at high speed • Continuous 360 degree coverage • Voice and optional fax and data transmission • Vehicle console mounted or portable briefcase options

Lynxx-B /

Mercury Traveler-B • Inmarsat-B digital communications centre for mobile or fixed installation

Mobile

Satellite

Solutions

Make the world a smaller place

Access the power of world voice, fax or data communications with the range of satellite products and services from

O'Gara Satellite Networks

Compact-M • Inmarsat-M personal satellite phone • Small and highly portable • Voice and optional fax and data transmission • Pre-paid Access

Telecard gives complete control over airtime usage

INMARSAT,

Mobilfone

Inmarsat Mini-M personal satellite phone • Ultra-small and lightweight • Voice, fax and data transmission • Uses Inmarsat's latest spot beam technology

July, 1997 Circle 290 on Reader Service Card 81