MARITIME & OCEANOGRAPHY : View Posts

We have today announced that we will accelerate cost reduction programmes in our Marine business and reduce the number of employees by a further 600 by the end of this year in response to challenging market conditions.

Today’s announcement follows our Interim Management Statement on May 8th in which we confirmed that the year had started slowly and consequently a drive for further efficiencies is underway.

The Marine business employs around 6,000 people in 34 countries, and while the reductions will be global, around half will be in Norway, where the majority of employees and manufacturing facilities are located.

Mikael Makinen, Rolls-Royce, President – Marine, said: “We are transforming our Marine business and while we are making good progress on cost, the effect of low oil prices means we have to continue to look for further efficiencies.

“It is never an easy decision to propose reductions in our workforce, but it is a sign of the challenging market in which we operate. We will work closely with employees and their representatives as we manage this change.

“The future prospects for the Marine business remain bright, and we are focused on maintaining our position as a technology leader, but we must drive further cost reduction today so that we are ready to grow tomorrow”.

We anticipate the proposals will have a broadly neutral impact on profits in 2015 and generate approximately £25m of benefits from 2016 onwards. The reductions announced today are in addition to programmes already underway to consolidate manufacturing at several locations in the UK, USA, Norway, Sweden and South Korea.

About Rolls-Royce Holdings plc
Rolls-Royce’s vision is to create better power for a changing world via two main business divisions, Aerospace and Land & Sea. These business divisions address markets with two strong technology platforms, gas turbines and reciprocating engines. Aerospace comprises Civil Aerospace and Defence Aerospace. Land & Sea comprises Marine, Nuclear and Power Systems.
Rolls-Royce has customers in more than 120 countries, comprising more than 380 airlines and leasing customers, 160 armed forces, 4,000 marine customers including 70 navies, and more than 5,000 power and nuclear customers.
Our business is focused on the 4Cs:
Customer – placing the customer at the heart of our business
Concentration – deciding where to grow and where not to
Cost – continually looking to increase efficiency
Cash – improving financial performance.

Annual underlying revenue was £14.6 billion in 2014, around half of which came from the provision of aftermarket services. The firm and announced order book stood at £73.7 billion at the end of 2014.

In 2014, Rolls-Royce invested £1.2 billion on research and development. We also support a global network of 31 University Technology Centres, which position Rolls-Royce engineers at the forefront of scientific research.

Rolls-Royce employs over 54,000 people in more than 50 countries. Over 15,500 of these are engineers.
The Group has a strong commitment to apprentice and graduate recruitment and to further developing employee skills. In 2014 we employed 354 graduates and 357 apprentices through our worldwide training programmes. Globally we have over 1,000 Rolls-Royce STEM ambassadors who are actively involved in education programmes and activities; we have set ourselves a target to reach 6 million people through our STEM outreach activities by 2020.

Company joins Shenzhen Port Green Convention / Use of very low-sulphur fuel while in port / Reduced emissions in the heavily populated metropolitan region

Hapag-Lloyd and the Chinese Port of Shenzhen entered into an agreement to cut sulphur oxide emissions. Under the agreement, Hapag-Lloyd has voluntarily undertaken only to use fuel with a sulphur content of less than 0.5% while its ships are docked at the terminal. In doing so, Hapag-Lloyd is increasing its existing efforts to improve air quality in port cities.

“By joining the Shenzhen Port Green Convention, Hapag-Lloyd has once again demonstrated its commitment to environmental and health protection on a voluntary basis that goes beyond national and international requirements, thus emphasising how important this is to our Company,” explained Hapag-Lloyd’s Chief Operating Officer Anthony J. Firmin.

Hapag-Lloyd has already participated in various voluntary environmental protection programmes that promote the use of low-emission fuels while ships are in port. Past examples of these include the ‘At Berth Clean Fuels Program’ in Seattle, the ‘Port Metro Vancouver Blue Circle Award’ and the ‘Fair Winds Charter’ in Hong Kong.

Outside of ports, Hapag-Lloyd also takes its responsibility for air quality protection seriously. For example, its vessels operate using fuel with an average sulphur content of only 2.1% when they are outside sea areas designated as Emission Control Areas (ECAs). This is significantly below the current limit of 3.5% specified by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). When they are inside ECAs, Hapag-Lloyd’s ships only use fuel with a maximum sulphur content of 0.1%, as required.

ARLINGTON, VA – The bipartisan effort to establish a uniform national framework for the regulation of vessel discharges took another step forward as the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation approved S. 373, the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act, with strong bipartisan support.

A broad-based coalition of nearly 60 organizations joined the American Waterways Operators in urging the committee to approve VIDA. This measure would replace a patchwork of overlapping and conflicting federal and state regulations with a uniform, science-based federal framework for vessel discharge regulation. AWO and the coalition will work with the Commerce Committee to bring S.373 to the Senate floor for passage this spring.

“AWO thanks Chairman John Thune (R-SD) for his leadership in bringing VIDA before the Commerce Committee at its first markup session of the 114th Congress,” said Tom Allegretti, AWO President & CEO. “AWO also commends Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Bill Nelson (D-FL) for their bipartisan leadership in moving this important legislation forward.”

“The bill is good for the maritime transportation industry and the industries that rely upon it, good for the health of the nation’s waterways, and good for the American taxpayer,” said a letter the coalition sent to the Senate Commerce Committee in advance of last week’s approval.

The American Waterways Operators is the national trade association representing the tugboat, towboat and barge industry, which operates on the rivers, the Great Lakes, along the coasts and harbors of the United States. Barge transportation serves the nation as the safest, most environmentally friendly and most economical mode of freight transportation. For more information about AWO, please visit www.americanwaterways.com

Under its expedited agreement review procedures, the Federal Maritime Commission has concluded its review of a proposed amendment to the Los Angeles and Long Beach Port Infrastructure and Environmental Programs Cooperative Working Agreement, FMC Agreement No. 201219-001. The Commission’s unanimous decision grants the parties request for expedited review and permits the amendment to become effective on Friday, February 27, 2015.

Operating since March 2013, the agreement allows, among other things, the ports to discuss and agree on projects and programs that address transportation infrastructure needs and reduce pollution caused by port-related activities. The proposed amendment clarifies the purpose of the agreement to more accurately reflect the current goals of the Ports, and to allow for the discussion of projects and programs with multiple stakeholders in and around the port complex. Addressing port congestion will be a particular focus, including establishing initiatives to increase terminal productivity, facilitate chassis availability and usage, and improve drayage truck turn times.

The Commission’s decision is based on a determination that the agreement is not likely at this time, by a reduction in competition, to produce an unreasonable increase in transportation cost or an unreasonable reduction in transportation service under section 6(g) of the Shipping Act.

Chairman Cordero said, “A major responsibility of the Commission is to review and oversee competitive agreements. Today’s global competitive environment mandates that our nation’s ports maintain competitive transportation gateways in the interest of moving cargo in efficient and cost effective systems. Cooperative agreements among ports who serve a common region are now paramount in order to improve port-related transportation infrastructure and facilitating cargo movement. The Southern California Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, our Nation’s largest port complex, are in a unique position as landlord ports to facilitate discussion among all industry stakeholders and work toward solutions to issues facing the ocean transportation industry including the vital question of port congestion.”

“I am optimistic that the ports’ amended agreement will help address their serious congestion issues as the agreement: clarifies and expands the ports’ authorities in order to meet the changing dynamics of the industry and the impacts of those dynamics on the ports’ gateways; enables the two ports to jointly address concerns regarding supply chain issues, operational efficiencies and marine terminal velocities; highlights the ports’ long-term environmental commitments while pursuing future endeavors; renews their commitment to enhance truck drayage and other transport processes and strengthens the ports’ continuing commitments to safety, security and infrastructure development. Accordingly, the Commission strongly supports the initiative by the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to further their partnership to address such objectives,” said Chairman Cordero.

The Federal Maritime Commission is the federal agency responsible for regulating the nation’s international ocean transportation for the benefit of exporters, importers, and the American consumer. The FMC’s mission is to foster a fair, efficient, and reliable international ocean transportation system while protecting the public from unfair and deceptive practices.

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CHICAGO – Nearly 80 percent of marine industry participants expect sales to increase between five and ten percent this year, according to survey results released today by GE Capital, Commercial Distribution Finance (CDF). That’s up from 54 percent who expected growth in that range last year, and almost double from the 43 percent two years ago.

The marine industry also sees improvements in terms of employment and capital expenditures. Eighty-four percent plan to increase the size of their company’s workforce and 78 percent expect their firm’s capital expenditures to be greater than last year.

“The industry continues to grow by offering innovative products at a variety of price points,” said Bruce Van Wagoner, president of CDF’s marine group. “As the demand for boats increases, dealers and manufactures want to ensure they are properly staffed and operational to capitalize on this growth, which we are forecasting to be around 5-6% in units and 8-9% in retail sales in the U.S.”

The marine industry has grown steadily since the dramatic downturn in 2009. Fifty percent of survey respondents expect this recovery to continue for the next two to three years, while another28 percent think it will continue for the next three to four years.

“While the overall industry is still smaller than it was prior to the recession, it is financially stronger today than it has ever been,” noted Van Wagoner. “There is plenty of room for further growth, but dealers and manufacturers are committed to growing with sound inventory management and at the pace of the market.”

GE Capital’s survey was conducted at the Industry Leadership Conference, which was held in conjunction with the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), at the Miami International Boat Show on Feb. 11. The respondents are a variety of marine industry participants, including manufacturers, dealers and suppliers.

About GE Capital, Commercial Distribution Finance
GE Capital, Commercial Distribution Finance provided $36 billion in financing for more than 30,000 dealers and more than 3,000 distributors and manufacturers in the U.S. and Canada in 2014. Programs include inventory and accounts receivable financing, asset-based lending, private label financing, collateral management and related financial products. For more information, visit gecdf.com or follow company news via Twitter (GEInventoryFin).

GE (NYSE: GE) imagines things others don’t, builds things others can’t and delivers outcomes that make the world work better. GE brings together the physical and digital worlds in ways no other company can. In its labs and factories and on the ground with customers, GE is inventing the next industrial era to move, power, build and cure the world. www.ge.com

Neptune Orient Lines Limited (“NOL”) and Kintetsu World Express, Inc. (“KWE”), jointly announced today that they have entered into a sale and purchase agreement for NOL’s logistics business, APL Logistics, for US$1.2 billion.

“This is a strategic move that will allow us to focus on improving our liner shipping business, while at the same time enabling APL Logistics to grow. The transaction will also strengthen our balance sheet and unlock value for our shareholders,” said Ng Yat Chung, Group President and CEO of NOL.

NOL said that the divestment of APL Logistics follows a robust and highly competitive process, and that the net proceeds of the sale will be applied to strengthen its financial position, including to repay its borrowings. It further said that the divestment will allow APL Logistics to realise its full potential.

“The proposed transaction with KWE is expected to provide APL Logistics with the opportunity to expand its business with the backing of a company with strong fundamentals and a commitment to grow in the logistics space. We believe that KWE has the ability and the ambition to continue APL Logistics’ growth strategy,” continued Mr Ng.

“We are very pleased to successfully enter into this transaction. Since 2013, we have laid out a strategy to strengthen our international presence especially in the US and Asia. This transaction fits right into our strategy,” said Satoshi Ishizaki, Group President and CEO of KWE. “We intend to retain the headquarters of APL Logistics in Singapore and to run it as a separate unit. We will also ensure that members of the group work together for the benefit of our stakeholders. We warmly welcome customers and employees of APL Logistics into our group. To them, I would like to give my assurance that when this transaction is completed, KWE will continue to invest in and expand APL Logistics’ services so as to serve our customers better, and to create exciting career growth opportunities for all employees of the KWE family.”

This transaction is subject to NOL shareholder and relevant regulatory approvals.

Citi and HSBC acted as financial advisors to NOL during the transaction. KWE’s financial advisor is Nomura Securities.

About NOL
Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) is a Singapore-based global container shipping and logistics company. Its container shipping arm, APL, provides world-class container shipping and terminal services, as well as intermodal operations supported by leading-edge IT and e-commerce. Its logistics business, APL Logistics, provides international, end-to-end logistics services and solutions, employing the latest IT and data connectivity for maximum supply chain visibility and control. NOL Web site: www.nol.com.sg.

About APL Logistics
APL Logistics is a global supply chain specialist in the Auto, Consumer, Industrials and Retail verticals. It provides a comprehensive range of origin and destination services in over 60 countries, including freight and transportation management, customs brokerage, warehousing, distribution and supply chain consulting. APL Logistics offers customised technology solutions and applications that help customers analyse and optimise their supply chains. APL Logistics is a unit of Singapore-based Neptune Orient Lines (NOL), a global transportation and logistics company

About KWE
Kintetsu World Express, Inc.(KWE) provides comprehensive one-stop services and solutions that incorporate airfreight forwarding, Ocean freight forwarding and a full-range of logistics services to provide “Optimum Distribution Solutions” to its clients on a global scale. KWE shall create new values and optimal environments through our provision of cargo logistics services in order to contribute to the development of a global community together with our clients, shareholders and employees.

MIAMI – GM Marine’s new 4.3L V-6 Small Block engine for sterndrive applications is a lightweight, technologically advanced and efficient performer designed to deliver excellent performance while using less fuel than many V-6 marine engines.

It is based on the fifth generation of General Motors’ legendary Small Block architecture, which was introduced 60 years ago and powers through the 21st century with advanced performance- and efficiency-optimizing technologies, including variable valve timing and direct fuel injection.

“The Small Block was adapted for marine use soon after it was introduced and we have worked for decades with marinizers to refine the engine family for the unique requirements of powerboats,” said Gary Halligan, GM Marine engineering.

“The new Gen V Small Block architecture represents an unprecedented investment in engine design, which leveraged the depth and breadth of GM’s powertrain resources to bring to the market one of the most efficient, powerful and technologically advanced engines in the marine industry.”

The new Gen V 4.3L V-6 shares the same design attributes as the Small Block engine family found in the latest Chevrolet Silverado, Tahoe and Suburban trucks and SUVs, as well as the high-performance Corvette Stingray.

“Allowing the marine industry to take advantage of proven automotive technology is a win for the boating world,” said Patrick Koenigknecht, GM director of Marine Original Equipment sales. “Direct injection and continuously variable valve timing technologies are perfect for the marine industry because they result in more power and better fuel efficiency – and the customer benefits from factory-proven reliability and durability built on years of tough truck engine design, development and testing.”

Volvo Penta is a marinizer already working with the new Gen V engine.

“We’ve trusted GM engines for years and want to get the latest technology to the customer as soon as possible,” said Ron Huiber, president, Volvo Penta. “We believe this new engine will help transform the boat industry with its great balance of power and efficiency – and the durability customers have come to rely on for decades.”

Advanced combustion system drives performance, efficiency

The power and efficiency of the GM Marine Gen V marine engine are due to an unprecedented level of analysis, including computational fluid dynamics, to make the most of the combustion system and the direct injection fuel system and variable valve timing systems that support it. More than 10 million hours of computational analysis were conducted on the engine program, including 6 million hours (CPU time) dedicated to the advanced combustion system.

Direct injection is new to the engine architecture – and marine engines – and is a primary contributor to its greater combustion efficiency by ensuring a more complete burn of the fuel in the air-fuel mixture. This is achieved by precisely controlling the mixture motion and fuel injection spray pattern, including pistons that feature uniquely sculpted topography to precisely direct the fuel spray for a more complete combustion. Direct injection also keeps the combustion chamber cooler, which allows for a higher compression ratio – which supports greater power.

Continuously variable valve timing, which GM pioneered for overhead-valve engines, further enhances performance, efficiency and reduced emissions.

Additional engine features:

All-aluminum block and oil pan: Lighter than conventional cast iron, the aluminum cylinder block and heads of the Gen V engine help reduce the boat’s overall weight, enhancing performance and efficiency. The Gen V block was developed with math-based tools and provides a light, rigid foundation for an impressively smooth engine. Its deep-skirt design helps maximize strength and minimize vibration. Its bulkheads accommodate six-bolt, cross-bolted main-bearing caps that limit crank flex and stiffen the engine’s structure. The block also features nodular iron main bearing caps, which represent a significant upgrade over more conventional powdered metal bearing caps. They are stronger and can better absorb vibrations and other harmonics to help produce smoother, quieter performance.
Advanced oiling system: The oiling system is driven by a new, variable-displacement oil pump that enables more efficient oil delivery. Its dual-pressure control enables operation at a very efficient oil pressure at lower rpm and delivers higher pressure at higher engine speeds to provide a more robust lube system for the high-rpm engine operation that’s characteristic of powerboat operation. Standard oil-spray piston cooling sprays the underside of each piston and the surrounding cylinder wall with an extra layer of cooling, durability-enhancing oil. For optimal efficiency, they are used only when needed the most such as start-up, giving the cylinders extra lubrication, and at higher engine speeds.
Positive Crankcase Ventilation-integrated rocker covers: One of the most distinctive features of the Gen V engine is its domed rocker covers, which house an integrated positive crankcase ventilation system that enhances oil economy and oil life, while reducing oil consumption and contributing to low emissions. The rocker covers also hold the direct-mount ignition coils for the coil-near-plug ignition system. Between the individual coil packs, the domed sections of the covers contain baffles that separate oil and air from the crankcase gases.
GM supplies engines to many industrial and marine original equipment manufacturers. GM’s range of marine engines ranges from a 3.0L 140-hp four-cylinder engine to a 6.2L 550-hp supercharged V-8. GM has been supplying engines to the marine industry since 1958 and pioneered marine application of electronic fuel injection since 1991.

General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM, TSX: GMM) and its partners produce vehicles in 30 countries, and the company has leadership positions in the world’s largest and fastest-growing automotive markets. GM, its subsidiaries and joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Cadillac, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at http://www.gm.com

TOKYO-Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President: Koichi Muto) and Reliance entered into a strategic association for transportation of Liquefied Ethane from United States to India. This will make MOL to be the first shipping company who is dedicated for a continuous Liquefied Ethane transportation by Very Large Ethane Carriers (VLEC).

The transportation of Ethane will be carried out by six VLEC’s from North America to India. The VLEC’s are being specifically built by Samsung Heavy Industries Co., Ltd and expected to be delivered in the last quarter of 2016 and will enter into service thereafter. The vessels are designed to cater to the latest safety and environmental regulations and will have superior design parameters.

MOL will supervise the construction of six VLEC’s initially at the yard and thereafter operate and manage the vessels during the charter period for Reliance.

While MOL declared in New Midterm Management Plan “STEER FOR 2020” a direction to allocate management resources earlier and significantly to businesses where we expect high growth and stable long-term profits taking advantage of the Shale Revolution, this strategic association has been concluded definitely in line with this direction.

VLECs, being a hybrid of LNG carrier and LPG carrier, required the expertise in both the LNG carriers and LPG carriers. Considering MOL’s rich experience for both type of carriers it is in better position to leverage on its existing capabilities to tap this new opportunity.

MOL will, in response to increasing demands for energy transportation, continue it’s effort to provide with safe and stable sea transportation services based on high standard of safety transportation system.

The path is clear: Hapag-Lloyd and the Chilean Compañía Sud Americana de Vapores (CSAV) are joining forces, by merging CSAV´s container business activities into Hapag-Lloyd, becoming the fourth-largest liner shipping company in the world. The corresponding contracts for the merger of the two companies were signed back in April in Hamburg. With approval from all the relevant global authorities all condition precedents were fulfilled.

The merger of Hapag-Lloyd AG with the container business activities of the Chilean shipping company founded in Valparaíso, in 1872, is expected to result in many synergies. Annual savings of at least USD 300 million are anticipated simply as a result of network optimizations, improvements to productivity and reductions in costs. The merged company will have around 200 vessels with a total capacity of approximately one million TEU, transporting some 7.5 million TEU every year and will set up its fourth regional headquarter in Valparaiso, Chile. With revenue of around USD 12 billion, the combined entity joins the elite group of international shipping companies.

Rolf Habben Jansen, Chief Executive Officer of Hapag-Lloyd: “This is a big day for both companies. With Hapag-Lloyd’s strength in Asian traffic and on the North Atlantic, combined with CSAV’s strong position in Latin America, we will become the leading shipping company in this region – and thereby be able to offer our global customers an even more attractive network and wider range of products. Our ability to compete will also be significantly enhanced by closing the gap to the top three of our industry”. He continues, “Our immediate priorities now are to continue to offer excellent service to all of our customers and to honor all the commitments both companies made, whilst we plan the upcoming integration. There will be no major changes to the way we work until the transition to the Hapag-Lloyd systems towards the end of the first quarter 2015”.

Oscar Hasbún, CEO of CSAV, adds: “We are very proud of the fact that our two long-established companies will now become one of the most prominent players in the global container shipping industry and that this Company has a firm foothold in Latin America, including our home market of Chile. We fit together perfectly thanks to our complementary network, our customer structure, and our excellent professionalism and reputation”.

In addition to integrating CSAV’s container business into Hapag-Lloyd, there are also plans to strengthen the Company by raising capital of EUR 370 million by 31 December 2014, in which CSAV will take a share of EUR 259 million and Kühne Maritime EUR 111 million. The ownership structure of Hapag-Lloyd AG will therefore change as follows: CSAV will become Hapag-Lloyd’s biggest shareholder with 34% after the cash capital increase. The other shareholders are HGV (23.2%), Kühne Maritime (20.8%), TUI (13.9%), Signal Iduna (3.3%), HSH Nordbank (1.8%), M.M. Warburg (1.8%) and Hanse Merkur (1.1%).

CSAV, HGV and Kühne Maritime have agreed to pool 51% of the shares in Hapag-Lloyd in order to discuss and make key decisions together in the future. Of this pool structure, CSAV owns a 50% participation, while HGV and Kühne Maritime will own 25% each.

The main processes of integrating CSAV’s container business into Hapag-Lloyd are expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2015.

NEW YORK- L-3 Communications (NYSE:LLL) announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Wärtsilä Corporation to sell its Marine Systems International (L-3 MSI) business. The transaction is anticipated to be completed in the second quarter of 2015, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. The transaction, with a base purchase price of €285 million, is subject to customary adjustments and an estimated reduction of €60 million for L-3 MSI employee pension-related liabilities to be assumed by Wärtsilä Corporation.

Headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, L-3 MSI is a sector within L-3’s Electronic Systems business segment, primarily focused on the commercial ship industry. L-3 MSI is a turnkey supplier of complete electrical systems, as well as integrated navigation, automation, communications, and power and propulsion systems for all types of ships, including cruise liners, ferries, and offshore and specialty vessels. L-3 MSI comprises various units, including SAM Electronics, Valmarine, Lyngsø Marine, Dynamic Positioning & Control Systems, JOVYATLAS/EUROATLAS, ELAC Nautik, FUNA and APSS. L-3 MSI is expected to generate sales of approximately €400 million with an operating margin of approximately 6.5% for the year ending December 31, 2014.

“This planned disposition of L-3 Marine Systems International to Wärtsilä Corporation demonstrates our ongoing focus on portfolio shaping as a key component of our strategy of bringing efficiencies and value to our core businesses,” said Michael T. Strianese, L-3’s chairman, president and chief executive officer. “As a turnkey supplier of a variety of sophisticated marine electrical and automation systems, with an outstanding workforce, MSI will complement and enhance Wärtsilä’s strengths in this sector. At the same time, this sale will open up new opportunities for L-3 to further enhance our operations and focus on delivering innovative solutions in our core markets.”

Headquartered in New York City, L-3 employs approximately 48,000 people worldwide and is a prime contractor in aerospace systems and national security solutions. L-3 is also a leading provider of a broad range of communication and electronic systems and products used on military and commercial platforms. The company reported 2013 (revised) sales of $12.6 billion.

To learn more about L-3, please visit the company’s website at www.L-3com.com. L-3 uses its website as a channel of distribution of material company information. Financial and other material information regarding L-3 is routinely posted on the company’s website and is readily accessible.

NEW MALDEN, U.K. – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has renewed its service agreement with U.K.-based Carisbrooke Shipping Limited.

The contract will cover spares and labour for navigation systems, communication equipment and voyage data recorders onboard the 23 vessels, which include 6,000-, 8,000- and 12,500- Dead Weight Tonnage bulkers. Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine has supplied gyro compasses, autopilots, speed logs, radar and Electronic Chart Display Information Systems (ECDIS) to these vessels.

“This contract furthers the relationships between Carisbrooke and Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine,” said John Fletcher, global service manager, Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine. “It ensures Carisbrooke will be supported by our global service network, regional distribution centers, service depots and repair workshops to ensure prompt and efficient service.”

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems, cyber, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.

MAYFIELD VILLAGE, Ohio — The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies®, is continuing its longstanding partnership with the National Marine Manufacturers Association(NMMA) to sponsor 20 of the country’s premier boat shows. Progressive and NMMA are making boater education a top priority and bringing a completely new and interactive experience to the 2015 schedule.

The Progressive Marina experience includes the Progressive Boat School, developed with the Annapolis School of Seamanship to help consumers learn to boat confidently while having fun. Visitors will have the opportunity to participate in engaging sessions on watersports safety and proper docking procedures, and have the opportunity to earn discounts on boat insurance as a result.

“We’ve teamed up with NMMA and the Annapolis School of Seamanship to create a new and engaging experience around boating education and safety, to maximize your experience on the water,” said Rick Stern, Progressive Boat Product Manager. “We feel so strongly about safety on the water that we’re offering a policy discount for visitors, new or current Progressive customers, who complete our onsite course and some supplemental online material.”

Progressive Boat School seminars include:
Gateway to Boating—get an overview of the styles and types of boats and how they fit various boating lifestyles
Watersports Safety—gain the know-how needed to keep everyone safe on the water while having fun.
iNavigation—learn how to use the new innovations available to boaters—from traditional compass and paper charts, to onboard electronics and mobile devices.
Boat Systems—learn how to manage boat systems from stem to stern.
Docking & Line Handling—learn the ropes with tricks and techniques that can make docking easy.
The Progressive Marina will also include an interactive boat replica with an indoor pool for instructional demos, a boating simulator and a see-through motion sensor digital floor.

In addition to the Progressive Boat School, NMMA shows offer complimentary daily DIY maintenance seminars at Fred’s Shed Interactive Learning Center, fishing seminars, the Discover Boating Hands-On Skills Training series and more.

“An educated boater is a safe boater, and our goal as a boat show producer is to arm boaters with the knowledge needed to boat confidently and enjoy a lifetime on the water with family and friends,” said Ben Wold, NMMA Vice President. “We’re thrilled to further our partnership with Progressive and provide an educational area that will provide a solid foundation for new boaters and allow seasoned captains to polish their skills in a fun, interactive environment.”

The upcoming NMMA Progressive boat shows include:
Date Show Location
Jan 8-11 Progressive Insurance Nashville Boat & Sportshow Nashville, TN
Jan 15-18 Progressive Insurance Atlanta Boat Show Atlanta, GA
Jan 14-18 Progressive Insurance Chicago Boat, RV & Strictly Sail Show Chicago, IL
Jan 21-25 Progressive Insurance New York Boat Show New York, NY
Jan 21-25 Progressive Insurance Louisville Boat, RV & Sportshow Louisville, KY
Jan 22-25 Progressive Insurance Kansas City Boat & Sportshow Kansas City, MO
Jan 22-25 Progressive Insurance Minneapolis Boat Show Minneapolis, MN
Jan 22-25 Progressive Insurance San Francisco Boat Show San Francisco, CA
Jan 29-Feb 1 Progressive Insurance Baltimore Boat Show Baltimore, MD
Feb 4-8 Progressive Insurance Atlantic City Boat Show Atlantic City, NJ
Feb 12-16 Progressive Insurance Miami International Boat Show Miami, FL
Feb 12-16 Progressive Insurance – Miami, Strictly Sail Miami, FL
Feb 14-22 Progressive Insurance New England Boat Show Boston, MA
Feb 19-22 Progressive Insurance Los Angeles Boat Show Los Angeles, CA
Mar 4-8 Progressive Insurance St. Louis Boat & Sportshow St. Louis, MO
Mar 25-29 Progressive Insurance Northwest Sportshow Minneapolis, MN
June 18-21 http://www.sandiegointernationalboatshow.com/ San Diego, CA
To find out more about Progressive Boat Insurance, talk to your independent agent, visit http://www.progressive.com/boat/ or call 1-800-PROGRESSIVE.

About Progressive
The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies makes it easy to understand, buy and use auto insurance. Progressive offers choices so consumers can reach it whenever, wherever and however it’s most convenient—online at progressive.com, by phone at 1-800-PROGRESSIVE, on a mobile device or in-person with a local agent.
Progressive also offers insurance for personal and commercial autos and trucks, motorcycles, boats, recreational vehicles, as well as home insurance through select carriers. It’s the fourth largest auto insurer in the country, the largest seller of motorcycle insurance and a leader in commercial auto insurance. Progressive also offers car insurance online in Australia at http://www.progressiveonline.com.au.
Founded in 1937, Progressive continues its long history of offering shopping tools and services that save customers time and money, like Name Your Price®, Snapshot®, and Service Centers.
The Common Shares of The Progressive Corporation, the Mayfield Village, Ohio-based holding company, trade publicly at NYSE:PGR.

About NMMA
National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) is the leading association representing the recreational boating industry in North America. NMMA member companies produce more than 80 percent of the boats, engines, trailers, accessories and gear used by boaters and anglers throughout the U.S. and Canada. The association is dedicated to industry growth through programs in public policy advocacy, market statistics and research, product quality assurance and promotion of the boating lifestyle. For more information, visit NMMA.org.

President Obama just took action to protect one of Alaska’s most powerful economic engines and one of America’s greatest national treasures: Bristol Bay.

Today, he signed a Presidential Memorandum that withdraws these beautiful and pristine waters from all future oil and gas drilling. “These waters are too special and too valuable to auction off to the highest bidder,” the President said.

Here are five things you need to know about Bristol Bay:

1. BRISTOL BAY PROVIDES 40 PERCENT OF AMERICA’S WILD-CAUGHT SEAFOOD.
Bristol Bay is one of the world’s most valuable fisheries, providing 40 percent of America’s seafood and supporting up to $2 billion in commercial fishing every year.

2. BRISTOL BAY HOSTS ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST WILD SALMON RUNS.
While remote, this area is also an economic engine for tourism in Alaska. Bristol Bay drives $100 million in recreational fishing and tourism activity every year.

3. BRISTOL BAY IS HOME TO MULTIPLE THREATENED SPECIES.
Bristol Bay provides important habitat for many species, including the threatened Stellar’s eider, sea otters, seals, walruses, Beluga and Killer whales, and the endangered North Pacific Right Whale.

4. THE PRESIDENT’S ACTION PROTECTS MILLIONS OF ACRES FROM DRILLING.
The North Aleutian Basin Planning Area that includes Bristol Bay consists of about 32.5 million acres. The previous Administration set in motion a new lease sale for 2011 that would have opened approximately 5.6 million acres — about one-fifth of the planning area — for drilling. In 2010, President Obama temporarily withdrew the Bristol Bay area from oil and gas development, and today’s action extends that protection indefinitely.

5. PRESIDENT OBAMA IS NOT THE ONLY PRESIDENT TO USE HIS EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY TO PROTECT LANDS.
The President issues his temporary withdrawal in 2010 using his authority under section 12 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, which gives the president authority to withdraw offshore areas from potential oil and gas leasing. President Eisenhower was the first to exercise the authority in 1960, withdrawing an area now included in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Since then, presidents on both sides of the aisle have acted to withdraw areas of the Outer Continental Shelf from oil and gas leasing.

According to Secretary Sally Jewell – Just now, the President took action to protect a place called Bristol Bay, Alaska. Here’s why that matters:

It places a national treasure — and one of the nation’s most productive fisheries — off limits for oil and gas leasing. Alaskans have been fighting to preserve Bristol Bay for decades. Today, we got it done.

Bristol Bay helps to produce 40 percent of America’s wild-caught seafood each year. It supports $2 billion every year in commercial fishing, and supports good jobs in sport-fishing and tourism.

These waters are beautiful and valuable, and today’s action will ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy their bounty.

It’s a big deal. Watch the President’s announcement, and take a look at these photos of the place this Administration just took definitive action to protect:

NEW YORK, NY — JetBlue Airways (NASDAQ: JBLU), along with The Ocean Foundation (TOF) and A.T. Kearney, a leading global management consulting firm, announced the results of their unique partnership and research focusing on the long-term health of the Caribbean’s oceans and beaches, and a commitment to action developed with the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI). This collaboration marks the first time a commercial airline has started to quantify nature’s wellbeing in the Caribbean and correlated it to specific product revenue. The result, “EcoEarnings: A Shore Thing,” begins to quantify the value of conservation by Revenue per Available Seat Mile (RASM), the airline’s base measurement. The full report on their work can be found here.

The study is premised on the fact that no one benefits from polluted seas and degrading shorelines, yet these problems persist in the Caribbean despite the region’s strong dependence on tourism, which centers on those same beaches and shorelines. Clean beaches meeting with clear, turquoise water are critical factors in travelers’ destination choices and are sought after by hotels to drive traffic to their properties. Without these natural treasures some, if not many, of the islands in the region could suffer economically. Airline, cruise, and hotel demand could drop if only rocky, gray and narrow beaches were available and their accompanying shallow waters were polluted and murky, devoid of coral or colorful fish. “EcoEarnings: A Shore Thing” set out to quantify the dollar value of the local systems which preserve the ideal Caribbean as we know it.

JetBlue, The Ocean Foundation and A.T. Kearney believe that eco-tourists represent more than those customers who dive along corals or surf on vacation. This traditional classification misses the majority of tourists who come for the landscape the environment provides, the classic tropical shoreline. Sophia Mendelsohn, JetBlue’s head of sustainability, explained, “We can think of almost every leisure customer who flies JetBlue to the Caribbean and enjoys a pristine beach as an eco-tourist in some capacity. Think about it terms of Orlando’s theme parks — these popular attractions are inherent to flight demand and ticket pricing into Orlando International Airport. We believe clean, unspoiled beaches should be recognized as the main driver for Caribbean leisure travel. These valuable assets undoubtedly drive airline ticket and destination demand.”

In order to make a compelling case for the inclusion of “eco-factors” into an established industry model, The Ocean Foundation participated in the EcoEarnings study. The Ocean Foundation President Mark J. Spalding, an ocean conservationist for more than 25 years, stated, “It is critical to include a thorough analysis of the major environmental factors that we have always believed influence a tourist’s decision to travel to a Caribbean destination — trash on the beach, water quality, healthy coral reefs and intact mangroves. Our hope is to statistically tie together what, at a glance, appears to be obviously related factors — beautiful beaches and tourism demand — and develop analytical evidence specific enough to matter to industry’s bottom line.”

Destinations in Latin America, South America and the Caribbean make up one-third of JetBlue’s flying. As one of the largest carriers in the Caribbean, JetBlue flies approximately 1.8 million tourists annually to the Caribbean, and earns a 35% market share by seat capacity at Luis Munoz International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. A large percentage of JetBlue customers are traveling for tourism to enjoy the sun, sand, and surf of the region. The existence of these ecosystems and shorelines in the Caribbean has a direct impact on demand for flights, and therefore their appearance and cleanliness should also be a major focus.

A.T. Kearney partner, and a contributor to the white paper, James Rushing, commented, “We were pleased that Jet Blue and The Ocean Foundation asked A.T. Kearney to participate in the study to provide a holistic approach and an unbiased analysis of the data. Although our analysis showed that there is a correlation between the ‘eco factors’ and RASM, we believe that in the future causation will be proved with more robust data.”

Speaking to why JetBlue began considering these questions in the first place, James Hnat, JetBlue’s Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Government Affairs, explained, “This analysis explores how the full value of pure and functioning natural environments are connected to the financial models that JetBlue and other service industries use to calculate revenue. No community or industry benefits when beaches and oceans are polluted. However, these problems persist because we are not adept at quantifying both the risk to communities and our business associated with them. This paper is the first attempt to change that.”

For more details on the collaboration and analysis, please visit jetblue.com/green/nature or view the report directly here.

About JetBlue Airways
JetBlue is New York’s Hometown Airline™, and a leading carrier in Boston, Fort Lauderdale/ Hollywood, Los Angeles (Long Beach), Orlando, and San Juan. JetBlue carries more than 30 million customers a year to 87 cities in the U.S., Caribbean, and Latin America with an average of 825 daily flights. Service to Cleveland will launch April 30, 2015. For more information please visit JetBlue.com.

About The Ocean Foundation
The Ocean Foundation is a unique community foundation with a mission to support, strengthen, and promote those organizations dedicated to reversing the trend of destruction of ocean environments around the world. We work with a community of donors who care about the coasts and ocean. In this manner, we grow the financial resources available to support marine conservation in order to promote healthy ocean ecosystems and benefit the human communities that depend on them. For more information, please visit www.oceanfdn.org and follow us on Twitter @OceanFdn and Facebook at facebook.com/OceanFdn.

About A.T. Kearney
A.T. Kearney is a leading global management consulting firm with offices in more than 40 countries. Since 1926, we have been trusted advisors to the world’s foremost organizations. A.T. Kearney is a partner-owned firm, committed to helping clients achieve immediate impact and growing advantage on their most mission critical issues. For more information, visit www.atkearney.com.

About Clinton Global Initiative
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), an initiative of the Clinton Foundation, convenes global leaders to create and implement innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 180 heads of state, 20 Nobel Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. To date, members of the CGI community have made more than 3,100 Commitments to Action, which have improved the lives of over 430 million people in more than 180 countries.

CGI also convenes CGI America, a meeting focused on collaborative solutions to economic recovery in the United States, and CGI University (CGI U), which brings together undergraduate and graduate students to address pressing challenges in their community or around the world. For more information, visit clintonglobalinitiative.org and follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.

Transport volume increased by around 6% / Average freight rate down 4.9% / Habben Jansen: “We are not satisfied, but are on a good path” / Comprehensive package of measures is being implemented

Hapag-Lloyd ended the third quarter of 2014 with a positive operating result of EUR 33.1 million. “Although it is a first step in the right direction, we are not satisfied with the result. We are, however, on a good path,” said Rolf Habben Jansen, Chief Executive Officer of Hapag-Lloyd.

Alongside the expected synergies of USD 300 million from the combination with CSAV’s container business, Hapag-Lloyd is also using a comprehensive optimization package to face the continuing challenges of the market and the competition. At the centre of this are targeted measures to further cut costs, but also optimization of sales. In addition to this package, the Company is preparing for the planned integration of Chilean shipping company CSAV’s container business. As soon as all relevant antitrust authorities have approved the transaction, CSAV’s container business will be integrated into the Hapag-Lloyd Group. Closing is expected to occur in the coming weeks.

In the first nine months of 2014, Hapag-Lloyd had a transport volume of 4.3 million TEU, a year-on-year increase of around 6%. Despite this increase in transport volume, transport expenses fell by EUR 46 million to EUR 4.33 billion. At 1,432 USD/TEU, the average freight rate was down almost 5% on the previous year’s figure. Revenue totalled EUR 4.9 billion, a fall of 2.5% compared to the previous year. This was due to a weak US dollar, in addition to the low freight rate. Adjusted for exchange rate effects, revenue remained stable. Hapag-Lloyd reports an EBITDA of EUR 178.6 million for the first nine months of 2014 (previous year: EUR 305.4 million). The operating result came to EUR -40.6 million (previous year: EUR 80.4 million) and resulted largely from the freight rates, which fell again sharply in 2014. The Group net result came to EUR -224.0 million (previous year: EUR -56.1 million).

“We expect 2015 to be yet another challenging year. But we all have good reason to look ahead with optimism. With CSAV’s container business, Hapag-Lloyd will become the fourth-largest liner shipping company in the world. In addition to our market leadership in the North Atlantic, together we will also become one of the leading providers in the attractive North–South trades,” continued Habben Jansen.

The Joint Shipping Initiative – made up of Shell, BP, Maersk, Stena and Japanese shipping companies NYK, MOL and “K” Line – today announced it has given $1.5 million of additional funds to a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) project to improve the lives of Somalis and security for seafarers.
The UNDP’s “Alternative Livelihoods to Piracy in Puntland and Central Regions of Somalia” project aims to reduce piracy off the coast of east Africa through local economic development, job creation, training, and business development grants on-shore in one of the world’s poorest countries.

“Development projects that provide an alternative livelihood to would-be pirates are a vital element of the long-term solution to piracy,” Dr Grahaeme Henderson, Vice President of Shell Shipping & Maritime, said. “We have been very encouraged by progress so far and look forward to positive results from this new phase of work.”

A lack of jobs and legitimate business opportunities for young people helps Somali pirate leaders to attract recruits for attacks on merchant shipping that cost the international community billions of dollars a year.

By offering alternative livelihood options to these youth, UNDP and the Joint Shipping Initiative work to prevent the lure of piracy.

“Somalia has one of the world’s highest rates of youth unemployment. Nearly 67% of young people are unemployed. To reverse this reality, we work with local authorities and community groups to identify sustainable solutions – such as infrastructure projects, livelihoods trainings, or reintegration projects – and tailor our support to match the need,” stated UNDP Somalia Country Director George Conway.

Trainees in Ely, Somalia participate in a vocational training as part of the Joint Shipping Initiative funded UNDP “Alternative Livelihoods to Piracy in Puntland and Central Regions of Somalia” programme.
Initiated by Shell in 2013, the Joint Shipping Initiative’s first donation of $1 million helped expand the market building in Adado – a town in central Somalia – creating hundreds of jobs for retailers and better sales options for farmers. It also helped improve vital infrastructure, including building a road to link the isolated Hafun peninsula with the rest of the country – a project that generated hundreds of temporary jobs. The road also helps expand opportunities for trade and business, increasing access to communities in the Hafun peninsula.

In addition, training courses in skills such as computing, plumbing, building and clothes-making have been set up elsewhere to help young Somalis find work, or set up businesses themselves with the help of small grants.

Today’s additional funding meets the Joint Shipping Initiative’s 2012 pledge to donate a total of $2.5 million to UNDP’s development efforts in Somalia. It will allow UNDP to start work in the towns of Alula and Bargal, near the tip of the Horn of Africa, and Balanbal in central Somalia.

“Piracy is a global problem that takes root in limited economic opportunities, high youth unemployment rates and poor infrastructure,” Jens Munch Lund-Nielsen, Head of Emerging Markets Projects in Group Sustainability, Maersk, said. “The problem requires a land-based solution.”

CHICAGO, Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) announced today that it is restructuring its stevedoring operations in the Gulf of Mexico. The company’s stevedoring assets and operations, currently part of a joint venture, will become part of ADM’s integrated global logistics business. ADM will retain a minimum of 50 percent of the joint venture’s assets, and intends to invest in additional equipment—including cranes—to enhance the company’s stevedoring capabilities on the lower Mississippi.

“We look forward to expanding and strengthening the services—including bulk transfer stevedoring and crane service; fleeting, switching, boat and related harbor services; and linehandling and crewboat services—we offer customers on the lower Mississippi,” said Scott Fredericksen, president, Transportation. “That offering is just one aspect of the comprehensive portfolio of logistics capabilities that we provide customers. ADM operates a global logistics network that includes 2,500 barges, more than 27,000 railcars, 600 trucks, 1,300 trailers, and more than 50 oceangoing vessels. Our customers on the Mississippi can depend on that network—and our expertise—to move their goods around the world efficiently.”

ADM expects to retain the colleagues who operate the assets that transfer to ADM, as well as the colleagues who support those assets.

For more information on ADM’s transportation and logistics capabilities, see www.adm.com/logistics.

About ADM/ARTCO in Louisiana
ADM’s operations in Louisiana involve agricultural processing and transportation and logistics, as the company sources crops and secures energy and transportation needs throughout the state. The company’s river operations in the Gulf—managed by ADM subsidiary American River Transportation Company (ARTCO)—include 20 harbor and fleet vessels, a full-service shipyard, a barge washing and repair facility, and a stevedoring operation. ADM employs approximately 500 employees in the south Louisiana port system.

About ADM
For more than a century, the people of Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) have transformed crops into products that serve the vital needs of a growing world. Today, we’re one of the world’s largest agricultural processors and food ingredient providers, with more than 33,000 employees serving customers in more than 140 countries. With a global value chain that includes more than 470 crop procurement locations, 285 ingredient manufacturing facilities, 40 innovation centers and the world’s premier crop transportation network, we connect the harvest to the home, making products for food, animal feed, chemical and energy uses. Learn more at www.adm.com.

WASHINGTON – In an effort to bolster international partnerships and information sharing on intellectual property crime, the Federal Maritime Commission and the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG) joined the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations-led National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) to become the center’s 22nd and 23rd partner agencies.

During today’s ceremony marking the alliance, IPR Center Acting Director Bruce Foucart was joined by the Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Mario Cordero, and the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General Deputy Assistant Inspector General Yvette Savoy to sign an agreement outlining cooperation protocols and the investigative-lead dissemination process.

“The addition of these two key partners greatly enhances our levels of cooperation and leverages even greater resources, skills and authorities,” said Acting Director Foucart. “We will continue to work closely with all of our international and domestic law enforcement partners to enable global investigations and continue targeting IP theft.”

Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Mario Cordero said “the Commission welcomes a partnership with the Center’s initiative, which brings together key federal and international agencies in a task-force setting that enables a coordinated response to intellectual property and trade-related crimes. This interagency partnership will play a critical role in FMC’s efforts to address and root out bad actors in the global supply chain.”

The Federal Maritime Commission is the federal agency responsible for regulating the nation’s international ocean transportation for the benefit of exporters, importers, and the American consumer. The FMC’s mission is to foster a fair, efficient, and reliable international ocean transportation system while protecting the public from unfair and deceptive practices.

The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG) plays a key role in maintaining the integrity and accountability of America’s postal service, its revenue and assets, and its employees. With $65 billion in revenue, the Postal Service is at the core of a $1 trillion mailing industry that employs more than 8 million people.

Delivering more than 160 billion pieces of mail yearly to 152 million delivery points and operating 31,000 postal facilities, America’s postal system is one of the government’s most trusted entities. The USPS OIG, an independent agency within the Postal Service under the general supervision of nine presidentially appointed governors, employs more than 1,125 auditors, investigators, and professional support personnel stationed in more than 100 offices to meet the challenge of preserving this trust.

These new partners greatly strengthen the IPR Center, which was founded in 2000, and serves as one of the U.S. government’s key weapons in the fight against criminal counterfeiting and piracy. The center uses the expertise of its 22 member agencies to share information, develop initiatives, coordinate enforcement actions, and conduct investigations related to IP theft. Through this strategic interagency partnership, the IPR Center protects the public’s health and safety, the U.S. economy and the war fighters.

The center employs a true task force model to optimize the roles and enforcement efforts of member agencies, while enhancing government-industry partnerships to support ongoing IPR enforcement initiatives. The Federal Maritime Commission and the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General joins the center’s other 21 partner agencies, which include:

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Federal Bureau of Investigation
U.S. Postal Inspection Service
Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations
Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
Defense Criminal Investigative Service
U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Command, Major Procurement Fraud Unit
Defense Logistics Agency, Office of Inspector General
Air Force Office of Special Investigations
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General
Consumer Product Safety Commission
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Office of Inspector General
U.S. Department of State, Office of International Intellectual Property Enforcement
International Criminal Police Organization
Mexican Revenue Service
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
European Police Office (Europol)
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Office of Investigations
To report IP theft or to learn more about the IPR Center, visit http://www.iprcenter.gov/.

IPR Center’s News Release on the agreement signing

The Federal Maritime Commission is the federal agency responsible for regulating the nation’s international ocean transportation for the benefit of exporters, importers, and the American consumer. The FMC’s mission is to foster a fair, efficient, and reliable international ocean transportation system while protecting the public from unfair and deceptive practices.

The Joint Shipping Initiative – made up of Shell, BP, Maersk, Stena and Japanese shipping companies NYK, MOL and “K” Line – today announced it has given $1.5 million of additional funds to a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) project to improve the lives of Somalis and security for seafarers.

The UNDP’s “Alternative Livelihoods to Piracy in Puntland and Central Regions of Somalia” project aims to reduce piracy off the coast of east Africa through local economic development, job creation, training, and business development grants on-shore in one of the world’s poorest countries.

“Development projects that provide an alternative livelihood to would-be pirates are a vital element of the long-term solution to piracy,” Dr Grahaeme Henderson, Vice President of Shell Shipping & Maritime, said. “We have been very encouraged by progress so far and look forward to positive results from this new phase of work.”

A lack of jobs and legitimate business opportunities for young people helps Somali pirate leaders to attract recruits for attacks on merchant shipping that cost the international community billions of dollars a year.

By offering alternative livelihood options to these youth, UNDP and the Joint Shipping Initiative work to prevent the lure of piracy.

“Somalia has one of the world’s highest rates of youth unemployment. Nearly 67% of young people are unemployed. To reverse this reality, we work with local authorities and community groups to identify sustainable solutions – such as infrastructure projects, livelihoods trainings, or reintegration projects – and tailor our support to match the need,” stated UNDP Somalia Country Director George Conway.

market building in Adado, a town in central Somalia
Trainees in Ely, Somalia participate in a vocational training as part of the Joint Shipping Initiative funded UNDP “Alternative Livelihoods to Piracy in Puntland and Central Regions of Somalia” programme.
Initiated by Shell in 2013, the Joint Shipping Initiative’s first donation of $1 million helped expand the market building in Adado – a town in central Somalia – creating hundreds of jobs for retailers and better sales options for farmers. It also helped improve vital infrastructure, including building a road to link the isolated Hafun peninsula with the rest of the country – a project that generated hundreds of temporary jobs. The road also helps expand opportunities for trade and business, increasing access to communities in the Hafun peninsula.

In addition, training courses in skills such as computing, plumbing, building and clothes-making have been set up elsewhere to help young Somalis find work, or set up businesses themselves with the help of small grants.

Today’s additional funding meets the Joint Shipping Initiative’s 2012 pledge to donate a total of $2.5 million to UNDP’s development efforts in Somalia. It will allow UNDP to start work in the towns of Alula and Bargal, near the tip of the Horn of Africa, and Balanbal in central Somalia.

“Piracy is a global problem that takes root in limited economic opportunities, high youth unemployment rates and poor infrastructure,” Jens Munch Lund-Nielsen, Head of Emerging Markets Projects in Group Sustainability, Maersk, said. “The problem requires a land-based solution.”

September 30, 2014 – Hong Kong – MOL Liner Ltd. (MOL) and El Baraka announced the formation of a joint venture company in Egypt to directly support and develop customer relationships in the country for the container division of the major shipping line.

The decision is part of a strategy for MOL, one of the world’s largest global multimodal transportation companies, to grow closer to customers and to clearly identify the commitment to development opportunities within Egypt.

The new offices will be located in Cairo, Port Said and Alexandria and the company will be operational on October 1, 2014.

Jochen Veldmann, Area Director for MOL noted that the decision to move to a joint venture arrangement in this important market is part of MOL’s company-wide strategy to have people solely dedicated to MOL, and therefore our customers will clearly benefit.

“We will be much better positioned to respond to customer needs, improve service quality, and offer full-network coverage in the region.”

Mr Veldmann also said MOL had enjoyed a strong and long-lasting relationship with Inchcape Shipping Services (Egypt) Ltd. (ISS) and thanked the company for being an excellent partner over the past years.

MOL, El Baraka and ISS will work closely together during the transfer of operations to ensure a smooth transition and ISS will continue to support MOL’s business in East Africa where cooperation in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda has existed for a number of years.