Surrounded by members of the US Congressional Delegation, as well as more than 100 business and maritime leaders, the agreement was signed by Jim Newsome, president & CEO of the South Carolina Ports Authority and Lt. Col. Jason A. Kirk, Commander and District Engineer at the Charleston District of the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps).

“Charleston deepening will open the port to all classes of the world’s most modern vessels under any tidal condition,” said Newsome.  “While Charleston today has the region’s deepest channels and handles ships actually drawing up to 48 feet, this project will remove the tidal restrictions associated with the larger ships serving world trade.”

Charleston’s current channel depths at low tide are 47 feet in the entrance channel and 45 feet in the inner harbor.  More than 360 ships too big for the Panama Canal have already called Charleston, three years before the USD5 billion canal expansion is completed in 2014.  Greater than 80 percent of the ship capacity on order is for ships too big for the existing canal.

In May, the Corps included funding for the feasibility study of the Charleston Harbor post-45 foot deepening project in its Fiscal Year 2011 Work Plan.

More than 20,000 companies in several dozen states use the Port of Charleston to access global markets.  These businesses ship goods worth USD50 billion a year through the Charleston Customs District and pay more than USD600 million in duties into the General Treasury annually.

“This project is important not only for the Port of Charleston’s customers and South Carolina, it’s essential to our nation,” said Bill Stern, chairman of the SCPA Board.  “With bigger ships and expanding exports, the U.S. needs a Southeast harbor capable of handling fully-loaded post-Panamax ships under any tidal condition.”

The US Congress has already authorised Charleston deepening through the study phases, and the Reconnaissance Study approved last July concluded that Charleston is likely “the cheapest South Atlantic harbor to deepen to 50 feet.”

“At a time of limited federal resources, Charleston is the nation’s best buy in harbor deepening,” said Stern. “Our delegation has championed this project in working with the leadership, the Administration and the Corps.  They have all helped highlight how vital this project is to our country.”

US Senators Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint as well as state Senator Larry Grooms spoke at the signing ceremony today in Charleston.

The next step in the project is to begin the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process by planning and executing public and stakeholder meetings.

The Hamilton Port Authority (HPA) is pleased to confirm that the permanent injunction submitted on behalf of Public Works Government Services Canada and strongly supported by the HPA will be granted. The parties consented to have all of the individual motions settled based on the Attorney General’s application.  In his remarks to the court room, the Justice indicated that one economic interest cannot hold at ransom another economic interest and that shipping activity is a significant national interest. Counsel for the Hamilton Wentworth Police Services confirmed their agreement in enforcing the order.

Already a leader in its field, the acquisition of MRT makes Mobilarm the world’s largest man overboard (MOB) safety company, a position that will drive the development and delivery of cutting-edge life-saving systems. As the company behind the innovative Crewsafe V100 Maritime Survivor Locating Device (MSLD), Mobilarm is already at the forefront of MOB locating technology, but the acquisition of MRT adds over 30 years of experience, industry knowledge and product development to Mobilarm’s core expertise. Mobilarm’s Crewsafe MSLDs provide instant alerts and constantly updated location information to rescue assets via VHF DSC should an MOB incident occur, therefore supporting the fast recovery of the casualty in the water. With the tried and tested Sea Marshall product range added to its portfolio, Mobilarm also offers and supports 121.5 MHz MSLD systems, which are in use by the North Sea oil and gas industry, Spanish fishing fleet and many more commercial marine users worldwide. With Mobilarm offices in Australia, USA and the UK, and a strong international distribution and dealer network in both hemispheres, customers can now source Crewsafe and Sea Marshall MSLDs from the same single, yet global, supplier, regardless of where they are based or operate. “We are pleased to have completed the acquisition of MRT as it will allow us to continue growing our presence in the global offshore oil & gas, defence and commercial marine sectors,” comments Mobilarm Chief Executive Officer, Lindsay Lyon. “This is another critical milestone for Mobilarm, and with the addition of the Sea Marshall brand to Mobilarm’s product portfolio, we have created the world’s leading man overboard safety company. “Mobilarm would formally like to welcome David Marshall and his team, and we look forward to working together to integrate Sea Marshall with the Mobilarm brand. Our focus is to continue growing the business, drawing on the talents of our remarkable workforce. As a unified team we will address the needs for improved personnel safety in various commercial maritime sectors and regions, through further technology development and strong distribution and sales channels.” Founded over 30 years ago, MRT has been behind a number of innovations in maritime personal safety, including pioneering life-saving PLB technology for fishermen, offshore workers, divers and workboat crew. The current flagship Sea Marshall products include the AU9 series and the SARfinder® Alert and Locate unit. Mobilarm plans to continue existing development of Sea Marshall products, with several scheduled for release in 2011. “Together MRT and Mobilarm achieve a global footprint that addresses the needs of our multinational clients to reduce the risk of marine fatalities through the application of proven and innovative technology,” adds David Marshall, founder of MRT and Sea Marshall’s namesake. “The synergies between the businesses create an exceptional growth opportunity, and we are looking forward to working with the Mobilarm team to make the business the first choice for personnel safety in the maritime industry.”
 

Extensive spare parts packages and operator training has also been arranged. Back in 2008 Damen also supplied 4 dredgers of the same types, which now all are operating to the Ministry’s full satisfaction at various locations in Iraq. The cutter suction dredgers will be used to clean-up and maintain neglected waterways, rivers and lakes. The dredgers can work at a maximum dredging depth of -12m respectively -14m and are able to pump 3.000 m3/h resp 4.000 m3/h of mixture per hour. The dredged silt can be re-used on the fertile plains in central Iraq.

The dredgers of standardised and proven design were built at Damen production facilities in The Netherlands, Poland and Dubai. Due to Damen’s philosophy of series production and delivery from stock, the first dredger left the shipyard for Iraq within weeks after contracting. All dredgers have meanwhile been transported to Iraq by road – each dredger requires 9 trucks for its transport.

This project was executed by Damen in close cooperation with their partners Dutch Union Trading (DUT). DUT has arranged for efficient re-assembly and re-commissioning of the modular dredgers after arrival in Iraq. Further DUT also provides warranty services and technical and operational assistance to the Ministry of Water Resources. This successful cooperation will enable the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and Iraqi lakes to be dredged and maintained more efficiently in the near future.