BOW WAVE 390

Bow Wave Issue 390--E-Mail Edition

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(c)2007 WavyLine.com	Issue No 390 14 May 07
Published free of charge to Readers
Editor: Sam Ignarski
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In this issue:

1. Welcome
2. The Month of April 2007 in Marine
3. Book Review
4. Oh Brave New World that has such Terminals in it
5. Indian Railways Terminology
6. And Finally...

1. Welcome

Poem of the Week

Loafing

I looked into the room a moment ago,
and this is what I saw--
my chair in its place by the window,
the book turned facedown on the table.
And on the sill, the cigarette
left burning in its ashtray.
Malingerer! my uncle yelled at me
so long ago. He was right.
I've set aside time today,
same as every day,
for doing nothing at all.

Raymond Carver, from All of Us

New Readers this week include:-

Emma Rios-Ternero of Else and Co
Alan McLean of Marseilles
Piers Comonte of broker HW Wood

Readers Write

From Roger Foord, the market IT guru:-

Re your item on the sale of Ri3K (Bow Wave 399) I understand that the historic R&D costs (rumoured to have been around £25m) have been written off and the company begins with a a healthy amount of cash in pocket--though not a penny has gone to the staff or management shareholders

info@rogerfoord.com

Note from the Editor

Welcome to edition 390 from a rainy London town. Item 2 is as usual a sustaining overview and we have paused for thought on the subject of e-mail in item 3

Enjoy!

2. The Month of April 2007 in Marine

Jason Copland writes:-

Just back from attending the Marine forum in South Africa, more on that next month, here's the month of April. This includes Fool's Day - possibly the reason why many of us ever got into this marine business game in the first place - two of my employment contracts have started on this particular day.

30 Mar Lloyd's Casualty Week reports that upto 500 vessel's were delayed as a result of the "Excelsior" incident which closed the Rhine River (refer last month's "Month of Marine")

1 Apr Fool's Day and a hectic time for some, catching up on the close of the Indian and the Japanese renewal seasons.

2 Apr Wurtemburgische enjoy a rate increase from AM Best to A-

2 Apr Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines orders a second Genesis class vessel from Aker yards at a rumoured USD 1.2 bn price tag. This 222,000GT vessel will be due to be delivered in 2010.

2 Apr Moore Stevens survey shows that it's the Red Tape that has them the most worried, 95% of insurers cited "regulatory risk" as their biggest challenge, full story here : http://www.marinelink.com/Story/ShowStory.aspx?StoryID=206564

3 Apr Austal claims to have orders for four more passenger cats to be delivered in 2009, the order is for two 69 and two 88 metre craft.

3 Apr Dockwise Yacht Transport launches "Yacht Express", specially designed to carry yachts and having its own semi-sub dock bay. It can carry any type of yacht and with 18knots service speed it can cross the Atlantic in 8 days. Go here for more info and some pictures:
http://www.yacht-transport.com/index.php?sid=135&l=eng

4 Apr Russia's Vladimir Putin signs decrees creating a modernisation program for the country's shipbuilding industry, United Shipbuilding Corporation (OSK in Russian) will look after all shipbuilding activities in three regional areas. At the same time, much investment into the long suffering navy will take place with plans to increase production of warships by 50% by 2010 including 40 frigates to be built.

4 Apr A black day for the Royal Navy as the HM Tender "Hawke" is captured by Continental Navy Frigate Columbus - marking the first time a Britisharmed vessel is captured by American forces. - Mind you, this was in 1776, relationships have improved somewhat since then.

6 Apr M/V "Sea Diamond", ex "Birka Princess" 1986 built, 22,412 GT sinks after running aground off Santorini on April 5. Of the almost 1,600 passengers and crew aboard, all except two escape, some by climbing down rope ladders.

9 Apr Colombo Dockyards wins an order for two 250 passenger vessels for the Indian Government - the first time a Sri Lankan organisation wins an order from the Indian Government.

9 Apr Check the Sun before you rely on GPS - NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) reports that sun spot activity affects GPS with
a flare on 6 December causing a massive number of tracking stations to lose contact with the GPS signals - and we thought this system was almost perfect!

10 Apr The Greek government plans to use a submarine to investigate the loss of the "Sea Diamond" (see above).

10 Apr OPEC to be born again, but it's Gas this time around, with the major gas producing and exporting countries planning to set-up a working committee to look into pricing. Ministers from Russia, Iran, Qatar and 10 other countries met in Doha.

12 Apr AXA Corporate Solutions shows 5% growth in Marine turnover to EUR 1.689 billion with a combined ratio at 100%

12 Apr Brazil's Transpetro oil company orders 5 Aframax worth USD 517million and 4 Panamax tankers worth USD 349 million to be delivered by 2009 as part of a USD 2.48 bn investment plan.

12 Apr Anchor Handling vessel "Bourbon Dolphin", built 2006, capsizes approx 75 miles west of Shetland with the loss of 8 lives.

13 Apr In the ongoing fight for take over of Converium by SCOR, Converium hopes to keep shareholders by offering an addition CHF 2.5 per share payout on top of its dividend - this follows SCOR's formal launch of its take-over offer. The fight includes large advertisements taken out by Converium in "Insurance Day" titled "Want to SCOR more?"

15 Apr Russia launches the first of the Borei class SSBN submarines, the first new generation submarine in 17 years "Yuri Dolgoruki" is launched at Severodvinsk and should enter service in 2008. pictures available here: http://en.rian.ru/photolents/20070416/63706284.html

Two other such submarines are under construction.

15 Apr "Bourbon Dolphin" sinks in 25 knot winds, 4 metre waves despite savage attempts in progress by SMIT Salvage. Vessel now laying in over 1,000 metres depth making possible raising unlikely

16 Apr Germans party in Asia as Germanischer Lloyd celebrates 140 years in Singapore, the Asia office opened just 2 years after the founding of GL in Hamburg in 1867.

16 Apr Grimaldi Lines "Grande Argentina" was successfully refloated by Multraship and URS using 9 tugs and other assorted craft after the vessels ran aground in the River Scheldt following a complete blackout - almost directly in front of Multraship's offices.

18 Apr Great Yarmouth coastguard received a hopefully load "call" from the yacht "Whispa" following collision with 4,000 GT "Gas Monarch" in fog.Lifeboat services attended and all safe.

18 Apr "Liberty of the Seas" is delivered to owners Royal Caribbean in a ceremony at Aker's yard in Turku. 160,000 GT "Liberty" features a boxing ring, FlowRider and room for 3,600 guests.

19 Apr Hanjin Heavy Industries - Philippines started production and switched on the steel plate cutting machine at the new yard in Redondo - the order books look good with 12 4,300 TEU ships lined up for two clients.

20 Apr Converium announces tripled earnings for the 1st quarter of 2007 to USD 150m from USD 49.9m - helping in its ongoing fight against takeover by SCOR

23 Apr "IBIA intervenes at IMO in MSDS Safety Debate". A great headline but FWIW that's far too many abbreviations IMHO. Despite the awkward title the interesting story can be found here:
http://www.marinelink.com/Story/ShowStory.aspx?StoryID=206806

and abbreviation translation here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMHO#I

24 Apr Iraq plans to renew its aging tanker fleet, possibly by a joint venture in S. Korea. Iraq's "Oil Shipping Company" has been inoperative since 1980, vessels currently carrying Iraqi oil are foreign.

25 Apr As mentioned last month, Disney is expanding the cruise sector of the business and signs a deal with Meyer Werft for two 124,000GT vessels to be delivered in 2011 and 2012. So far, the vessels have the very un-Disney names of S 687 and S 688.

25 Apr Swiss Re holds a Latin American Marine Underwriters meeting in Panama. This 3 day event focused on Port Risks and included a visit to the Panama Canal. The event was attended by over 90 clients from 14 different countries.

26 Apr Bloomberg reports that China's shipbuilding capacity will double by 2010 with China State increasing from 6.02 mn DWT to 12.3 mn DWT and China Shipbuilding doubling to 10 mn DWT. China currently holds 24% of the world's order book.

27 Apr 1,500 GT M/T "Maulana", leased to Pertamina explodes after unloading on the Siak River, Indonesia and kills 4

Disclaimer Any opinion expressed in this newsletter should be regarded as the personal opinion of Jason Copland and not one made in his capacity as an employee of Swiss Re and any such opinion is not the opinion of Swiss Re, of any of its affiliated companies or of any of its officers or employees. Accordingly, Swiss Re hereby expressly disclaims any liability, loss, cost or expenses arising directly or indirectly from the content or expression of views of this newsletter or of other Websites to which this Newsletter may provide a link.

3. Book Review

Send: The Essential Guide to Email for Office and Home

This book by David Shipley and Will Schwalbe sets out by use of wit and example to address how to survive and thrive in the e-mail age. It is an arena full of pitfalls and blunders-from the global cringemaking e-mail to the office politicians and schemers who abuse the cc: function so assiduously. Not to mention the frequent failures of tone, the poor manners, the sheer misuse of the medium.

Your editor came to e-mail early in the cycle--a wise technology partner called Mario de Pace in 1988 equipped the new PC's in our office with a new-fangled program called cc:mail. At first the messages produced (we called them EMS) were of the "Used Citroen for Sale" and "We are going to the pub" variety. It took the best part of a year for people to realise this was a rather decent tool for the office--you could even hook up to other offices in the group if you knew how. In the computer department they even knew how to send messages to outside companies...

But oh how hard it has been to inject humanity into this medium and good manners. How many years spent learning to go light on the cynical and the sardonic, the preemptory the gauche, the tiresome and the incendiary properties of e-mail, not to mention the terrible propensity of messages to be onforwarded to unfriendly quarters.

We remember one time joining an office full of unhappy souls all of whom wished to unburden themselves of something or other. It was during this time that we learned after years of using Lotus Notes e-mail that senders could direct messages which could be eyes-only and unforwardable. These complainers were already sophisticated users of e-mail.

After nearly 20 years of using e-mail, we conclude with these authors that there are many things better said in person, by voice or even by snail mail which will accomplish a sensitive task more happily. These days it is unusual to be flamed in the old ways of the 1990s and the habit of answering politely even blandly is a more reliable way of getting through a busy day than a really frank exchange of views.

But even after all these years, our inboxes are still cluttered with junk mail, fraudulent offerings, and many e-mails which should never have seen the electronic light of a working day.

http://www.amazon.com/Send-Essential-Guide-Email-Office/dp/0307263649

4. Oh Brave New World that has such Terminals in it

The following release caught our eye this week. The measures proposed have all the logic and purpose of modern containerisation on its side. Where modern highly leveraged association football has its ProZone system designed to measure the performance of footballers, it is only fitting that the modern container terminal will soon find an equivalent.

For if you think of the progress of containerisation as one of the very few successful revolutions of the 20th Century you may also recall that old saying of revolutionaries that you can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs. We can well imagine how some terminal managers in the world will be unable to entirely eliminate a sense of anxiety at these hortatory words from Germanisher Lloyd:-

" Development of the Container Terminal Quality Standard

Hamburg, 8 May 2007 - Quality and efficiency of container terminals are of great importance to the smooth functioning of the global supply chain. But how to measure terminal operation standards like effectiveness and performance?

Ten international stakeholders from the global maritime logistics community - IPC, MTC, Yantian Hutchison, Eurogate, Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA), Hamburg Port Authority, Ingenieurbüro Dr. Wild, Global Institute of Logistics and Germanischer Lloyd - discussed about the development of a benchmarking system for terminals when they met at GL's head office in Hamburg. The participants agreed that a standard is needed which adjudicates the efficiency and quality of Global Port Terminal Operation s by combining financial, operational and organizational indicators.

Upon request of the Global Institute of Logistics, Germanischer Lloyd will develop the Container Terminal Quality Indicator (CTQI) standard. This benchmarking system will base on the results of different workshops with branch experts and measure the ports performance within the supply chain process. The result will offer the industry new dimensions: They will be able to choose terminals that suite best to their needs and supply chain strategy.

"We are planning to launch the new standard at the end of 2007", said Bernhard Ständer, Managing Director Germanischer Lloyd. "With our experience in developing and implementing the Cool Chain Quality Index (CCQI), we have good preconditions that we can incorporate in the current CTQI-process." Subsequently, Germanischer Lloyd will complete first audits and certification of benchmark terminals, thus expanding GL's Quality Indicator series.

On 21 May 2007, the Global Institute of Logistics will present a White Paper about the CTQI-standard at a press conference in Düsseldorf, Germany."

5. Indian Railways Terminology

The other day we were looking for a definition of a "rake" a term used in the Indian steel wheels environment. After careful research we discovered this rather useful helpful list on the website of the Indian Railways Fan Club, a place of considerable enthusiasm, knowledge and some erudition.

http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-jargon2.html#jargon

6. And Finally...

Many thanks to reader Anthony Cerchiai of the Generali for these one liners from British comedian Peter Kay

1) I saw a woman wearing a sweatshirt with 'Guess' on it. I said Thyroid problem?'

2) When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bike. Then I realised that The Lord doesn't work that way, so I stole one and asked him to forgive me.

3) I've often wanted to drown my troubles, but I can't get my wife to go swimming.

4) I was doing some decorating, so I got out my step-ladder. I don't get on with my real ladder.

5) I went to a restaurant that serves 'breakfast at any time'. So I ordered French Toast during the Renaissance.

6) A cement mixer collided with a prison van on the Kingston Bypass. Motorists are asked to be on the lookout for 16 hardened criminals.

7) Well I was bullied at school, called all kinds of different names. But one day I turned to my bullies and said 'Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me', and it worked! From there on it was sticks and stones all the way.

8) My Dad used to say 'always fight fire with fire', which is probably why he got thrown out of the fire brigade.

10) I saw six men kicking and punching the mother-in-law. My neighbour Said 'Are you going to help?' I said 'No, six should be enough.'

11) If we aren't supposed to eat animals, then why are they made out of meat?

12) I think animal testing is a terrible idea; they get all nervous and give the wrong answers.

14) Politicians are wonderful people as long as they stay away from things they don't understand, such as working for a living.

15) I was the kid next door's imaginary friend.

16) Right now I'm having amnesia and deja vu at the same time. I think I've forgotten this before

PETER KAY'S UNIVERSAL TRUTHS

1) Triangular sandwiches taste better than square ones.

2) At the end of every party there is always a girl crying.

3) One of the most awkward things that can happen in a pub is when your pint-to-toilet cycle gets synchronised with a complete stranger.

4) Sharpening a pencil with a knife makes you feel really manly.

5) You're never quite sure whether it's against the law or not to have a fire in your back garden.

6) Nobody ever dares make cup-a-soup in a bowl. .

7) You never know where to look when eating a banana.

8) You always feel a bit scared when stroking horses.

9) The smaller the monkey the more it looks like it would kill you at the first given opportunity.

10) Every bloke has at some stage while taking a pee, flushed half way through and then raced against the flush.

11) It's impossible to look cool whilst picking up a Frisbee.

12) Driving through a tunnel makes you feel excited.

13) Old ladies can eat more than you think.

14) You can't respect a man who carries a dog.

15) Despite constant warning, you have never met anybody who has had their arm broken by a swan.

16) You've turned into your dad the day you put aside a thin piece of wood specifically to stir paint with. uh huh

17) Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

SOME GREAT QUESTIONS BROUGHT TO YOU BY PETER KAY

1) Why does your gynaecologist leave the room when you get undressed?

2) If a person owns a piece of land do they own it all the way down to the core of the earth?

3) Why can't women put on mascara with their mouth closed?

4) Is it possible to brush your teeth without wiggling your bottom?

5) Why is it called Alcoholics Anonymous when the first thing you do is stand up and say, 'My name is Peter and I am...

P.S. Thanks again to Paul Dixon's Joke-of-the-Day for these:-

CLASSIFIEDS

(Actual excerpts from classified sections)

Illiterate? Write today for free help.

Auto Repair Service. Free pick-up and delivery. Try us once, you'll never go anywhere again.

Dog for sale: eats anything and is fond of children.

Man wanted to work in dynamite factory. Must be willing to travel.

Stock up and save. Limit: one.

Semi-Annual after-Christmas Sale.

For sale: antique desk suitable for lady with thick legs and large drawers.

Now is your chance to have your ears pierced and get an extra pair to take home too.

Vacation Special: have your home exterminated. Get rid of aunts.

Zap does the job in 24 hours.

Toaster: A gift that every member of the family appreciates. Automatically burns toast.

Used Cars: Why go elsewhere to be cheated. Come here first.

Wanted: Hair cutter. Excellent growth potential.

Wanted. Man to take care of cow that does not smoke or drink.

And now, the Superstore-unequaled in size, unmatched in variety, unrivaled inconvenience.

We will oil your sewing machine and adjust tension in your home.

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