Other MarAd News

Scrapping Sale OK'd The Maritime Subsidy Board has authorized the termination of the Liberty Belle Limited Partnership's (LBLP) Title V contracts relating to the Liberty Belle.

The vessel, built in 1976 for Yeon Shipping Corp., with the aid of construction- differential subsidy (CDS), has inefficient steam turbine engines that render the vessel uncompetitive in international markets. It is being sold solely for the purpose of scrapping and may not be used in any other capacity. LBLP is required to comply with all applicable provisions of the CDS contracts and the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended.

MarAd Receives Section 9 Applications • Sea-Land Service, Inc. & Affiliates, Elizabeth, N.J., have asked permission to transfer to Marshall Islands registry the containerships Sea-Land Pride (ex-Galveston Bay), Sea-Land Value, Sea-Land Motivator (ex-Raleigh Bay), Sea-Land Freedom and Sea-Land Mariner. The 47,667-gtPride, Value and Motivator were built in Korea in 1985 and 1984, respectively; the 32,629- gt Freedom and Mariner were built in 1980 in Japan.

• The Western Co., of North America, Houston, has requested permission to sell the 6,344-gt drilling rigAlaskan Star to Star International Drilling Ltd., Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. The rig was built in 1976 in Hiroshima, Japan. If approved, the rig would be transferred to Panamanian registry.

Falcon Rig Sale Approved Falcon Rig (Liberia), Ltd., has been given approval to sell the drilling unit Loosbrock Star (ex-Marlin No. 14) to Falcon Offshore, Inc., Broussard, La., without change in Liberian registry.

SeaRiver Applies For Operation & ODS Of Ex-Equity Tanker SeaRiver Maritime, Inc., has asked MarAd to approve the transfer to it of an operating-differential subsidy (ODS) agreement from the bankruptcy estate of Equity Carriers, Inc., along with approval to operate the 211,000-dwt tanker S/R Mediterranean under that contract. SeaRiver said its purchase agreement with response to Contract MA/ MSB-439 from the bankruptcy estate is subject to: • MarAd approval of the transfer of Contract MA/MSB-439, • MarAd's obtaining approval of funding for at least one of the three operating subsidies comprising Contract MA/MSB-439 for the balance of the period of Contract MA/MSB- 439, which expires on May 23,2001, and • MarAd and SeaRiver's agreement to necessary amendments to Contract MA/MSB-439.

SeaRiver states that it is a wholly owned affiliate of Exxon Corporation (Exxon) and has operated the S/ R Mediterranean in the foreign trade since September 1990.

SeaRiver also said it also operates vessels in the domestic trade and foreign-flag tankers in worldwide trading.

In addition to the other approvals requested, written permission under section 805(a) and waiver of the provisions of section 804(a) of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended, would be required. Sea Trader Applies To MarAd For Barge Sale Sea Trader Tank Barges Inc., Hoboken, N.J., has requested permission to sell the 1,282-gtSeatrade Bay Breeze and the 1,312-gtSeatrade Islander. The proposed purchaser is Barge Management, Inc., Baldwin, NY. If approved, the barges would operate in the local bunkering trade. MarAd permission is required under section 9 of the Shipping Act, 1916, as amended. MarAd Clarifies Port Controller Standby Service Pacts MarAd published a proposed rule in the Federal Register clarifying events that allow the activation of the Federal Port Controller (FPC) Service Agreements. The FPC's regulations (46 CFR Part 346) would be amended to state that standby service agreements between the U.S., acting through MarAd, and port authorities or private corporations may, at the direction of MarAd, become operational upon deployment of the Armed Forces of the U.S., or other requirements of the nation's defense. They would make the timing of the FPC activation consistent with that in MarAd's regulations governing priority use and allocation of shipping services, containers and chassis and port facilities. A notice of proposed rulemaking has been assigned Docket R-155. Comments on the proposed rule must be received in writing by the 5:00 pm January 17, 1995, by the Secretary, MarAd, Room 7210, 400 7th St. SW, Washington, DC 20590. For additional information, contact John Pisani, Office of Ports and Domestic Shipping, tel.: (202) 366-4357