MOGADISHU, Somalia (Oct. 29) - Paul and Rachel Chandler, a retired British couple who sailed to exotic locales aboard their 38-foot yacht, said in one of their last cheery messages they would likely be "out of touch for some time." After disappearing for a week, a somber Paul Chandler is back in contact, saying by telephone Thursday that he and his wife are being held captive by gun-toting pirates who stripped their vessel of everything of value. Skip over this content Despite the presence of warships and aircraft from more than a half-dozen nations, the pirates prowl the Indian Ocean off Somalia seemingly at will, pouncing on pleasure craft, fishing vessels and huge cargo ships. With the recent end of monsoon season in East Africa, there have been a rash of attacks as pirates return to the open seas. More than 190 crew members from eight ships are being held. The latest seizure on Thursday was of a Thai fishing vessel carrying 21 Russians, two Filipinos and two Ghanians, the Seychelles coast guard said. Paul Chandler told Britain's ITV News in a phone call that he and his wife were being held aboard a container ship anchored a mile from the Somali coast. They apparently had been briefly taken ashore. A fisherman told The Associated Press he saw two boats carrying eight pirates and a white couple come ashore in the village of Ceel Huur, just north of Haradhere, a notorious pirate stronghold. Dahir Dabadhahan said six luxury vehicles carrying about 30 other pirates cleared bystanders from their path. "The pirates fired into the air, waving us to move away," he said. Skip over this content Taken at SeaAP4 photos Armed pirates snuck aboard Paul and Rachel Chandler's yacht while the couple slept and demanded money before taking them hostage, Paul Chandler said in an interview with Britain's ITV News. He spoke via satellite phone, from a container ship near the Somali coast where the couple was being held.(Note: Please disable your pop-up blocker)http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relat ive_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,localizationConfig,entry&id=760778&pid =760777&uts=1256839075 http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/media_gallery/v1/ke_media_gallery_wrapper.swf Lost at Sea Armed pirates snuck aboard Paul and Rachel Chandler's yacht while the couple slept and demanded money before taking them hostage, Paul Chandler said in an interview with Britain's ITV News. He spoke via satellite phone, from a container ship near the Somali coast where the couple was being held. AP APAt a European Union summit in Brussels, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown appealed for the couple's release. Foreign Secretary David Miliband pledged that Britain would use "all the mechanisms at our disposal" to secure their safe return. Chandler told ITV the pirates crept aboard his yacht at night while he was asleep. "They kept asking for money and took everything of value on the boat," Chandler, 59, said in the interview before the phone connection was abruptly broken off. The British navy found the yacht — empty — in international waters earlier Thursday. Warships had been searching for the Lynn Rival since it sent out a distress signal Oct. 23. Chandler later told the BBC in a telephone interview that he is being treated well by his captors. "We are well, and being looked after OK," Chandler said. "Food is OK." He did not appear to be able to speak freely. Asked whether he was in Somalia, he said: "I can't answer that," and responding to a question about whether he had a message for British officials, he said there was "nothing I can say." A pirate spokesman who identified himself as Abdinor said the bandits will negotiate a ransom for the couple. The British government does not make or facilitate "substantive concessions" to hijackers, including ransom payments, the British Foreign Office said. "We do expect a ransom demand," Rachel Chandler's brother, Stephen Collett, told the BBC. "The problem is they are not rich people. Most of the money is tied up with their yacht and other communications equipment, which is on board the yacht." Paul Chandler's sister, Jill Marshment, pleaded for the Chandlers' release and also said they weren't wealthy. Even with only two aboard, the couple described the Lynn Rival as cramped. It is powered mostly by sails and has a small outboard engine. "They are resilient people. They won't be weeping," Marshment said. "Instead, they'll be thinking: 'What are we going to do? What are we going to say?'" Paul Chandler has been identified in the British media as a retired construction site manager, while Rachel, 55, is described as an economist. The couple, married for 28 years, took early retirement about three years ago and have spent six-month spells at sea. They have sailed to the Greek islands, Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Oman, Yemen, India, the Maldives and the Seychelles, chronicling their voyage on a Web log. The Chandlers were well aware they have been sailing through pirate territory, according to their blog entries. A March 2008 post reported that they "didn't see any pirates, just a few fisherman inshore and large ships passing further offshore." In February, they reported passing through a "high risk of piracy area," traveling in a convoy of five yachts for protection. They wrote in June that another couple had recently left for Tanzania after delaying their departure "because of the Somali pirate problem." According to an Oct. 21 entry, the Chandlers planned to set sail the next day and be at sea for eight to 12 days, heading south toward Tanzania. "We probably won't have satellite phone coverage until we're fairly close to the African coast, so we may be out of touch for some time," they wrote. The last message on the blog was posted Oct. 23, the day the pirates came, and cryptically read: "Please ring Sarah" — a possible reference to Rachel's sister, who lives in the London area. Piracy expert Nick Davies of the Merchant Maritime Warfare Center said the couple should have known better. "They sailed into the lion's den and they did it knowingly and they should be sternly told they have created an international scenario that was entirely avoidable," Davies said. Somalia has not had a functioning government for 18 years. The multimillion-dollar ransoms the pirates regularly collect are a strong lure for young gunmen in a country where nearly half the population is dependent on aid. The high-seas hijackings have persisted despite an international armada of warships deployed by the United States, the European Union, NATO, Japan, South Korea and China to patrol the region. Lawless reported from London. Associated Press writers Jennifer Quinn and Raphael G. Satter in London also contributed to this report. Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL. 2009-10-29 07:29:08
IP: Logged |
posted
Holy Man - the bottom dropped out of this one. DOWN 63% on 2.2 million. Not as bad as it looks - Last sale at .0028, current bid at .0055, ask .006
-------------------- Only ONE good stock away from retirement!
IP: Logged |
posted
I've been away since last Thursday night - did RDXM really drop to .0028??? Or was it a typo? Geeez - and I felt "lucky" to get more at .0075 last week and .0105 last month!!!! Oh well - let's see what the future holds.....
posted
I did drop to 0028 on couple hundred shares.I wasn't fast to place order.My guess someone sold at market price.Didn't put asking price at all.One day reverse is when stock drops on high volume really low and come backs in same day to the same point.I picked 1.5 mil yesterday in range between 005 and 0076.
IP: Logged |
posted
Best - this ride is starting to make me sea-sick! Up $3,000 - Down $800 (as of today)...
I've been really busy and haven't had an extra minute to call Mike or Tim. I'll possibly try next week - I'm going to Texas on Friday for Saturday's UCF vs. #2 Texas Longhorns game..... The chance of me bringing home some steer is about the same as me retiring on this stock! I love our team - but..... HEY- when they were #4 two years ago when we opened the new stadium on campus in Orlando we had them the whole game - lost by 3 on a fumble by Kyle Israel (our QB at the time) at the end of the game. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=272582116 - We had a GREAT comeback against Marshall this past Sunday night - it was 20-7 MARSHALL with 9 minutes left and we came back and won - with some luck and a fumble that FINALLY went OUR way - 21-20! Have a GREAT weekend. GO UCF !! I'll be back next Wednesday (We're going to go see San Antonio while we're there too - as it's only an hour away. Alamo, Riverwalk, etc.... Good Luck to us all.
posted
Be patient my friend.We will be rewarded here.One big news and this will rocket.I am not counting how much I am down,I am counting how many shares I am adding. Best of luck to you and your team this weekend.
IP: Logged |
posted
Hurry up RDXM - You're boars are needed NOW !!
Pirates Target Maersk Alabama AgainBy JASON STRAZIUSO, AP posted: 49 MINUTES AGOcomments: 261filed under: Pirates News, World News PRINT|E-MAILMOREText SizeAAANAIROBI, Kenya (Nov. 18) -- Somali pirates attacked the Maersk Alabama on Wednesday for the second time in seven months, though private guards on board the U.S.-flagged ship repelled the attack with gunfire and a high-decibel noise device. A U.S. surveillance plane was monitoring the ship as it continued to its destination on the Kenyan coast, while a pirate said that the captain of a ship hijacked Monday with 28 North Korean crew members on board had died of wounds. Skip over this content Drama on the High SeasSayyid Azim, AP8 photos Somali pirates attacked the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama on Wednesday, the same ship that was hijacked in April, seen here. In April, the ship's captain was held hostage for days. This time, the guards on the ship were able to fend off the pirates, who attacked about 350 nautical miles off the Somali coast.(Note: Please disable your pop-up blocker)http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relat ive_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,localizationConfig,entry&id=777261&pid =777260&uts=1258544297 http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/media_gallery/v1/ke_media_gallery_wrapper.swf Drama on the High Seas Somali pirates attacked the U.S.-flagged ship Maersk Alabama Wednesday, the same ship that was hijacked in April. In that attack, the ship's captain was held hostage for days. This time, the guards on the ship were able to fend off the pirates who attacked about 350 nautical miles off the Somali coast. Sayyid Azim, AP Sayyid Azim, APPirates hijacked the Maersk Alabama last April and took ship captain Richard Phillips hostage, holding him at gunpoint in a lifeboat for five days. Navy SEAL sharpshooters freed Phillips while killing three pirates in a daring nighttime attack. Four suspected pirates in a skiff attacked the ship again on Tuesday around 6:30 a.m. local time, firing on the ship with automatic weapons from about 300 yards (meters) away, a statement from the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain said. An on-board security team repelled the attack by using evasive maneuvers, small-arms fire and a Long Range Acoustic Device, which can beam earsplitting alarm tones, the fleet said. Vice Adm. Bill Gortney of the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, said the Maersk Alabama had followed the maritime industry's "best practices" in having a security team on board. "This is a great example of how merchant mariners can take proactive action to prevent being attacked and why we recommend that ships follow industry best practices if they're in high-risk areas," Gortney said in a statement. Skip over this content However, Roger Middleton, a piracy expert at the London-based think tank Chatham House, said the international maritime community was still "solidly against" armed guards aboard vessels at sea, but that American ships have taken a different line than the rest of the international community. "Shipping companies are still pretty much overwhelmingly opposed to the idea of armed guards," Middleton said. "Lots of private security companies employee people who don't have maritime experience. Also, there's the idea that it's the responsibility of states and navies to provide security. I would think it's a step backward if we start privatizing security of the shipping trade." A self-proclaimed pirate told The Associated Press from the Somali pirate town of Haradhere that colleagues out at sea had called around 9 a.m. — 2½ hours after the attack. "They told us that they got in trouble with an American ship, then we lost them. We have been trying to locate them since," said a self-described pirate who gave his name as Abdi Nor. A U.S. Navy P-3 surveillance aircraft "is monitoring Maersk Alabama and has good voice communication with the vessel," said Lt. Nathan Christensen, the Bahrain-based spokesman for the 5th Fleet. "Everything is safe and secure and Maersk Alabama is proceeding to their intended destination," Christensen said. The ship was heading for the Kenyan port town of Mombasa. Maritime experts said it was unlucky but not unprecedented that the Maersk Alabama had been targeted in a second attack. "It's not the first vessel to have been attacked twice, and it's a chance that every single ship takes as it passes through the area," Cmdr. John Harbour, a spokesman for the EU Naval Force. "At least this time they had a vessel protection detachment on board who were able to repel the attack." Phillips' ordeal last spring galvanized the attention of the U.S. public to the dangers of operating merchant ships in the Horn of Africa, one of the busiest and most precarious sea lanes in the world. Underscoring the danger, a self-proclaimed pirate said Wednesday that the captain of a ship hijacked Monday had died of wounds suffered during the ship's hijacking. The pirate, Sa'id, who gave only one name for fear of reprisals, said the captain died Tuesday night from internal bleeding. The EU Naval Force has said the Virgin Islands-owned chemical tanker the Theresa was taken Monday with 28 North Korean crew. Pirates have greatly increased their attacks in recent weeks after seasonal rains subsided. On Tuesday, a self-proclaimed pirate said that Somali hijackers had been paid $3.3 million for the release of 36 crew members from a Spanish vessel held for more than six weeks — a clear demonstration of how lucrative the trade can be for impoverished Somalis. Phillips told the AP last month from his farmhouse in Vermont that he was contemplating retiring from sea life after his ordeal. He's been given a book deal and a movie could be in the works. Phillips was hailed as a hero for helping his crew thwart April's hijacking before he was taken hostage, but he says he never volunteered, as crew members and his family reported at the time. He says he was already a hostage when he struck a deal with the pirates — trading him for their leader, who was taken by the Maersk Alabama's crew. Associated Press reporters Olad Hassan in Mogadishu, Somalia, and Barbara Surk in Dubai contributed to this report. Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL. 2009-11-18 06:00:34
IP: Logged |
posted
Subsidiaries > Integrated Maritime > GB-Challenger Class Craft GB-Challenger Class is a modular-concept high-speed work craft built on an aluminum, stainless steel, and rubber platform. Powered by twin 660-HP Caterpillar diesel engines driving 20-inch impeller NOMERA water jet propulsion units, Challenger is fast, maneuverable, and competent in coastal waters, rivers, and open seas. Challenger is available in models ranging from 7 meters to 16 meters. A variety of drop-in modules allow Challenger to adapt to a wide range of military and commercial missions.
These photos show the GB-Challenger during sea trials.
Product brochure (pdf)
Additional Radix Marine Craft
40+ Knots, Extremely Maneuverable
The Challenger's advanced hull design and turbo-charged engines coupled to powerful water-jet pumps give it unparalleled speed and maneuverability.
Accelerates from 0 to 40 knots in 10 seconds At 40+ knots, turns 180 degrees in 1.5 boat lengths Full-thrust reverse, 40 knots to full-stop in 2 boat lengths Shallow 1-meter draft capable of river and coastal patrol missions Rapid Reconfigurable Modules
All of the GB-Challenger craft have been designed to be reconfigurable platforms which will accept mission modules that plug into the front deck section of the basic craft. Available mission modules range from dive salvage, drug interdiction, environmental response, and firefighting, to mine countermeasures and weapons deployment. The Challenger's drop-in modules can be installed in minutes with a simple dock-side lift.
Personnel Transport Module (PTM) Light Freight Module (LFM) Fire Suppression Module (FSM) Oil Spill Recovery Module (OSM) Search & Rescue/Harbor Security Module (SRM) Dive Salvage Module (DSM) Mine Countermeasures Module (MCM) Anti-Air Warfare Module (AAM) High Quality and Reliability
The Challenger is designed to get you there faster than anything else on the water, to complete the mission required, and to come back every time.
Two 660 HP model 3196 DITA Caterpillar engines, supported by a worldwide parts and maintenance network Twin 20-inch North American Marine Jet (NOMERA) water propulsion units, direct drive Instantaneous electronic overspeed control SAFETM solid-cell foam sponsons not compromised by puncture or abrasion Two main and two reserve fuel tanks Transportable by Trailer and Aircraft
The Challenger is designed to be transported anywhere in the world.
Highway transportable on a triple-axle trailer (with foam sponsons removed) Air transportable by C-130 cargo aircraft (except the 14- and 16-meter models) Preparation for transport is a two-person, 30-minute operation U.S. Navy Testing
The GB-12 296 Challenger has performed exceptionally well in demonstrating the capability of the product to meet the requirements of potential clients. Throughout its research and development history, the GB-Challenger Class Craft has participated in testing and trials with the U.S. Navy and major defense contractors. Interest in IMPII's capability to promote their products in the global market, and an understanding of the craft’s unique capabilities, has led several major defense contractors into strategic relationships with IMPII. The essence of these agreements is to jointly develop new technologies for integration into mission modules which meet the tactical requirements of military organizations worldwide.
The U.S. Navy’s interest in the GB-Challenger has increased over recent years resulting from the demonstrated performance capability of the GB-Challenger Class Craft. Recent performance indicators include an independent study conducted for the U.S. Navy to meet the Navy’s requirements for Survivability, Transportability, Remote Control Capability, and Cost Effectiveness, in which study, IMPII’s 12 and 16 meter craft consistently rated #1 and 2, respectively.
IP: Logged |
posted
Shareholder Update 11/22/2009 Sunday, November 22, 2009, 12:26 AM Posted by Administrator Dear Shareholders:
I am sorry for the delay of getting things updated. What started out as a 15-20 hour a week “job” for me has morphed into a 35-40 hour a week job not to mention traveling to Seattle at least 3-4 times a month.
As we move the company forward, it is our desire to diversify the company and take full advantage of the human and financial resources available to the company.
The advisory board met on November 18, 2009. We discussed present opportunities along with upcoming events.
We have been offered a loan in the amount of 60,000.00 that bears an 8.5 % interest rate. This loan would mature and come due March 1, 2011. It would provide the funding for our participation in the MDSI contract to date, do minimal upgrades to the GB 12, and bring the filings current. It was recommended that we accept the loan along with its associated terms. It will be used to cover hard costs and will not provide wages for any of the advisory board or the present management. We remain committed to keep operational costs to an absolute minimum and continue to improve shareholder value.
The location of the annual meeting was also discussed in great detail. We posted a vote on the website and until approximately 3 weeks ago, Yakima was the choice of the shareholders 2-1. Recently, with the stock activity and what we feel is the profile change of the shareholders, the location has changed from a ratio of Las Vegas 55% to 45% Yakima.
After great discussion is was recommended that we consider doing it in Seattle at Lake Union. We have located a facility we can hold the meeting at and park an operational GB 12 in the water with an operational module in the vessel. This would provide a premier opportunity for the shareholders to observe some of the products and actually see the vessel in the water.
We are going to run a short ballot question on the website through the 10th of December to see how shareholders feel. It will push the shareholder meeting back into March, but provide a more informative forum for the shareholders at the same time. They also felt it would be more cost effective for the company in the long run. We will have several presentations on present products and some of the diversification opportunities for the company.
You will notice on our web site that we have several new aspects to the company. They also recommended that we pursue some of the renewable energy opportunities as a continued effort to provide diversification for the company. We are presently exploring wind, solar, and gas turbine opportunities. We feel that with the current economic climate, the national push for renewable energy provides tremendous opportunity for the company and uses several of the human resources in place.
We have no desire to build factories or develop offices filled with paper pushers. What we desire to build is a company that takes full advantage of existing factory over capacity through sub contract, and then manage at a corporate level to include some of the other opportunities that are present in the market.
They also recommended that we continue to make the effort to bring the filings current. We have allocated the financial resources and expect to begin this process in the coming month.
We want to thank the shareholders for their patience and look forward to seeing as many as we can at the shareholder meeting. Once the final vote is in, we will tally the total and get the notices of the annual meeting in the mail.
Sincerely,
Brad Goodspeed Director of New Products
IP: Logged |
posted
U.S.-Bound Supertanker Seized by Pirates Off Somalia (Update4) Share Business ExchangeTwitterFacebook| Email | Print | A A A By Alaric Nightingale and Gregory Viscusi
Nov. 30 (Bloomberg) -- The Greek-owned supertanker Maran Centaurus was seized by pirates off Somalia while heading to the U.S., as attackers venture ever farther from shore to hijack merchant ships.
It’s the second time Somali pirates have seized an oil supertanker, with the last incident a year ago leading to a record ransom and an increase in Western naval patrols.
Today’s hijacking is “probably” the farthest from shore by Somali pirates, said Cyrus Mody, a manager at the International Maritime Bureau in London. His organization has yet to verify details of the attack, he said.
The vessel, which can carry 2 million barrels of oil, was taken by Somali pirates in the Somali Basin about 600 nautical miles northeast of the Seychelles, the European Union anti- piracy naval force in the region said on its Web site today. The 28-man crew comes from Greece, Philippines, Ukraine, and Romania. The ship’s management said the vessel was fully laden with crude oil.
“We are surely getting closer to the day where nothing is safe anywhere between the Seychelles and Suez,” Jonathan Bruce, a partner and maritime law expert at Elborne Mitchell Solicitors in London, said in a telephone interview. “We’re seeing insurance companies extending their war risk zones.”
A caller from the vessel said all those on board are being well treated and the ship is heading for the area of Hobyo on Somalia’s Puntland coast, Maran Tanker Management said in a e- mailed statement. There were no armed security guards on board at the time of the attack, according to the statement.
Previous Seizure
Somali pirates last seized an oil tanker in November 2008 when they took the Saudi supertanker Sirius Star and its 2 million barrels of oil. It was released in January 2009 for a ransom that the U.S. Congressional Research Service estimated at $3 million, believed to be largest ransom paid to Somali pirates at that point. Some press reports said pirates received $3.5 million for the February 2009 release of the MV Faina, a Ukrainian ship loaded with Russian tanks and other weapons.
“We don’t really know what the most ever paid for a ship is because the pirates have a tendency to claim higher prices than what’s really paid,’ said Hans Tino Hansen, founder of Risk Intelligence, a Danish risk consultancy. ‘‘It’s in their interest to make ship owners think these are the going rates.”
The taking of the Sirius Star and Fiana spurred Western nations to increase their naval presence in the area. A year ago, there were about 15 warships off Somalia. Now there are about 25, with fleets from the European Union, North Atlantic Treaty Organization and a U.S.-led coalition dedicated to combating piracy.
UN Vote
In a previously scheduled vote, the United Nations Security Council voted 15-to-0 today to extend for one year its authorization for countries to combat piracy off the coast of Somalia and to chase pirates onto the territory of the African nation.
After a lull during the summer monsoon, Somali pirates have shifted their attacks to the Indian Ocean to avoid naval patrols in the Gulf of Aden, their previous focus.
Somali pirates have attacked ships 193 times this year, seizing 37 vessels, says the French Navy. With today’s hijacking, pirates are holding 12 ships and 252 seamen for ransom, the French Navy says.
In 2008, Somali pirates attacked 165 ships and seized 45, the French Navy says.
The declining success rate for pirates this year is partly due to the increased presence by warships from Europe, the U.S., and Asian countries. They’ve concentrated their patrols on the Gulf of Aden, a chokepoint to the Suez Canal used by 20,000 ships a year.
Gulf of Aden
Forced out of the narrower Gulf of Aden, Somali pirates have mastered the use of “motherships,” or converted second- hand fishing vessels that can travel hundred of miles out into the Indian Ocean to launch skiffs for the final assault on passing ships, Peter Pham, director of the African project at the National Committee on American Foreign Policy, a New York- based research center, said in a telephone interview.
While the Indian Ocean has many fewer merchant ships than the Gulf of Aden, it also has fewer naval patrols, he said.
“The pirates are now operating in an area the size of Europe where the naval forces are spread thin,” said Hansen. “That means that the pirates have an interest in attacking any ship that passes because they may not see another ship for a while, and it also means they have plenty of time to keep circling their prey until they find a way to board.”
Maran Centaurus is owned by Anangel Shipping Enterprises SA, according to Lloyd’s Register-Fairlay data on Bloomberg. The vessel was bound for the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, or LOOP, according to ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. Its last port of call was Mina Al Ahmadi in Kuwait.
Jenkins, the Simpson analyst, said the effect of the incident on the tanker market will be limited because the amount of oil being shipped west from the Middle East has already dropped, said Mark Jenkins, an analyst at Simpson, Spence & Young Ltd., the second-largest shipbroker.
To contact the reporters on this story: Alaric Nightingale in London at anightingal1@bloomberg.net; Gregory Viscusi in Paris at +33 gviscusi@Bloomberg.net.
Last Updated: November 30, 2009 12:38 EST
IP: Logged |
posted
Radix Marine is looking at ways to use the corporate structure, publicly traded company benefits, and human resources to diversify the company into products and services that make sense for the current market conditions and company growth. One area we have explored is solar and wind energy. With a combined 75 years site development experience amongst the staff, we felt that this was natural diversification potential for the company.
The current economic benefits are a measurable income stream, marketable tax credits, measurable costs and a built in market for the produced power. This will help stabilize income for the company as the economic challenges spread world wide effecting patrol craft sales. The government has implemented many tax, financial, and market incentives as an inducement for the development of these farms. We have explored wind and solar farms over the last several years to develop parameters for potential projects. Recent advances in the technology, as well as an overall downturn in costs, has made it even more desirable to pursue such projects at this time. We continue to look at opportunities to find the proper mix of our existing corporate goals for the company as well as expand our income opportunities, both short and long term.
While not directly tied to the maritime industry, it does provide for an opportunity to build a stable income source that will help stabilize the ups and down of the international patrol craft industry. A fully developed Wind/Solar farm provides stable income for decades to come and can bring real value to the shareholders of the company in the long and short term. This, coupled with the years of site development experience of the staff, give Radix a real advantage in the market place to develop a successful Solar/Wind project. These farms, when built out, become “electrical ATM” of sorts for the owners. We can then operate, lease or sell the finished product to meet the goals of the company and add further shareholder value.
We are excited at the opportunities projects like this will bring to the company and its shareholders. Below is some statistics from Wickapedia relative to recent and future grown in the industry.
“As of October 2009, the installed capacity of wind power in the United States was 31,000 megawatts (MW) making it the world leader ahead of Germany, and wind power accounts for some 1.2% of the electricity generated in the United States Texas, with 8,797 MW of capacity, has the most wind power capacity of any U.S. state, followed by Iowa with 3,053 MW The Roscoe Wind Farm (780 MW) in Texas is the world's largest wind farm.
Over 8,500 MW of new wind power capacity was brought online in 2008, increasing the nation’s cumulative total by 50%. These new installations place the U.S. on a trajectory to generate 20% of the nation’s electricity by 2030 from wind energy, as long as there is continued government policy support for the industry. Growth in 2008 channeled some $17 billion into the economy, positioning wind power as one of the leading sources of new power generation in the country, along with natural gas. New wind projects completed in 2008 account for about 42% of the entire new power-producing capacity added in the U.S. during the year.
At the end of 2008, about 85,000 people were employed in the U.S. wind industry, and GE Energy was the largest domestic wind turbine manufacturer. Wind projects boosted local tax bases, and revitalized the economy of rural communities by providing a steady income stream to farmers with wind turbines on their land Wind power in the U.S. provides enough electricity to power the equivalent of nearly 9 million homes, avoiding the emissions of 57 million tons of carbon each year and reducing expected carbon emissions from the electricity sector by 2.5%.”
It is for these very reasons we continue to look at renewable energy as a great potential addition to the growth of the company in the coming years. We have put allot of time and energy into developing a plan that benefits the company while keeping the principal goals of the company in mind.
IP: Logged |
posted
Environmental Services As part of the overall marketing strategy for Radix Marine Inc, we have worked on several environmental products that fit well with the GB12. The GB12 offers unsurpassed reliability, performance and flexibility for today’s demanding commercial and government applications. This applies to both inland and open sea applications.
As oil becomes more difficult to extract in its present locations, efforts to open offshore fields will become enormous and eventually outweigh the political pressure not to develop these resources. It is for this reason we feel the GB12 can be part of an overall “pro active” solution to this threat of a close in coastal spill and eventual cleanup. A plan needs to be developed and implemented that allows for rapid deployment and quick “on scene” cleanup of an oil spill incident. No one wants to see the repeat of the Prince William Sound disaster and economic impact that followed. Industry was simply not poised to deal with such a disaster and it was allowed to spread well beyond reasonable containment.
It requires a well thought out, rapid and reliable solution. We feel the GB12 is perfect as an operational platform for such a product. We continue to explore products and services that can be adapted to the GB12 as a high tech solution to a growing potential environmental concern. A politically acceptable solution to this risk will have to be developed prior to any development of these offshore resources being allowed. We would like to be a part of the solution in this potential market.It requires a well thought out, rapid and reliable solution. We feel the GB12 is perfect as an operational platform for such a product. We continue to explore products and services that can be adapted to the GB12 as a high tech solution to a growing potential environmental concern. A politically acceptable solution to this risk will have to be developed prior to any development of these offshore resources being allowed. We would like to be a part of the solution in this potential market.
Simply put, the GB12 is a workhorse that is perfect for this application with the proper technology applied. We will continue to seek a product that will help us meet these goals and provide an environmental use of the vessel for clean up applications.
IP: Logged |
posted
Pirates seize 2 more ships off Somalia’s coast Cargo ship, chemical tanker are hijacked within hours of each other
updated 8:12 a.m. ET, Sat., Jan. 2, 2010 LONDON - A British-flagged cargo ship and a chemical tanker from Singapore have both been hijacked by pirates in the perilous waters off the coast of Somalia, officials said Saturday.
The Asian Glory highjacking occurred late Friday roughly 600 miles east of Somalia, according to Commander John Harbour, a spokesman with the European Union task force charged with combating piracy off Somalia.
That same day, the Singaporean-flagged Pramoni, a chemical tanker with a crew of 24, was seized by pirates in the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's busiest waterways.
Harbour said the Asian Glory's crew of 25 appeared to be safe and that the pirates had not yet made contact with the ship's owner, Zodiac Management Agencies.
"The standard procedure for the pirates is to get the ship back to their stronghold and then contact the owner," he said.
He said the ship was bound for, but had not yet entered, the internationally recognized travel corridor patrolled by EUNAVFOR, as the European Union mission is known, when it was hijacked.
"They were still outside the patrolled area," Harbour said.
He said the crew included 10 Ukrainians, nine Bulgarians, five Indians and two Romanians.
A spokesman for Zodiac Management Agencies confirmed the Asian Glory hijacking and said Saturday the crew's families were being notified. Out of concern for the crew's safety, the company said it would limit the information it released.
Click for related content Somali pirates behind Kenya property boom?
Zodiac was also hit earlier this week when its ship the St. James Park was hijacked. A statement on the company's Web site indicated Saturday that the vessel is now anchored off the coast of Somalia.
The company said it has not yet been contacted by the pirates holding the St. James Park and its 26-person crew.
There have been repeated acts of piracy against international shipping in the area in recent years despite the deployment of a special EU mission aimed to lessen the danger to international shipping.
Officials said the Pramoni was traveling east toward India when it was seized by pirates on Friday. The ship's master reported on VHF that the crew was safe. The vessel is now heading toward Somalia as well.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
IP: Logged |
posted
Somali pirates free oil tanker for record ransom Buzz up!0 votes Send Email IM .Share Delicious Digg Facebook Fark Newsvine Reddit StumbleUpon Technorati Twitter Yahoo! Bookmarks .Print .. AFP/Maran Tankers/Ho – The Greek-flagged tanker Maran Centaurus. Intense fighting between Somali pirate gangs over a record … . Slideshow:Somali Pirates . Play Video Kenya Video:Cleric arrest sparks Kenya clashes Reuters . By Abdi Guled and Abdi Sheikh Abdi Guled And Abdi Sheikh – Mon Jan 18, 12:52 pm ET MOGADISHU (Reuters) – Somali pirates freed a Greek-flagged tanker carrying 2 million barrels of oil for a record ransom on Monday and witnesses said four pirates were killed in a clash between rival groups over the cash.
The release of the ship came a day after the money was dropped onto its deck.
The Maran Centaurus was seized on November 29 with 16 Filipinos, nine Greeks, two Ukrainians and a Romanian on board. An aircraft dropped a ransom believed to be between $5.5 million and $7 million onto the vessel on Sunday, officials said.
"We have agreed to solve our disagreements and release the ship. It is free and sailing away now," one of the pirates, Hassan, told Reuters by telephone. "The crew are all safe." Another pirate and a regional maritime official confirmed that the tanker, hijacked near the Seychelles archipelago in the Indian Ocean, had been freed on Monday.
The ransom dwarfed sums paid previously for vessels held by Somali sea gangs. A dispute between two rival pirate groups over the spoils had delayed its release.
Ecoterra International, a Nairobi-based group that monitors shipping off Somalia, said two pirates had been killed in a gunbattle with a rival gang as they returned to shore.
"The stash of the record-breaking ransom ... is reportedly now held in a heavily guarded house in Haradheere," it said, adding that the pirate-run port was now very tense because the sharing of the funds had not yet taken place.
"(The) pirates bragged that they even had dished out $500,000 to the crew for what they call 'good co-operation'."
Four pirates were killed and three others injured when one group attacked another on Monday evening for failing to give them their share of the ransom, pirates and locals said. They added that piracy financiers were also involved in the fighting.
"I have seen four dead men on a street in the town," Haradheere resident Abdisalan Abdi told Reuters by phone.
SHIPOWNER "DELIGHTED"
On Sunday, pirates on board the tanker and rivals in speedboats fired at each other in a tussle for control of the vessel before the ransom was due to be delivered.
The pirates in the speedboats had threatened to set fire to the vessel unless they received a share of the spoils.
Pirates on another hijacked ship nearby and local elders onshore told Reuters helicopters from Western navies patrolling the waters off Somalia fired at the speedboats, driving them from the area before the cash was dropped.
The Greek owner of the tanker, Maran Tankers Management Inc., said in a statement from Athens it was "delighted" the ship, its crew and cargo had been freed and were now under naval escort to a safe port.
"Maran Tankers Management Inc. will not be releasing any details of the talks which led to the release of the vessel, as they do not wish to provide any information which might in any way encourage further criminal acts of this kind," it said.
A $3 million ransom was paid for the release of another oil tanker, the Sirius Star, in January 2009. Similar sums have been paid subsequently for the release of merchant vessels.
Worldwide, piracy attacks rose nearly 40 percent in 2009, with Somali pirates accounting for more than half of the 406 reported incidents, according to the International Maritime Bureau.
Typically, the pirates hold the captured ships and crews hostage until ransoms are paid.
The International Chamber of Shipping, which represents 75 percent of the global seaborne industry, said on Monday it felt deepening frustration at the "impotence" of the international community in combating the growing piracy in the Indian Ocean.
"If a similar number of aircraft passengers had been taken hostage there would undoubtedly have been a more robust response," its chairman Spyros Polemis said.
"It is extraordinary that governments today seem less able to protect shipping than they were almost 200 years ago."
IP: Logged |
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic
