Aries Steel Snake Boat finds place in the Guinness Book of World Records

Aries Punnamada Chundan, the first ever snake boat made of steel and a design wonder crafted by Aries Marine enters the Guinness Book of World Records.

Breaking the existing record, Aries Chundan has successfully completed the record attempt for the largest canoe crew with a crew of 141 rowers and five helmsmen on board on 1 May 2008 at Alleppey backwaters in Kerala. Aries Chundan is the longest steel made snake boat with 143 feet and a masterpiece design of Aries Marine. The attempt for the world record was in comparison to ‘Nadumbhagam Chundan’, which had only 118 crewmembers and holds the existing record. Several international dignitaries, including representatives of RINA, Italy and Germanischer Lloyd, Germany who visited Cochin for ShipTek 2008 have witnessed the rowing of Aries Chundan held at the Punnamada Lake. Mr. Sohan Roy S.K, CEO Aries Group was also present on the occasion. Aries Chundan has already found place in the Limca Book of Records as the longest snake boat made of steel. This innovative steel snake boat has a scientific design, based on the latest scientific methods in Naval Architecture. Its shape and stability have been designed using the world famous ‘AUTOSHIP’ software.

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Visit of Expert Delegation from Japan to Cochin Port Trust

An expert delegation from Ocean Policy Research Foundation, Tokyo, Japan visited Cochin Port Trust and held discussions with Shri N Ramachandran, Chairman and senior officers on the maritime development projects at Cochin Port .

The visit of the experts is aimed at observing and assessing the potentials of the ports in the southern coast of India from their specific viewpoints of shipping, civil engineering and logistics etc. The team will identify the potential of the port by taking into account the distinguishing features of respective region where the port is located and work out practical proposals to help develop maritime infrastructure. Apart from Cochin the team is also visiting the ports at Chennai, Visakhapatnam and Tuticorin. The report regarding the visit will be provided as the informative reference for the Japanese maritime industries sector, which is attentive to India as a promising business frontier. The team comprises Mr.Yutaka Fukushima, Deputy Senior Researcher, Overseas Coastal Area Development Institute of Japan, Mr Keiji Iwata, Deputy General Manager, Dry Bulk Carrier Supervising Office, Mitsui O.S.K Lines Ltd., Mr Shinichi Oi, General Manager, Marine Technical Department, M.O. Marine Consulting Ltd., Mr Yoshihisa Imai, Senior Research Fellow, Ocean Policy Research Foundation and Mr Takehisa Imaizumi, Advisor, Policy Group, Ocean Policy Research Foundation. The expert team is accompanied by Mr P Sasikumar and Mr J P Saini, Under Secretaries from Ministry of Shipping, Government of India.

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World Maritime Day Parallel Celebrations Held in Greece

The fourth “Parallel Event” to celebrate World Maritime Day formally and officially outside of the International Maritime Organization’s London base was held in Greece hosted by the Government of the Hellenic Republic.

On 19 September, Athens was the location for a seminar and panel discussion on the theme of IMO: 60 years in the service of shipping, in which leading figures from the maritime community took the opportunity to outline, from their perspective, their views on the past, present and future of IMO and the shipping industry. On 20 September, the International Memorial to the Wife of the Seafarer was unveiled in the town of Galaxidi, by the Secretary-General of IMO, Mr. Efthimios E. Mitropoulos, and Greece’s Minister of Mercantile Marine, the Aegean and Island Policy, Mr. Anastasis Papaligouras. The Athens event, held at the Evgenidion Foundation, was opened by the Prime Minister of Greece, Dr. Kostas Karamanlis, who, in praising the Organization’s achievements over six decades, referred to its contribution to the reduction in marine accidents and incidents, its sensitivity over environmental protection issues and its role as a model of multilateral and institutional co-operation. Other speakers were: Mr. Spyros Polemis, Chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping and President of the International Shipping Federation; Mr. David Cockroft, General Secretary of the International Transport Workers’ Federation; Mr. Philip Embiricos, President of BIMCO; Mr. Nicky A. Pappadakis, Chairman of INTERCARGO; Mr. Nicholas G. Fistes, Chairman of INTERTANKO; Mr. George A. Gratsos, President of the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping; Mr. Nicos D. Efthymiou, President of the Union of Greek Shipowners; and Mr. William Azuh, Chairman of the IMO Club of Maritime Attachés.

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