Huanji International, founded in 1989 with headquarter in Ningbo, is a comprehensive international company, integrating freight of sea, air and land (railway& road). It is a private shareholding company with registered capital of CNY4,000,000 and turnover of CNY150 million with 6 subsidiary companies as well as 13 branch offices total up to more than 300 professional and experienced personnel in the main ports of China. As one of the strongest and most influential forwarding&logistics companies in Ningbo, over decades’efforts, Huanji has actively grasped the market dynamics and stays abreast of service and quality relying on the geographical advantages, thereby it has gained the stable and long-term development. Huanji Int’l has built strategic partnership with many internationally known shipping companies and airlines to provide internationalized, specialized and standardized one-stop international business logistics service to clients home and abroad.

　　

Based on the people-oriented and scientifically managing concept, the company has been putting emphasis on the development of healthy and positive culture as to enhance the company influence.
We are all round the clock to supply customers with sincere, efficient,
convenient and safe services.

AIR FREIGHT

MongRonggang

MongRonggang

ADD:11F，Fortune Building，No.828 Fuming Road，Jiangdong District，Ningbo，China.
E-MAIL：hjhy@nb-hj.com
FAX：86-0574-87643092（IMPORT DEPT.）　86-0574- 87643093（OVERSEAS DEPT.）
86-0574-87643094（SALES DEPT.）　86-0574- 87643095（SEA FREIGHT DETP.）　
86-0574-87643096（SEA FREIGHT DETP.）86-0574-87643097（SEA FREIGHT DETP.）
86-0574-87643098（BUSINESS DEPT.）　86-0574-87643062（MARKET DEPT.）

ADD：Room 605,Pacific International Mansion,No.178 South Binjiang Road,Yuyao. Ningbo City,Zhejiang Province.China.
E-MAIL ：hwj@nb-hj.com
TEL：86-0574-62732178 Fax: 62732219

Department

Name

Posts

Office Tel

GM Office

Xu Hongbo

Manager

021-65086776

Finance Office

Xiao Mei

Should pay back commission

021-65086272

Lu Yan

Write-off single, the team reconciliation, billing

021-65086287

Yan Fang

Receivables, import, administrative

021-65087100

Overseas Department

Xu Jun

Overseas Maintenance

021-65086979

Zhou Xiaomian

European Development

021-65086529

Zheng Yunyun

File and part of Agent Development

021-65086397

Overseas Department

Wang Yu

Air Manager

021-65086885

Cao Hui

Air Operation

021-65086896

Wei Chunyan

Sales

021-65086809

Huang Defu

Sales

021-65086153

Zhu Guoliang

Sales

021-65086827

Maritime Operation

Sun Weiqin

Director of operations

021-65086353/6225

Liu Jia

Maritime Operation

021-65086813

Yan Wen

Maritime Operation

021-65086389/6225

Sales

Liu Peiwen

Sales

021-65087110

Xu Zhiqiang

Sales

021-65086782

Wang Yu

Sales

021-65086782

Run Single

Feng Weiqiang

021-65086782 　

Department

Name

Posts

Office Tel

　GM Office

Wang Xiangsheng

General Manager

86-0574-89070755

Ye Shanshan

Assistant Manager

86-0574-89070720

Executive Dept.

Yang Jingbo

Front desk/administrative

86-0574-89070703

Commerce Dept.　

Xu Lingyan

Commerce Department

86-0574-89070728

Shi Qiongying

Commerce Department

86-0574-89070747

Finance Dept.

Zhou Biqiong

Accounting

86-0574-89070744

Mao Chaoqun

Cashier

86-0574-89070750

Sales Dept.

YU Shengda

Sales Manager

86-0574-89070768

Zhu Kedeng

Sales

86-0574-89070705

Shen Haibo

Sales

86-0574-89070715

　Market Dept.

Wu Bifang

Marketing Director

86-0574-89070701

Ren Hui

Marketing

86-0574-89070708

Xu Jing

Dispatch/Service Director

86-0574-89070745

　 Overseas Dept.

Li Ming

Overseas Director

86-0574-89070731

Liu Jijun

Overseas Operation

86-0574-89070742

Operate Dept.

Wang Xiaoyu

FCL action/file

86-0574-89070752

Fei Hailong

FCL action/file

86-0574-89070730

Xiao Yu

FCL action/file

86-0574-89070740

Wang Wei

FCL action/file

86-0574-89070719

Zhang Xinjie

FCL file

86-0574-89070717

He Dandong

FCL file

86-0574-89070756

Chen Weiwei

LCL Operation

86-0574-89070725

Shao Xiuxiu

LCL Operation

86-0574-89070736

Zhou Jianye

LCL file

86-0574-89070726

Xia Wei

Inspection

86-0574-89070710

Master Shi

Run Single

86-0574-66194386

Master liu

Run Single

Department

Name

Posts

Office Tel

Han Yang Import and Export

Fang Yafeng

Manager

86-0574-22683097

Zhang Zhuying

Accounting

86-0574-22683096

Liu qin

Accounting Assistant

86-0574-22677322

Zhang Ming

Cashier

86-0574-22677312

Zhao Chongfen

Documents

86-0574-22677322

Lin Xiaoyi

Documents

86-0574-22683098

Ying Yunna

Documents

v22677311

No.409,Room Pacific International Mansion,178 South Binjiang Road,Yuyao City
Fax：86-0574-0574-22683099

Name

Posts

Office Tel

VPN

Sun Songren

branch secretary of the Party

27687976

0663

Yu Jian

Manager

27687976

9809

Yiao Yinji

Scheduling

27687976

2135

Li Chen

Scheduling Assistant

27687976

8192

Xuan Shanmu

Driver

27687976

2393

Guo Maoyan

Driver

27687976

2590

Zhen Qilin

Driver

27687976

2813

Zhang Xuebing

Driver

27687976

2217

Yuan Haijin

Driver

27687976

6005

Address:Block B2,Railway West Goods Yard,Yuyao City
E-MAIL:hxw@china.nb-hj.com
Fax：0574-62800503

Department

Name

Posts

Contact

Internal
Department

Xu Junhua

Manager

13685866077

Yuan Gaosheng

Client Representative

0574-63152579

Ye Kaijun

Client Representative

0574-66293772

Yu Guofeng

Client Representative

0574-66229166

Liu Anqun

Client Representative

0574-66250510

Song Jiansong

Client Representative

0574-66229166

Zhu Huanglai

Client Representative

0574-66229166

Lu Jishi

Client Representative

0574-66229166

Zhu Guodong

Client Representative

0574-66229166

He Jiantao

Client Representative

0574-66229166

Zhu Weiping

Client Representative

0574-66229166

Huang Guoquan

Client Representative

0574-66229166

Wang Hui

Client Representative

0574-66229166

Zhu Baiyuan

Client Representative

0574-66229166

Ying Xingfa

Client Representative

0574-66229166

Wu Baijun

Client Representative

0574-66229166

He Fengxian

Manager

0574-62638822

Ye Kefen

Operator

0574-62635015

Ye Wenjun

Operator

0574-62635015

Xu Mingfu

Operator

0574-62635015

Zhu Baili

salesman

0574-62638844

Qi Yinyin

salesman

0574-62638822

Li Xiaochuan

salesman

0574-62635016

Ye Debang

Driver

0574-62635015

Li Chunjian

Driver

0574-62635015

International
Department

He Zhuteng

Manager

0 574-62640199

Wang Hongjin

Finance

0574-62640199

Zheng Wenjun

sales

0574-62640199

Zhu Heqiu

sales

0574-62640199

Wu Jian

sales

0574-62640199

Han Hongya

customer service

0574-22715999

Shi Leijun

customer service

0574-22715999

Address:No. 602-604 Room,Pacific International Mansion,178 South Binjiang Road,Yuyao City
FAX:0574-62732217 　　　　62732219

ADD：Room 605,Pacific International Mansion,No.178 South Binjiang Road,Yuyao. Ningbo City,Zhejiang Province.China.
E-MAIL ：hwj@nb-hj.com
TEL：86-0574-62732178 Fax: 62732219

Source: http://online.wsj.com

There was also an announcement of a $6 per container International Security Port Surcharge (ISPS) for Far East to Middle Eastern trades.

There is also a currency adjustment factor (CAF), which will stand at 14.75 per cent of ocean freight and apply to cargo moving between the Mediterranean, that is Lebanon, Syria, Black Sea ports and north Africa - but not Israel.

A bunker adjustment factor (BAF) will also be applied to cargo in the Europe and Mediterranean trades from December as well as another BAF for both east and west bound shipments in Far East and the Indian subcontinent to Europe and the Mediterranean from January 1.

The BAF will be as follows: On shipments between Far East and north west Europe / Mediterranean, which includes Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Black Sea ports as well as north Africa and west Africa, the increases will be US$510 per TEU and $1,020 per FEU.

Shipments between the Indian subcontinent and north west Europe / Mediterranean, which includes Israel, Lebanon, Syria, the Black Sea ports, west Africa and north Africa will be subject to a BAF of $306 per TEU and $612 per FEU.

There was also news of a fuel adjustment factor (FAF) for the Far East-Mideast trades to apply to cargo in the Far East to the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf and the India subcontinent to take effect from January 1 until January 31.

The revised FAF is, from the Far East (except Japan) to the Persian Gulf and Indian subcontinent, will be $276 per TEU and $552 per FEU. From Japan to the Persian Gulf and the Indian subcontinent it will be $238 per TEU and $476 per FEU. From the Far East (except Japan) to the Red Sea the FAF will be $369 per TEU and $738 per FEU. And from Japan to the Red Seas it will be $429 per TEU and $858 per FEU,

The Far East includes mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macao, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Korea, Brunei, Cambodia and Burma.

The Persian Gulf includes Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia (Persian Gulf Coastal), Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Oman.

The Indian subcontinent includes India and Pakistan.

The Red Sea includes Saudi Arabia (Red Sea coast), Yemen, Jordan, Egypt and Sudan.

(Source:www.schednet.com)

Source: www.apparelnews.net

Based on the list price for the CRJ700 aircraft, the contract would be valued at approximately $779 million US. Actual terms of the deal are confidential.

“This would be a major order for us at any time, but achieving it during the prevailing tough economic times makes it all the more significant,” said Gary R. Scott, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. “The order also reflects the confidence expressed by AMR Corp. and American Eagle Airlines in our CRJ700 aircraft and we are grateful for their continuing support.”

Including the transaction announced today, Bombardier has recorded orders for 1,695 CRJ Series aircraft, and as of October 31, 2009, 1,569 of these had been delivered. More than 60 operators in 38 countries operate CRJ Series aircraft.

Source: Transportweekly

DHL Express has started offering a direct flight from Hong Kong to Surabaya, Indonesia, in a bid to facilitate the increasing volume of import cargo from Hong Kong to East Java.

The flight operates four times a week on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, and will not only carry freight from Hong Kong, but also from North Asia and the US, a DHL statement said.

It said the new direct flight from Hong Kong International Airport to Djuanda Airport in Surabaya provides customers with a faster transit time of up to 24 hours, compared to the previous non-direct flight, by alleviating the need for clearance in Jakarta and domestic transportation from Jakarta to Surabaya.

The development comes after shipment volumes on DHL's Hong Kong to Surabaya routes rose by 18 per cent year on year between July and November 2009. Major shipments were from China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Taiwan.

"Hong Kong-Surabaya is an important trade lane for DHL because China is the largest supplier of non-oil and gas products to East Java, with the value amounting to US$202.62 million in October 2009," said David Ng, senior technical advisor at DHL Express/PT Birotika Semesta.

"With this new flight, we expect to be able to significantly enhance connectivity, service reliability and on-time performance for our customers in the East Java, Hong Kong, North Asia and US."

Source: SchedNet

THE Trade Commission of Ecuador in Los Angeles has announced that Ecuadoran roses will fly to the world's most expensive rose market in Japan through Mercury's LAX airport's perishable centre with Apollo Freight handling shipments.

Hitherto the roses went through Amsterdam and Frankfurt or Miami. In the two months that the programme has been underway, nearly 45 tons of roses were moved from Ecuador to Japan via LAX.

"It has long been a goal to find a way for Ecuadorian flowers, especially roses, to reach world markets faster and at lower costs. We are very pleased that Mercury Air Cargo and Apollo Freight have developed a programme to answer this need at LAX," said trade commissioner Eduardo Borrero.

Members of the Ecuadorian Trade Commission met with Mercury Air Cargo and Apollo Freight executives following Mercury's opening of the largest on-airport refrigeration unit on the West Coast in April.

The Trade Commission wanted to bring the flowers through Mercury's LAX airport's perishable centre. Apollo Freight, a leader in perishable logistics, worked with two Asian carriers servicing Japan to obtain cargo space then worked with Operflor Cargo, an Ecuadorian freight forwarder, to secure flower shipments from Ecuador to the importers in Japan.

Said Operflor Cargo manager Roy Cisternas: "Our Japanese clients are extremely pleased with the level of service being provided by Apollo Freight at LAX as well as with the cost savings compared to transiting roses through Europe."

Apollo Freight utilises Mercury's perishable centre, located in an over 18,580 square metre airport warehouse, which allows flowers coming into LAX by air and connecting on a flight to Japan to never have to leave the airport. The flowers remain in the same warehouse for breakdown, cooling and build-up services.

Mercury Air Group CEO and chairman Joseph Czyzyk said, "Transiting Ecuadorian roses is just a small part of the perishable logistics Mercury and Apollo offer."

Source: SchedNet

Latvia is considering opening the country’s ports and communication routes for Armenia for the transportation of cargoes to the West. "I see great potential for development of the Armenian-Latvian economic cooperation. I hope that the two governments will create all necessary conditions for mutually beneficial cooperation. Creating the necessary contractual and legal framework will be a major stimulus for the development of this cooperation ", Latvia’s President Valdis Zatlers is quoted as saying at the Armenian-Latvian business forum in Yerevan, Armenian aysor.am website reports.

According Mr. Zatlers, Latvian businessmen can help their Armenian colleagues to sign profitable agreements with Western businessmen.

"It remains only to find the common ground for mutually beneficial cooperation. Latvia is ready to help Armenia to integrate into the European market, as well as to share its experience of European integration ", - Mr. Zatlers said.

Source: Port News

Source: www.eyefortransport.com

Horizon Logistics, LLC, the third-party logistics management subsidiary of Horizon Lines, Inc., has introduced a less-than-truckload (LTL) shipment rating engine for domestic U.S. shippers, adding to an existing suite of web-based logistics tools available at www.horizon-logistics.com.

The new LTL rating engine is designed to ensure price consistency, effective carrier benchmarking and competitive pricing by eliminating the cost adjustments most carriers make to compensate for lane imbalances. The company's LTL rating structure is uniquely configured to offer customers not only cost-effective pricing, but also multiple service options. The ultimate objective is a lower total cost of transportation for Horizon Logistics' customers.

Once rates are provided, shippers can use the system to automate carrier selection, bill of lading generation, load tendering and shipment tracking. The secure system is highly configurable, simple to use and accessible via the web at anytime from anywhere in the world. Horizon Logistics customers also can generate shipment reports instantly in a variety of formats including Microsoft Excel.

"Most shippers don't have the time or the resources to figure out the complexities inherent in LTL pricing within the United States," said Brian Taylor, President of Horizon Logistics. "They need a tool that provides a reliable, always competitive rate with visibility and control throughout the shipping process."

Introduction of the LTL rating engine marks another phase in the development of Horizon Logistics' transportation management system for customers. The company implemented an international ocean shipping and purchase order management portal earlier this year. Further development is planned for 2010.

Source: Transportweekly

Eddie Stobart Ltd has upgraded its refrigerated trailer fleet with the acquisition of 30 new Schmitz Cargobull refrigerated trailers.

Eddie Stobart already operates an extensive fleet of Schmitz Cargobull trailers and this latest order follows the acquisition in 2008 of 150 dual - and 100 single-temperature vehicles from the Schmitz Cargobull range.

The new vehicles will be used to deliver foodstuffs for Eddie Stobart’s grocery retail clients on routes throughout the UK and Europe.

Liveried the iconic colours and branding of Stobart Group, the new trailers have been built at Schmitz Cargobull’s UK manufacturing plant at Harelaw, County Durham. Schmitz Cargobull has invested significantly in the Harelaw facility during 2009 and the site now features what is believed to be the most advanced multi product trailer production line in the world.

The box units for the new Stobart Group trailers are made from Schmitz Cargobull’s patented Ferroplast insulated panels. A pure hardened foam, Ferroplast has the lowest thermal conduction of all known insulating materials. The Ferroplast walls of a Schmitz Cargobull refrigerated box are bonded together, to offer the highest standards of hygiene and to reduce maintenance over the whole of the working life of the semi-trailer. In fact, such is the company’s faith in Ferroplast, that the boxes are offered with a full five-year structural warranty.

Stuart Smith, Eddie Stobart Ltd’s Fleet Engineer, commented: “Schmitz Cargobull have an enthusiastic, dedicated team, which shows in the products that they manufacturer, it is a pleasure working with them.”

Source: Transportweekly

Greek Aegean Airlines has become the latest addition to the list of carriers doing business at Vienna International Airport (VIA), Austrian Times informed.

VIA bosses said yesterday (Mon) the company has launched direct connections between Vienna and Athens five times a week.

The first flight on the route was last Thursday.

VIA chiefs recently said passenger numbers at the airport fell in November by 1.8 per cent year on year to 1.38 million.

Aegean Airlines was founded in 1987 and offers flights between 50 Greek and international destinations. Around six million people used the carrier’s service last year.

The firm joined the Star Alliance partnership – consisting of 26 airlines including Austrian Airlines (AUA) and its new owner Lufthansa – last May.

Source: Transportweekly

The state-run “Delta-Pilot” company of Ukraine has successfully passed a three-month financial audit by BDO outside auditor, the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Ukraine. In accordance with the final report of the outside auditor, "financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the company and that the results consistent with International Financial Reporting Standards.
State Enterprise "Delta-pilot" has existed since February 1998 piloting ships into the sea and river port of Nykolaey and Kherson regions, and also provides transit passage of ships in the river port on the Dnieper. On behalf of the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Ukraine, State Enterprise "Delta-pilot" acts as the client of design and construction of a deepwater navigable channel "Danube-Black Sea" in the mouth of Bystroye. This project will provide an opportunity to revive large-tonnage shipping in the Ukrainian part of the Danube along the route of the 7th international transport corridor.

Source: Port News

CHONGQING's Cuntan port's phase two project, West China's biggest terminal, costing CNY1.1 billion (US$161 million), will be ready for opening at the end of the year, reports Xinhua.

The 59-hectare terminal will build four 3,000-tonne berths with an annual capacity of 420,000 TEU as well as 800,000 tonnes of breakbulk and 150,000 ro-ro units. The port plans to build four more berths in its phase three project with additional capacity of 560,000 TEU. By then, Cuntan port's container throughput will reach 1.89 million TEU, becoming the biggest container terminal in Yangtze River's upper reaches.

Source: www.schednet.com

The UAE has crept into the top 15 countries in the world by the size of a country's current liner fleet and is only nation from the Middle East, according to a report by IHS Global Insight, a global research, analysis and consulting firm.
China is currently the leading operator of liner vessels globally, operating 804 vessels, with 11 per cent of the global liner fleet, and 15 per cent of its capacity. It is followed closely by Japan, with 788 liner vessels. Denmark, which ranks fifth by the fleet count, operates the second largest fleet by capacity.
The UAE ranks 15th in the world with the total number of the liner fleet at 106 vessels. Germany is the largest European Union operator of liner vessels and the country with the most vessels on order worldwide.
By the current order book, Germany will operate only two fewer vessels than China by the time the orders are completed, it said.

Source: www.seatradeasia-online.com

The head of the Australian firm Solar Sailor, pioneers of wings covered in solar panels for installation on ships, revealed in an interview with CNN that the world’s largest shipping conglomerate, COSCO is in discussions to add solar wings to many of its tankers.
Solar Sailor has created a new type of sail -- rigid wings covered in solar panels that can bend and fold depending on the direction of the sun and wind. Four of these solar ferries will be roaming the waters of Hong Kong in January and Solar Sailor is in talks to introduce them in Shanghai and San Francisco.
"When we started in 1999, oil was at $10 a barrel, no one had heard of a hybrid car and people weren't educated about global warming," Solar Sailor ceo Robert Dane told CNN. With oil now around $73 a barrel, Dane says green technologies make more financial sense than ever.
CNN reported that COSCO “is in advanced talks with Solar Sailor for the fitting of solar wings on some of its large tankers”. Another shipping company, NYK Line, launched Auriga Leader in December 2008, the world's first solar-assisted car carrier.
As a member of the UN Global Compact COSCO is keen to advance its green credentials and has looked at many options, including nuclear propulsion, something the company’s ceo and president Capt Wei Jiafu expanded upon two weeks ago at Marintec China. “As they are already onboard submarines, why not cargo ships?” he mused. Later he spoke to Seatrade Asia Online and revealed COSCO is in talks with the national nuclear authorities to develop nuclear powered ships.

Source: www.seatradeasia-online.com

According to the general director of Bulgarian Railways (BDZ), Pencho Popov, passengers of delayed trains will soon be able to receive compensation, according to Railway Market - CEE Review.

The new EU regulation, which obliges railway companies to pay compensation to passengers if the train is late at the fault of the carrier, will be implemented already next year, Popov said.

The BDZ’s readiness to pay compensation for delays might be surprising, as many eastern European countries like Romania, Poland or the Czech Republic recently asked for a suspension from the new EU directive. They argued, that they still need some time to prepare themselves for such a regulation.

Currently, Bulgarian Railways has approx. BGN 160m debt and a BGN 100m credit, that has to be paid in 2010.

Source: Transportweekly

On December 13, a new timetable came into force in Germany. At the same time Deutsche Bahn (DB) increased the ticket prices for about 1.8%, Railway Market - CEE Reviewnforms. The rise has been explained by the increasing personnel costs.
DB expects to get EUR 50m more next year through this move.

Fares for regional trains went up by 2.2%. Price of BahnCard50 went up EUR 5 (to EUR 230). BahnCard100 and reserved-seat-tickets also increased (EUR 2.50 or EUR 4.50).

The price of Schones-Wochenenede-Ticket, BahnCard25 and most of daily Bundesland tickets remained unchanged.

Source: Transportweekly

The first of 45 Variobahn trams has been ceremoniously delivered to Graz AG.
“We thank Graz AG for the trust it has placed in us”, explains Michael Daum, CEO of Stadler Pankow GmbH. “We worked together very successfully and can now deliver the first vehicle on time. Understandably, every operator has his own ideas on how his future trams should look.” Michael Daum further states, “Amongst other things, our competence lies in the ability to implement these visual and functional needs.”
The interests of people with limited mobility were particularly considered for the Graz tram. Thus the Variobahn is fitted with optical and acoustical information support devices. Its handrails and doors have high-contrast colouring, and the second door’s entryway has a folding ramp.

“Close co-operation with disabled persons organisations have greatly assisted us in implementing their interests,” says Annegret Schulz, Project Manager, Stadler Pankow GmbH.

The Variobahn for Graz is entirely low-floored and provides a bright and friendly interior that offers seating for 145 passengers. Furthermore, the unidirectional vehicles are designed with two multi-purpose areas in which wheelchairs and pushchairs can be conveniently moved.

Stadler Rail Group, system supplier of customer-specific solutions for rail vehicle construction, has locations in Switzerland (Altenrhein, Bussnang and Winterthur), in Germany (Berlin-Pankow and Velten), in Poland (Siedlce), in Hungary (Budapest, Pusztaszabolcs and Szolnok) and in Algeria (Algiers). The Group has a workforce of over 2,400 people around the world. The best-known vehicle series from the Stadler Rail Group are the articulated multiple-unit trains GTW (495 trains sold), the Regio Shuttle RS1 (402 trains sold), the FLIRT (547 trains sold), the double-decker DOSTO (57 trains sold) in the railway segment, and the Variobahn (264 trains sold) and the newly-developed Tango (90 trains sold) in the tram segment. Furthermore Stadler Rail manufactures passenger carriages and two-axle locomotives and is the world’s leading manufacturer of rack-and-pinion rail vehicles.

Source: Transportweekly

The Board of Directors of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has approved the allocation of $ 100 million credit for the FESCO transport group. The credit, the FESCO press-service said, is part of the program for financial management and debt restructuring of the company. The credit is valid for 5 years and will have a floating interest rate tied to a number of financial covenants, with a base LIBOR + 4%, the FESCO said.
The involvement of the loan will not increase the debt burden, as the funds will be used to refinance a short-term debt, which will significantly improve the structure of balance and repayment schedule.
"The successful involvement of the EBRD loan, Sergey Generalov, President of FESCO is quoted as saying, offers our group a number of new opportunities for work in capital markets, both debt and equity."
The EBRD loan is part of the overall program of the Group, targeted at reducing the debt burden and optimization of the repayment schedule. Implementation of the program in 2009 has already helped to reduce debt by $ 300 million, with $ 1 billion 155 million in January to $ 850 million to date. Further steps according to the program, will allow reducing the debt in 2010 for another $ 300 million, Mr.Generalov said.
Transport Group FESCO is Russia's integrated transport and logistics company that provides clients a full range of services for cargo delivery "from door to door", using the capacities of their own companies. Since August 2008 the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has become one of the shareholders of FESCO with 3,74% of shares.

Source: Port News

The Siwertell ship unloader offered by Cargotec has demonstrated its world-leading capabilities by winning this year’s International Bulk Journal’s (IBJ) best ship loading/unloading system award. There were four other systems short listed as finalists by IBJ, but the organisation judged the Siwertell dry bulk cargo flow system to be the most efficient, safe and innovative.

“We are delighted that our Siwertell system has been recognised in this way,” says Jonas Fack, sales director, Bulk Terminals at Cargotec.

The Siwertell ship unloader programme exploits technologies and philosophies developed over decades by a world-leading company. In defining and developing the most operationally-efficient and safest dry bulk handling terminals, Cargotec emphasises environmental performance and versatility features in both its products and services.

Jonas Fack notes that: “In developing material-handling equipment, our goal is to ensure that operators using systems supplied by Cargotec contribute to preserving the environment.”

Siwertell ship unloader systems are carefully-designed with a specific focus on sustaining environmentally-friendly operation. They offer totally-enclosed bulk handling solutions and dust-free loading/unloading systems, for various materials, with some of the highest capacities on the market.
A Siwertell ship unloader is totally enclosed from the pick-up point in the hold, which is below the cargo surface, to the transfer point at the jetty conveyor. A cleaner and safer environment is thus achieved through elimination of spillage and dust.

The Siwertell unloader programme is divided into four groups depending on the size of ship being unloaded/loaded, the rated unloading capacity, and the commodity being handled. The main difference between these categories is the supporting steel structure carrying the conveyors on the arm system. The various steel structures can accommodate different ranges of conveyor sizes and can be made to different lengths to fit different ship sizes.

Siwertell unloading/loading systems have been delivered for decades and close to 300 units have been selected by terminal and bulk operators throughout the world.

(Source: www.transportweekly.com)

The Government of India set up a high-profile committee on maritime security to enhance surveillance of the country’s vast coastline. The move follows a series of measures initiated by the government to tighten security at gateway ports, particularly in the wake of the Nov. 26, 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai.
Similar to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the panel is headed by a cabinet secretary and includes senior officials of various maritime security agencies, including the navy, coast guard and intelligence bureau.
“The committee will help in monitoring timely implementation of proposals relating to maritime and coastal security. It will also help in ensuring effective coordination among various central ministries and agencies and the coastal state governments/union territories,” the government said in a statement.
The Shipping Ministry earlier asked all major port authorities to acquire speed boats to beef up waterfront patrolling, and deploy marine commando units for better emergency preparedness and response.
Safeguarding the nation's security and preventing terrorists as well as weapons of mass destruction from entering the country, especially through the sea route, have been New Delhi’s top priorities since the Mumbai attacks that killed nearly 180 people one year ago.
India has 12 major ports, six each on the west and east coasts, and nearly 200 minor ports located along its 4,600 miles of coastline.
According to the latest data released by the Indian Ports Association, major ports handled 362.8 million tons of cargo during the April-November period, up 4.7 percent from 346.5 million tons in the year-ago period.

Source: www.joc.com

After a two-year downswing, the air-cargo industry appears to be in the midst of recovery – and the Asian market is the driving force behind this trend. The 4th Air Cargo China, the largest international trade fair for the air-cargo industry in Asia, will be a barometer of this upward trend. It is being held in conjunction with transport logistic China in Shanghai from June 8 – 10, 2010.

The latest figures released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) could be a sign of hope for the global air-cargo industry: Last month, international freight demand was only 0.5 percent lower than a year earlier, which is a significant improvement compared to the 5.4 percent decline registered in September 2009.

Above all, the driving force behind this development is the Asian market, which is beginning to grow again earlier and, above all, more quickly as a result of the diminishing global economic crisis. According to the latest statistics released by the IATA, air-cargo volume in Asia in October was 1.9 percent higher than the same period last year. So it comes as no surprise that three of the five largest freight airports in the world, i.e. Hong Kong, Seoul and Shanghai, are located in Asia. In a study for the Asian air-cargo industry, aircraft manufacturer Airbus forecast that the upward trend will continue to remain strong. In China, domestic freight volume (tonne kilometers) is expected to increase by more than ten percent by 2026, and commercial freight traffic with Europe and the United States is expected to increase by nearly ten percent. Given these forecasts, experts are already saying that Asia will establish itself as the world's largest air-cargo market within the next ten years, which means a great deal of potential for investors, some of which is still unused.

This positive market environment is also creating extra momentum for Air Cargo China, which has developed into the largest international trade show for air cargo in Asia since its premiere in 2004. A number of well-known airfreight forwarders have already registered to exhibit at the fair: They include Avicon, Airbridge Cargo, Cargo Italia, Eurex Airlines, Etihad, Jade Cargo, Thai Airways, ULS Airlines as well as key logistics hubs such as the Atlanta, Munich and Vienna airports and leading aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing and EADS. The application deadline for exhibitors is 23 April 2010.

Besides the exhibition, the Air Cargo China Conference that accompanies the fair on 9 June 2010, the title of which is "Tomorrow’s World", will give participants an in-depth look at the trends in international air cargo with a special focus on the Asian market. Other highlights include the awards ceremony for the World Air Cargo Awards, which A-Z Group presents in a total of ten categories. They include awards for Airfreight Forwarder of the Year and Airport of the Year.

Source: Transportweekly

With ORion-PI® Network Scale Savings Axxom Software AG has developed a new approach for even more realistic and efficient supply chain optimization. The concept allows users to consider complexity costs and economy of scale effects when analysing and improving their logistics and production networks. From 2nd to 4th of March 2010 Axxom presents the approach for the first time at trade fair LogiMAT in Stuttgart (hall 5, booth 240).

Today, transport, warehousing and production costs generally are the decisive cost factors when planning and optimizing supply chain networks. However, focussing on these factors often comes up short – especially if a company owns a huge variety of product programs and value added processes. For realistic modelling and optimization of a network, economy of scale and complexity costs play an important role as they sum up to 70 percent of the added value.

Up until now, companies optimizing logistics and production networks have been holding the wolf by the ears: To put it simply, they could save costs by processing as large amounts as possible at one location.

Thereby, significant economy of scale can be achieved by consolidation of handling and production. Afterwards, however, they have to put up with long transport distances and high distribution costs. To optimize the latter, a dispersed location strategy is necessary. “With our new approach ORion-PI® Network Scale Savings we help companies to solve this conflict and to find an optimal balance by considering effects like economy of scale and complexity costs in their optimization calculations.”

Other than the new concept, Axxom will present further novelties of its product family ORion-PI® at LogiMAT, which allow integrated planning and optimization of processes along the whole logistics chain. For example, the technology company will show new functions of its software ORion-PI® Logistics Optimization for warehouse and space management. Using realistic simulations of different scenarios, the solution allows, for example, the efficient analysis and optimization of warehouse assignments, pick strategies or different warehouse and material handling technologies. The functions for warehouse and space management are also the optimal basis for an integrated logistics and staff planning. In a geometrical model of the warehouse layout built with ORion-PI® Logistics Optimization companies can plan their staff demand and deployment for different warehouse areas in detail with Axxom`s software ORion-PI® Staff Planning & Scheduling.

Caption:
Complexity Costs and Economy of Scale do not only have impact on building sand castles, but first of all on design and optimization of supply chain networks. With a new approach of Axxom companies are now able to consider these decisive factors.

Source: Transportweekly

Rhenus Svoris was awarded the prize for being the best freight forwarding company in Lithuania by a national commission of experts at the end of November. Arunas Bertasius, Managing Director of Rhenus Svoris, accepted the prize from Vytautas Levickas, the President of “Lineka”, the Lithuanian Freight Forwarders Association, at a special ceremony.

The award is presented every year at a conference, which is organized by the “Lineka” Lithuanian Freight Forwarders Association (Lietuvos nacionalinė ekspeditorių asociacija), the “Linava” Association of Transportation Companies (Lietuvos nacionalinė vežėjų automobiliais asociacija), Association of logistics and the “Transportas” trade journal. Rhenus Svoris was able to beat off a challenge from three rival companies this year. The jury based its decision on the fact that the company had continued to develop despite the difficult economic conditions in the market place. Another important criterion in reaching their decision was the company’s success in joining the System Alliance Europe cargo network at the beginning of 2009.

“The award means significant recognition by experts in our sector,” Arunas Bertasius said after the prize-giving ceremony. “It reinforces our image as a strong, growing, innovative company, which is therefore attractive to our customers.”

Rhenus Svoris was already awarded a prize for its “logistics services in 2008” by the Lithuanian Logistics Association or LLA (Lietuvos Logistikos Asociacija) at the 10th Baltic Logistics Conference in 2008. At that time, the prize related to a project, which involved Rhenus Svoris in disposing of 2,000 tons of hazardous waste from former storage depots in Lithuania.

Source: Transportweekly

THE Aqaba Container Terminal (ACT) in Jordan has unveiled plans to expand the facility that will involve extending the quay 460 metres and increasing the annual container capacity to two million TEU.

The expansion project is part of the port's 2009-2013 action plan that will require capital expenditure of US$235 million. This will bring total investment in Jordan's sole container terminal located on the Red Sea since 2006 to $335 million, a company statement said.

The project will be completed in stages with the final phase set for 2013, in a bid to enhance the role of Aqaba as a "strategic gateway" to the Levant region and the wider Middle East.

The plan calls for the 500,000-square-metre (124 acre) facility to double its wharf length to 1,000 metres. Two super post-Panamax cranes, each capable of 18-container reach, are scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2010, with additional units to be added as container volumes increase.

Despite the severe decline in container traffic worldwide due to the global financial crisis, ACT saw container traffic grow by 25 per cent during the first three quarters of 2009. Last year, container volume at the port surged by 42 per cent year on year to 600,000 TEU.

"APM Terminals is committed to developing and upgrading several terminals in the region and ACT is one of the major projects we are focusing on to develop as a hub," said APM Terminals India, Mideast and Africa chief Charles Menkhorst.

"Our strategy is to ensure port infrastructure keeps pace with market growth and we are taking the necessary steps today to ensure Jordan's future is served by a world-class port," he said.

During this past year, investments in ACT have included STS cranes, six rubber-tyre gantry cranes (RTGs), 100 additional refrigerated plugs, and the upgrading of the existing port facilities.

ACT is a joint venture between Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC), the Jordanian government's central development vehicle for the Aqaba Special Economic Zone (ASEZ), and APM Terminals, which took over the management and operation of the terminal in 2004 until 2031 as part of a Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative.

Source: www.schednet.com

China Classification Society (CCS) has opened a branch in Panama that will also serve Central America. CCS' president Li Kejun said that the opening of an office in Panama shows the interest of the class society to contribute to the development of the maritime industry in the region and in particular in Panama. Some 13,000 vessels transit the Panama Canal every year.

Source: www.seatrade-online.com

GOVERNMENT of south western city of Chengdu has signed an agreement with Shenzhen's Jade Cargo International to build the city into an international air cargo hub.

On the same day, a Boeing 747 freighter of Jade Cargo carrying 117 tonnes of garments and hi-tech electronics took off from Chengdu airport for Vienna.

Being Chengdu's first European service, the route starts from Hong Kong, connecting Chengdu to Vienna, Amsterdam, Dubai, before returning to Chengdu, offering three flights a week.

CEO of Jade Cargo International Kay Kratky said the company decided to expand business in central and western China two years ago. After detailed investigation, Chengdu stood out from other candidates.

Mr Kratky also announced a three-step plan to develop Chengdu into central and western China's cargo hub over three to five years.

The first step is to bring the city into Jade Cargo's air route network. The carrier plans to add one extra flight every season in the future to the newly launched Chengdu cargo service.

The second step is to integrate the professional experience of Jade's freight handling arms in Tianjin, Shanghai and Shenzhen to set up a cargo handling centre in Chengdu.

The third step is to take Chengdu as Jade's hub in central and western China, to connect it with other major airfreight markets in the world and offer global transport solutions there.

Jade will send a group to Chengdu to discuss plans with the city every season with a view to adding more international cargo services.

The Chengdu Logistics Administration Office said the city is an ideal transit hub in western China for cargo from Asia to Europe, and is working on attracting cargo to Europe from neighbouring regions in Yangtze River valley, Bohai Rim and South East Asia to come to the city first for further distribution.

The government aims to achieve this in three years. Jade Cargo International is a joint venture of Lufthansa, Shenzhen Airlines and German investment company DEG.

Source: SchedNet

CHINA Southern Airlines has announced the start of a new cargo service from Shanghai to Frankfurt and the re-start of the old Shanghai-Chicago cargo flights after an uptick in Sino-European/US volumes, reports Logistics Week.

The Shanghai-Urumqi-Frankfurt route, offering two flights per week, has already made its maiden flight and the Shanghai-Chicago service will shortly be offering four flights a week.

China Southern considered Frankfurt as an important gateway to western Europe with high market value for its convenient road, rail, water and air transportation facilities and network that covers the European continent.

The Shanghai-Chicago route represents nearly 30 per cent of the total cargo volume China Southern flies from Shanghai to the US.

China Southern is operating two Boeing 747 freighters, both deployed on Shanghai lines. The carrier has decided to shift its cargo business focus from Guangzhou to Shanghai and will build more to the Shanghai-based network into its cargo hub.

China Southern recently took delivery of two Boeing 777 freighters with a maximum capacity of 105.9 tonnes and a range of 9,630 kilometres. The two aircraft are the world's largest and longest-range twin-engine freighters with a lower operating cost and environmental impact than the four-engine B747 freighters. One 777 will be deployed on the Shanghai-Chicago run while the other will join the Shanghai-Frankfurt service, replacing the B747 next month.

Proportionally, China Southern's European cargo service in Shanghai is small. A China Southern source divulged that the carrier still has another four B777 freighters to receive next year, which will be deployed on European services while US services will use B747s.

China Southern applied in 2008 to launch the Shanghai-Urumqi-Frankfurt cargo service in October, with frequency of three flights a week, using B777 or B747 freighters.

Source: SchedNet

The Petrolesport (PLP) handled 295 refrigerated containers of Petkum reefer, plying on the route port Guyakil (Ecuador) - Moin (Costa Rica) - Big Port of St. Petersburg, the Petrolesport authority said, adding that was the first call of the reefer at the port of St. Petersburg.

The ship is owned by Russia's largest banana trader "JFC Group» (JFC). Previously the Group JFC transported bananas using conventional container ships with a limited capacity. The company with its reefers has planned to significantly increase turnover of goods, improving control over the transportation conditions. The JFC company’s vessels will regularly call at the PLP.

Petrolesport (PLP) LLC of the Big Port of St. Petersburg is a leading stevedoring company in container handling in the Russian North-West region. The PLP provides transshipment of various goods (refrigerators, ro-ro ships, timber, general cargo). Petrolesport belongs to a group of companies Global Ports.

Global Ports Investments Plc (GPI) is a group of companies comprising the leading operators of container terminals in Russia. Included in the Group "N-Trance", which is the largest private operator on the transportation service market in Russia, CIS and Baltic states.

GPI terminals are located in the Baltic and the Far Eastern basins. GPI manages Russia's three container terminals (Petrolesport, Moby Dick in St. Petersburg and the Eastern Stevedoring Company at the port of East) and two container terminals in Finland (Multi-Link Helsinki, Multi-Link Kotka). The GPI is currently implementing the development project of dry terminal Yanino near St. Petersburg. The share of companies within the group in 2008 accounted for over 30% of the total Russian container ports.

The JFC - an integrated holding company for the production, logistics and distribution of fruits. The JFC company operates round the world. The Group companies produces, purchases, transfers and sells over 600 tonnes of fruit annually. The Group owns the “Bonanza” brand.

Source: Port News

Icebreakers of FESCO, "Far East Shipping Company will start providing ice navigation during the 2009-2010 period, the port authority said. "Magadan" icebreaker time-chartered by Rosmorport is expected at the port of Magadan on December 24, to carry out navigation there till May 10, next year. The icebreaker "Magadan" will be piloting vessels in the Magadan area.
Another two ships are heading to De Castries port. "Krasin" and "Admiral Makarov" icebreakers, chartered by «Exxon-NefteGas Ltd. The first to leave this Wednesday Vladivostok port. "Admiral Makarov" will be navigating in the Tatar Strait till April 2010, the icebreaker "Krasin" will be doing its job in the waters of the Tatar Strait and the shelf of Sakhalin Island till May 2010.
Far Eastern Shipping Company has signed a long-term contract with «Exxon-NefteGas Ltd. for piloting of vessels in the Tatar Strait back in 2004. According to the contract, FESCO icebreakers will be piloting tankers in the area until 2016.
"FESC OJSC” is a shipping company transshipping bulk and general cargo. The company’s 67 vessels of deadweight over 900 thousand tons transporting seaborne freight round the world. Net profit of JSC "FESCO" in the I quarter of 2009 increased by 31.8 times - up to 1.3 billion rubles.

Source: Port News

Evergreen Line, Taiwan, is to extend the time it takes for its China Europe service to complete one round trip by seven days. The service will now take ten weeks to complete.

In addition, a tenth ship will be added to the service, the 6,332TEU ‘Ever Elite’. The vessel will join the nine 7,024TEU ships already in the service.

"The ‘Ever Elite’ became a surplus ship further to the seasonal capacity reduction on the Evergreen's China-California TPS service, with the five 6,300TEU units replaced by 4,200TEU units in October," said a report by Alphaliner.

In a related development, Maersk Line and Safmarine have stretched their Far East-South Africa service (Safari Loop 1) from seven to eight weeks and have added an eighth 5,000TEU ship to the service

The service rotation for the Safari Loop 1 remains unchanged, with port of calls at: Shanghai – Ningbo – Yantian – Tanjung Pelepas – Durban – Port Elizabeth – Cape Town – Port Louis – Tanjung Pelepas – Hong Kong – Shanghai.

Source: baird maritim

A Singapore-based executive has pointed to the need to wipe out bribery relating to the bunkering industry.

“There was no professional oversight in the early days and it was easy then as it is now for the ‘crooks’ to stick their fingers in,” a source speaking to Baird Maritime on condition of anonymity said. He has previously attended a bunkering course commissioned by Singapore’s port regulatory body, the Maritime Port Authority (MPA).

Port of Singapore

The corruption issue was brought to the centre of attention when the MPA revoked Faber Marine’s license after one of its directors was convicted by local courts. This was the first conviction of its kind in 2009 but is foreseen to be only the tip of the iceberg as the MPA revealed that other suppliers were to be investigated.

Local authorities have now launched the SS 600 and the Quality Management for Bunker Supply (QMBS) audit to stamp out corruption.

More than just these official channels, the anonymous source said that expert knowledge and professional instinct was really all that was needed to eliminate corruption.

Singapore will be introducing standards to measure the flow rate of bunker fuel, hence ensuring its fair transfer. Dates for the launch of the Mass Meter have not been confirmed, but it believed that it will be introduced to the local circuit by mid-2010.

“We are still running trials on the device,” an MPA spokesperson said.

“At least Singapore is taking serious steps to beat off these kinds of practices,” said another anonymous source when comparing bunker-related bribery practices in ports in other parts of Asia and the Middle East.

Source: baird maritime

Management Information System of maintenance and repair of vessels at Amur Shipping Company (ASC) LLC was put into operation, IA PortNews reports citing SpecTech office. The system ordered by ASC was created by specialists of "SpetsTek". The system was said to be based on the TRIM EAM/MRO-system.

Amur Shipping Company is the largest river shipping company in Russia's Far East. The company business activity influences the regional economy, largely the northern territories of Khabarovsk Krai and Sakhalin Oblast.

Source: Port News

Zim Integrated Shipping Services held a naming ceremony for the Zim Colombo, a newly built 4,255-TEU vessel, at the state-owned Jaya Container Terminal in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The Zim Colombo will be deployed in Zim’s East Mediterranean Express (EMX) Service, taking the carrier’s total vessel deployment on the weekly service to 11.

The expansion is part of the Israeli carrier’s “super-slow-steaming” strategy that is expected to yield substantial fuel savings.

The EMX rotation is Busan; Shanghai; Ningbo; Shenzhen-Da Chan Bay; Port Kelang, Malaysia; Colombo; Suez Canal; Haifa and Ashdod, Israel; Izmit, Turkey; Novorossiysk, Russia; Constanta, Romania; Ambarli, Turkey; Haifa, Suez Canal, Nhava Sheva, India; Colombo; Port Kelang; Shenzhen-Da Chan Bay; Xiamen; and back to Pusan, offering a 68-day round-trip voyage.

Source: http://www.joc.com

A. P. Moller - Maersk has decided to reflagg its 307.000 DWT supertanker Maersk Newton to French flag. Maersk Newton is the ninth unit in a series of nine supertankers delivered from Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Maersk Newton was delivered in February 2009 to A. P. Moller - Maersk shipping company in Singapore, and it is sailing under the flag of Singapore flag.

Source: www.maritimedanmark.dk

Cargo volumes in Indian ports expanded 13% in November at 48.2 million tonnes as against 42.5 million tonnes in the year-ago period, mainly powered by iron and coal cargo traffic.
Cargo traffic also grew 3.4% in November over the previous month.
“December is likely to witness a marginal growth due to Christmas and New Year, for which orders have already been despatched to foreign countries. But the volume growth has not been substantial,” a top official of the Indian Ports Association (IPA) said.
November witnessed the second-highest monthly cargo traffic since April 2008.
Driven by a 41% growth in coal traffic, Paradip Port, Orissa, witnessed the highest growth year-on-year at 43%, followed by Chennai Port at 27%, where increase in container traffic pushed growth.
Overall, 12 ports registered a cargo traffic growth in November with Visakhapatnam posting a 19% and Mumbai an 18% growth.
Solid cargo constituted 50% of the total cargo at major ports followed by liquid cargo (32%) and containers (18%), according to IPA data.
Three ports on the east coast—Chennai, Tuticorin and Kolkata—clocked a growth in container traffic, while JNPT’s container traffic declined by 4.4% in the year-to-date FY 10 period.
JNPT is in close proximity to Mumbai.
The four ports cumulatively account for 57.8 million tonnes (89%) of the total container traffic in the country, the data said.

Source: http://www.livemint.com

The world’s top 22 ocean container carriers lost some $11 billion in the first nine months of the year and face further losses in 2010 as the industry digs out from the worst downturn in its 50-plus history. Sixteen of the carriers that have published third-quarter results reported cumulative operating losses of $9 billion in the first nine months of 2009, according to a survey by AXS-Alphaliner, the Paris-based shipping analyst and consultant. This compares with a combined operating profit of $5.3 billion in the corresponding period of 2008.
The remaining six carriers — Mediterranean Shipping Co., CMA CGM, Orient Overseas International Ltd., Hamburg Sud, United Arab Shipping and Pacific International Line — are estimated to have incurred another $2 billion in operating losses from their liner units.
The total shipping revenue of the 16 carriers publishing results — including Maersk Line, Hapag-Lloyd, China Shipping, “K” Line and NYK Line — plunged 40 percent in the first nine months, to $56 billion from $94 million a year earlier.
The Transpacific Stabilization Agreement, a discussion agreement of carriers that control 90 percent of U.S. containerized imports from Asia, last week predicted losses in that trade would hit $20 billion this year, and recommended an “emergency revenue program” involving a rate hike of $400 per 40-foot container on Jan. 15. The Westbound Transpacific Stabilization Agreement, representing carriers in the U.S.-to-Asia trade, on Monday followed with its own recommendation for similar hikes.
Most ocean carriers surveyed by Alphaliner expect cargo volume and rates to recover in 2010, but most also expect to lose money next year.


Source: www.joc.com

Shipping and oil group A.P. Moller-Maersk has agreed to buy Devon Energy Corp's stakes in the Cascade, Jack and St. Malo oilfields in the Gulf of Mexico for $1.3 billion, the firms said on Tuesday.
Maersk will pay $1.3 billion for the deepwater assets, the Danish and the U.S. firms said in separate statements.
Maersk will invest a further $1.3-1.8 billion in the fields ahead of on-stream production. Over time, the investments will probably reach $4 billion, Maersk said. Maersk, which has said it wants to expand its oil operations, said its share of recoverable resources from the fields was probably more than 200 million barrels of oil equivalent.
Christian Nagstrup, analyst at Sydbank said it was a very big investment for Maersk: "200 million barrels of oil equivalents is to be added to the around 135 million that was their share in 2008."
Nagstrup said the move may solve the firm's problems with falling production. "It has long been clear that they would do one thing or another once done with investments in Qatar, and this is a really big step."
The deal involves a 50 percent stake in the Cascade field and a 25 percent stake in each of the Jack and St. Malo fields.
The Petrobras-operated Cascade field is expected to start production in 2010 and the Chevron-operated Jack and St. Malo fields are expected to start production in 2014, Maersk said.
"We have said that we wanted to invest in Maersk Oil and Gas," said Maersk's Chief Executive Officer Nils Smedegaard Andersen told Reuters.
Smedegaard said he hoped for further finds in the area, where Maersk is already active. "Hopefully (we can) also produce other things that we find out there in the same area."
Maersk is currently evaluating finds at its Buckskin deepwater field in the Gulf. "I believe Cascade will be the first field in production in the area," said Smedegaard.
Devon in November announced plans to sell its Gulf of Mexico and international assets for as much as $7.5 billion and instead focus on its onshore fields in the United States and Canada."Data rooms for all of the remaining divestiture assets will be open in the first quarter of 2010," Devon said on Tuesday.
Devon said it would use the post-tax $1.1 billion proceeds from the sale to reduce debt. It said the sale would reduce Devon's previously announced 2010 capital budget for the Gulf of Mexico by around $400 million.
The firms said the deal was subject to a waiver of preferential purchase rights held by other partners in the fields, and regulatory approvals.
"We cannot rule out that those who are already engaged in these fields want to buy more shares," Smedegaard said.
The firms expect to close the deal early in 2010.

Source: http://uk.reuters.com

MEMBER shipping lines of the Westbound Transpacific Stabilisation Agreement (WTSA) have announced a February 15 rate increase for US-Asia of US$100 per FEU and $80 per TEU for dry cargo from Los Angeles and Long Beach, and $150 per FEU and $120 per TEU for dry cargo from other west coast ports, all-water shipments via the US east and Gulf coasts and inland point intermodal moves.

"Cargo demand continues to rise in the US-Asia freight market heading into 2010, but transpacific freight rates remain severely depressed in both directions and container lines find themselves under mounting pressure to improve revenues in order to meet customers' service requirements going forward," said the Oakland based quasi conference.

WTSA lines indicated that the February adjustments are part of a larger 2010 revenue programme, which is to include quarterly increases throughout the year as market conditions dictate.

"Carriers face a very difficult business environment in 2010," said WTSA executive administrator Brian Conrad. "Westbound cargo is going to have to make a greater proportionate contribution to overall sailing costs, if lines are to keep pace with cargo handling, equipment management, documentation and other operational requirements."

WTSA members include APL, Hyundai Merchant Marine, Cosco, "K" Line, Evergreen, NYK, Hanjin, OOCL, Hapag Lloyd and Yangming.

Source: http://uk.reuters.com

Source: http://money.ca.msn.com

Chinese Vice Minister of Railways Hu Yadong led a high-caliber expert delegation from the ministry’s Department of Safety that visited Knorr-Bremse in Munich at the weekend. The visit to the headquarters of the world’s leading manufacturer of braking systems for rail vehicles and commercial vehicles was the conclusion of a
trip to Europe spanning several days. One key focus of the visit was on innovations such as the eddy-current brake for high-speed trains; as they operate with zero wear, these brakes offer substantial customer benefits. At the same time, the Vice Minister was also given a demonstration of the uniform global quality standards
applied by Knorr-Bremse.

The guests from China were shown a test-bench simulation of the emergency braking of a planned Chinese high-speed train on a downhill gradient and from a speed of 380 km/h. This is the cruising speed envisaged for these Chinese trains, which will make them the fastest in the world. In just a few years' time, China will
have the world's largest fleet of high-speed trains, which goes to underline the prime importance of safety and quality. A few weeks ago, Knorr-Bremse obtained the largest order in its corporate history from China: Together with its Chinese partners, the company is to equip a total of 2,720 cars for the Chinese CRH3 high-speed train
with braking and door systems. The value of the supply agreements for this project runs to approximately €500 million.

Following the visit, the Member of the Executive Board of Knorr-Bremse AG responsible for Rail Vehicle Systems Dr. Dieter Wilhelm said: “This intensive encounter has lent even greater depth to the good relations between the Chinese Ministry of Railways and Knorr-Bremse Rail Vehicle Systems.” Vice Minister Hu has long been familiar with Knorr-Bremse, having first met Dr. Wilhelm just a few months after he took up his position at the ministry in 2003.

Knorr-Bremse has maintained contacts with China since the late 1970s. The company's first major project in China came in 1990 and concerned the supply of complete braking systems for 96 cars for the Shanghai metro. Since then, the current Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Heinz Hermann Thiele, has been a key driving force behind the development of the company's business in China. Under his aegis, in the years that followed, Knorr-Bremse gradually expanded its product portfolio beyond its core business with braking systems to include automatic door systems and air conditioning equipment. Thanks to a strong local presence with five
joint ventures and its own production facility in Suzhou, the company is able to meet the high local-content requirements, as well as supplying Knorr-Bremse quality made in China. Today, Knorr-Bremse Rail Vehicle Systems has a workforce of roughly 1,400 employees in China and in recent years has obtained orders relating to numerous high-speed train, locomotive and metro projects.

Source: Transportweekly

Indian Railways will increase the haulage charge on container trains three to eight per cent from January 1, reports The Hindu newspaper's Business Line section.

The haulage charge is the amount paid by container train operators to the Indian Railways for using the railway network and its infrastructure.

It is a key operating expenditure component for the container train operators. For the Container Corporation (Concor), haulage charge (also called rail freight expenses) accounted for 58 per cent of the total sales in the quarter ending September 30, said the report.

When contacted, various container train operators said they are evaluating the situation and may pass on partial or entire costs to customers.

The Association of Container Train Operators (ACTO) has argued against the increase at the Railway Ministry. "We have already requested Indian Railways to reduce the haulage charges. This move will reduce the rail share of containers in the country," ACTO president RC Dubey told Business Line.

An official from a container train operating firm claimed that ever since the Railway Ministry allowed multiple container train operators in 2006, it has increased haulage charges 70 per cent.

During the same period, the rail freight charges for other commodities have gone up by 20-25 per cent at the most. Before 2006, only Concor was allowed to operate container trains.

Sixteen companies, including Concor, have a licence from Indian Railways to operatecontainer trains. In tonnage terms, the export-import container rail transportation segment has witnessed a 1.7 per cent decline in November against the corresponding period last year. The domestic container rail transportation segment has witnessed a 48 per cent growth during the period.

Source: Transportweekly

AFTER more than two and a half years of year-on-year declines, import cargo volume at major American retail container ports is expected to see three straight months of gains in early 2010, according to the monthly Port Tracker report issued by the National Retail Federation and IHS Global Insight.

"We've been seeing hints of a turnaround in our past few reports but this is starting to look like a clear trend," said federation vice president Jonathan Gold. "If retailers are starting to import more merchandise, it's because they expect to be able to sell more, and that's a good sign for the overall economy."

US ports surveyed handled 1.18 million TEU in October, the most recent month for which actual numbers are available. That was up four per cent from September as retailers hit their busiest shipping month of the year as the holiday season approached, but nonetheless down 14 per cent from October 2008 and marked the 28th month in a row to see a year-on-year decline. November was estimated at 1.09 million TEU, down 12 per cent from last year, and December is forecast at 1.05 million TEU, down one per cent from last year. January 2010 is forecast at 1.02 million TEU, down four per cent from January 2009.

The January figure would mark the 31st month of year-over-year declines, but the trend is forecast to be broken in February, when cargo is expected to total 972,391 TEU, below the one million mark because February is the slowest month of the year. But this would be a 16 per cent increase over February 2009. March 2010 is forecast at 1.02 million TEU, a six per cent increase over March 2009, and April 2010 is forecast at 1.08 million TEU, a nine per cent increase over April 2010. Port Tracker forecasts only six months in advance, so later numbers aren't yet known.

The report now expects 2009 to end with a total volume of 12.6 million TEU, a drop of 17 per cent from last year's 15.2 million TEU and the lowest since the 12.47 million TEU imported in 2003.

"The second half of 2009 has seen an improvement with 'less bad' year-over-year numbers compared with the first half," said IHS Global Insight Economist Paul Bingham. "While improving, import container traffic is projected to be weak through March due to the traditional slow season combined with the weak pace of economic recovery."

All US ports covered by Port Tracker - Los Angeles/Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle and Tacoma on the West Coast; New York/New Jersey, Hampton Roads, Charleston and Savannah on the east coast, and Houston on the Gulf Coast - are rated "low" for congestion, the same as last month.

Port Tracker, which is produced by the economic research, forecasting and analysis firm IHS Global Insight for NRF, looks at inbound container volume, the availability of trucks and railroad cars to move cargo out of the ports, labour conditions and other factors that affect cargo movement and congestion.

The National Retail Federation is the world's largest retail trade association, with membership that comprises all retail formats and channels of distribution including department, specialty, discount, catalogue, Internet, independent stores, chain restaurants, drug stores and grocery stores as well as the industry's key trading partners of retail goods and services.

Source: www.schednet.com

Shanghai International Port (Group) Co Ltd has set up a joint venture with Italian MSC Cruises, the largest cruise operator in the Mediterranean, cruise operator in the world.

The JV, named the MSC Cruises Travel Agency (Shanghai) Company, is the first joint venture for cruises approved by the Chinese National Tourism Administration. It will be mainly engaged in the marketing of domestic and outbound travel, cruise ticketing and other tourist products.

Currently, there are 23 cruise routes that base Shanghai as a home port, and the figure is expected to double next year, according to Li Haihu, chairman of Shanghai International Port.

The JV is part of a partnership agreement the two sides signed in April which aims to jointly tap the burgeoning cruise market.

Source: http://www.chinaknowledge.com

OJSC "Far East Shipping Company (FESCO, is the major company of Transport Group FESCO) has entered on December 24th into an agreement with “MICEX Stock Exchange" for inclusion in the listing of ordinary non-documentary registered shares. As the report said the shipping company, the company authorities said.
Far East Shipping Company JSC is a shipping company transporting bulk and general cargoes. Seaborne freight by FESCO fleet, which consists of 67 vessels with a total deadweight of more than 900 thousand tons, covering virtually the entire world ocean. Net profit of JSC "FESCO" under RAS in the first quarter of 2009 increased by 31.8 times - up to 1.3 billion rubles.

Source: Port News

SWISS WorldCargo, the air freight division of Swiss International Air Lines Ltd, will double capacity to six-flight a week from Zurich to San Francisco from June 2 deploying A340-300 aircraft.

"These new services complement our strong North American network and demonstrate our commitment to providing customers with access to strategic global markets with all our range of special products," said Swiss WorldCargo Americas chief Jack Lampinski.

Source: SchedNet

The International Committee on Seafarers Welfare (ICSW) on December 21 that 2010 would see a renewed focus on seafarers welfare and quality employment standards.

ICSW will be undertaking a series of major new projects based on the impetus provided by the IMO-designated “Year of the Seafarer” and the anticipated increase in ratifications of the ILO Maritime Labour Convention.

David Dearsley, recently retired from the International Maritime Employers Committee (IMEC), has agreed to chair the ICSW project team, which will complete its work over the next twelve months.

The ICSW comprises employers, represented through the ISF, seafarers, represented by ITF and government and international voluntary port welfare service providers.

A small project team will be formed to steer through the ICSW initiative.

“We have identified a range of exciting new projects to be developed during 2010 which focus on building on the strengths of the employment practices of the upper quartile of our industry and on promoting this best practice to others,” said Mr Dearsley.

The ICSW project will focus on four key areas:

Measures to explain and promote what needs to be done to comply with the ILO Maritime Labour Convention around seafarers’ welfare and wellbeing
Promotion of knowledge and best practice of seafarers’ welfare through the launch of a new online toolkit
Inauguration of an annual awards scheme to recognise those who achieve most in the promotion of seafarers health, welfare and wellbeing
Building and promoting these initiatives within the impetus created by the designation of 2010 as the IMO “Year of the Seafarer”

Source: Baird Maritime

The National Concessions Board of Costa Rica is to permit technical studies to be carried out for a $700m transhipment terminal close to the existing Port of Moín on its Atlantic coast. Results are expected within a year and a tender will be issued in mid-2011 should these suggest such an installation would be feasible.

Source: Port Strategy

Today St. Petersburg passenger port "Marine Facade" opens its winter navigation. The first passenger ferry is setting off Wednesday evening for the New Year vocational cruise. The route of the ship will be passing through Helsinki, Stockholm and Tallinn, "TV 100" reports. The ferry is due in St. Petersburg port after 5 days. Next ferry cruise is expected on December 31.

Source: Port News

The Ministry of Transport of Azerbaijan has received the first part of technical documentation for the construction of the Baku international sea trade port on Alat settlement in south off the country’s capital, AZ Daily News reported.

Deputy transport minister Musa Panakhov says that the submitted package of documentation relating to building ground and dredging of new port canal is under active consideration.

“If no grave issues appear on documentation, then already in 2010 it will be announced a tender for construction within the first stage of new port project,” Panakhov said.

First phase of the construction is three years. Financing is envisaged from state sources within the framework of the State Investment Program.

Earlier transport minister Ziya Mammadov said that Holland’s Royal Haskoning was completing development of the Master Plan and the working project of the building of the new Baku sea port in Alat settlement.

“The Plan and project of the first stage will be prepared till the end of year, while the plan and the project of the second stage of construction of the port - till the end of March 2010. Tender procedures to choose a contractor of construction works will be finished till the end of 2009,” Mammadov said then.

Construction of the new port to be implemented by three stages will be finished by 2016.

Stage I (2008-10) envisages construction of two ferry and three cargo bridges for acceptance of containers, Ro-Ro and usual dry-cargo vessels; Stage II (2011-13): construction of three more cargo bridges; Stage III (2014-15): construction of two more cargo bridges. The project is evaluated at more than $400 million.

Source: http://www.cargonewsasia.com

This week's renewal of pirate attacks on shipping in the Gulf of Aden/Somalia, coupled with a local AlQaeda threat of a possible terror strike on shipping , has led UK-based security consultant NavalSecurity.Org to raise its Security Level for the area to 'High (4)'.

A freighter, a bulk carrier and a chemical tanker were all seized this week, despite a large foreign warship presence in the Gulf of Aden. Latest catch on Tuesday was the MT “St James Park”, a UK-flagged chemical tanker with a international crew of 26 on board. The vessel was hijacked en route from Spain to Thailand.

On Monday, Somali pirates captured a Greek-flagged 52,000 dwt bulk carrier “Navios Apollon” transporting fertiliser. The ship was taken en route from Tampa, Florida to Rozy, India, with a crew consisting of a Greek captain and 18 Filipinos. The ship was boarded by 10 men on speedboats in the Indian Ocean northeast of the Seychelles archipelago, according to Greek coastguard.

Earlier, pirates seized a Yemeni freighter and 15 crew members. MV “Al-Mahmoudia 2” had left the port of Aden on December 18, the Yemeni authorities said on Monday, without revealing the nature of its cargo or destination.

The Yemeni freighter and the UK-flagged chemical tanker were both intercepted by pirates in the Gulf of Aden. The two attacks in the Gulf of Aden were the first since August and came as international naval missions were trumpeting the results of a year-long effort to secure the area.

On Sunday, pirates said they collected $3.5 million for the release of the Chinese bulk carrier MV “Dexinhai”. The Singapore-flagged MV “Kota Wajar” was also released this week, nearly three months after it was hijacked, following reported payment of a similar ransom.

Meanwhile, the Arabian Peninsula section of AlQaeda issued a communique by internet on December 27 announcing "retaliatory strikes" - as a response to an alleged but unconfirmed US bombing of an AlQaeda stronghold in Yemen last week killing 50 insurgents. It was threatened that strikes would be aimed against western embassies, US military bases in the Gulf region and especially against merchant ships / cruise vessels in the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf.

Source: Sea Trade

Hanjin Shipping on Dec. 23 added a “carbon calculator” to its Web site to let customers know the amount of emissions generated by their cargo for any given transportation segment.
The Clean Cargo Working Group helped the company to develop the supply chain carbon calculator. Its accuracy was verified by Korean Register, a not-for-profit ship classification society.
Customers can calculate the amount of CO2 emission of their cargo by inputting the origin, destination and weight of their shipment. The tool quickly selects one or more possible lanes, calculates the emission on the vessel and adds a further calculation for inland transportation for a total.
For example, a 10 ton cargo from Los Angeles to Hong Kong will travel 11,971 kilometers on the YPS route and generate 987 kilograms of CO2. An alternate route from Long Beach is also listed via the SJX route.
If the cargo must go from Long Beach to Guangzhou, China, the calculator adds the 215 km. direct trip by truck and 178 kg. of carbon emissions.
Hanjin also developed a “Green House Gas Monitoring System,” which calculates and manages the amount of the company’s green house gas emission. With the two tools, Hanjin Shipping said it will contribute to the global efforts to cope with climate changes and save costs by improving energy efficiency and reducing CO2 emission.

Source: http://www.joc.com

EUROPE's third largest logistics service provider, France's FM Logistics, has opened its largest logistics facility in China in Jiangsu province's port city of Taicang, Logistics Week reported.

The facility covers a floor area of 100,000 square metres and mainly provides distribution services for food, health care products and supermarkets.

Source: SchedNet

Global Project Logistics Network member Younger Niche Logistics (YNL) has the distinction of being responsible for the movement of the single largest piece of equipment ever moved by road transport in ZhangJiaGang, Jiangsu Province, China. The piece, 14m x 7.4m x 7.9m/ 86,000kgs, was moved by road from the suppliers premises to PuXiang port, ZhangJiaGang. The move, covering 30 kms, took 22 hours to complete and involved the services of local ZhangJiaGang government, the police and officials from the department of electrical power.

In order to reduce height the unit was transported minus cradles. Only once alongside vessel was the unit postioned and secured in cradles.

PuXiang port, a privately owned facility, was chosen as the load port as access from suppliers whilst still difficult was the closest with less overhead obstructions than other roadways to the public port.

YNL were instrumental in obtaining berthing rights for the ocean carrier, a foreign flag vessel, at PuXiang port.

The Global Projects Logistics Network (GPLN) is the premier non-exclusive professional project logistics network of independent companies (including project forwarders and project charterers) who are specializing in the movement and handling of international project cargo by air, sea and land as well as specialized lifts and the special handling of oversized, out-of-gauge and heavy lift cargo.

Source: Transportweekly

INDIA has floated the idea of a container freight train that would operate within the member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

According to a concept paper released by India and proposed to SAARC members such a container train service would run from Bangladesh to Pakistan via India and Nepal to encourage intra-regional trade.

The proposed corridor for running the train is from Chittagong Port in Bangladesh to Katihar in India, Birgunj in Nepal and to Lahore in Pakistan, reports India's Economic Times.

"The proposal being considered could unify the entire region and will lead to a seamless, borderless trade," Ram Upendra Das, senior fellow, Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), was quoted as saying in the report.

He said concept would reduce transport costs and time. "All this will get reflected in product competitiveness. Increase volumes and reduce prices for consumers," Mr Das said.

This comes after SAARC member nations - Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka - recently decided to work on reducing the negative list of items that are not covered under the South Asia Free Trade Area (SAFTA) agreement, which concerns the elimination of tariffs on goods traded within the SAARC region that was signed in January 2004.

During the first half of 2009 intra-SAARC trade amounted to US$377 billion.

Source: SchedNet

AMERICAN railway giant CSX Transportation plans to accelerate work to clear tracks for double-stacked container trains to run between east coast ports and the Midwest, reports The State Journal, of Charleston, West Virginia.

The upgrade will enable double stacked container trains to travel from North Carolina through Virginia and Maryland, across West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle and then into Pennsylvania and Ohio.

"Our goal is to have most of the work done by the end of 2012. We're really looking at 2015 when the expansion of the Panama Canal is to be done," said CSX spokesman Bob Sullivan.

CSX has undertaken what it calls the National Gateway project - an US$842 million public-private upgrade of rail infrastructure to accommodate double-stack container cars.

The plan calls for the double stacking of containers, increasing a train's capacity from 280 to 400 FEU. But the rail line's tunnels and bridges aren't big enough; so 60 tunnels and bridges must be enlarged or eliminated.

"One train can carry the load of more than 280 trucks, clearing space for over 1,100 cars," Mr Sullivan said. "The National Gateway will shift more than 300 million freight truck miles from West Virginia's highways to rail. Any effort to shift freight from highways to railways greatly improves safety, the environment and traffic."

CSX has pledged to contribute nearly half the project's total cost, with the federal government and a half-dozen affected states sharing the balance. Ohio has applied on behalf of the states for $258 million in Transportation Investment Generating Economy Recovery (TIGER) discretionary funds, created as part of the federal stimulus package.

Source: SchedNet

FREIGHT cargo moved by container rail operators based in India is expected to rise 16-fold over the next three years, according to a report compiled by Infrastructure Development Finance Company (IDFC) and SSKI Securities.

Container rail movement accounts for two per cent of the total freight market of three billion tonnes, reports India's Business Standard.

The prediction comes on the back of plans by Container Corporation of India Ltd (Concor) and private operators to raise capacity by 60 per cent by 2011-12, which is expected to increase the volume of container cargo transported by rail from six million to 97 million tonnes.

With this rise, the document predicts that nearly six per cent of cargo transported by road will shift to being transported by rail.

To handle the expected growth, container rail operators plan to add 185 rakes (variable number of railcars linked into designated units) in the next three years, the report said. It noted that market leader Concor, which handled 2.3 million TEU of container cargo in the last financial year, already has a fleet of 218 rakes.

The report added that India's container traffic has increased at a compounded annual growth rate of 15 per cent since 1991, due to rising external trade.

Source: SchedNet

CHINA Postal Airlines has launched a Changsha, Wuhan, Nanjing cargo service, reducing transit times in central Hunan province by one day, reports Xinhua.

The service, deploying Boeing 737 freighters, operates in the airlines' traditional mode of night flights with a frequency of six a week. Flight 8Y9001 or 8Y9002 departs from Changsha at 0140 hrs, stopping at Wuhan at 0245 hrs, leaving at 0335 hrs and arriving in Nanjing at 0435 hrs. The flight returns at 0645 hrs, arriving in Wuhan at 0745 hrs, leaving at 0840 hrs and back to Changsha at 0930 hrs.

The new freight route also marks itself as Hunan province's first departing all-cargo service which provides next-day delivery for mail and other cargo in the surrounding region.

Source: SchedNet

Container throughput at Shanghai port this year may drop 14% from 2008, Wang Hongquan, vice director of Shanghai Transport and Port Authority, said yesterday, reports China Daily. The city's container throughput in 2009 will be about 24m teu, according to a preliminary estimate by the port authority, lower than last year's 28m teu. Shanghai was the world's second-busiest container port in 2008, behind Singapore with 29.9m teu.

Container throughput in the first 11 months this year was 22.6m teu, down 12.28% from the same period last year, according to the statistics by Shanghai International Port Group. The port handled a total of 296m tons of dry bulk goods in the first 11 months, down 14% from a year ago.

Wang also said that Waigaoqiao Port will complete the conversion of its 180 cranes from diesel to electric power by the end of the year to reduce emissions.

Source: Port News

China Shipping Container Lines Co has said it will raise rates Asia-US rates on the containers by $300 per feu on Jan. 1. This is in addition to the $400 per feu hike that it and other Members of the Transpacific Stabilization Agreement agreed on December 22 to introduce as a voluntary ‘emergency revenue charge’ from January 15 until new contracts for the year come into effect in May. Container lines aim to increase fees in 2010 after a global recession led to at least $20 billion in estimated losses in 2009, according to the TSA, China Shipping Container also raised Asia-Europe rates by $150 per feu on Dec. 15.

Source: Port News

US HOMELAND Security Secretary Janet Napolitano admitted defeat in the face of 100 per cent cargo screening of shipping cargo following trials on import freight at five US ports, but blamed it all on lack of technological advances and logistical problems of intermodal containers.

The crippling cost of the programme initiated following 9/11 runs to around US$168 billion for the 10 million plus TEU coming in annually from the 21,000 shipping routes into the US, according to Ms Napolitano.

The complexity and sheer overwhelming scale of stopping every consignment which ultimately impacts overseas governments export traffic is to add an additional cost of $8 million average per entry route, specifically cited by Homelands at an amount per container of $16,800 annually.

In a report from the UK's Handy Shipping Guide, the missing of July 2012 deadline of every freight inspected is, and will continue to be an untenable goal, and only ever seen by the shipping community as a "politician's term".

Source: SchedNet

THE US Federal Aviation Administration is scrutinising the operations of American Airlines after three landing slip-ups last month, reports the Associated Press.

An American spokesman told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that it is cooperating with the FAA and conducting its own investigation.

Jetliners' wingtips touched the ground during landings during two landings on December 13 in Charlotte, North Carolina, and again on December 24 in Austin. And in Jamaica, a plane overshot the runway in a rainstorm on December 22, said the report.

FAA officials said in a statement that they'll also conduct a review of the events to see if there might be a larger issue. The statement says that if needed, the FAA will work with Fort Worth-based American on corrective action.

Source: SchedNet

After the Indian Ports Association (IPA) agreed to the wage-related demands of the Port and Dock Workers Federation, the proposed strike was called off.

The unions wanted the management of the 12 ports to grant 23 per cent fitment amount to port and dock workers with effect from January 1, 2007, whereas IPA, which represented the major ports of the country, was offering fitment with effect from January 1, 2009. As part of the agreement reached between both the parties, IPA agreed to pay House Rent Allowance (HRA) from January 1, 2007. It was agreed that all other allowances would be paid with effect from January 1, 2008.

"This is the best-ever settlement as the port and dock workers for the first time will have the best of both worlds as they will get the combined benefits of public sector undertakings and central pay scales. In fact, they would be drawing more salaries that their counterparts in the central government. Even their arrears for three years, would range between Rs.60,000 and Rs.2.5 lakhs,'' said Mohan Aswani, additional general secretary of Indian national port and dock workers federation (INTUC) and president Kandla Port karamchari sangh to a Mumbai newspaper. He added this could become possible at the last minute intervention of both the shipping ministry and shipping secretary.

(Source: Maritime Gateway)

The containership operated by Hong Kong's Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) flies the Hong Kong flag, reported The Gazette.

It noted that the trophy - created in 1840 to stimulate transatlantic traffic - wasn't always a cane. Indeed, until 1880, a beaver top hat was given to the winning captain. It then became a cane capped with a 14-karat gold head.

Much of the honour is deprived of real meaning as the prize was once won in the spring ice break-up and presented to the ship that ran some risk in making it into harbour first to open the summer navigation season. But with winter-long ice breaking service, it now often means the first ship in after midnight December 31.

(Source: www.schednet.com)

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) is to add a new weekly Asia service through the Suez Canal to Charleston, South Carolina, the deepest seaport in the US Southeast.

“Charleston's deep, wide channels and excellent productivity make it a natural fit for this service,” said Allen Clifford, executive vice president of MSC (USA). “MSC and our customers have enjoyed exponential growth in Charleston and we will continue to grow together.”

Charleston has the deepest channels on the South Atlantic coast, routinely handling post-Panamax vessels drawing up to 14 metres of water.

The ‘Golden Gate Service’, as it will be known, will call Charleston’s Wando Welch Terminal from February on a weekly basis, with the MSC Turchia being the first vessel to call.

The service will offers connections to Shanghai, Ningbo, Chiwan and Yantian, China; Singapore; Salalah, Oman; Freeport, Bahamas; Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Colombo, Sri Lanka; Singapore; Chiwan and Hong Kong, China.

The new service marks an expansion of MSC’s presence in Charleston, which has five existing weekly services to the west Mediterranean, South America, Caribbean, Africa and Europe. Earlier this year, MSC and the South Carolina State Ports Authority signed a new five-year extension to the carrier’s contract to 2017.

(Source: Container Managerment)

The Korean Register of Shipping (KR) – an IACS member classification society – has been authorized by the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Korea as a verification body for its pilot greenhouse gas emissions trading scheme. The scheme was launched on 1 January 2010 to provide a base for the country’s voluntary 2020 emissions reduction target.

Under the authorization, KR will give an independent verification of the greenhouse gas emissions assertions made by various public and private organizations participating in the scheme and provide assurances that their greenhouse gas emissions monitoring, measuring and inventory activities are properly managed and recorded.

Oh Kong-gyun, KR’s Chairman & CEO, commented: “The designation of KR as a verification body demonstrates the level of confidence that the government and the industry has in the technical competence of KR in the fast-growing field of environmental services. We all understand the importance of limiting greenhouse gases and protecting our natural environment and I’m pleased that KR is able to play such an early role in this important area. We will continue our extensive R&D work in this sector to eventually acquire CDM DOE authorization. I look forward to KR making an increasing contribution in the future”
He added: “This new authority secures a more active involvement for KR in the ‘Low Carbon, Green Growth’ economic stimulus program recently initiated by the Korean government”.

Additionally, KR recently verified the accuracy of a carbon calculator which Hanjin Shipping has added to its website to allow customers to understand the amount of greenhouse gas emitted by their cargo for any given route. This further cements KR’s role within the “green shipping” arena.

(Source: www.schednet.com)

Containerised cargo at the Port of Long Beach declined 19.6% in November compared to the same period last year, but the overall downward trend showed signs of easing.

During the month, the Port's shipping terminals moved a total of 448,151 teu compared to 557,459 a year ago.

Imported cargo dropped 14.7% to 228,347 teu compared to 2008, whilst exports inched up by 4% , to 114,283 teu. The number of empty containers, most of which are sent overseas for restuffing, declined by 41.3% to 105,521 teu.

As the port entered the last month of 2009, overall container trade was down by 24.1% compared to the same period in 2008.

(Source: Container Managerment)

China's unusually high lending growth last year has sparked differences among the country's top economists as the central bank seems to be taking new measures to contract credit and control inflation.

While many economists believe that control of credit is a must to prevent serious inflation and ensure stable growth, some hold that too drastic a contraction could lead to stagflation.

"Currently the government shouldn't steer off the easy monetary policy track to avoid possible stagflation, which is symbolized by not only inflation but high unemployment," said Li Yining, professor and dean emeritus of Guanghua School of Management of Peking University.

China may get stuck in stagflation even with a mild GDP growth like 6 percent year-on-year, given the huge unemployment pressure caused by its large population, said Li, one of the most influential economists in China.

He made the remarks on the 11th annual China economic forum held by the school.

He warned that too early an exit strategy could affect employment and increase the possibility of stagflation at a time when the country's economic recovery is still not solid enough.

China initiated a massive 4-trillion yuan ($586 billion) stimulus package in late 2008 to overcome the fallout of the global financial crisis. Its new lending was expected to amount to 9.5 trillion yuan in 2009, almost double the previous year. The ample liquidity, while helping the country meet its GDP growth target of about 8 percent in 2009, has triggered concern that the menace of serious inflation may loom large this year.

Zhang Weiying, economics professor and dean of the Guanghua school, warned that excessive credit expansion and low interest rates are the root of all financial crises in history and cause high inflation and massive toxic assets.

"We need to notice that this round of credit surge (in China), boosted by the 4-trillion-yuan stimulus plan, comes on the back of continually strong economic growth for many years," said Zhang. That means the scale of credit last year was exceptionally large.

The People's Bank of China, the central bank, raised the 3-month central bank bill issuing rate last week - for the first time since August 2009 - by 4 base points to 1.3684 percent.

The move, which was accompanied by the biggest weekly net drain from money markets in 11 weeks, prompted concern that the central bank could be heading for policy tightening and may raise benchmark lending rates in the coming months.

But Li said he believes that economic restructuring, which will make the Chinese economy less investment-dependent, more consumption-driven and energy-efficient, is more important than control of credit expansion.

"Readjustment in the economic structure is the key," he said.

Source: BizChina

The dispute now centres on the transfer of 2,000 gantry crane operators and maintenance staff from government port authority to private stevedoring companies.

Operations at the top French container port of Le Havre nearly stopped when 3,000 longshoremen walked off, reported Newark's Journal of Commerce, adding that cargo movement in five other state-owned harbour facilities were also hit last week.

Work on the Marseilles docks also stopped and 15 ships were trapped, but passenger ferries and oil shipments continued unimpeded at both ports, said the report.

Dockers also struck at Dunkirk, Rouen, Bordeaux, La Rochelle and Nantes-Saint Nazaire. The Confederation Generale du Travail (CGT) union called the two strikes to pressure on the government to create 30,000 waterfront jobs as part of its reform.

The CGT now threatens further action if the government does not respond, despite its failure to force the issue by inflicting three months of rolling strikes in the past to stop the reforms.

Le Havre reports its 2009 container volume fell 10 per cent year on year to 2.2 million TEU while overall cargo shrunk 8.4 per cent to 74 million metric tons. Port interests fear more strikes will prompt shipowners to drop French ports and route cargo overland to French importers.

Source: www.schednet.com

TAIWAN'S Evergreen Marine has announced that it will increase rates from the US west coast to Asia, Australia and the Mideast starting February 15 for all dry cargo, including exempted commodities.

The rate restoration from Los Angeles will bring an extra charge of US$80 per TEU, $100 per FEU and for 45 high cube containers.

For US west coast cargo originating outside of Los Angeles the rate increase will be $120 per TEU and $150 per FEU and 40 and 45-foot high cube containers.

Source: www.schednet.com

The European Commission definitely adopted the first two big projects implemented under the Operational Programme Transport on 21st December 2009, SZDC reports.
The projects Optimization of the railway section Benešov u Prahy – Strančice and Electrification of the railway section including PEÚ Letohrad - Lichkov state border, 1st construction Letohrad (exclusive) - Lichkov state border were submitted to the European Commission in 2008. Now, it is certain that the Czech Republic will receive up to EUR 111m. for the project Benešov – Strančice and EUR 49,6m for the project Letohrad – Lichkov.

"Successful adoption of the first two big projects of the Operational Programme Transport by the European Commission shows a good sign for the near future; we are dealing with the finalization of the approval processes of many other significant transport projects. I believe that given such experience with these projects we will succeed in accelerating the approval process with the European Commission.“ said Gustav Slamečka, Minister of Transport.

The so-called Big projects have a different as well as more complex approval process than other projects. These projects of over EUR 50m. – after being approved by the Managing Body of the Operational Programme Transport (Ministry of Transport) – are submitted to be adopted by the European Commission. As for the first submitted projects, the European Commission made numerous comments that needed to be accepted. Due to multiple additions and revisions of the project application, the approval process took longer than one year. However, the Ministry of Transport in cooperation with the Railway Infrastructure Administration, s.o. has successfully concluded this process. Since the European Commission has presently been submitted other 7 big projects and other 18 are being prepared by the Managing Body of the Operational Programme of Transport to be submitted in the months to come, it is expected that other adopted big projects will soon turn up. Both projects are implemented within the pre-funding system from the State Fund of Transport Infrastructure with expected co-funding from EU-funds.

Source: Transportweekly

The state budget of Slovenia is going to cover the EUR 38m loss of the national Slovenian Railways. The company was accumulating losses since 2004.

Although the management board of the rail operator hoped for a EUR 43m worth subsidy, a smaller amount has finally been agreed with the state.

The financial support agreed with the Finance Ministry and the Transport Ministry, will allow Slovenian Railways to avoid insolvency, Limun reports.

Source: Transportweekly

The extraordinary cold weather in northern China is creating navigational hazards as well as ensuring a huge crunch on the nation’s energy supplies.

China may be forced to shut 11 percent of electricity generators connected to the nation’s main grid because of coal shortages, the Xinhua News Agency said this week.

Expanding ice cover in Bohai Bay in northern China, where Cnooc Ltd. drills for oil and natural gas, will have a “serious” impact on exploration and shipping, the government said yesterday. Cnooc’s operation in the offshore fields is “not yet affected” by the sea ice, the company said in e-mailed comments today.

Ice cover in some parts of the Bohai Sea and Huanghai, also known as Yellow Sea, may extend as much as 90 nautical miles from the coast next week and the thickness of the ice may reach 40 centimeters (16 inches), the State Oceanic Administration said on its Web site. Bohai Sea is now in a state of emergency, the administration said, without elaborating.

Source: Sea Trade Asia

The agreement, inter alia, covers the equal treatment with regard to services provisions to ships of the one country while being in the ports of the other, cooperation and granting of assistance in case of maritime accidents and cooperation concerning training of seafarers.

Source: Sea Trade Asia

In fiscal 2009 the Knorr-Bremse Group posted sales of EUR 2.76 billion (2008: EUR 3.38 billion). In a difficult economic environment the company benefited from its strong strategic position with two divisions, Rail Vehicle Systems and Commercial Vehicle Systems, in markets that developed very differently.

Despite a sharp downturn in its freight car and locomotive business, the Rail Vehicle Systems division reported an increase in sales to EUR 1.55 billion (2008: EUR 1.43 billion).

Growth was particularly pronounced in Asia, where sales moved ahead by around 80%. Here, Knorr-Bremse continues to profit from a market presence that dates back to the end of the 1980s. In line with a corporate policy geared to long-term success, measures undertaken in the Rail Vehicle Systems division in 2009 included the inauguration of a new development center for door systems in Kematen, Austria, and the topping-out ceremony for a new braking systems plant in Budapest, Hungary. In addition, in the course of the past year Knorr-Bremse made targeted acquisitions to further strengthen its market position in a number of areas in the rail vehicle sector.

For the Commercial Vehicle Systems division the global financial and economic crisis in 2009 brought a drastic fall in the output of commercial vehicles and saw sales decline to EUR 1.22 billion (2008: EUR 1.97 billion). In order to adapt processes and structures to the prevailing lower level of market activity, in 2009 further measures were implemented from the cost-cutting program that was triggered towards the end of 2008. The relevant adjustment in staffing levels was kept substantially lower than the scale of the market downturn, particularly in the research and development sector where the focus remains on ensuring that innovations are driven forward in close collaboration with customers. As part of the ongoing strategic development of the division's production plants, a new factory was set up in Liberec in the Czech Republic in 2009. As well as boosting capacity, the new facilities built by both divisions will also enable the deployment of advanced production and logistics concepts.

The three main regions into which Knorr-Bremse divides its business operations – Europe, the Americas and Asia/Australia – contributed to the development of sales as follows:

Europe
In the European region, sales declined to EUR 1.84 billion in 2009 (2008: EUR 2.46 billion). The Rail Vehicle Systems division was able to post an increase in sales in the region. The Commercial Vehicle Systems division in Europe was hard hit by the frequently reported dramatic 65% year-on-year slump in the OEM market.

The Americas
For the Americas as a whole, the Group reported sales of EUR 661 million in 2009 (2008: EUR 772 million). In North America both divisions found themselves confronted by a weaker market environment than in the previous year. The Rail Vehicle Systems division faced a challenging market backdrop in North America and was hard hit by the steep downturn in the freight car segment in particular. In the commercial vehicle sector, despite what had already been very low volumes in 2008, the market witnessed its third consecutive year of shrinking commercial vehicle output. In South America, both divisions reported a downturn in sales.

Asia/Australia
Sales at the Knorr-Bremse Group companies in the Asia/Australia region moved ahead by around 40% in 2009 to EUR 530 million (2008: EUR 376 million). The Rail Vehicle Systems division reported an increase in regional sales of around 80%. The main driver of this development was once again China, where in October Knorr-Bremse won the largest order in its over 100-year history, worth approximately EUR 500 million. Together with its Chinese partners, the company is to supply braking and door systems for a total of 2,720 new cars for the Chinese high-speed train CRH3. 1,280 of these cars will also be equipped with air conditioning systems from Knorr-Bremse. For the Commercial Vehicle Systems division, market conditions were challenging in Asia, too.

Outlook for 2010
In 2010, Knorr-Bremse is expecting the overall economic situation to remain difficult and is not anticipating any significant recovery in the commercial vehicle markets. Demand in the rail freight segment in Europe and the U.S. can be expected to remain slow. Rail-borne passenger transportation could well pick up speed.

The company's Financial Statements Press Conference will be held in Munich on March 25, 2010 at 10 a.m.

The Knorr-Bremse Group is the world’s leading manufacturer of braking systems for rail and commercial vehicles. For more than 100 years now the company has pioneered the development, production, marketing and servicing of state-of-the-art braking systems. In the rail vehicle systems sector, the product portfolio also includes automatic electropneumatic or electric door systems, air conditioning systems, control components, toilets and windscreen wiper systems, as well as platform screen doors. In the commercial vehicle systems sector, the product range includes complete braking systems with driver assistance systems, as well as torsional vibration dampers and powertrain-related solutions, such as the Pneumatic Booster System (PBS) and transmission control systems for greater efficiency and lower fuel consumption.

Source: Transportweekly

New car sales rose last year despite the recession, figures released on Wednesday have shown.

Statistik Austria reported that 319,403 new cars had been sold last year - an increase of 8.8 per cent over 2008 and the highest number since 1992.

But sales of new trucks plummeted by 23.6 per cent year on year to 28,650.
The agency around 30,000 Austrians had taken advantage of a nationwide scrappage scheme trading in an old car to get a 1,500 Euro subsidy.

The agency also reported that sales of motorbikes and scooters had fallen 10 per cent year on year and sales of used cars had risen by 4.8 per cent year on year to 773,809 in 2009.

Source: Transportweekly

DB SCHENKER has secured a four-year contract to provide transport for the Gorgon Project, a major gas project in Australia worth a total investment volume of US$25 billion.

The agreement covers the provision of integrated logistical services by DB Schenker and has a total value of about A$500 million dollars (US$350 million).

According to estimates, the Gorgon field, which is located of the northwest coast of Western Australia, holds 40 trillion cubic metres of gas.

Initial work is to begin shortly for a gas liquefaction plant to be built on Barrow Island with the first gas to be produced in 2014.

DB Schenker will transport more than two million freight tons to module production plants in Asia and/or directly to Australia. "We are proud to participate in such a significant enterprise. Providing logistical services for complex projects like this one is a challenge that we can master thanks to the experience and expertise of our specialists," said Thomas Lieb, chairman of Schenker AG.

DB Schenker's involvement in this major project underlines its role as the leading global logistical service provider of project-related, tailor-made, freight management services.

Said Schenker Australia CEO Ron Koehler: "We have established ourselves as a key player in the provision of logistical services for oil and gas exploration and production projects. DB Schenker's international network enables us to provide the contracted services at the agreed times and within the defined budget."

(Source: www.schednet.com)

Intermarine takes delivery of the Industrial Echo, the fourth in a series of 4 heavy lift newbuildings entering the fleet in the past 12 months.

Delivered in Portugal in mid January, the vessel sailed for Hamburg, Bilbao, and Gijon where the ship is loading project cargoes for Brazil and Uruguay. Nominated as the E-Class series, these 10,000 DWT vessels feature dual 250 metric ton cranes that may be combined for 500 ton lifts. With an overall length of 139 meters and
beam of 20 meters, the ships have a similar hull design as the seven Century and six Diamond class vessels operated by Intermarine services, but with increased cargo carrying capacity.

Intermarine provides regular and reliable project transportation in the Americas and Asia as well as customized services worldwide. The company has offices in Houston, New Orleans, Caracas, Buenos Aires, Seoul, Shanghai and Mumbai.

(Source: Transport Weekly)

(Source: Transport Weekly)

HONG KONG's Orient Overseas (International) Ltd (OOIL) has announced fourth quarter revenue fell 22.7 per cent to US$1.07 billion, attributing losses to volume declines of its container unit, Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL), whose final quarter box liftings fell 4.1 per cent year on year.

That brought full-year OOCL 2009 revenue down 35.2 per cent year on year to $3.84 billion, said the company in a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange.

Full-year 2009 container volumes decreased 14 per cent year on year. "The overall load factor was 3.8 per cent lower than the corresponding period of 2008 despite a decrease of 9.6 per cent in loadable capacity during this year. Overall average revenue per TEU decreased 24.7 per cent compared with the same period last year," said the company statement.

Transpacific fourth quarter liftings totalled 306,055 TEU, down 0.7 per cent while full-year volume came to 1,324,382 TEU, down 12.6 per cent year on year.

Asia-Europe fourth quarter liftings totalled 174,959 TEU, down 6.9 per cent while full-year volume came to 678,869, TEU down 16.5 per cent year on year.

Transatlantic fourth quarter liftings came to 90,400 TEU, down 11.3 per cent while full-year volume came to 349,308 TEU, down 17.7 per cent year on year.

IntraAsia-Australasia fourth quarter liftings came to 525,021 TEU, down 3.7 per cent while full-year volume came to 1,972,410 TEU, down 13.2 per cent year on year.

Total fourth quarter liftings came to 1,096,435 TEU, down 4.1 per cent while full-year liftings came to 4,158,487, off 14 per cent.

Revenue from the last quarter on the transpacific trade came to US$383,926, down 30.1 per cent while full-year sales on the trade came to $1,492,576, down 33.3 per cent year on year.

Revenue from the last quarter on the Asia-Europe trade came to $221,550, down 15.6 per cent while full-year sales came to $1,331,675, off 48.3 per cent year on year.

Revenue from the last quarter on the transatlantic trade came to $126,211, down 32.4 per cent while full-year sales came to $487,988 749,722, off 34.9 per cent year on year.

Revenue from the last quarter on the IntraAsia-Australasia trade came to $338,502, down 12.4 per cent while full-year sales came to $1,612,143, off 27.2 per cent year on year.

(Source: www.schednet.com)

(Source: Sea Trade Asia)

(Source: Container Management)

Panama will spend $300 million on a liquid natural gas, or LNG, terminal and $ 130 million on a gas-fired generating plant, the country's ministry of finance said in a statement Wednesday.

The projects will help meet the country's growing energy demand, and reduce the use of liquid fuels, the statement said.

The LNG terminal will allow the country to receive, store, and then regasify LNG cargos in Colon, which is near the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal.
The projects will take around five years to complete.

On Wednesday morning, the Chief Executive of Toronto-listed oil company Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp. , Ronald Pantin, said the company plans to start exporting gas to Panama and elsewhere in the Caribbean in the near future.

Source: http://www.nasdaq.com

(Source: Transport Weekly)

The feeder ship "ELECTRON" calls at container terminals at the Port of Hamburg once a week. The "ELECTRON" cast off from the Port of Hamburg for the first time on 13 January 2010.

The ship, chartered by the shipping company JR Shipping in Harlingen, measures 118.3 metres in length and 18.2 metres in width, has a load capacity of 658 TEU and provides 100 reefer connections. With a deadweight tonnage of 6,860 tons, the ship reaches a maximum draft of 7.1 metres and has a cruising speed of 17 knots.

Due to its favourable geographic location as well as exceptional infrastructure, the Port of Hamburg acts as a traffic hub between overseas markets and the Baltic Sea area. Sea-borne container traffic with Poland achieved a container turnover of more than 160,000 TEU in the first nine months of 2009. This made Poland the seventh most important trading partner of the Port of Hamburg in terms of sea-borne cargo transhipments. Hamburg offers roughly a dozen departures to the Polish ports every week. This northern European port on the Elbe has therefore the densest feeder network in the Baltic Sea area.

Vostokbunker CJSC and China's Huayuan Shitun (Hunchun) concluded an agreement of intent for the supply of petroleum products. The agreement of intent was signed on January 20 in the Yangtze (China) by Sergey Zhidkov, the executive director of the VB oil terminal who had been visiting China with a delegation of Khasan region, the VB press service reports today.

According to the agreement, the Chinese company is going to purchase mazut of M-100 brand from Vostokbunker. The delivery of fuel to the territory of China will be carried out by tank trucks through the checkpoint Kraskino - Hunchun. The two sides have agreed on initially small parties of cargo, but later, when the supply system will be arranged, the minimum volume of transportation is said to be 10.000 tons a year.

The contract is expected to be signed in the third decade of February, when representatives of the Chinese side will visit the port and Slavyanka oil terminal of Vostokbunker.

Vostokbunker owns the third largest marine oil terminal in Primorsky Krai (Territory). Its annual throughput is about 40 percent of liquid fuel for inbound shipment intended for the northern regions of the Far East under the state order. Vostokbunker supply fuel for Magadan and the Kamchatka regions. Vostokbunker also produces marine fuel of its own “VB” brand and certified fuel F-5.

(Source: Port News)

Source: Transport Weekly

According to Dnevnik, last year, the carrier rescheduled for 2010 a combined 35 million leva debts to five banks, including 20 million leva borrowed from Germany’s KfW to purchase 25 Siemens diesel trains contracted by the Saxe-Coburg cabinet.
In 2009, the Ministry of Finance allocated 18 million leva for the payment of state-guaranteed loans to the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

The funds will back a rescue plan to be implemented at the company, Deputy Transport Minister Kamen Kichev said. He said that there would be talks to form a strategic partnership with Deutsche Bahn in cargo transportation.
The Bulgarian government will draw up a restructuring strategy for the debt-ridden state carrier, with privatisation possibly one of the options, he said.

Source: Transport Weekly

THE rate of freight rate recovery has been far faster than anticipated because of a surge in demand in January and a shortage of boxes where they are most needed, reports Paris-based Alphaliner.

"The high spot market rates have come at a key period as contract rates for 2010 have also strengthened. Twelve-month contract rates for the Far East-Europetrades starting in January/February 2010 are reported to be about 200 per cent, higher than last year, reflecting renewed optimism about trade prospects," said the French shipping consultants.

China-to-Europe spot rates, as well as those to the US, east and west coasts increased 24 per cent in the past three months, said its weekly newsletter.

Higher vessel utilisation was marked in Asia- Europe trade lanes since Christmas, which has created repositioning problems here and there. But even that has boosted freight rates.

The Far East to Europe trade made the big gain, up 50 per cent since October from US$2,500 per FEU $3,700, according to the Shanghai Shipping Exchange.

"It remains to be seen if the rates are sustainable as the Lunar New Year holidays in China in mid-February could lead to some weakening," Alphaliner said.

Spot rates from Shanghai to the US west coast have risen 26 per cent in three months and are 17 per cent higher on shipments to the US east coast.

Asia-Australia and Asia-Africa spot rates also have risen over the past three months, but rates to the Middle East, especially to the Gulf region, remain under pressure.

The high spot market rates on the major trades from China to Europe and the United States have come at a key period as contract rates for 2010 have also strengthened, Alphaliner said.

(Source: www.schednet.com)

(Source: Sea Trade Asia)

(Source: Sea Trade Asia)

Courage Marine has upsized its fleet with the acquisition of an elderly capesize bulker. The Singapore-listed shipowner is buying the 1981-built, 130,000 dwt, Constantinoupolis from Greek owner Dalex Shipping for $7.85m. The vessel will be the largest in Courage’s fleet and increase overall tonnage by 30%. The ship is due to join the company’s fleet in the first quarter of the year, and it said the larger vessel would offer greater economies of scale.

(Source: Sea Trade Asia)

Singapore: Creditors of shipyard and offshore vessel owner Jaya Holdings have approved the company’s financial restructuring. Creditors, including banks, unanimously approved a scheme of arrangement for two of Jaya’s main operating companies, Jaya Shipbuilding and Engineering and Java Marine Lines.

In June last year the financially strapped company moved to suspend repayments of debts totaling over S$300m ahead of a financial restructuring. Jaya said its day-to-day operations continued as normal.

Source: Sea Trade Asia

A go-ahead on the next phase of development at Saudi Arabia's port in Dammam is likely within the next two months, according to the Director General of King Abdul Aziz Port on the country's Gulf coast.

Naeem Ibrahim Al-Naeem explained that cargo volumes are such that additional capacity will soon be needed at King Abdul Aziz Port. The decision to plan for extra container handling space and facilities was taken some time ago, but the final decision to go ahead is still awaited. However, the Saudi Port Authority is now thought likely to push ahead with the expansion project which will see the port's container capacity more than double to around 3.5m teu by 2012. The plan envisages three stages: the first will cost SR2bn ($534m) and involve a new 800m berth, six new gantry cranes and other additional equipment; the second will encompass 400m of extra quay and four more cranes; whilst the last stage will see another 800m being commissioned, plus a further four cranes.

Source: Sea Trade Asia

China Shipping Container Lines has predicted that it will see lower profits for 2009 as compared to the 130.58m Yuan ($19.5m) it declared in 2008. The declaration, posted on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, did not divulge any additional information about the company’s expected bottom line. The pessimistic outlook has been credited to the global economic downturn that hit container shipping particularly hard over the past year.

Source: Sea Trade Asia

A Cambodian-flagged cargo ship that was reported to have been seized by Somali pirates has actually been held by a local court in northwestern Somalia, an official statement said Saturday, according to Xinhua.

A statement from the Berbera Port Authority where the ship had called said the local court in Berbera ordered the detention of MV Layla-S after a local businessman filed a law suit against the company owning the ship, following the destruction of the businessman's goods in a fire on another ship of the company, MV Mairiam Star.

Earlier on Saturday, Andrew Mwangura, East Africa's Coordinator of Seafarers Assistance Program, confirmed the vessel had been arrested not hijacked.

Source: Sea Trade Asia

Minister for Shipping, GK Vasan stated that Indian shipping will have two significant milestones in 2011. The Indian ports' capacity will cross 1 billion tonnes and tonnage carried by ships under Indian flag will cross 10 million tonnes.

He said that the ports still need to increase their capacity to meet the growing cargo traffic.

K Mohandas, Secretary of Shipping said that the port capacity at present is around 840 million tonnes.

He added that “The growth in Indian tonnage has been slightly slow as investment has not come into the shipping sector due to economic slowdown. However, the market is picking up and Indian shipping companies, including Shipping Corporation of India, will go for acquisition of ships.”

Source: Maritime Gateway

CHINA Eastern Airlines has launched a Nanning to Rangoon service which adds its total ASEAN destination routes up to eight, reports Logistics Week.

The new flight MU20011/2 deploying 50-seat CRJ airplane flies twice weekly on Tuesdays and Fridays, departing from Nanning at 1000 hrs and landing in Rangoon at 1040 hrs, then returning at 1130 hrs and arriving in Nanning at 1500 hrs.

(Source: www.schednet.com)

Berlin is all set for the international fresh produce sector’s premier event of the year. A total of 2,302 exhibitors from 71 countries (2009: 2,283 from 78 countries) will be present at FRUIT LOGISTICA 2010 from 3 to 5 February giving an unparalleled overview of global fruit and vegetable production and trade. Exhibitors at the leading trade fair for the international fresh produce trade will include all of the key global players as well as small and medium-sized companies involved in the produce value chain. The largest participations based on exhibitor numbers are made up of the following key European fresh produce trading nations, namely, Italy (413), Spain (311), Germany (244), France (239) and the Netherlands (217). The share of foreign exhibitors this year is over 89%. Some 50,000 trade visitors from 125 countries are expected to attend the trade fair and accompanying conferences. This includes the industry's key decision makers, wholesale and retail buyers, fruit and vegetable growers and import-export business representatives.

Mexico is the official FRUIT LOGISTICA 2010 partner country. The northernmost Latin American nation, which is celebrating its bicentennial year as an independent country in 2010, is planning it's biggest-ever appearance at the world's leading trade fair for fresh produce. Mexico will be represented by a large number of growers, organisations and trade associations in Hall 25 at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds. A main focal point will be the largest variety of Mexican fresh fruit and vegetables ever presented in Europe. According to the WTO, Mexico is the world's tenth-largest agricultural exporter. Ms Ana Graciela Aguilar Antuñano, CHIEF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ASERCA will be a guest speaker at the FRUIT LOGISTICA 2010 opening ceremony on 2nd February at the ICC Berlin and will officially host the partner country's reception afterwards.

Parallel to FRUIT LOGISTICA, Messe Berlin will be hosting FRESHCONEX 2010, the international trade fair for fresh produce convenience, in Hall 1.1 at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds.

Fresh produce market figures

Nearly 1.5 billion tonnes of fruit and vegetables produced worldwide
According to information from the AMI (agricultural market information service) in Bonn, 800 million tonnes of vegetables (excluding melons) and nearly 700 million tonnes of fruit (including melons) were produced worldwide in 2009. Fruit and vegetable production levels have increased steadily over the past few years. Apples, grapes, oranges, melons and bananas are the world's leading fruit varieties, accounting for around 60% of global production. The range of vegetables is more diverse with the three leading varieties (tomatoes, head cabbage, cucumbers) accounting for only 30% of the total production volume. More than 10% of the global production of major fruit varieties are traded cross-border. For fresh vegetables, this figure is only 3% to 4%. The EU is the world’s largest importing region for fresh fruit and, if trade between the EU member states is taken into account, for fresh vegetables as well. Otherwise, the EU ranks second to the USA as an importer of fresh vegetables.

Fresh produce grown in the EU: less fruit, more vegetables

The amount of fruit harvested in the EU declined by 2% in 2009 to 37 million tonnes. While a slight decrease was seen in the size of the apple and citrus harvests in the 2009/10 season, there was an increase for most stone fruit varieties. Vegetable production in the EU increased by 3% to 62 million tones. This was primarily a result of bigger harvests. The area under cultivation remained essentially unchanged. Spain is the leading exporter of fresh vegetables. While the country's exports declined by 6% (3.7 million tonnes) in the 2008/09 fiscal year, the current 2009/10 season has been marked by a significant increase in exports. Supply pressure continued until the second half of December. Cool temperatures and storms in some regions decreased supplies. As a result, exports in the first few months of 2010 are expected to be only slightly above last year's levels.

Significant production increase in Germany
The volume of commercially cultivated fruit in Germany increased by nearly 10% over the previous year to 1.4 million tonnes. Significantly more stone fruit was harvested in 2009 following a series of crop failures in 2008. The commercial production of vegetables exceeded the record set in 2008 by 5% to reach nearly 3.7 million tonnes in 2009. More vegetables were grown on open farmland and in greenhouses. There was also a moderate increase in the production of mushrooms. German imports of fresh vegetables (3 million tonnes) and fresh fruit (5.1 million tonnes) showed a slight increase in 2009. In contrast, exports of fresh fruit and vegetables, which were marked by rapid growth over the past few years, decreased by around 5%.

German produce sector generates EUR 19 billion in sales
According to AMI estimates, some 2,350 fresh produce companies in Germany generated turnover of EUR 19 billion in 2008. Due to higher prices, sales figures for 2009 are expected at best to remain at the previous year's level, or may indeed show a slight decrease. While the amount of fresh fruit purchased by private households in Germany decreased by around 1% in 2009, the volume of fresh vegetables remained essentially unchanged compared to 2008. However, consumer spending decreased by 5% for fresh vegetables and by 8% for fresh fruit.

Average annual consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables in Germany: 68.7 kg per person
The GfK, a market research company based in Nuremberg, analysed fresh produce purchasing and expenditures in 2009 for private households in Germany. According to the survey, each household purchased 82.4 kilos (2008: 83.5 kg) of fresh fruit at an average price of EUR 1.51 per kilo (2008: EUR 1.62). In addition to this, 63.2 kg (2008: 63.5 kg) of fresh vegetables were purchased at an average EUR 1.79 per kilo (2008: EUR 1.88).
Based on per-person consumption figures for 2009, the following fruit are the most popular in Germany: apples (9.0 kg), bananas (7.1 kg), oranges (4.2 kg), clementines (2.5 kg) grapes (2.2 kg), strawberries (1.7 kg), nectarines (1.6 kg), pears (1.4 kg), pineapple (1.4 kg) and watermelon (1.2 kg). As regards the per-person consumption of fresh vegetables the ranking is: tomatoes (4.9 kg), carrots (3.6 kg), cucumbers (3.3 kg), onions (3.1 kg) sweet peppers (2.5 kg), iceberg lettuce (1.6 kg), cauliflower (1.0 kg) asparagus (0.9 kg), leek (0.6 kg) and white cabbage (0.6 kg). The most recent figures from 2008/2009 show that per capita consumption in Germany averages 68.7 kilos of fresh produce: fruit (38.9 kg) and vegetables (29.8 kg).

First-class conference programme
FRUIT LOGISTICA 2010 offers an outstanding conference programme with comprehensive background information and valuable insights for international fresh produce trade professionals. Taking place on the day before the trade fair officially opens (2 Feb.), the 29th Fresh Produce Forum addresses the question: "Top image but low returns. Does fresh produce need a relaunch?"
Guest speakers at the opening ceremony include Ms Ana Graciela Aguilar Antuñano, Chief Executive Director of ASERCA (Apoyos y Servicios a la Comercialización Agropecuaria), Mexico, Mr Emmanuel Jacquin, Head of the European Commission Fresh Produce Unit, and Dr Christian Göke, Chief Operating Officer, Messe Berlin GmbH (opening remarks). Keynote speaker at the opening ceremony will be Mr Oliver Weidner, Director International Quality Management, Lidl, Germany.
Six Hall Forums will be presented on the three days of the trade fair. Topics of the seminar series organised by FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZINE (Düsseldorf) include: "The retail trade in Europe – making the most of the crisis" (3.2.), "Mexico – a partner with great potential" (3.2.), "Agribusiness – partnerships in the produce food chain" (4.2.), "New marketing norms in Europe – How is the trade coping?" (4.2.), "Improving sourcing through product coding and standardisation" (5.2.), "Innovation in the fresh produce business – new trends in packaging" (5.2.) Events at the Fresh Produce Forum and the six Hall Forums will be simultaneously translated in German, English, French, Italian and Spanish.
Outstanding achievements in the fresh produce trade will be honoured with the following industry awards: "Grüner Merkur" (2.2.), the new "FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZINE Retail Award 2010" (2.2.) and the FRUIT LOGISTICA INNOVATION AWARD 2010 "FLIA" (5.2.).

(Source: Transport Weekly)

Federal Customs Service (FCS) of Russia has announced it enacts its earlier reported changes (September 10th, 15th, 2009 N1643, N1691 Acts) in customs clearance procedure from 1 November 2010, the FCS press office said.

The agency said the amended regulations were postponed (the order of the FCS September 15, 2009 N1691 was to come into force on March 1st 2010, as reported by the "PortNews IAA) since the customs posts facilities and infrastructure of the airports, sea and river ports have not been arranged for the regulations fulfillment and it will take customs authorities additional time to be prepared. Besides, the FCS statement said, the businessmen, involved in export and import, have applied to the agency to leave more time for fulfilling the conditions imposed by the new order.

"The FCS of Russia is working on changes in order to include more categories of commodities and persons transporting goods and vehicles, for which it would be inappropriate to apply the mandatory customs clearance in areas close to the state border of Russia, as well as listing such cases when new requirements for customs regulations and procedure would not be applied ", the FCS statement said.

Source: Port News

A Finish operator’s ship laden with containers heading for St. Petersburg port, lost three containers at sea. The incident occurred near the Swedish island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea, "TV 100" channel reports.

Some reports said, one of the boxes allegedly contained hazardous materials. The Swedish Coast Guard aircraft failed to spot as yet the lost containers. The investigation into the incident is said to begin when the ship arrives at St. Petersburg port.

Source: Port News

The Federal Agency of Maritime and River Transport of the RF Ministry of Transport (RosMorRechFlot) announced that the data of Magadan seaport (MCSP) was listed in the Russian Register of Seaports (November 18 2009 N AD-235-p decree). The agency assigned the MCSP a serial registration number T-3, the Rosmorport’s Magadan branch statement said.

In accordance to a decree by the Ministry of Transport (April 1, 2009 N 51 "On approval of the Register of Russian Seaports") RosMorRechflot has been entrusted registering Russian seaports. The Register includes seaport location information, list of operators of marine terminals and its services, main technical characteristics of seaports and other information.

Port of Magadan is the largest round-year navigable seaport in the Russian North-East. The port’s icebreakers ensure navigation from November to May. Freight traffics via Magadan include largely fuel and other commodities for the needs of Magadan region.

Source: Port News

The Regional Cooperation Agreement for Combating Piracy (ReCAAP) has called on vessels plying sea lanes to search for missing tug ‘Asta’.

Speaking to Baird Maritime, ReCAAP expressed fears that the boat might have been repainted or have had its name changed.

This is second such incidence of a tug going missing. ReCAAP said that the first incident occurred in April 2008 involving the Singapore-registered tug, ‘PROSPAQ 1’ remains, to this day, missing.

In the latest incident the ‘Asta’ was reportedly towing a barge ‘Callista’ to Cambodia on February 5 when it disappeared off the eastern coast of peninsula Malaysia. There were twelve crewmembers on board the vessel and no cargo on the barge.

ReCAAP did not name the vessel owner except to say that vessel was to dock in Cambodia on February 9.

Source: Baird Maritime

KAWASAKI Kisen Kaisha ("K" Line) has reached an agreement with US-based Air Tiger Express Companies, Inc (ATEC), to acquire 51 per cent of ATEC's shareholding to boost its logistics business.

The deal involves the acquisition of an initial 26 per cent stake in ATEC, with an option to purchase a further 25 per cent, reports the UK's Transport Intelligence.

New York-based ATEC is an international freight forwarder and provider of integrated logistics services that has offices and agents worldwide, employing around 750 staff. Its major subsidiaries are Air Tiger Express (USA) Inc, Air Tiger Express (Asia) Inc and Shenzhen Airport ATE Intl Freight Co Ltd.

"K" Line's international logistics business mainly comprises "K" Line Logistics that focuses chiefly on air and ocean freight forwarding and Century Distribution Service whose core area of business is buyer's consolidation, the report added.

Source: SchedNet

The amount of unitized cargo traffic in the port of Helsinki in January came to 705,000 tonnes, which indicates an 8% growth from January in the previous year. The amount of export goods increased by 16% from the comparison period. Compared to the year before, imports also increased a little.

The number of passengers was 541,000 in January, indicating almost a 6% decrease from January in the previous year.

Source: Transportweekly

CHICAGO's biggest land developer, CenterPoint Properties, is beating the drum to attract mostly west coast containers through America's largest inland port, the US$3 billion CenterPoint Intermodal Centre at Joliet 40 miles southwest of Chicago.

CenterPoint, owned by the California Public Employees Retirement System (CALPERS), the largest pension fund in North America, it has already developed nine million square feet of industrial facilities within the Joliet complex over the last six years.

With two Class I railways - the Union Pacific and the BNSF - serving the 6,000 acre site with its sprawling container yards, warehouses and 25 miles of shunting tracks, the facility aims to become the leading distribution hub of MidAmerica with its easy access to the north-south I-55 and the east-west I-80 expressways.

"We always go into these ventures in partnership with a Class I railroad and in this case we have two of them. These are the west coast railroads, so the almost all of the volume is coming from the west coast," CenterPoint Intermodal Centre vice president Jared Zerbe.

He said the facility has direct access to the BNSF Logistics Park in Chicago as well as to Union Pacific's Joliet Intermodal Terminal.

The logistics park lies on both sides of a US Army Training Centre, once known as the Joliet Arsenal where ordnance was made and warehoused between 1939 and the early '90s.

The US$3 billion investment at full build out breaks down into two segments. On the southern side of the army camp is the BNSF base, previously called CenterPoint Intermodal Center Elwood, which will become a US$1 billion CenterPoint investment when fully built. North of the camp is the Union Pacific base, called "UP Global 4", and is expected to be a $2 billion CenterPoint investment at full build out.

While some clients are in place - Wal-Mart being the biggest - there remains much space available, and Mr Zerbe sees ocean carriers setting up operations there to marshal and turn around containers, and having logistics providers rent space to run consolidation and deconsolidation operations for distribution throughout the central United States.

Other tenants include Georgia Pacific, Bissell Homecare, Cypress Medical Products, Clearwater Paper, Partners Warehouse, DSC Logistics, NFI, JB Hunt, Schneider Logistics, Maersk Distribution Services, Bridge Terminal Transport.

CenterPoint, said Mr Jared, focuses on the development, ownership and intensive management of industrial real estate and related road, rail and port infrastructure.

Which means that while it is in real estate, the company is looking for opportunities to enlarge its share of the value chain, said Mr Zerbe, even seeing it running transport units of its own in the long-term.

For example, CenterPoint is bidding to run Virginia Ports container operations now that the authority is considering privatising operations. "We are one of three bidders on this project with the other two bidders being SSA/Goldman Sachs and Carlyle. The Virginia state government is examining the bids and the overall privatisation idea, but has not yet decided they will definitely privatise," he said.

CenterPoint terminals already include the $350 million CenterPoint Intermodal Centre (CPIC) in Suffolk, Virginia; the $300 million CPIC in Kansas City, Missouri; the $150 million CPIC in Savannah, Georgia; the $250 million CPIC in Manteca, California; the $300 million CPIC in Houston, Texas; the $100 million CPIC in Dallas, Texas; the $100 Ford Chicago Manufacturing Campus; the $500 million CPIC in Rochelle, Illinois and the $500 million CPIC in Crete, Illinois.

Source: SchedNet

Zaliv Shipyard’s 50-mln-euro portfolio of contracts includes several ships to be built until 2011, Ukrrudprom reports quoting Nikolai Kuzmenko, the chairman of the ZS JSC’s supervisory board as saying at a press conference yesterday.

The shipbuilding industry hit by the global financial crisis had in 2009 orders shortages, the official said, but in the past three months Zaliv Shipyard (Kerch, Cremea) has been considering the possibility of 20 new shipbuilding projects. Some of them, he explained, for a series of several ships.

There are some 5-6 projects in the portfolio of orders, Mr. Kuzmenko said, for complete vessels. The first ship, ordered by a foreign customer, with advanced European equipment is to be build at Zaliv dockyards by late 2010.

Mr. Kuzmenko highlighted the company had been building ships ordered for oil and gas industry, "not more than 50% of all contracts". He added the Zaliv Shipyard would be willing to construct oil platforms, reminding Kazantipskaya oil platform that was built by Zaliv.

The official was optimistic about the prospects of shipbuilding industry development in Ukraine. Given the recent major orders outflow to Asian shipbuilders from Europe, Ukraine in the next 15 years could take on a market niche of Romania, Croatia, Poland shipbuilders.

Shipbuilding plant "Zaliv" JSC is one of the leading shipbuilders in Eastern Europe. The company specializes in the construction of tankers, chemicals and container carriers, drilling platforms for oil and gas industry. Since 1992 the company has been building ships for export. In 2006 the plant was integrated into AvtoKrAZ Holding. According to the company’s statistics, it ended up last year with a net profit of 33.4 million hryvnia against a net loss 87.7 million hryvnia the company had in 2008. Net income was 280.5 million hryvnia, up 16.67% over 2008. The volume of production grew by 37%, up to 451 million hryvnia, Ukrrudprom reported.

Source: Port News

A Russia-flagged "Irtysh" ship (owned by Irtysh Shipping Company, the operator of Palmali Shipping Services & Agency Co. LTD, home port of Taganrog) was driven aground by rough seas in the vicinity of Cape Foros at the port of Bourgas (Bulgaria). The vessel was serving the Greece – Romania route, the Russian Ministry of Transport press service reported, citing Marine Rescue Coordination Center of MT.

As of today, the stranded ship is 200 meters offshore. It has 35 tons of diesel fuel on board. The 9-member crew (Russian citizens) are safe, no environmental danger reported. Eight tugs have attempted to refloat the ship recently but failed. The damage survey did show any breaches. The ship’s diesel fuel will be off-loaded to a barge, the report said.

Source: Port News

Under the umbrella of EuropeAid, the IRU Academy organised, in partnership with European Profile, a two-day seminar in Azerbaijan to help both the public and private sectors meet the requirements of the upcoming AETR legislation of Driving and Rest Time Rules by September 2010 and the implementation of the Digital Tachograph in non EU AETR Countries on 16 June 2010.

Source: Transportweekly

For the first time, the European Union’s Marco Polo Project has granted financial support to a road transport company, Emons Cargo, for an innovative congestion alleviation system based on a highly efficient double-loading transport concept that decreases the number of trailers on roads by one third, thus significantly reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Emons Cargo, which already featured in the first “IRU Best Industry Practice Report”, is a member of the Dutch IRU Member Association TLN.

Source: Transportweekly

Hong Kong: Titan Petrochemicals has warned it will report substantial losses for 2009 due to the drop in shipbuilding activity and low demand for its single-hulled tanker fleet. In the first half of the year the Titan lost HK$53.4m ($6.8m) and the company warned its operating performance for the second half of 2009 would reflect a further deterioration in its business. For the first nine months of the year Titan’s losses widened to HK$305m. “The deterioration of operating performance is primarily due to the weak market conditions in the shipbuilding business, as evidenced by the lack of newbuilding orders and a significant increase in the supply of double hull tankers which negatively impacted the demand for our single hull fleet,” the company said. For its shipyard in Quanzhou the company is now targeting shiprepair for bulkers and tankers.

Source: Sea Trade

Vietnam: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Bach Dang Shipyard have opened a joint venture ship engine manufacturing plant in Vietnam. The factory in Haiphong will produce 22 engines a year with power capacity of between 2,600 kilowatts and 23,500 kilowatts according to Vietnam’s Ministry of Transport. It is the first engine plant to open in Vietnam as the country’s shipbuilding industry aims to increase local content in its vessels.

Source: Sea Trade

Y.M. Kim, who is also CEO of Seoul, Korea-based Hanjin Shipping Co. Ltd. “Governments, international organizations, local communities, ports and marine terminal operators worldwide are focusing new attention on cargo shipping
operations – at sea and shoreside – with an eye toward cutting air and water pollution. This new authority permits TSA carriers to work together, and with
their shoreside customers and partners, to address strategies and best practices that ensure both environmental protection and trade growth.”

TSA, since its inception in 1989, has provided Asia-U.S. shipping lines with authority to meet and exchange limited market information in order to adopt common industry standards and practices, represent the industry before government bodies, and establish non-binding guidelines that help stabilize otherwise volatile rate levels and shipping practices.

“Environmental issues and strategies are definitely a new area of involvement for TSA, but in many ways it’s a logical progression,” said TSA executive administrator Brian M. Conrad. “TSA, and carrier groups like it in other trades, routinely adopt common service standards in providing equipment, in designing information systems and in regulatory compliance. Environmental programs are going to play a critical role and entail major investment in carrier operations; it makes commercial sense that these be undertaken, where feasible, based on joint research, sharing of best practices, and coordination to promote environmental responsibility and operational efficiency.”

A vital first step that TSA lines believe can yield immediate, significant results, Mr. Kim indicated, is through information-sharing on carrier “slow-steaming”
strategies. Under slow-steaming, carriers reduce the speeds of a string of vessels,with each vessel burning significantly less fuel and producing lower emissions. Industry studies have shown that a reduction in vessel speed from 24 to 18 knots per hour reduces consumption of marine bunker fuel by 60%; reduces consumption of heavy marine diesel oil used in onboard operations from 190 to 177 tons per sailing; and cuts vessel CO2 emissions by more than 350 tons per day on a sailing lasting from two to four weeks or more, depending on route.

But challenges have surfaced as use of slow-steaming has become more widespread, Mr. Kim explained. “To achieve true, lasting environmental benefits from slow-steaming, carriers need to share information that will help them reduce emissions without disrupting carrier service levels,” he said.

In the future, Mr. Kim added, it will be important for carriers, ports, terminals, regulatory agencies and customers to communicate and jointly address issues such as
running ships in port off shoreside power; disposal of waste bilgewater; use of alternative fuels at sea and in terminal operations; and programs to replace
and retrofit harbor truck fleets.

Mr. Conrad noted that TSA has, during the last two years, held a number of meetings with individual customers and shipper groups to discuss a range of cost and
operational issues in the Asia-U.S. freight market. “While carriers and shippers have not covered environmental matters in any detail so far,” he said, “customers have expressed interest in doing so because of the potential service and rate impacts, and the potential benefits of extending their internal green
initiatives to include their entire global supply chains.”

(Source: Sea Trade)

Singapore: The nine member lines of the Asia – West Africa Trade Agreement have have announced a two-stage $500 rate increase. The nine member lines of AWATA will be increasing rates by $250 per teu from 1 April for shipments from Asia to West Africa and a further $250 per teu from 1 June. The lines said the increases were necessary to be able to continue to meet the needs of their customers. The nine member lines of AWATA are: China Shipping Container Lines, Delmas, CMA CGM, Gold Star Line, Maersk Line, Mitsui OSK Line, Pacific International Lines, Safmarine Container Lines and Mediterranean Shipping Co.

(Source: Sea Trade)

Unconfirmed reports from Australia suggest that DP World is contemplating raising $884m through an initial public offering of some of its local assets.

The Dubai-based operator will, nevertheless, retain a substantial stake in the business, which will be listed on the stock exchange as DP Australia, reports claim.
DP World, which has a strong presence in the Australian market, has seen the entry of Hutchison Port Holdings into the local stevedoring sector in recent years challenge the former duopoly it once enjoyed alongside Asciano Ltd.

(Source: Port Strategy)

PD LOGISTICS, a member of the PD Ports Group, has been awarded a contract to handle all imports of Tsingtao Beer from China on behalf of the UK's largest independent drinks manufacturer and distributor, Halewood International.

Under the agreement, PD Logistics receives the beer from sea containers landed at Felixstowe and unloaded into PD Logistics' 500,000-square-foot onsite warehouse for bonded storage prior to onwards despatch.

The contract with Halewood International increases the volume of bonded products that PD Logistics handles. To accommodate Tsingtao, PD Logistics has had to expand its wet bonded area from 80,000 to 165,000 square feet while allowing for further expansion.

"With the Tsingtao agreement in place we needed to identify a partner, who was able to offer a large, bonded warehouse facility as close to the port as possible, which would enable us to maximise the efficiency of our supply chain," said Halewood sales chief James Wright.

"We were aware of the excellent reputation of PD Logistics bonded facility and the comprehensive shipping connections enjoyed by the Port of Felixstowe. The decision was easy to make and we look forwards to what we hope will be a long and fruitful relationship with PD Logistics."

"The agreement with Halewood marks an important milestone for the PD Logistics warehouse operations at Felixstowe, reinforcing its position as an important wet bond facility and major import centre for bonded beers, wines and spirits," said PD Ports bulk logistics managing director Jerry Hopkinson

(Source: www.schednet.com)

Russia will export East Siberian crude oil to Japan for the first time, with a tanker scheduled to set sail Friday, Kyodo News International reports.

The tanker, which will leave the port of Kozmino near the Russian city of Nakhodka, will dock at the Keiyo Sea Berth in Tokyo Bay in early March.

The 100,000 tons of oil, whose bid was won by trading house Mitsui & Co. from Russian oil firm TNK-BP, was purchased by Kyokuto Petroleum Industries Ltd., the Ichihara, Chiba Prefecture-based refiner jointly owned by ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) Y.K. and Mitsui Oil Co.

East Siberian crude offers an advantage over a range of Middle East crude due to its lower transportation costs stemming from the geographical proximity of the Kozmino port to Japan. Although Mideast oil takes two to three weeks to be delivered to Japan, the Siberian oil takes only two to three days.

If Japan can procure East Siberian crude in a stable manner in the coming years, it would enable it to diversify sources of its oil needs and save transportation costs. Japan currently depends on the Middle East for 90 percent of its oil needs.

Japan has been importing some crude produced at the Russian Far Eastern island of Sakhalin.
Russia plans to export a further 300,000 tons of crude from the Kozmino port to Japan over the subsequent one month.

Concerning the nature of the shipments, a source close to a major trading house said, ''These transactions signify a sort of trial to check what features the East Siberian crude has.''
Kozmino is the eastern end of the projected 4,800-kilometer pipeline to transport East Siberian oil to the Pacific side.

Since the 2,100-km eastern half of the pipeline has not yet been laid, crude is to be transported to Kozmino by rail until 2014, when Russia says it will complete the pipeline in its entirety.

Siberian oil has been so far exported to such destinations as Hong Kong and South Korea from Kozmino, which the Russian government appears to perceive as a key export base for customers in the Asia-Pacific area.

Source: http://www.istockanalyst.com/

Meanwhile, HPUK is considering using the site temporarily for offshore wind farm work.

In a letter, Harwich International Port local authority liaison committee members, Paul Davey, HPUK’s head of corporate affairs, said: “The original consent was received in 2006 and permitted construction of the deepsea container terminal. The consent requires construction to commence within 10 years.

“As a result of the global economic downturn and resulting recession in the UK, it is currently forecast that demand in the UK will not justify construction within that timeframe.”

HPUK hopes the period of consent can be extended by five years to 2021.

Source: Port News

Container shipping lines in the Westbound Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (WTSA) are recommending a further general rate increase (GRI) on ocean cargo moving from the U.S. to Asia. The move is part of an ongoing effort to restore rate levels after a sharp drop in the second half of 2009. U.S.-Asia freight rates are currently at the same levels as in early 2008.

Effective April 1, 2010, WTSA carriers say they intend to raise dry cargo rates by US$300 per 40-foot container (FEU) and $240 per 20-foot container (TEU). Lines have additionally proposed that refrigerated cargo rates increase on April 1 by US$300 per FEU and $240 per TEU for U.S. West Coast cargo, and by $500 per FEU and $400 per TEU for all other cargo, including minilandbridge, inland intermodal and all-water shipments from the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts.

“Despite modest improvements in cargo demand and rates in recent months, all carriers continue to lose money in both directions between the U.S. and Asia,” explained WTSA executive administrator Brian M. Conrad. “This has put sustained pressure on the westbound backhaul segment of the market to make its full contribution to roundtrip costs, particularly given cargo imbalance, equipment repositioning and other constraints unique to the trade.”

Source: Transport Weekly

Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) has announced that it achieved a net profit of AED 114.39 million on revenues of over AED 1.16 billion for the year 2009, representing an Earning per Share (EPS) of 53.9 fils. The company also reported total assets of over AED 2.2 billion, a growth of 29 per cent over 2008 figures.

"ADSB is proud to announce results for 2009 that are the best in the company's history so far. The company's performance has remained strong despite the economic downturn and it was an honour for us in 2009 to start important new projects for the UAE Navy, the Critical National Infrastructure Authority (CNIA) and the Bahrain Navy," said ADSB's CEO William Saltzer.

The Board of Directors of Abu Dhabi Ship Building convened on 14 February 2010 and reviewed the audited financial results for the year ending 31st December 2009. The Board announced that it will recommend to the shareholders to approve the payment of a 10 per cent cash dividend (10 fils per share) to the shareholders of record, ten days after the Annual General Meeting (AGM). The AGM is scheduled for 12 April 2010, with a backup date of 19 April 2010 in case it is needed to meet quorum requirements.
ADSB's Chairman of the Board of Directors, Homaid Abdulla Al Shemmari commented, "ADSB continued to perform strongly throughout 2009, reinforcing its role as a truly strategic asset for Abu Dhabi and the region. We are grateful for the continued commitment from our UAE and GCC customers, and we look forward to strengthening our position as the leading naval shipbuilder and provider of naval support services to the GCC region in 2010."

Source: http://www.wam.org.ae

From Sunday February 28, 2010 at noon, Terminal Pacifico Sur Valparaiso (TPS) resumed its commercial operations for passenger and cargo vessels, after the service interruption as consequence of the earthquake that affected Central and Southern Chile. TPS’s main quay front, made up of berths 1, 2 and 3, is fully operating. At the same time, operations in berths 4 and 5 remain suspended for security reasons, pending a structural evaluation.

The Logistic Support Extension Zone (ZEAL) and southern access to the port did not suffer damage and they are operating normally, as is TPS’s equipment and IT systems. Reception and freight forwarding services resumed on Saturday February 27th 2010 at 3:30 pm.

TPS restarted its service, attending two vessels whose operations had been suspended since early morning on February 27 2010 after the earthquake had happened, in order to assess possible damages and security conditions to continue working. That same day, it was not possible to carry out commercial operations, due to tidal fluctuations. On Saturday and as an exception, TPS handled the LST ‘Valdivia’ – a Navy rescue vessel –, which was loading relief supplies for the Southern zone of the country - the most affected by the catastrophe.

As ports in Southern and Central Chile have been affected TPS expects an increase in the use of its facilities. As a result, the company, along with the Port Authority and Customs, are considering approving an increase of the terminal support areas in preparation for a potential and unpredicted growth in import and export cargo flows.

Although no TPS employees were injured TPS is checking the family situation of each one of its workers, in order to provide assistance if necessary.

Meanwhile CM has learnt that the epicentre of the earthquake was in the south of Chile – Region VIII where the Tsunami struck the coast causing massive destruction with more than 700 deaths reported at the current time.

Infrastructure damage (highways, buildings, ports and airports) was mainly concentrated in the area between regions VI – IX.

Although it has not yet been possible to obtain an accurate report of the extent of the damage to ports in these regions as communications are still very limited, CM understands that the Ports of Lirquèn, San Vicente, Talcahuano and Coronel which are located close to the epicentre are closed and apparently the Port of San Antonio is currently assessing damages and is closed until further notice.

(Source: Container Management)

During 1st and 2nd March, the 10th Trans-Pacific Maritime Conference (TPM) was held in Long Beach, USA. China Merchants International Holdings and its subordinate business unit including Chiwan Container Terminal (CCT), Shekou Container Terminals (SCT), China Merchants Maritime Logistics (CMML) and China Merchants International Cold Chain (CMIC) for the third time sponsored this event, to enhance its brand visibility and influence in the United States and global market.

On 28th February, the Chinese traditional Lantern Festival, China Merchants sponsored the cocktail networking event. Traditional Chinese elements such as the red lantern, couplets, traditional clothing were brought to the party to reflect a strong Chinese culture.

TPM conference was organized by the Journal of Commerce, held annually in the United States, which is the most influential event in the global shipping industry, attracting buyers, shippers, logistics experts and other high-end business participants all around the world.

More than 10 delegates from CMHI, CMML, CMIC, CCT, and SCT attended the meeting and take this chance to pay visit to other customers in the region during this period.

Statistics from the Chinese Ministry of Transportation showed that the country's container throughput experienced a substantial year-on-year growth of 25.5 per cent to 11.4 million TEU, thus returning to the pre-downturn level before August 2008, Xinhua reported.

Aggregate throughput tonnage of the Chinese ports increased 32.9 per cent to 637 million tonnes. Seaports contributed to a tonnage of 439 million tonnes, up 30.4 per cent. River ports recorded a total tonnage of 197 million tonnes, up 38.9 per cent.
In this month, half of those port with a throughput of over 100 million tonnes achieved growth faster than 30 per cent. Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan recorded a growth of 50.5 per cent and Shanghai was up 45 per cent. The two ports made the greatest contribution to China's total tonnage.

Shenzhen also showed a consistent growth tendency which accelerated increasingly faster. Growth of ports in southern China is surpassing those in the north.

(Source: Transport Weekly)

British property and transport firm the Peel Group is in talks to sell a stake in its airports unit to fund a joint-bid for Britain's only listed ports company, Forth Ports , Reuters reported.

Forth Ports said it had rejected a US$920 million takeover bid from a consortium made up of Deutsche Bank's RREEF infrastructure fund, Arcus and the Peel Group but that it would talk to suitors after its annual results on March. 22.

Media reported that the Peel Group was in talks with Canada's Vancouver Airport Services about the potential sale of its airports business.

Peel Airports is comprised of Liverpool John Lennon, City Airport Manchester, Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield and Durham Tees Valley airports and could raise around $303.9 million according to media reports. .

(Source: Cargo News Asia)

GUANGZHOU customs becomes the first customs in China to roll out an online mail tracking system allowing customers to check the real clearance status of international mail in the south China on keying in the mail reference number, Xinhua reported.

The system provides information of the express or ordinary mails from or to cities in Guangdong (except Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shantou and Jiangmen), Hebei, Shanxi, Jiangxi, Anhui, Guizhou, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shandong and Inner Mongolia. Users can check when and whether mail has been cleared.

(Source: Sea Trade Asia)

Container terminals at the Port of Oakland are using Zebra Enterprise Solutions’ radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to comply with the Port of Oakland's ban on polluting trucks, Entertainment Close-Up reported.

On December 2, the container terminals at the Port of Oakland announced that all trucks delivering cargo containers must install RFID devices for identification and register in eModal's TruckerCheck system.

As of January 19, the terminals are enforcing a new Port of Oakland ban on trucks with engine year models earlier than 1994 from picking up or dropping off cargo at the port. In addition, model year 1994 to 2003 trucks must be retrofitted with diesel particulate filters or engines that meet equivalent standards.

The ban requires the Port of Oakland's container terminals to deny entry to drayage trucks that don't meet these standards, which are set by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). Approximately 3,000 trucks work at the port.

(Source: Cargo News Asia)

“New York Highway”, a pure car carrier owned by Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” Line) and Taiyo Nippon Kisen Kaisha, Ltd., arrived at the port of Muroran in Hokkaido, Japan on March 9, 2010 and completed her final duties as a car carrier. She was built in 1985 by Oshima Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. and has been employed in the transport of a huge number of completed cars throughout the world in her 156 voyages. This “swan song” voyage to Muroran was her 157th voyage but without cargo, just to transport herself to the port for a new duty involving the development of a modern ship recycling system in Japan. The recycling system is a pilot project organized by Maritime Bureau of MLITT (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transportation and Tourism) in Japan.

The Japanese Ship Owners’ Association (JSA) had requested its member companies to offer ships to the pilot project from an early stage. After the Maritime Bureau’s official invitation to the project, “K” Line, a member of JSA, nominated the “New York Highway” and contracted the sale of the vessel to Teraoka Co., Ltd., a member of Muroran Ship Recycling Study Group which was awarded the project by Maritime Bureau. The management of the group will be done by Japan Marine Science Inc. and Teraoka Co. Ltd. with other members executing the project.

Dismantling of ships tends to be carried out in developing countries where labor cost is low and demand for scrap steel is strong. But there has been an argument internationally that pollution to the environment and labor accidents due to unsafe operations in developing countries should be corrected. In May 2009, Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships 2009 was adopted by IMO aimed at protecting the environment and improving the safety of laborers in ship recycling facilities.

One of the most important requirements of the convention is keeping an inventory of hazardous and harmful materials onboard, showing the exact location and quantity, with such inventory to be submitted to a ship recycling facility with all updated data once the ship is handed over to such a facility.

In spite of the new convention not yet having come into effect, “New York Highway” already has proper inventory in compliance with the guidelines for the development of the inventory of hazardous materials. Her inventory was made in advance with the good assistance of the Japan Ship Technology Research Association and approved by class NK.

(Source: Transport Weekly)

SAVANNAH's Georgia Ports Authority (GPA), has announced it has increased its capacity for reefer containers at its Garden City Terminal with the completion of 10 new electrified refrigerated container racks.

The new racks bring to 44 the number of reefer racks at the Port of Savannah terminal, which can now accommodate 1,056 containers, said a statement from the port authority.

"The completion of these refrigerated container racks reduces diesel consumption and increases our capacity for cold-storage exports," said GPA executive director Curtis Foltz.

The authority said it has more than doubled its refrigerated cargo volume in last six years with an increase of 120 per cent. In the past two years alone, volume has increased 19.8 per cent.

"Before electrified refrigerated container racks were brought online in 2008, diesel generators were used to power refrigerated containers in tandem with wheeled parking spots with electrical hookups," said the GPA statement. "Now, for every 10 racks placed into service, the GPA saves about 540,000 gallons of diesel fuel annually, which would have been used to power diesel generators. With a total of 44 racks online, the GPA avoids using more than 2.376 million gallons annually."

(Source: www.schednet.com)

HONG Kong's Census and Statistics Department has reported a six per cent year on year decline in the city's port cargo throughput for the fourth quarter.

Outward cargo led the drop, falling nine per cent year on year to 103.7 million tonnes while inbound cargo also slipped, dropping five per cent leaving import figures unchanged year on year.

Also noteworthy was the distinction between seaborne and river cargo, the former of which dropped 10 per cent to 161.6 million tonnes, with the latter reporting a two per cent increase.

Though overall inbound cargo fell, several countries significantly increased their shipment volumes to the city. Most notable among these were Australia, Malaysia, and the United States, with 126 per cent, 46 per cent, and 19 per cent year on year tonnage increases respectively.

On the outbound side, the most significant increases were seen in shipments to Taiwan, mainland China and Thailand, each receiving 66 per cent, 36 per cent and 17 per cent more cargo respectively. Germany, Korea, and the Philippines meanwhile experienced declines of inbound Hong Kong tonnage, falling 23, 18 and 11 per cent respectively.

(Source: www.schednet.com)

CHINA'S largest private air carrier, Hainan Airlines, is to shift to a cargo sales method based on regions by integrating regional network resources from its existing mode based on cities, Logistics Week reported.

The move is a strategy to increase air cargo sales in view of slackened downturn-hit market since 2009 by allowing smaller neighbouring cities to sell the services of a larger city in the same region.

The report said the new method can double the carrier's regional sellable resources. For example, the five cities in the East China region - Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Wenzhou and Nanjing - has a total of 30 sellable cargo services on an individual basis, but after implementing the new mode, these five cities can sell each other's services and thus raise the number of regional sellable services to 89.

(Source: www.schednet.com)

UAE-based cargo carrier Midex Airlines was suspended recently after a routine audit conducted by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). The company is said to have failed to fill in key postholder positions.

Postholders are appointed by the company, but are subject to ratification by the GCAA. According to a report by the UAE National, Midex president Issam Khairallah attributed the mishap to the recent death of two former postholders, and the inability of Midex to secure a confirmation for one of its replacement appointees.

Midex recently purchased two Boeing 747-200s to meet increased demand for charter flights in Afghanistan and Iraq, increasing its fleet to a total of nine.

The carrier first started its operations out of Abu Dhabi in 2008 with daily flights to Paris. Following the global downturn, this was cut back to just one a week. Midex currently carries 150 cargo tonnes a day, down 50 tonnes from its 2008 forecast.

(Source: www.schednet.com)

AIR China's latest operation figures showed that the carrier achieved a strong growth of 55.1 per cent in its cargo volume and an increase of 6.3 per cent in its passenger volume in January, Logistics Week reported.

The carrier's cargo volume amounted to 90,700 tonnes. Domestic cargo volume rose 37.1 per cent to 52,200 tonnes while international cargo volume surged 86.2 per cent to 34,300 tonnes. Cargo volume on Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan lines rocketed 111.3 per cent to 4,002 tonnes.

Passenger volume in the same month totalled to 3.4 million. Domestic passenger volume increased 5.4 per cent to 2.8 million. International passenger volume rose 11 per cent to 490,000 persons. Passenger volume on Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan lines went up 11.4 per cent to 108,000 persons.

Passenger load factor fell 0.2 percentage points to 77 per cent, while general load factor increased 6.1 percentage points to 67.8 per cent.

(Source: www.schednet.com)

Singapore: BW Gas Ltd., the world’s biggest mover of liquefied petroleum gas, has idled four LPG carriers because rates plunged so low that each vessel was losing the company about $25,000 a day, Bloomberg reported.

The Berge Racine (pictured) will idle until the end of the year, when it will be given to new owners, Andreas Sohmen-Pao, chief executive officer of parent company BW Group, told the financial newswire, confirming a note sent to clients. Three other carriers will also stop trading until freight rates improve, he said.

“The conditions are so bad and have been bad for so long we see this as a painful but necessary decision,” Singapore-based Sohmen-Pao said. “It’s impossible to say how long we will be putting them into lay-up.”

(Source: Sea Trade Asia)

Seoul: Hyundai Merchant Marine said Sunday it plans to expand its fleet on its Asia-Middle East route as part of efforts to meet rising demand.

The shipper plans to add two more container ships on April 19 that leave from South Korea and call at ports in China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and Pakistan.

Currently, Hyundai Merchant operates four 4,600 teu container ships along the route.

The company said it also plans for the vessels to call at more ports in China and Iran to meet demand.

(Source: Sea Trade Asia)

WHAT makes The Containership Company (TCC) the low-cost shipping company it claims to be is not necessarily lower rates, but simplicity of operation, co-founder Jakob Tolstrup-Moller told London's Financial Times in a recent interview.

Unlike the multi-port calls of full-service shipping lines, TCC ships will sail from Taicang, an obscure port facility within the precincts of Shanghai, directly to Los Angeles and straight back again. Fees would be structured in a simple fashion and vary with fuel prices.

With just US$25 million of capital, the company has fallen short of its $60 million fund-raising initiative, said the report. Currently listed on an over-the-counter exchange in Norway, TCC plans to issue a stock market listing later in the year.

(Source: www.schednet.com)

THE biennial China Maritime Exhibition will take place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) in Wanchai from Tuesday March 16 to Thursday March 18 featuring 20 shipbuilders and other marine interests from 10 countries.

Nine engine and propulsion system manufacturers are exhibiting as are eight interior furnishings and seating suppliers. They will be joined by six deck machinery suppliers, 16 marine equipment manufacturers and a similar numbers of the world's best known names in marine electronics.

Also exhibiting will be classification societies, bunker suppliers, marine media, governments, educators and NGOs.

Marine Money magazine will sponsor a series of conferences on March 16 at the Renaissance Harbour View Hotel, next door to the HKCEC and on March 17 the Hong Kong Ship Owners Association will present a Senior Executive Forum: Future of Shipping followed by a luncheon sponsored by leading classification society Det Norske Veritas.

The guest speaker there will be Doug Woodring of Project Kaisei, who will describe his experience of investigating the North Pacific Gyre and make suggestions as to how this enormous mess of plastic and other land sourced garbage can be removed.

To conclude the Hong Kong Ship Owners Association is combining with the Marine Department of Hong Kong to present a "Year of the Seafarer" awards luncheon for the maritime industry on March 19.

(Source: www.schednet.com)

Demolition of single-hull tanker may not lead to an increase in charter rates this year because most of them were not attracting much cargoes in 2009, Mr Martin Stopford, Managing Director of Clarkson Research Service Ltd, said.

Single-hulled carriers secured 2.5 bookings a ship in 2009, down from about seven in 2004, Mr Stopford elaborated.

Over that period, 80 per cent of single hulls were scrapped, converted or marginalised in the charter market.

According to Exim News Service, owners of the world’s biggest operator of supertankers, on the other hand, are anticipating the elimination of single-hull tankers to buoy freight rates this year.

Such vessels are due to face tougher trading restrictions this year under the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) rules.

The phase-out of single-hull tankers has been much faster than the declining fleet statistics suggest, he explained. This means that the 2010 phase-out effect could be a bit of a damp squib.

The Baltic Dirty Tanker Index, an overall measure of the cost of shipping crude oil, averaged 581 points in 2009, a decline of 62 per cent from the year before, according to data from the Baltic Exchange.

(Source: www.schednet.com)

Kuala Lumpur: A Malaysian backed shipping line is set to link distant parts of Southeast Asia with Papua New Guinea, the South Pacific and Australasia. Starting next week, MBF Carpenters Shipping will deploy a 910 teu ship, Osnabruck, on the intercontinental route. The Osnabruck has been taken on charter at $4,300 a day according to Maersk Broker and is one of four similarly sized ships operated by the company.

MBF Carpenters's principal activities are merchandise retailing and wholesaling, automotive and machinery sales and service, transport and shipping agents. In addition, it provides financial services, ship repairs, agricultural products and owners of property and investments. The Group operates in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Australia. It is part of MBF Holdings, a Malaysian conglomerate.

(Source: Sea Trade Asia)

Bangladesh will aim to persuade China to use Chittagong port as a commercial outlet for its southern Yunnan province, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni said on Sunday.

"It will be a great achievement if China agrees to use our Chittagong port, which we want to develop into a regional commercial hub by building a deep seaport in the Bay of Bengal," she told a news conference.

The offer for Chittagong port to Beijing will be discussed when Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visits China from Wednesday on a five-day itinerary, Moni said.

The south Asian country has taken plans to build an $8.7 billion deep-sea port in three phases to raise bulk cargo handling capacity to 100 million tonnes and container handling to 3 million teu annually.

Presently the port handles 30.5 million tonnes of bulk cargo and 1.1 million teu annually.

Port officials said when built the port would serve Nepal, Bhutan, southern China, Myanmar and the northeastern region of India.

To use Chittagong port China will need a road or railway link or both between Kunming, the capital of southern Yunnan province with Chittagong via Myanmar, Moni said.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during her visit to China would discuss the 1,800 kilometres Chittagong-Kunming road and rail network through Myanmar to boost trade, commerce and technical assistance between the two countries.

Source: http://www.seatradeasia-online.com

Los Angeles: The Containership Company (TCC), the new budget Scandinavian line, has selected TraPac Container Terminal at the Port of Los Angeles as its US west coast gateway.

“Los Angeles welcomes The Containership Company to our Port and our City,” said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. “As the newest entrant in the Trans-Pacific cargo trade, TCC will give local businesses another option for importing and exporting goods and materials to the major inland industrial and manufacturing center northwest of Shanghai. Congratulations to TCC, the TraPac container terminal and Port officials for bringing this service to Los Angeles.”

TCC will operate a weekly service between Los Angeles and the Modern Terminals facility at the Port of Taicang, in the Jiangsu province of China. Starting in April, The Containership Company will offer “no frills” service for importers and exporters seeking a cargo link between Southern California and Taicang, a thriving manufacturing center approximately 40 miles northwest of Shanghai.

“We are thrilled to work with the Port of Los Angeles and TraPac to bring this new service to Southern California businesses,” said Jakob Tolstrup-Møller, The Containership Company’s Chief Executive Officer. “This will be a no-frills port-to-port service that we hope will appeal to shippers looking for a new partner and a more direct link to the vast inland manufacturing base of the Jiangsu province .”

The first vessel, the Taicang Dragon, will sail from Taicang Port on April 17th and arrive at the Port of Los Angeles on May 3rd. The ship, along with others that will rotate into the service, has the capacity to carry between 2,500 and 3,000 teu. TCC executives believe their new service could generate 250,000 teu annually between L.A. and Taicang.

The Containership Company AS (TCC) is a Norwegian-registered container line managed from Copenhagen with operations in Europe, Asia and the United States. TCC’s management team has an average of more than 25 years in international container trade. The line’s container equipment fleet and flow is outsourced to Eagle Hill Container Management. Norton Lilly International is TCC’s global agency.

(Source: Sea Trade Asia)

Manila: Thome Shipmanagement is set to grow its fleet by 30 ships over the next few months on the back of three new clients. The Singapore-based ship manager says it has three new principals, Norwegian owner Solvang, Sirius and another undisclosed Swedish owner. “We will have 30 ships coming over to the fleet in the next few months,” said Olav Eek Thorstensen, chairman of Thome. The majority of the new ships will come from a recently signed a joint venture agreement with Solvang, an owner of 18 liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) vessels. Gearing up for growth Thome opened a 1,065 sq m extension to its Manila regional headquarters at the weekend. The company expects to employ a further 25 to 35 people in the Manila office this year. However, Thome could lose some vessels currently on its books with Frontline setting up its own ship management operation in Singapore. Currently all the Norwegian owners’ ship management is contracted out to Thome and V.Ships. While the Frontline plans to continue using both managers some tonnage will be managed inhouse in future. At present Thome has 138 vessels under technical management, and a further 10 are managed by sister company Timur Ship Management.

(Source: Sea Trade Asia)

Manila: Negros Navigation Co (Nenaco) said it has emerged from rehabilitation after posting profits for three consecutive years.

“With the corporate rehabilitation behind us, our objective now is to sustain our profitability. We will continue to modernize our fleet and we will be relentless in finding ways on how to improve further our operations,” Sulficio Tagud Jr., Nenaco chairman and chief executive said in a statement.

The Regional Trial Court of Manila ordered the termination of Nenaco’s rehabilitation proceedings on February 26 on account of the successful implementation of its rehabilitation plan, the shipping firm said.

Nenaco sought protection from creditors in 2004.

Owned by KGLI-NM, which is a joint venture between Negros Holdings & Management Corp. and KGL Investments, Nenaco recorded a net income of P412 million last year, jumping 124 percent from P184 million in 2008.

Nenaco attributed the profits to “revenue-enhancing initiatives coupled with stringent cost-management measures” that it implemented during the year.

Last year, Nenaco acquired two additional cargo vessels with a capacity of 300-teu each.

(Source: Sea Trade Asia)

Singapore: Singapore Shipping Association president SS Teo is calling for a proposed Singapore EXIM bank to be extended to shipping. In his capacity as a nominated member of parliament Teo strongly supported a recommendation by the Economic Strategies Committee to set an Export – Import (EXIM) Bank in Singapore. “I would also like to propose that the EXIM Bank facilities be extended to shipping,” Teo said in a parliamentary debate. “In view of the capital-intensive nature of the shipping industry and its need for financing, an EXIM Bank would be a useful instrument to extend the range of financing solutions available to shipowners/operators with a good track record,” he said. Teo added this would assist the growth of Singapore as an International Maritime Centre and as a hub for shipping investments. He also welcomed the extension of a port dues concession for a further six months to 30 September, a measure introduced last year to help shipping companies through the economic crisis. He also noted though shipping was not out of the doldrums yet and there was a threat of overcapacity. “As such, we hope that the port authority will be able to extend the port dues concessions past the 30 September 2010 deadline. Any proposed cost increase that could have a detrimental effect on the shipping recovery should be withheld for at least another one year,” Teo said.

(Source: Sea Trade Asia)

Dalian: Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) is looking to bolster its presence in the northern Shandong city of Yantai. The shipbuilder expects to receive a permit from Chinese officials within three months to build a shipbuilding yard there to go alongside its 2007-established block building facility, DCCS. When DSME founded DCCS it had aims of building large ships there but Beijing has enforced rules whereby foreigners cannot build ships larger than 100,000 dwt, a ruling that has irked many others including Samsung in Ningbo and STX in Dalian. Now, DSME is keen to have a shipbuilding subsidiary in Yantai, focusing on 30,000 dwt ships.

(Source: Sea Trade Asia)

The motor vessel Industrial Achiever, a specialized Roll on - Roll off semi-submersible vessel, recently loaded two massive Cold Boxes for an LNG plant under construction in West Africa. Built at a fabrication plant in New Iberia, Louisiana, the 700-ton boxes were transported to Houston by barge where they were trans-loaded to the Industrial Achiever for the subsequent ocean journey to West Africa.

The Cold Boxes loaded onto the Industrial Achiever on a roll on basis from barge to ship utilizing the vessel’s Ro-Ro ramp capable of handling pieces up to 1,200 metric tons. This operation was performed by self-propelled multi axle heavy lift trailers (SPMTs). As the trailers slowly moved across the ramp and onto the ship, the computer controlled resting pads automatically adjusted up and down to keep the pressure of load equalized across the length of the cold box.

“The pace of the loading operation is extremely slow as not only are the pressure pads on the SPMTs constantly adjusting to maintain equalized pressure, but the vessel is constantly transferring water between its ballast tanks. This ballast transfer counteracts the ever increasing weight that is rolling across the stern to keep pitch of the vessel constant” commented Captain Bert van der Laan, Intermarine’s port captain.

“Once in position, the boxes were lowered onto specially fabricated stands that hold the box such that the trailers may be removed. These stands are specifically positioned to transfer the weight of the boxes into the structural ribs of the vessel. The box is then heavily secured in place to eliminate any shifting while at sea” continued Captain van der Laan.

Although appearing rather simple, this operation required hundreds of hours of detailed engineering work to determine all the potential forces involved, the strength and placement of the stands and securing materials, and the overall stability of the vessel. Once completed, this plan was thoroughly reviewed and accepted by the vessel master, the cargo owners, warranty surveyors and the stevedores to insure all aspects were covered.

This type of heavy lift transport is a hallmark of Intermarine capability. Operations such as this have been performed by Intermarine throughout the world and with pieces weighing more than 1000 tons.

Intermarine offers regular services in the Americas, intra-Asia and Europe as well as constructs customized project voyages worldwide.

(Source: Cargo News Asia)

According to the German travel industry association DRV, the number of passengers on sea cruises by German operators grew 13.2% to more than 1mn in 2009, which is three times the number 10 years ago. Turnover grew 14% to just under EUR 1.93bn (USD 2.66bn). DRV expects the market to continue to grow at a double-digit rate in 2010.
Partly because of insolvencies of operators, the number of river cruise passengers decreased 3.2% to 396,000 and turnover 4.3% to EUR 423mn.

The average price of a cruise day was EUR 193 on sea cruises and EUR 136 on river cruises, Logistics Finland informs.

(Source: Transport Weekly)

The French Port of Marseilles Fos said container throughput rose by 24 percent year-over-year in January and February to 159,202 20-foot equivalent units as trade recovered from the global recession.

Trade with the Far East fueled a 30 percent jump at Fos, which handled 121,218 TEUs, while Marseilles improved 10 percent to 37,985 TEUs thanks to recovering markets in North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean.

Container volume in the first two months of the year through February amounted to 1.59 million metric tons (up 31 percent) and led general cargo to a 19 percent improvement to 2.39 million metric tons.

Conventional traffic also contributed with 42 percent growth to 310,000 metric tons as demand for steel products continued to grow, although roll-on, roll-off traffic was down 16 percent at 490,000 metric tons in the aftermath of a slump in trade with Corsica and Sardinia.

The revival in the local steel industry – and imports of raw materials -- nudged dry bulk volume back to normal levels at 1.54 million metric tons (up 41 percent) courtesy of a 40 percent increase in vessel calls.

Liquid bulk volume rose by a third to 530,000 metric tons on the strength of the chemicals industry -- aided by the ever-rising bio-fuels sector, which gained 26 percent to 160,000 metric tons.

Source: http://www.joc.com

Singapore: Norwegian classification society Det Norske Veritas (DNV) has established a Clean Technology Centre (CTC) in Singapore and has selected the city state over the likes of Shanghai and Hong Kong to become the hq for its sprawling Asian operations.

The facility at the DNV Tech Centre in Science Park has a staff strength of 25 research engineers and advisors, though it expects to quadruple its headcount to 100 in four years.

DNV’s chief executive officer, Dr Henrik Madsen, said “one of the roles is to certify technology so that people who have invented new technology can have an independent party like ours to sort of give a stamp to that the technology is a good one and investors can invest in it safely”.

Dr Madsen also revealed that DNV will make Singapore its headquarters for its Asian operations with effect from next month. Thus far, DNV has not had a de facto hq for Asia.

(Source: Sea Trade Asia on line)

Hong Kong: Orient Overseas International Limited, parent of containerline OOCL, reported full year results heavily in the red today, but still performing better than its peers. The Hong Kong containerline recorded a 2009 net loss of US$402m, compared to 2008’s $114m net profit.

While the second half was far stronger than the first six months results were depressed by a $25m loss from discontinued operations related to its property development business and a $10m revaluation loss on Wall Street Plaza.

The sales proceeds and associated disposal gains from OOIL's sale of its property development arm OODL were not included in 2009 accounts as the announcement was made on 18th January 2010 but will impact 2010 results.

Revenue fell 32% year-on-year, better than 1H09’s 35% revenue decline and rose 11% half-on-half.

Compared to 1H09, 2H09 container volumes rose 8% but average freight rates inched up by only 2%.

(Source: Sea Trade Asia on line)

Taipei: Taiwan's Evergreen Line is talking to yards at home, in Korea and Japan to buy as many as a dozen new boxships of between 7,000 and 8,000 teu in size.
"Evergreen is discussing with Japanese, South Korean and Taiwanese shipyards," a local quoted company vice president Hsieh Chih-chien as saying earlier this month. "They will quote prices to Evergreen before the end of April."

Evergreen is especially bullish on intra-Asia trades following the opening of a huge new trading bloc between China and the ASEAN nations.

Traditionally, Evergreen has been a strong supporter of Japanese yards, with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in pole position for this latest order.

(Source: Sea Trade Asia on line)

Singapore: Golden Ocean has become the first company to dual list on the Singapore Exchange under a cooperation with Oslo Bors. The John Fredriksen owned company completed its secondary listing on SGX on March 18. The listing was by way of an introduction and no new capital has been raised at this time. “We are very pleased to be the first company to achieve a dual listing in Oslo and Singapore,” said Herman Bilung, ceo of Golden Ocean. “We already have a significant operational presence in Singapore and the main driver for our drybulk business is the fast growing emerging economies in Asia.” "Golden Ocean is the first listing under our cooperation framework with the Oslo Bors. We look forward to more of similar listings on the two exchanges,” said Lawrence Wong, executive vice president and head of listings for SGX. “By taking advantage of the dual listing framework, companies will benefit by having the access to a wider and deeper capital market. Investors of both exchanges too will benefit from more investment choices," he added DnB NOR Markets acted as sole global coordinator in the secondary listing.

(Source: Sea Trade Asia on line)

Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) has successfully completed its second major ship conversion project by converting a fisheries vessel into an oceanographic research vessel, Exim News Service informs.

The work was undertaken for the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) in Goa.
The conversion comprised setting up of three laboratories, installation of new deck machinery, provision of upgraded accommodation, fitting of a gondola, housing sub-bottom profiler, navigational echo sounder, sound velocity probe, etc.

As part of the conversion, additional electronics and navigational systems such as GMDSS station, Inmarsat-C with LRIT, Radar, LAN system, and Live TV system were installed on the ship.

The vessel, which was originally a Japanese government class, has now been converted into IRS class.

To carry out the conversions, more than 100 new drawings were made in CSL and approved by IRS. Besides, CSL carried out routine dry dock repairs on the ship.
The contract for the conversion was signed on June 5, 2009, and the vessel arrived at CSL on December 15, 2009, and sailed off after the completion of work on March 12.

The successful completion of the project has enhanced the reputation of CSL in the conversion market and reiterated CSL’s expertise in the sector.

(Source: Transprt Weekly)

The Port Klang Authority's (PKA) move to reduce the free storage period for full container load containers at Northport and Westports from five days to three, looks set to be delayed again, despite assurances to the contrary, Business Times reported.

On December 31 2009, PKA had issued a directive that it would go ahead with the implementation of the decision to reduce the period in which containers can be stored at Port Klang for free to three days or more specifically, 72 hours.

A three-month grace period, which ends on March 31, however, was given to help players in the shipping industry prepare for the transition phase.

During the grace period, shippers (importers and exporters) are charged for storage only after the fifth day.

PKA chairman Datuk Lee Hwa Beng said the regulator is now rethinking its move to implement the ruling at the end of March, following objections from stakeholders.

An announcement on the issue is expected to be made this week.

One possibility being discussed is to have the free storage period shortened to 96 hours, rather than 72 hours as indicated in the circular issued on December 31.

The implementation of the new law has been postponed several times in the last eight years, following objections from some players in the shipping community in Port Klang who feel they were not quite ready yet.

It was reported that 80 percent of the containers in Port Klang could be cleared within three days, but the remaining 20 percent, or 10,000 containers, could not be done within the short period.

(Source: Cargo News Asia)

- Kansas City Southern (KCS) has acquired the Puerta Mexico intermodal facility at Toluca and in a few days KCS (Mexico) will add a direct train service from Lazaro Cardenas to Puerta Mexico, providing Mexico City importers and exporters with a service featuring improved consistency and reliability and better transit times, according to the company.

"Puerta Mexico is well positioned on KCS’s International intermodal corridor, making it a valuable enhancement for our cross border service offering," said David Starling, KCS president & COO.

With its connection to the KCS rail network, Puerta Mexico serves the industrial centres of Mexico and the US, several important seaports and the Toluca-Mexico City industrial corridor.

The Toluca facility provides intermodal rail and truck services, warehouse storage and has the only inland customs clearing facility in Mexico. In addition to train services, Puerta Mexico offers multimodal terminal services and on site customs and bonded warehousing facilities to ocean carriers, intermodal and other logistics service providers.

With an estimated capacity exceeding 150,000 containers and more than 2m tons of cargo per year on more than 130 developed acres, the facility essentially doubles the intermodal capacity available to the greater Mexican central valley and alleviates congestion in the region.

(Source: Container Management)

APM has won a 25 year concession at the Port of Monrovia in Liberia as part of a public tender process.

The terminal operator responded to a public tender issued by the Liberian Government in December 2009. Bidders were asked to rehabilitate the existing marginal wharf, develop container and general cargo operations in the terminal and take on responsibility for marine services throughout the Port.

It is part of a private participation initiative that aims to bolster the national economy and create jobs in the capital city of Monrovia. The port is in urgent need of rehabilitation and upgrading to modern levels.

The strife-riven area has suffered from the impact of not one, but two civil wars in the last couple of decades that damaged its infrastructure and resulted in huge loss of life. Growing investment in the region is no doubt part of the Liberian government’s peace-keeping strategy.

Construction on the quay wall is to begin immediately, followed by a new berth, more efficient yard handling procedures and the installation of new equipment to make the port more competitive, capable of handling modern, deep-draft vessels.

APM Terminals CEO, Kim Fejfer says that APM will be working closely with the IMCC, Port Sector Reform Program and the National Port Authority on the next steps of the process to ensure a smooth transition and “to improve the port infrastructure and create a much stronger economic engine for the national and regional market”.

(Source: Port Strategy)

Maritime engineering and environmental consultancy Royal Haskoning has just won first place in a competition to create a concept for Hamburg’s central dock area, based on a sustainable urban maritime development.

The competition, organised by Hamburg Port Authority (HPA), invited applicants to produce an innovative and appropriate concept that could potentially restructure the port’s 125ha Central Terminal Steinwerder and, in one variation, incorporate a valuable container facility with capacity for 3.5m teu, while introducing environmental and sustainable features.

Royal Haskoning’s winning concept, entitled ‘Port Evolution’, proposes a CO2 neutral, automated and truck-free container terminal with optimised land use. By adopting the truck-free approach the team were able to minimise the size of the container terminal to about 4/5 of the site area leaving space for public access to a wetland park and to other areas accessed by public transport including water taxi.

The proposal also involves creating a new port administration building with public spaces for training, exhibitions, a restaurant and a viewing area – as well as creating an area of public interest by moving an historic lighthouse. The project will include landscaping and open water, green areas and public amenities, and the introduction of aesthetically pleasing noise and visual barriers by the implementation of a water wall.

Further, the construction of a channel for water circulation from the water park will incorporate electricity generating tidal current turbines, plus two further wind turbines with the ability to generate 10% of power for the terminal. A covered, insulated and refrigerated container storage building, with photovoltaic panels on its roof, will reduce electrical energy requirements for cooling and generate a proportion of the power required.

HPA will be taking forward the transformation of the area over the next few months by preparing plans followed by a formal application process.

(Source: Port Strategy)

The Chilean port of Valparaiso is reported to be 90% operational following the recent earthquake, however ports close to the epicentre at Concepcion have fared less well.

According to the Valparaiso port authorities, the port has six berths operational (sites 1 to 4, 6 and 8), while sites 5 and 7 are still undergoing review to establish constraints and short-term repairs.

However, the port of Talcahuano has been badly affected, with berths 1 to 3 totally collapsing and currently submerged. Worse still, major cracks have appeared in paving material, resulting in the loss of significant amounts of infill material. The cost of getting the port operational again has been estimated at $100m.

At San Vicente Port, SVTI, the container handling facility, has survived relatively intact, although a major problem remains given the collapse of many of the access ways to the terminal. Embankments are being built to overcome these new bottlenecks. Berth 1 has sustained serious damage.

At Lirquen harbour, berth 2 at the breakbulk terminal has re-opened, although berth 1 has been reported to be unusable.

The four berth box terminal at Coronel Port was reasonably unaffected, although power was initially lost to the gantry cranes. The general cargo terminal, however, did sustain some damage.

At San Antonio, there was some movement of terrain across berths 1-5, with one crane at Puerto Panul actually falling into the sea. Two phenol tanks were ruptured, resulting in the loss of 800 cubic metres of material, some of which was washed into the sea.

(Source: Port Strategy)

THE International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) at its recent Berlin meeting, has launched a campaign to demand greater government effort to suppress piracy that threatens the lives of seafarers off Somalia.

ITF delegates plan to build momentum through the summer and deliver a petition containing half a million signatures to governments by World Maritime Day on September 23, reported London's International Freighting Weekly.

"The Time to Beat Piracy" campaign wants governments "to close the circle on protection of ships", and "those states now ducking their responsibilities to stand up and follow the example of those which are actively involved in combating the threat", said the report.

The Berlin meeting also agreed to support, "where appropriate" more armed military personnel on ships, in addition to the commitment by flag states of naval vessels, but remained opposed to arming seafarers.

It also declared that it was "gravely concerned by attempts to prevent the payment of ransoms and considers that it is the duty of the shipowners and flag states to take all necessary measures to swiftly reunite hostages with their families".

The union said it was unforgivable that the major flag-of-convenience states had "done little more to fight piracy than sign pieces of paper".

Said ITF maritime co-ordinator Steve Cotton: "The reality is that seafarers are risking their lives transporting the world's goods through areas that are daily growing more dangerous. That situation is not going to change without dramatic efforts to address the problems of Somalia and its people and grasp the nettle of confronting and prosecuting piracy."

(Source: www.schednet.com)

MITSUI OSK Lines (MOL) is to call at London Thamesport instead of Felixstowe as it alters rotation on the Africa Rainbow Northern loop (ARN), that connects to New World Alliance's Asia Europe Express (AEX).

"The decision by MOL to relocate this service is a great vote of confidence for London Thamesport," said Hutchison Ports UK CEO and owner of Thamesport David Gledhill. Hutchison also owns the Port of Felixstowe.

The ANR service will deploy three 2,100-TEU and follow a revised rotation of: London-Thamesport, Tangier, Abidjan, Tema, Lagos, Abidjan, Vigo, Antwerp, Zeebrugge and London-Thamesport.

(Source: www.schednet.com)

SINGAPORE's Neptune Orient Lines, owner of southeast Asia's big container line, APL, plans to boost capacity seven per cent this year as rates and trade rebounds and the global economy appears to recover, reports Bloomberg.

APL will charter as many as ten 6,000-TEU ships, said NOL chief executive Ron Widdows in an interview, adding that he also hopes to have 10 laid-up ships back in service in June.

In January, APL experienced its largest monthly traffic increase in six years as American and European retailers restocked shelves. Mr Widdows estimated that transpacific volumes would likely increase five per cent this year industry-wide with even greater growth expected from Asia-Europe trade lanes.

London's Drewry Shipping Consultants said that container lines likely lost about US$20 billion in 2009 because of slumping trade, overcapacity and price wars.

Mr Widdows also told Bloomberg that carriers has been "reasonably successful" in securing higher transpacific rates in annual contracts due to start around May. APL, Maersk and 13 other lines are seeking to raise rates by $800 FEU to US west coast in new contracts.

(Source: www.schednet.com)

Mumbai: State run Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) plans to enter into joint ventures with major power companies such as NTPC to provide dedicated arrangements for shipping their requirements of coal to India.

The plan is modelled on the lines of SCIs proposed joint venture with SAIL for import of up to one million tonnes of coking coal. The SAIL agreement is expected to be finalised by end of this month.

“We plan to acquire few assets immediately after the agreement with SAIL, which would give us good ground to target power companies,” UC Grover, director technical and offshore, SCI, told Financial Chronicle.

SCI initially plans to approach NTPC, which had a coal import target of 12.5 million tonnes for financial year 2009-10. Based on its progress with NTPC the company then plans to approach other public sector and private companies such as Coal India, JSW Energy and Adani Power who have huge coal import targets, to ferry their coal requirements in the coming years.

(Source: Sea Trade Asia)

THE Port of Marseilles reported that its Fos container terminal enjoyed a 30 per cent year-on-year increase in volume to 160,000 TEU, which helped to provide the greater harbour's four per cent year-on-year overall cargo increase to 13.5 million tonnes in the first two months of the year.

The container volume increase included a 10 per cent boost to 38,000 TEU from the port's other facilities, attributed to "recovering markets in North Africa and the eastern Mediterranean", reported London's International Freighting Weekly.

(Source: www.Schednet.com)

APM Terminals has invested US$176 million to upgrade the Apapa Container Terminal at Nigeria's Lagos Port Complex.

The bulk of investment at the APM-managed facility related to IT infrastructure development, manpower development, and the purchasing of new cargo handling equipment, the Lagos Daily Independent reports.

Chief among the purchases was the acquisition of a third Liebherr LHM 500 mobile harbour crane. Valued at $8 million, the new LHM 500 - scheduled to arrive by early-April - is expected to markedly enhance the terminal's operating capacity.

A number of rubber tyre gantry cranes was also introduced at the facility in March of this year, adding to the four STS cranes acquired during the first half of 2008.

(Source: www.Schednet.com)

The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) continued to experience positive growth during the month of February and has recorded three consecutive months of increased trade through its ports.

“Three consecutive months of double-digit growth at the Georgia Ports Authority is a positive sign that overall market conditions have improved considerably since last year,” said executive director Curtis Foltz."

Superior services, logistics and facilities allow the GPA to grow its’ market and further establish Georgia’s ports as a strategic gateway in the South Atlantic.”

Overall tonnage for February 2010 reported gains of 29.7 percent, which brings the GPA’s year-to-date volume for the first eight months to a 2.7 percent increase compared with the same time period last year.

Container volume showed strong growth, posting a 20.6 percent increase in TEUs compared with the same period last year for a total of 202,620 TEUs in February 2010.

(Source: Cargo News Asia)

The Port of Felixstowe is celebrating after winning one award, and being runner-up in a second category at Suffolk County Council’s ‘Creating the Greenest County Awards 2010’.

The port’s Travel Plan won the Business Transport Award at a ceremony attended by over 200 guests to celebrate the environmental excellence of businesses, schools, and community groups across Suffolk.

The Travel Plan seeks to reduce the environmental impact of the port’s 2,400 employees as they journey to and from work. As well as encouraging greater use of public transport, the Plan has reduced significantly the number of employees travelling in a Single-Occupancy Vehicles (SOV). The port has achieved this by launching a car-sharing website to encourage employees to ‘lift-share’, and by encouraging the use of alternative forms of transport.

Facilities at the port for cyclists, including refurbished cycle sheds and the provision of a cross-port cycle path, have also been improved.

The UK’s largest container port was also runner-up in the Business Waste category for its waste management system. The accolade recognised the port’s achievement in reducing the quantity of waste and recycling a greater proportion of the waste produced. Over 50% of the port’s waste is recycled and the scheme has so far diverted over 3,300 tonnes of waste from local landfill sites.

David Gledhill, Chief Executive Officer of Hutchison Ports (UK) Ltd (‘HPUK’), which owns the Port of Felixstowe commented:

“This award is a great credit to the environmental team here at the port. At HPUK, we take our commitment to our local community and to the environment very seriously. The Creating the Greenest County concept aligns with our aspirations of continuing our drive towards improved sustainability. Being a part of the ‘greenest county’, and as green as we can be, benefits our employees, our neighbours, the economy and the environment.”

The Suffolk port is also PERS certified and accredited by the IEMA Acorn Scheme. PERS (Port Environmental Review System) is a system administered by EcoPorts Foundation, which focuses on good practice for the port sector. The Acorn scheme is an Environment Management Scheme offering recognition for organisations evaluating and improving their environmental performance.

(Source: Transport Weekly)

The supervisory board of the port of Marseille Fos authority has approved Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) as operator to develop its future Fos 4XL container terminal.

This move confirms the conclusion of a call for proposals process launched in February 2008, when the Port of Marseille Fos issued a tender call for the development of the new Fos 4XL container terminal.

The port authority said executive management was convinced by HPH’s “Twin Hub” concept. Fos 4XL will be developed by HPH Northern Europe as a “Twin Hub in the Med” of its Rotterdam facilities, linked to its “sister terminal” by a comprehensive multimodal network.

“This green and state-of-the-art terminal will support an ambitious strategy of Euro-Mediterranean consolidatio