UK owners calm over tax threat UK shipping has reacted calmly to fears that the government's plans to ease the industry's tax burden could be scuppered by European Union efforts to crack down on unfair competition through 'fiscal aid'.
Vickers falls on Ulstein price SHARES in Vickers slipped yesterday after the British engineering giant revealed that it is to pay twice the expected price for the non-shipbuilding interests of Norway's Ulstein.
Lorenzo suffers fresh losses Reduced freight volumes and spiralling interest costs have produced further losses at Lorenzo Shipping Corp, the Philippine all-container domestic carrier.
PNSC reports decrease in operating profit Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) saw operating profit fall to Rs203.77m ($4.81m) for the year ended June 30, 1998, down from Rs282.04m the year before.
SSY gloomy on dry bulk recovery Do not expect a turnround in the dry bulk market before 2000, said SSY Shipbrokers.
European transport links UK deputy transport minister John Reid talks with Luxembourg transport minister Mady Delvaux-Stehres at the beginning of a European Union transport ministers' meeting in Brussels yesterday. Talks covered the development of EU railways and negotiations with Switzerland on land and air traffic.
Norway turns to China for ratings Norwegian shipowners are looking to China to supplement their manning needs after being unable to obtain enough qualified deck and marine officers from their traditional supplier, the Philippines.
Duty-free abolition to cost Foerde 386 jobs GERMAN shipping company Foerde Reederei Seetouristik will make 386 out of nearly 500 employees redundant next year due to the planned abolition of duty-free business.
Barcelona court to decide vessel's fate A BARCELONA court is to decide shortly whether to auction the German-owned multipurpose vessel Rio Aroa and so end a six-month wait for its crew members.
Collision might have led to sinking INDIA'S Mercantile Marine Department is investigating whether a collision caused the sinking of an Indonesian cargo vessel off Calcutta port on November 24.
Canada boosts box inspections CANADA Customs is beefing up its inspection of containers in response to allegations that steel boxes were the most common hiding places for illegal material entering the country.
Domestic slump hits Korean carriers SOUTH Korea's national-flag carriers are suffering from slack domestic trade.
Gothong owner sets up new company FILIPINO-Chinese shipowner Jose Go of Gothong Lines has set up a domestic shipping company with the aim of acquiring three secondhand cargoships next year.
Shell, Texaco end alliance talks SHELL Europe Oil Products and Texaco have terminated their discussions aimed at forming an alliance of their European oil products marketing and manufacturing activities.
Daewoo still in talks with Bremen BREMEN senator for ports and foreign trade has confirmed that discussions between Bremen and South Korea car manufacturer Daewoo have not been terminated.
Milford Haven acquires Pembroke Port MILFORD Haven Port Authority has acquired the neighbouring Welsh port of Pembroke to extend its cover across Milford Haven.
MDD could win $1m penalty fee MALTA Drydocks stands to earn a fee of $1m under a penalty clause for the construction of six timber carriers built by Malta Shipbuilding Co for the Soviet Union in the 1980s.
Operator wins Subic bunker contract MAJOR Philippine domestic shipping operator WG&A has clinched an agreement with newly set up Subic Bay Distribution (SBDI) for a two-year bunker supply contract.
Melbourne prepares for cruise boom MELBOURNE is preparing for a record number of cruise ship visits for the coming Australian summer.
Safmarine targeted SOUTH African shipping, transport and forwarding group Safren has been approached by several parties interested in buying Safmarine, its shipping operation.
Thai owners slam government THAI shipowers have blasted the government's maritime export body for failing to help the country's beleaguered shipowners.
Rumours surround Frontline's ICB stake RUMOURS are circulating about the future of Frontline's stake in ICB Shipping.
Vickers pays premium for Ulstein VICKERS has offered a sigificant premium for Ulstein stock on the basis of an agreed bid for full control of the Norwegian marine equipment and engineering group.
Court rejects Haven acquittal A COURT in Genoa has accepted the appeal against the verdict of acquittal in the Haven case.
Cruiseship detained after heroin found PRINCESS Cruises' Pacific Princess has been detained by customs authorities in Piraeus following the discovery of 25 kilos of heroin on board.
Van Miert sur le point de conclure un accord avec les armements de ligne "Les dix dernières années ont été caractérisées par un nombre de conflits entre la Commission européenne et le secteur de la navigation de ligne, plus présicement en ce qui concerne la portée de l'exemption de groupe des conférences par rapport aux règles de concurrence (surtout au sujet de la tarification du transport terrestre). Nous avons quasiment conclu un accord avec les armements et espérons développer à court terme des initiatives positives qui mettront fin à cette longue confrontation."
Un fluvio-maritime de 1.850 t sur la Moselle Sur les 8,5 à 9 millions de tonnes qui entrent en France par la Moselle, ou qui en proviennent, plus de 5 sont liés aux activités de la sidérurgie lorraine. Les transports amont de minerais et de charbons dominent bien sûr. Mais la sidérurgie est aussi exportatrice de fer et aciers, via Anvers (et la SATEM) pour la grande exportation et, parfois, via Duisbourg pour les distances plus courtes avec recours aux fluvio-maritimes opérant à partir du port de la Ruhr.
TLN introduit le label de qualité "Goed en route" Le ministre néerlandais des Transports Tineke Netelenbos a lancé la campagne "Goed en route", mise sur pied par Transport en Logistiek Nederland, à l'occasion du Congrès annuel de cette organisation de transporteurs. Cette campagne est destinée à améliorer le comportement routier des poids lourds. Un autocollant - une sorte de label de qualité - sera apposé sur un millier de poids lourds, renseignant un numéro "vert" que les autres usagers de la route peuvent appeler pour émettre des remarques - positives ou négatives - sur le comportement des chauffeurs.
CMA/CGM ensemble avec Euroshipping & Forwarding vers la région balte L'armement français CMA/CGM exploite désormais son service feeder vers la région balte et la Russie en coopération avec Euroshipping & Forwarding (ESF). La coopération a été inspirée par la situation lamentable du marché en Russie qui a une influence négative sur les volumes. Le port d'Anvers bénéficiera de la nouvelle approche, puisqu'il devient un port d'escale direct pour le service et port de transit pour les containers de et vers Le Havre.
P&OP takes stake in Newcastle project THE ambitious plan for a two-berth international container terminal and multi-modal transport hub in the port of Newcastle took a major step forward yesterday when P&O Ports joined BHP and Leighton Contractors in the $200 million project. In what was described as a "significant milestone", P&OP became a full partner at a heads of agreement signing on the site of the proposed development, the BHP Newcastle Steelworks, which is due to close next year. Director of Australian and New Zealand Ports, Andrew Burgess, said P&OP was delighted to be joining 'two of the most successful Australian companies in their own fields" and intended to lend its full support and expertise, while Leighton Contractors executive director Phil Cooper welcomed the company as a "new and valued member" of the consortium.
Sydney wharfies meet on P&OP plan Rank-and-file committees of members of the Maritime Union of Australia from Container Terminals Australia Ltd as well as Darling Harbour, will meet in Sydney today to consider a document on P&O Ports' plans for waterfront reform. The document was considered by the national council last week. The national secretary of the MUA, John Coombs, told DCN yesterday he preferred not to comment on the reception which the document received. Mr Coombs said the situation surrounding the issue remained extremely sensitive. A document on the P&O proposals was considered amid fears of growing opposition from some sections of the union, notably the central New South Wales branch.
NQEA to build Bris dredge A multi-million dollar contract for the construction of a new dredge for the Port of Brisbane Corporation has been awarded to NQEA Australia Engineers and Shipbuilders of Cairns. Queensland Premier Peter Beattie and Minister for Transport and Main Roads Steve Bredhauer announced the awarding of the $40 million contract which, they said, would create more than 300 jobs in Cairns. "This new high-tech dredger will replace the Sir Thomas Hiley, which has been in service in Queensland for more than 27 years," Mr Beattie said. He said NQEA beat stiff competition from a company in the United Kingdom and one of the major engineering companies in the Netherlands to win the contract.
Price flexibility behind quit decision Pricing flexibility is one of the reasons for Columbus Line's decision to quit the Australia to Europe Liner Association, according to the company's managing director in Australia, Achim Drescher. Mr Drescher told DCN yesterday that the conference focused more on direct carriers and Columbus Line served the trade by transhipment through Kingston, Jamaica, even though it used its own vessels across the Atlantic as well as the Pacific. As a result, the Columbus Line service to and from Europe, even though it did not suffer in schedule comparison, was never seen in as positive a light as the direct services, he said.
SA win for FreightCorp The rapidly expanding FreightCorp is set to spread its wings even further, with the NSW rail freight operator expected to be announced this week as the preferred tenderer for the lucrative Leigh Creek coal haulage task. FreightCorp did not wish to comment when contacted yesterday, but it is believed that senior FreightCorp staff were in Adelaide yesterday concluding negotiations for the contract with Flinders Energy (formerly Optima Energy), the power generation arm of the old ETSA.
"Love Boat" Busted In Greece Greek police said the cruise ship Pacific Princess, known to millions of TV viewers across the world as "The Love Boat", has been seized after 25 kg (56 pounds) of heroin was found on board.
Dry Cargo Rates To Suffer Some More Rates in the dry cargo market will continue their downward trend over the next two years, Thomas Intrator, vice president of Cargill International S.A., said. At the same meeting, Dirk Langeveld, president of investment group Tufton Oceanic Ltd., said he believed investment opportunities would arise next year and there would be some recovery in dry cargo shipping market towards the end of 1999.
Japanese Shippers Merge Operations Tokyo-based shipping firm Tokyo Senpaku Kaisha Ltd. agreed to tie up with Nippon Yusen KK on a joint operation of shipping routes and cargo booking in Asia. Tokyo Senpaku Kaisha, owned 39.23 percent by Nippon Yusen, mainly handles Indonesia-bound cargoes. Its business deteriorated as Asia-bound cargoes sharply decreased due to the Asian currency crisis and Indonesia's economic turmoil, a spokesman said.
Romanian Shipyard To Be Sold Romania's main privatization agency, the State Ownership Fund (FPS), reportedly launched the selloff of a majority stake in Santierul Naval Constanta shipyard through direct negotiations. Bids in sealed envelopes from local and foreign individual and corporate investors will be accepted up to January 18.
Ship Officer Shortage To Cause Problems A growing shortage of ships officers poses a serious long-term manpower problem for the industry, a shipping employers organization said. The ISF said 48 percent of its members had reported an increase in demand for seafarers since 1995, but almost 45 percent had said that national officer supply had decreased in the same period.
New Tanker Shipping Company In The Works? N&T Argonaut is talking to ICB Shipping about forming a new tanker shipping company, Reuters reported. Frontline main owner John Frederiksen was said to be willing to sell his ICB shares and a merger would create a shipping group with a fleet of 32 vessels.
Odense To Slow Shipbuilding Output Danish Odense Shipyard agreed with its owner and major client shipping and oil group A.P. Moeller to slow down shipbuilding output. It said that the slower rate of production meant the dismissal of 180 of the yard's 3,100 staff. Odense Shipyard has 10 ships on order currently, all for A.P. Moeller.
Tanker Mishap Leads To Manslaughter Charges The Greek government reportedly is under fire after a public prosecutor charged four people with manslaughter over a tanker accident this week off the northern port of Thessaloniki.
Samsung Gets $320M Contract Samsung Heavy Industries won a $320 million order from Minoan Line Co. of Greece to build four passenger ships. The cruise ferries will be delivered to Minoan Line from February 2001 to July 2002.
Vickers Pays $501.8M For Ulstein Vickers Plc is buying Norwegian marine engineer Ulstein Holding ASA for $501.8 million to make marine propulsion instead of armored vehicles its biggest single business. The British firm denied the move signaled an intention to get out of armored vehicles, but said it was a "unique opportunity" to make its marine propulsion business the global market leader, with combined sales of $825 million a year.
Federal Express and its pilots averted a holiday showdown when members of the FedEx Pilots Association agreed to delay any further job actions, including a strike, in exchange for a return to the bargaining table and a promise from the company that it would obtain no further outsourcing. As talks got under way, the pilots were hopeful of getting the company to put something close to what it had offered in its Oct. 30 proposal back on the table. The company maintains that because of the expenses incurred in setting up the contingency plans, the "generous offer" of Oct. 30 is off.
Phyllis Scheinberg is Congress' fiscal watchdog for the General Accounting Office's transportation division. She takes the job very seriously. Her specialty is dealing in "just the facts." Two reports coming out on her watch include a review of railroad market power that could influence railroad open access efforts and a probe of FHWA safety efforts following criticism by Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va.
Shippers absolutely, positively want to use Federal Express - or United Parcel Service or Roadway - even for their guaranteed LTL shipments. A new survey of regular LTL shippers shows that two major small-package giants are out-marketing the LTL trucking companies for shippers' time-definite services. The survey is no surprise to LTL executives, who say FedEx and UPS have spent a small fortune imbedding their services in the minds of Americans.
The Asian financial crisis is starting to hit the ocean box trades. Exports to Asia are falling through the floor and those watching the trades say it's going to be bad in all lanes for both imports and exports. There are some bright spots, though, such as Europe and Latin America. But even those trade lanes are going to be tight in the next year or two.
FedEx and its pilots were told by federal mediators to tone down the public rhetoric and focus on issues of negotiating a settlement. FedEx management and union negotiators from the FedEx Pilots Association have not met formally since talks broke down Oct. 30, although the National Mediation Board has had contact with both sides. Neither has shown any willingness to compromise since the union opted not to accept FedEx's contract proposal to a membership vote. Saying that proposal no longer is "economically feasible," FedEx management has withdrawn it from the table. A deal with the pilots looks anything but imminent.
November is normally the busiest time of the year for air cargo charter operators, but this year's round of natural disasters have made the crunch-time even worse. Relief organizations struggle to find space on aircraft to get the urgently needed supplies to disaster victims, but often run up against problems once military space and donated capacity dry up. To date, there have been 54 natural disasters around the world this year and air freight has played a critical role in almost all of them. Hurricane Mitch has killed an estimated 7,000 people in Central America so far and will keep relief organizations in emergency mode for the next four months.
By most accounts, Union Pacific is slowly digging itself out of the service problems that have plagued it for the last two years. Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad, a shortline heavily involved in the lumber trade, attributes much of its business gains over the last year to UP getting its transit times closer to what shippers consider normal. But not everyone is satisfied with UP's progress, as Gulf Coast chemical shippers will attest. There are still pockets of congestion, namely in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Based on premerger conditions, some shippers say the railroad still has a long way to go.
Schneider Logistics' international business is getting a boost from a major auto supplier. TRW Automotive selected Schneider Logistics Europe BV to manage its inbound, outbound and interplant shipments in Europe. Under terms of the agreement Schneider Logistics will handle TRW's inbound, outbound and interplant moves in Germany, England, France, Spain, Italy, Poland, The Czech Republic and Eastern Europe. TRW Automotive is a unit of TRW Inc. It is one of the world's largest independent automotive suppliers, with $7 billion in sales annually.
Microsoft's SQL Server 7.0, announced at the fall COMDEX show, is already a hot commodity. Both Manugistics Group and Logility, two supply-chain advanced planning and optimization software companies, are integrating or planning to integrate their software with the relational database management system. The software enables users to design, build and manage data warehouses on computers ranging in size from laptops to servers. In addition to scalability, Version 7.0 has improved its data-gathering ability and query environment from the previous version.
Canadian railways are making elaborate preparations to minimize winter delays and other problems for shippers. While El Ni'o made last winter a breeze, the railways and their customers haven't forgotten the plugged lines and delays of 1996-97. Canadian Pacific is banking on a lot of new muscle and a closer connection with Canadian and American weather forecasters to help get it through the worst that winter has to offer.
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