Harland quits general repairs BELFAST'S Harland and Wolff Ship Repair & Marine Services is to withdraw from the general shiprepair market.
HongKong Airport set to open AFTER nine years and $20bn, visitors will begin landing on Monday at Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong's new International Airport, a 1,234 hectare island that has been reclaimed from the ocean. It includes the world's largest passenger terminal, at a length of 1.3 km, designed by London-based architect Sir Norman Foster.
Stolt-Nielsen boosts profits STOLT-Nielsen yesterday unveiled improved second quarter and half-year profits despite the negative effect of the Asian currency crisis on its large parcel tanker operations.
Support to reduce heavy tax burdens on companies Russian communist leader Gennady Zyuganov speaks in the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, in Moscow yesterday. The Communist Party is supporting measures to reduce the heavy tax burden on companies.
Subic Bay chief given brief sacking reprieve BELEAGUERED Subic Bay Freeport boss Richard Gordon has won a three day reprieve stopping the Philippines' new president from sacking him as chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.
Warning on cancer risks from ship oil GERMANY'S statutory seamen's accident insurance Seeberufsgenossenschaft and the Hamburg office for occupational safety Amt fur Arbeitsschutz have warned of the cancer-causing agents in heavy oils, writes Sabina Casagrande, Bonn.
Ailsa-Troon wins '20m Navy deal RESURGENT Scottish shipyard Ailsa-Troon has landed a '20m deal for the construction of a fleet of landing craft, its biggest order in 25 years or more.
Veslefrikk work clinched by Aker Maritime NORWAY'S Aker Maritime has won a NKr800m ($104.3m) turnkey expansion contract on Statoil's Veslefrikk B platform. It has also doubled its shareholding in Trondheim-based Bronnteknologiutvikling AS to 68% in order to strengthen its position in well products and zone isolation technology.
Bunker prices to rise in Sri Lanka CEYLON Petroleum Corp's decision to divert supplies of furnace oil to meet fuel requirements at thermal power stations is likely to lead to a significant increase in bunker prices.
PNOC to privatise tanker subsidiary PHILIPPINE National Oil Co is reviving a plan to privatise its tanker subsidiary following a failure to pursue a deal with Manila-based Herma Tankers.
Restraining order calms Subic Bay tension OLONGAPO Regional Trial Court has issued a temporary restraining order preventing the appointment of Felicito Payumo as the new chairman of Subic Bay Maritime Authority.
Stowaways now a major issue for South Africa EIGHTEEN West African stowaways were landed in Durban, South Africa, last week from a vessel carrying timber to India.
Moody's downgrades Mitsui Engineering MOODY'S Investor Services has downgraded the debt rating of Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding from Ba 3 to B1.
Pacific Ports pursues its former chairman PACIFIC Ports of Hong Kong says it would pursue civil litigation against former chairman John Chan despite the dropping of fraud charges against him.
ITF names 20 worst owners and managers TWENTY shipowners, managers and manning agents with the worst record of abuse of seafarers and substandard shipping were named by the ITF today.
Crew and stevedore fatalities highlighted THE current level of fatalities on ships is unacceptable, according to Karl Lumbers of Thomas Miller P&I.
Fruit capacity upgrade for Rotterdam KLOOSTERBOER Fruitterminal Rotterdam is planning to expand its storage capacity by 50 per cent.
Asbestosis could plague next two decades CLAIMS resulting from asbestosis could plague the shipping industry well into the next millennium, according to Alan Kelman, attorney at Jacques Admiralty.
PSA Corp sets sights on India PSA Corp is set to expand business in India by developing container terminals at two strategic locations in the country.
New York & New Jersey cuts port charges THE port of New York & New Jersey will cut charges by 60 per cent on certain cargoes from today.
Washington ferry suffers electrical problems THE large double-ended ferry, recently delivered by the Todd Pacific Shipyard to Washington State Ferries, will enter service two weeks late because of an electrical failure.
US Harbour Maintenance Tax plan delayed THE Clinton administration's proposal to replace the Harbor Maintenance Tax will not be released today as originally planned.
Bremer Vulkan investigation 'almost completed' BREMEN state prosecutors have "almost completed" investigating allegations against former Bremer Vulkan chairman Friedrich Hennemann, the prosecutor's office said.
Export containers stranded in Chennai port ACUTE congestion at Chennai port could lead to the cancellation of contracts on export coffee in containers waiting outside the port.
Newbuilding boost for Comanav COMANAV, the Moroccan national line, has boosted its weekly North Europe/Morocco with the introduction of a 506 teu capacity newbuilding.
Fredriksen and Mercur extend Jahre Viking deadline SEA Transport and Mercur Tankers have agreed to postpone the deadline for completing the sale of the world's largest ship.
Guayaquil awards terminal concession ECUADOR'S port of Guayaquil has awarded an association of Ecuadorian companies and a company from El Salvador, the concession to operate a grain and multipurpose terminal.
Cosco to lift stake in container maker COSCO subsidiaries have agreed to inject yuan 35.84m ($4m) into container manufacturer Shanghai Far East Container and increase their combined shareholdings in the company.
Exercice 1997 plus que satisfaisant pour Fritz Companies Le groupe américain d'expédition et de logistique Fritz Companies a conclu l'exercice (terminé le 31 mai dernier) sur une hausse de 12,4% du chiffre d'affaires brut et une hausse de 9,6% du CA net. A l'instar de nombreuses entreprises, Fritz est parvenu a mieux maîtriser ses coûts et à gérer ses activités opérationnelles d'une manière plus efficace, ce qui résulte logiquement par de meilleurs résultats. Les actionnaires ne peuvent que se réjouir de ce résultat: le dividende s'élèvera à 50 cents, contre 1 cent l'année dernière.
La FNTR face à la libéralisation du cabotage routier La Fédération Nationale des Transporteurs Routiers (FNTR, Paris), estime que la libéralisation totale du cabotage routier offre aux entreprises une formidable opportunité de développement. C'est pourquoi elle joue "Banco pour l'Europe". Mais l'ouverture totale du marché pose le problème des distorsions de concurrence avec une acuité nouvelle. D'où un bémol qui complète le banco: à condition de pouvoir miser "Egaux sur la route".
Les plans de gestion des déchets désormais obligatoires pour les navires Outre le Code ISM, une autre réglementation de l'Organisation Maritime Mondiale est entrée en vigueur hier. Tous les navires de plus de 400 t.b., toutes les unités pouvant transporter plus de quinze personnes et toutes les plates-formes fixes ou flottantes doivent disposer d'un "Garbage Management Plan", un plan de gestion des déchets, à partir du premier juillet 1998. Le plan doit comprendre les prescriptions et procédures pour la collecte, l'entreposage, le traitement et l'élimination des déchets. A l'instar des autres plans de lutte conte la pollution, une personne responsable devra être désignée.
Le programme européen de normes d'émissions affectera peu le coût des nouvelles voitures Comme nous l'annoncions hier, les ministres européens de l'Environnement et le parlement européen sont tombés d'accord sur un train de mesure destiné à réduire sensiblement la pollution générée par le transport routier. Les autorités européennes tablent sur une réduction de 70% par voiture par rapport aux normes d'émission en vigueur à l'heure actuelle.
MPC slashes port char The Melbourne Port Corporation has reduced its charges - effective from I July. During the 1998/99 financial year wharfage charges on full containers will be reduced by 3.8 per cent to $33 per TEU. This reduction follows last year's 8.5 per cent decrease. An additional 15 per cent reduction will apply to 40 ft loaded export containers in what the MPC says is "an effort to address Melbourne's current imbalance between imported and exported 40 ft containers. The MPC is also reducing wharfage on empty containers, the price of which will fall by 59.9 per cent to $4 per TEU. The MPC said that "shipping lines calling at the Port of Melbourne will benefit from a substantial reduction in wharfage on empty containers".
Qld seeks formal access approval Queensland has become the second Australian state to formally seek regulatory approval for its rail access regime. The National Competition Council said this week it had received an application from the Queensland government under the Trade Practices Act 1974 for the Council to recommend that the access regime for rail services established by Queensland be certified as "effective". It has called for submissions from interested parties to assist it in the task of assessing the Queensland government's application.
ACCC stumbling block remains The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is still awaiting information from the Maritime Union of Australia to decide on the future of its legal action against the union. A spokeswoman for the ACCC told DCN yesterday that contrary to advice from union sources to the DCN, the material requested at a meeting last week has not yet been received. The legal action, alleging anti-competitive behavior and secondary boycotts during the dispute between Patrick and the MUA, is now the only stumbling block towards settling the matter.
SPC to abolish empty box charge The decision by the Sydney Ports Corporation to abolish the empty container charge has been welcomed by the industry. The chief executive officer of Liner Shipping Services, Llew Russell, told DCN yesterday the announcement was very welcome, even if the decision would not be implemented until the beginning of next year. Mr Russell said his organisation along with a number of other industry bodies had campaigned for years to have the charge removed. Shipowners see empty containers as part of a ship's equipment which should not invite a separate charge.
Devil will continue to appear in Bass Strait TT-Line announced yesterday it had chartered Incat's latest 95 metre fast passenger/car ferry to provide an increased number of peak season services between Melbourne and George Town from 12 December the new vessel, which is still under construction at Incat's Hobart yard will retain the same name as the 91-metre fast ferry TT-Line chartered from Incat last season and which has since been sold to Bay Ferries of Canada.
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