UK owners face training penalty UK shipowners who fail to shoulder the responsibility of maritime training may be penalised as part of a new government strategy under discussion.
Iran frees Smit captives held for seven months THREE Smit International seafarers have been reunited with their families following their release by the Iranian authorities after more than six months in captivity.
Philippine ports sector faces uncertain outlook MARKET watchers are divided in their view of Philippine port operators. Some are convinced things are looking up for the sector while others still have their doubts, Dow Jones reports.
Namibia seeks port help THE Namibian government has appealed to the world's largest port, Rotterdam, for assistance to help it expand the port of Walvis Bay.
Harbour upkeep tax gets thumbs down THE US Supreme Court has ruled that the country's controversial harbour maintenance fee, assessed since 1986 against all waterborne cargoes, is contrary to the US constitution when applied to exports.
Boston shippers may lose out over refunds THE US Supreme Court ruling that the ad valorem Harbour Maintenance Tax is unconstitutional when applied to export cargoes could cost Port of Boston shippers as much as they receive in court-ordered tax refunds from the federal government, writes Joel Glass.
Indonesia set to merge state shipping firms THE Indonesian Ministry of Transportation is set to merge the country's three state shipping companies into one, in addition to the merger of the archipelago's four port management companies, it has been reported.
Access to Jebel Ali port to be dredged MARKING its return to the Persian Gulf after an absence of eight years, Belgium's Dredging International is to conduct a port maintenance project at the port of Jebel Ali using the 11,300 cu m trailing suction hopper dredger Vlaanderen 18.
Barcelona begins talks with Rotterdam BARCELONA port authorities are hoping to sign a strategic alliance with the port of Rotter-dam to consider joint bids for ports being privatised outside Europe.
Brazil approves new orders BRAZIL'S government, worried by increasing unemployment, has approved new shipbuilding orders.
Luzon free zone attracts overseas interest THREE international firms are interested in forming a joint venture with the Philippine state-run Bases Conversion Development Authority to develop an economic and freeport zone in Luzon.
RCCL moves to number two in Oslo RAPIDLY expanding Royal Caribbean Cruises has become the second most capitalised company listed on the Oslo stock exchange.
Nhava Sheva appoints HSBC NHAVA Sheva International Container Terminal has appointed Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corp as its sole arranger of debt finance.
Greek ports to strike again GREEK port workers unions have announced a 48-hour nationwide strike for April 8 and 9.
P&O Nedlloyd completes Blue Star acquisition P&O Nedlloyd has completed its acquisition of Blue Star Line's container shipping business.
Vancouver handles biggest ever food-aid shipment VANCOUVER has handled its largest ever shipment of food aid, destined for Afghanistan.
UK taxation 'should be brought into line' THE UK's tax rules for shipping should be "brought into line with those of our European competitors," said David Cobb, executive chairman of James Fisher & Sons
Patrick refuses to rule out mass sackings AUSTRALIAN stevedoring company Patrick has refused in court to rule out sacking its workforce en masse as a result of mounting losses
Australia reviews Navigation Act AUSTRALIA has begun a two-stage review of its 86-year-old Navigation Act with a view to modernising it.
Mitsui Engineering slashes jobs JAPAN'S Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding announced yesterday that it aims to cut 500 employees from its workforce by March 2001.
Ukraine confirms carrier sale A UKRAINE official has confirmed the sale of the aircraft carrier Varyag to a tourism company for $20m.
BHP's Hawaiian refinery sold TEXAS-based Tesoro Petroleum has agreed to purchase the BHP Americas Refining oil refinery on Oahu Island in the Hawaiian Islands.
SCI wins Indian oil work INDIA'S government has given Shipping Corp of India authority to charter ships to carry crude oil for the Oil Co-ordination Committee.
Filipino crews face increasing competition GROWING competition and the depressed market have sparked fears of harder times ahead for Filipino seafarers.
Jinhui sails into the red OSLO-listed Chinese carrier Jinhui Shipping has reported a $8.53m loss for last year, compared with a profit of $5.91m in 1996.
Autocare Europe se développe sur des créneaux de marché sur l'axe est/ouest Autocare Europe (ACE), opérateur ferroviaire spécialisé dans le transport automobile, est né il y a cinq ans en tant que filiale conjointe des chemins de fer belges et britanniques, de Ferry-Boats et de Cobelfret. A la veille de l'ouverture du tunnel sous la Manche, l'objectif était de générer en premier lieu des trafics dans cette direction, mais la réalité en a décidé autrement. Les producteurs automobiles accordent une grande importance aux coûts. De plus, les ferries avaient réalisé une telle offre, qu'ils assuraient la navette dans les mêmes délais de temps que le tunnel sous la Manche. La compagnie s'est alors orientée vers l'axe est-ouest, et non sans succès. ACE s'est en effet développé en un important opérateur de niche qui forme désormais un maillon indispensable dans la chaîne logistique offerte par le groupe Cobelfret.
Belgique: Daerden prié de libéraliser plus rapidement le secteur fluvial Les Pays-Bas, on le sait, ont la ferme intention de libéraliser un an plus tôt que prévu, c'est-à-dire au 1er décembre de cette année, leurs systèmes de tour-de-rôle et de frets obligatoires. Un débat est attendu ces jours-ci au sein de la Deuxième Chambre afin de modifier la loi qui régit actuellement le transport fluvial aux Pays-Bas.
La CE souhaite réduire l'émission de CO2 de moitié d'ici 2010 La Commission européenne a publié un rapport sur les moyens de réduire l'émission de CO2 par le transport routier de personnes et de marchandises afin de respecter les accords conclus lors de la conférence climatologique des Nations Unies à Kyoto. Cette émission représente 26% de l'émission totale de CO2 dans l'Union européenne. Si l'Europe ne prend pas de mesures coordonnées, ce taux pourrait augmenter jusqu'à 40% d'ici 2010.
Rail freight shunted out of Sydney metro Weekday rail freight services will be shunted out of the Sydney metropolitan area for two weeks, starting from April 3 as part of State Rail's first "dress rehearsal for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. State Rail has scheduled freight trains at night or diverted them around the area to avoid passenger train problems during the two-week Royal Sydney Easter Show being held at the Olympic Homebush Bay site.
Maritime union awaits Patrick '$5 sale' The national secretary of the Maritime union of Australia, John Coombs yesterday accused Patrick of attempting to introduce "United State industrial thuggery" to the Australian waterfront. Mr Coombs told DCN he was absolutely certain that Patrick would sack its workforce on or about April 14 and place the company into liquidation.
WS says Dampier viability at risk Western Stevedores director John Peraldini has indicated that the viability of its Dampier stevedoring operation will be seriously threatened if its exclusive stevedoring rights at the port are taken away. He said the company's contract with the Dampier Port Authority committed it to meet cost structures for managing the berth which would be difficult if the company lost part of its revenue.
Govt begins two-stage review of Nav Act. Workplace Relations Minister Peter Reith announced yesterday that the government has begun a two-stage review of the Navigation Act 1912. DCN understands that the intended outcome is to take the industrial relations element out of the Navigation Act, and hand it back to industry to be handled in conformity with the Workplace Relations Act.
BHPT, Daiichi join hands for Capesize order BHP Transport and Japanese ship operator Daiichi Chuo Kisen Kaisha have confirmed a joint order for a 185,000 DWT bulk carrier - due for delivery in 2000 - from Korea's Samsung Shipbuilding and Heavy Industries. BHPT said Daiichi is one of its "most substantial and significant contract holders" and the two companies have a long and close relationship extending to most of BHP's international shipping trades, particularly those of BHP Minerals and BHP steel.
Is the Surface Transportation Board merely a cipher dutifully carrying out congressional instructions? Or is it an independent policy-making agency? Those questions fueled ardent debate between STB Chairman Linda Morgan and Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D.-W.Va., when the Surface Transportation Subcommittee held what is likely to be its only hearing on STB reauthorization. Morgan was treated to a bipartisan display of displeasure toward the board's handling of railroad mergers and captive shipper rate complaints. Morgan defended her agency's record, and asked for a five-year reauthorization with no substantive changes.
Eliminating operating crew fatigue and determining the technical dimensions of a train collision-avoidance system are emerging as principal issues in congressional reauthorization of a federal rail safety program. FRA Administrator Jolene Molitoris intends to rivet FRA's collaborative Safety Assurance and Compliance Program on employee fatigue, which is blamed for as many as one-third of all train accidents.
Money here, money there, money everywhere. There's money all around in the record-breaking $217 billion and $214 billion highway bills approved by the House and the Senate, respectively. Trucking interests are ecstatic over the prospect of a 40 percent rise in federal spending on highways. Plus, there's the added bonus that the Highway Trust Fund would be taken off budget, if conferees agree to the House version of the bill. President Clinton is threatening a veto of this potentially budget-busting bill, but highway backers say there's money in the trust fund to cover everything.
Overriding the objections of both Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe, the STB will consider a bid by the Texas Mexican Railway and its part owner, the Kansas City Southern, to acquire trackage between Houston and Beaumont, Texas, and other property from congestion-plagued Union Pacific. The STB decision could lead to consideration of a number of proposals that would impose additional conditions on the UP-Southern Pacific merger, specifically to address service problems in Houston and the Gulf Coast area.
The U.S. Postal Service wants to be the first to cultivate China as a booming mail order market. Through its three-year-old Global Package Link service, the USPS is courting small to midsize businesses to print up catalogs and let the Postal Service do the rest. Thanks to its arrangement with China Post, the USPS is able to offer a local partner for U.S. companies wishing to peddle their products in the huge, virtually untapped market.
It's been a mad March for Asian cargo coming into the United States, and April looks even crazier. "We've never seen anything like it," said Thomas M. Eskesen, director of strategic line management for Maersk Line's Pacific service. But carriers aren't exactly clapping their hands for joy - they're holding them out and asking for more money. They're planning freight increases - not, they say, to take advantage of the busy shipping season, but to make up for the losses they've incurred because of a drop in rates.
Hellmann International Forwarders wouldn't have jumped headlong into the perishables business last year if it hadn't been for the Internet. The Miami-based forwarder has created a website devoted to shippers of perishables. It shows its customers not only where their shipment is, but its temperature and quality as well. Still in the works is an application that will allow buyers of perishables to place orders through the website.
Hellmann International Forwarders wouldn't have jumped headlong into the perishables business last year if it hadn't been for the Internet. The Miami-based forwarder has created a website devoted to shippers of perishables. It shows its customers not only where their shipment is, but its temperature and quality as well. Still in the works is an application that will allow buyers of perishables to place orders through the website.
Maybe it's the unseasonably warm weather. Or that mysterious antigravity force that's been puzzling scientists. Whatever the reason, the urge to merge has led to a surge of acquisitions, mergers and partnerships among supply-chain software companies. Warehouse software vendor Optum Software announced it will merge with transportation software developer Metasys, while United Parcel Service and PeopleSoft agreed to integrate their software distribution and order management software.
Railways and the Canadian Wheat Board have come out swinging at the start of public hearings by the Canadian Transportation Agency into last winter's grain transportation problems. Almost lost in the legal jousting has been the fact that this winter grain has moved smoothly.
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