World-Wide and Navix in bulk link Two of the world's leading bulk shipping groups, World-Wide Shipping of Hong Kong and Japan's Navix Line, are establishing a joint venture to pool bulk carriers and tankers.
NOL chiefs take pay cuts of up to 10% Top executives at Neptune Orient Lines, the Singapore national carrier, have taken pay cuts of up to 10%, writes Edward Ion, Asia Editor, Singapore.
James Fisher lifts half-year dividend Strong first-half growth in underlying profit encouraged James Fisher to lift the interim dividend by more than 16%.
Philippines poised for Japan maritime loans THE Philippines is set to receive Peso11Bn ($256m) in loans from Japan to modernise its maritime sector.
Asia crisis halts Dalian niche business Asia's deepening financial crisis has brought to a halt orders for what had been a promising niche product for China's Dalian Shipyard - building 46,000 dwt chemical tankers.
China defies flooding to maintain steel output Chinese steel mills have by-and-large been able to maintain production through nearly three months of flooding on the country's major rivers, Damien McElroy reports from Beijing.
P&O interim earnings rise SHARES in shipping to construction group P&O had a roller-coaster day on the London market after the company announced a rise in underlying half-year profit to '151.7m ($247.5m), from '131.2m.
Waller pushed out as NCL restructures Norwegian Cruise Line has announced it is making its London office UK and Europe director Andrew Waller redundant as part of moves to restructure the company's business.
Brazil faces port delays A WORK-to-rule policy by Brazil's customs employees is set to delay the import and export of all products nationwide this week.
Tug crewman drowns in capsize THE body of a crewman has been recovered from the tug Trijnie that capsized this morning at Milford Haven in Wales while manouevering the 12,812 dwt tanker Tillerman.
Navix/World-Wide form joint venture JAPANESE operator Navix Line and World-Wide Shipping have agreed to set up a joint venture company, Searex Maritime, in Panama to charter in dry bulk carriers and tankers.
NOL slashes salaries SINGAPORE shipowner Neptune Orient Lines has cut the salary of its top executives by up to ten per cent in a series of austerity measures.
Lagos dockers go back DOCKERS in the Nigerian port of Lagos went back to work yesterday following a strike by dockers called on September 4 in response to a shooting incident.
Shipping matters blamed for Anwar downfall MALAYSIA'S sacked former deputy president Anwar Ibrahim has attributed part of his dramatic political downfall last week to disagreement over national shipping matters.
Hoverspeed takes Tasmanian safety system LIFERAFT Systems Australia has won a A$1.3m ($760,000) contract to supply English Channel ferry operator, Hoverspeed, with its Marine Evacuation Systems (MES) product.
Kinnock intervenes in French strike EUROPEAN transport minister Neil Kinnock has stepped in to resolve a truckers' strike that has brought chaos today to French ports and borders.
Cruises bolster P&O profits A SURGE in profitability for P&O cruise operations has helped balance mainly disappointing results from its other shipping operations.
Inchcape acquires Patrick Sleigh INCHCAPE Shipping Services (ISS) has acquired Patrick Sleigh Shipping Agencies from Howard Smith.
ECF finalises freight-ferry plan THE newly-formed, UK-based East Coast Ferries has finalised the chartering of two ro-ro vessels for the England-France freight service it plans to start next month.
Chennai congestion mounts MORE than 30 vessels are waiting to berth at the strike-ridden Indian port of Chennai as the action initiated by mooring crews on August 30 has spread to the entire marine department.
Davie shipyard closed until further notice THE Davie Industries shipyard at Levis, Quebec has been closed until further notice by owner Dominion Bridge of Montreal.
La collaboration entre DFDS et Danzas est officielle La déclaration d'intention signée par Danzas et DFDS il y a deux mois (voir LL 14.07) dans le but de développer un réseau européen commun pour le transport d'envois de groupage et de lots partiels, est officielle. Les deux parties ont signé le contrat définitif qui entrera en vigueur le 1er octobre prochain. Les deux entreprises étudient actuellement quelles sont les possibilités de participations croisées afin de renforcer cette coopération. Une première conséquence de ce partenariat, est le retrait de DFDS du réseau Team.
L'échevin Delwaide demande une étude sur la plus-value d'un aéroport fret à Anvers L'emplacement d'un aéroport fret près d'Anvers est secondaire. Ce qui importe, c'est de réaliser d'abord une étude sur la plus-value éventuelle d'un tel aéroport fret. Telle est la substance d'une récente conférence de presse donnée par l'échevin du port d'Anvers Leo Delwaide.
"Positive" outlook as P&O profits rise First half pre-tax profits at the P&O shipping to construction and property group rose 12% to GBP 138 million on turn-over up from GBP 2.88 billion to GBP 3.12 billion. Total operating profit before reorganisation costs of GBP 9.6 million increased from GBP 226.6 million in 1997 to GBP 233.2 million. Headline profits before reorganisation were 16% ahead at GBP 151.7 million.
Les routiers français ont tenu promesse La journée d'action et d'information organisée hier mardi par l'ITF (avec la FST dans l'UE) semble avoir été un succès. Les chauffeurs routiers français - les plus militants d'Europe - ont mis à exécution leur menace de bloquer une vingtaine de postes-frontière, mais pour le reste, les actions se sont généralement limitées dans les autres pays à la distribution de tracts aux chauffeurs et aux automobilistes. Les seuls barrages dressés en dehors de France l'ont été au Portugal et au Brenner.
No foreign crews push: ASA While so-called second registers established in some countries have provided for the employment of foreign crews, that is not the aim of local owners pursuing a second register in Australia, according to the Australian Shipowners Association. The ASA's manager maritime policy, Bob Hartley, was responding yesterday to news reports that MUA deputy national secretary Paddy Crumlin had rejected the introduction of a second register on the grounds it would lead to Australian crews being replaced by cheaper foreign crews. "Our position is quite clear," Mr Crumlin said. "That's the equivalent of introducing guest labor into an Australian industry.
Sydney to get indy CTO next year Independent cargo terminal operations could finally begin at Sydney's Kingsford Smith Airport from early next year, Sydney Airport revealed yesterday. Two foreign-owned groups -- Cargo Service Center Australia Pty Ltd and BOC Cargo Services Australia -- will join incumbent CTO providers Ansett and Australian air Express in final negotiations with the airport for new CTO licenses and the right to develop new cargo facilities. Australia's biggest CTO, Qantas, has a separate long-term agreement for continued operations at the airport until 2017. Sydney Airport freight manager Mike Halleen described the calibre of the successful tenders as "incredible" and indicated the airport had agreed to build the proposed CTO facilities on the northern land site rather than two other on-airport sites which were also under consideration.
Dutch seek foothold Melbourne: The world's largest dedicated air cargo handling company -- the Dutch-owned Cargo Service Center -- is one of four groups nominated to build CTO facilities at Sydney Airport. The chief executive of CSC's operations in Australia David Murray told DCN yesterday that the Dutch holding company was hoping to get a foothold in the lucrative Australasian air freight market, despite the recent downturn in the region's economic climate. "We see it as part of our global strategy -- we need to be represented in this part of the world because we have client airlines who fly in here." He said the company, which has 76 CTO stations in 22 countries worldwide, was initially targeting investment in dedicated on-airport CTO facilities in Sydney, Brisbane, Auckland and possibly Melbourne.
BSA to slot charter in interim deal An agreement in principle is about to be reached between Maersk Line and Blue Star Line to continue operations on the east coast Australia-north and east Asia route until January 1999. While the agreement has still to be signed, it is understood that when the current arrangements end in October, Maersk Line will be providing the vessels and Blue Star Line will charter slots on those ships. It is possible that one or two of the existing Blue Star Line ships, the Australia Star and the Choyang Sydney, will be chartered-in by Maersk. This, however, remains to be confirmed. This time-frame will allow Blue Star Line to decide on which course it wants to pursue in the trade.
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