'Derbyshire' inquiry reopens BRITISH deputy prime minister John Prescott announced yesterday the re-opening of the investigation into the sinking of the bulk carrier Derbyshire, the biggest British ship ever lost at sea.
Neptune's takeover of APL costs 1,600 jobs NEPTUNE Orient Lines' takeover of American President Lines has resulted in around 1,600 job losses at a retrenchment cost of almost $45m, the company said yesterday.
Reefer owners feel the pinch of competition THE refrigerated fruit cargo sector is undergoing a battle with the smaller container lines, which are slashing freight rates in a bid to break into traditional reefer trades.
Expanded fleet helps Global to double income GLOBAL Ocean Carriers has announced a doubling of net income last year to $2.1m from $1.1m in 1996.
'Derbyshire' study rejects frame 65 failure theory SHE was the biggest ship under the British flag. One day in September 1980, Bibby Bros' 169,044 dwt bulk carrier Derbyshire sank suddenly with the loss of 44 lives.
Italian carrier in US link with CMA FRANCE'S Compagnie Maritime d'Affretement is to go into partnership with Italia di Navigazione on the Mediterranean-US east coast route.
Cosco lines up port project CHINA Ocean Shipping Co's (Cosco) daily liner service starting in December will inaugurate the first phase of an ambitious project to build an international port and industrial city at Taicang on the Yangtze river in eastern China.
Moves to contract out pilot services spark heated debate LEADING maritime industry figures clashed yesterday over the chasm which still exists between ports and pilots over the issue of contracting out services.
Derbyshire inquiry to go ahead UK deputy prime minister John Prescott announced this afternoon that a formal inquiry into the loss of the bulk carrier Derbyshire would go ahead.
ECT secures Trieste concession ECT Rotterdam has secured a 30-year concession on the container terminal at the port of Trieste in north-east Italy.
NY/NJ job guarantee scheme ends THE Port of New York and New Jersey will from next year have no surplus labour and the cost of its Guaranteed Annual Income (GAI) programme will be nil.
Military red tape strangles Guayaquil IMPORTS are being held up at Ecuador's main port of Guayaquil following the introduction of the military to control customs administration.
Australia's first non-union port 'open in April' AUSTRALIA'S first major non-union stevedoring facility will be open for business next month, and a second will follow within three months, according to the operator.
Waterfront and Torm to rename product tanker pool WATERFRONT Shipping from Norway and D/S Torm of Denmark have agreed to rename their product tanker pool TTE Tanker into Torm Waterfront Tankers.
Brisbane fishes for more business BRISBANE Port Authority has shifted its headquarters to Fishermans Islands as the first step in the creation of a six-hectare corporate business park.
CMA links up with Italia FRENCH liner operator CMA has reached a slot exchange agreement with Italia di Navigazione on the US east coast-Mediterranean service.
Sembawang sells roro/heavy lift vessel SEMBAWANG Salvage is set to sell its roro/heavy lift vessel Seahorse I to Dredging International Asia Pacific.
Portnet split in 18 months says Transnet THE creation of two companies out of Portnet, the South African para-statal port authority, will take about 18 months, according to Sakumzi Macozoma, the md of Transnet.
High interest costs hit Osprey OSPREY Maritime has blamed high interest payments for a disappointing 11 per cent rise in net profit to $17.73m on the back of a 79 per cent surge in group revenue.
USCG rules on international certificates THE US Coast Guard confirms it can now authorise classification societies to issue international certificates.
Hyundai, Wan Hai team up on Gulf service SOUTH Korea's Hyundai Merchant Marine and Taiwan's Wan Hai Lines are set to launch a weekly South Korea-Middle East container service on March 21, according to local reports.
Derbyshire broke up after sinking THE findings of an investigation into the loss of the Derbyshire with all 44 crew in 1980 will be announced today and are expected to show that the ship did not break up before it sank.
Lloyd's awarded sums claimed from Names LLOYD'S has been awarded the sums it claims are due from Names as premium under the Equitas reinsurance settlement.
RCCL to raise $300m ROYAL Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCCL) is to raise $300m through issues of senior notes and debentures.
Holyman considers pulling out of Europe HOLYMAN, the Australia-based ferry operator, is considering the sale of all or part of its European ferry services following an A$29.9m ($19.9m) loss for 1997.
Nomadic takes full ownership of two reefers NOMADIC Shipping, the Bergen-based operator of medium-sized reefer vessels, has acquired full ownership in two companies which each own a 265,000 ft³ reefer.
Jaya Holdings' currency switch lifts net earnings SINGAPORE maritime group Jaya Holdings has reported a 160 per cent leap in net earnings to S$9.5m for its first half ending December 31.
CMA et Italia en tandem sur la route Méditerranée/côte est des Etats-Unis Comme nous l'annoncions brièvement hier, CMA et Italia di Navigazione vont lancer à la mi-avril un service conjoint sur la route reliant la Méditerranée à la côte est des Etats-Unis. Un accord d'échange de slots avec marketing distinct a été conclu entre les deux armements, qui aligneront chacun deux porte-containers de 1.700 à 2.000 TEU. Chez CMA, on parle d'une rationalisation qui se traduit par une augmentation de la fréquence et un raccourcissement des délais de transit.
Kinnock veut harmoniser les interdictions de circuler dans l'Union européenne La Commission européenne a proposé aux Etats membres ayant déjà instauré une interdiction de circuler le weekend pour les poids lourds ou qui ont l'intention de le faire, de rationaliser et d'harmoniser leur système au niveau européen. Concrètement, la Commission a proposé une harmonisation des périodes au cours desquelles des limitations peuvent être imposées au transport routier international dans le trafic transeuropéen, à savoir le dimanche de 07.00 à 22.00 h (et jusqu'à 24.00 h en été). La CE souhaite également des règles communes pour la définition des types de véhicules et de transport qui sont exemptés de l'interdiction.
P&O Nedlloyd: commande de cinq PC de 5.500 TEU en perspective Le groupe maritime P&O Nedlloyd, qui connaît une forte expansion, est sur le point de passer commande en Allemagne de cinq PC d'une capacité de 5.500 TEU. Le groupe renforce en outre sa présence dans la région de l'Amazonie en lançant un service feeder entre Manaus et Belem d'une part et les Caraïbes d'autre part.
BOC opening confirms challenge to duopoly IN A LANDMARK event for the Australian air freight industry, BOC Cargo Services officially opened its $10 million air cargo terminal at Melbourne Airport this week, promising to break the handling duopoly held by Qantas and Ansett at airports around Australia. The new 5000 square metre facility is the first phase of the UK-based company's $20 million commitment to Australian air cargo terminals. BOC began operating at the Melbourne site last month, and has also put in a tender to invest in a new cargo facility at Sydney Airport.
Pilot's have frontline obligation: Morris THERE must be no obstacle to pilots discharging their responsibility to report ship safety deficiencies, according to the chairman of the 'Ships of Shame' inquiry, Peter Morris. Addressing the International Pilotage Conference in Brisbane this week, Mr Morris said pilots were often the "first line of defence" against sub-standard ships continuing to operate without sanctions being imposed upon them. He said while some Australian pilots passed ship safety information on to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, such action should be mandatory.
SPS never made profit: liquidators ALTHOUGH the directors of the failed South Pacific Shipping have blamed the introduction of foreign shipping by the new Zealand government for the company's insolvency, the line has never made money, according the liquidator's first report. "The company has only been able to continue trading due to related parties not requiring payment of significant charter hire on the vessels operated," Liquidator Price Waterhouse stated.
Bail-out for NZS victims CREDITORS and employees of New Zealand Stevedoring, now in receivership have been bailed out by "parties associated with" parent company Stevedoring Services of America. Receivers for NZS are to pay the failed company's creditors between $A1.32-1.76 million, not including wages for about 300 ex-workers who will also be paid, at least in part.
Newcastle protest as jousting continues CARGO handling at the port of Newcastle ground to a standstill yesterday when members of the Maritime Union of Australia, joined by several other unions, protested against attempts to remove the maritime union's stranglehold on the waterfront. Meanwhile, Patrick has estimated that the 48 hour strike at its Botany Bay facility had cost the company $1 million, with further losses to come from an overtime ban applied by workers today.
Adriatic ghost haunts brokers THE GHOST of Adriatic Tankers has come back to haunt some of shipping's leading brokers. American bondholders who lost millions of dollars backing failed shipowner Panagis Zissimatos, above, believe there was negligence over the ship valuations provided by the brokers and are seeking compensation. Ship valuations are also at the centre of reports that a US bond issue for Greek owner George Economou has misfired.
Osprey falls from favour THE FAR EAST crisis has become a tale of woe for Singapore's Osprey Maritime. Shipping boss Tim Cottew is fighting off speculation about the company at the same time as he is moving to sell two VLCCs.
Finn money machine ONE SHARE on the way up is that of Baltic ro-ro specialist Finnlines. Its value has climbed steadily under the eight-year leadership of Antti Lagerroos.
Bank ditches Peraticos GREEK SHIPPING patriarch Michael Peraticos is claiming that political string pulling is behind a decision by the National Bank of Greece to sever a 35-year business relationship.
Asia cruise star turn COLIN AU'S star is rising in the east as the new boss of Star Cruises aims to become the major player in the region's cruise industry.
Ukraine's sticky slipway UKRAINIAN shipbuilders know how to roll out the carpet for a ship launch. But Greek owners are growing impatient with delays.
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