• HK, S.China should cooperate to face competitor ports: Hutchison
  It expects slower growth due to more direct shipments, not S China competition
• Osprey reaffirms commitment to Indonesia
• Johor Port wthdraws plan to finance new Sri Lanka port
• China shipbuilders target home market
• Egypt impounds Liberian tanker after it hit terminal

• No slowdown in air cargo this year: U-Freight MD
  Rise in Asian exports expected, company will continue to expand in China
• Noise study permits 40,000 more flights at Schiphol
• SALE exercises options for 2 more Airbus
• Toyota expanding Wales plant
• Asia will recover to become biggest car market: Ford exec
• Hyundai to corner India market with new model
• AirTran downplays re-named carrier's new safety problems

• More cars for overtaxed roads
  New and better cars will be available this year but Britons will still face delays driving on an inadequate road system

• Westport gets biggest vessel call
• U-Freight bears up in windy city
• Time to change for S. Black Ltd.
• China declares war on illegal freight forwarders
• Lauritzen commission falls to Japan
• SAS Cargo consolidates operations at Newark
• Continental and Eva code-share earns DOT approval
• Code-sharing a possibility between MAS and KLM

• Minister sceptical about Schiphol
• Commercenet Netherlands and platform launched
• Electronic Commerce Platform Nederland founded
• Mobile datacom via TV frequencies
• Employers demand high investments in infrastructure

• Nonostante il boom dell'attività il «libro verde» Ue attento solo agli scali del Nord Porti mediterranei da record ma l'Europa non se ne accorge
• Varato un piano di investimenti destinati al turismo e alle merci. A Napoli la leadership
  per il traffico passeggeri
• Pronto lo sbarco Evergreen (con 500mila container) sulle banchine di Taranto
• Crociere, caccia aperta alle «stazioni marittime»

• Livorno - Psa entra in Sinport, che due anni fa si accordò per la Darsena Toscana. E Msc che fine ha fatto?
  Fermento nel mondo dello shipping, specialmente a Singapore
• Livorno - Il «decreto Burlando» di fine anno stanzia 120 miliardi. Partita-bis per completare l'escavo
• Livorno - Bonifiche. Progetto «Bofopoli» ovvero destinazione Europa

• US listing for Royal Olympic
  ROYAL Olympic Cru-ises has launched an initial public offering aimed at raising around $90m to support its plans for fleet development.
• Drillship dragged from causeway
  TEN minutes, four tugs, high tide and a little luck have helped port officials drag the stricken drillship Discovery Enterprise off the causeway bridge in northern Spain, writes Bruce McMichael.
• Irish Continental sees leap in profits
  BUOYED by strong growth in Irish Ferries passenger traffic and container services, Dublin-based Irish Continental Group has announced a big advance in profit.
• China Shipbuilding record
  CHINA State Shipbuilding has announced record revenue and output results for 1997. The dominant shipbuilding institution said ship sales at its yards in 1997 amounted to Yuan22bn ($2.65bn) in 1997, a 15.8% improvement on 1996, writes Matthew Flynn, Hong Kong Correspondent.
• BC Ferries looking at sale and leaseback plan
  BRITISH Columbia Ferry Corporation, which is more than C$800m (US$557m) in debt, is considering the sale and leaseback of some of its fleet, including the high-speed catamarans now under construction in North Vancouver, the company has confirmed.
• Dutch open probe into Stena ferry accident
  DUTCH authorities are to launch an inquiry into the accident aboard the Stena Discovery amid claims that the vessel may have been travelling too fast in the prevailing weather conditions during a crossing between Harwich and the Hook of Holland earlier this month.
• Only two bids for Subic Bay container port
  ONLY two firms have submitted formal bids for the controversial Subic Bay Container Terminal Project amid fears of an economic slowdown and a pending court case against Subic Bay authorities.
• Maersk buys stake in PSA's Dalian venture
  DENMARK'S Maersk Group has acquired an undisclosed stake in the Dalian Container Terminal in China from PSA Corporation, the Singapore port operator which has a 49% interest in the terminal.

• Collision bulker to be towed from Kattegat
  THE upturned bulk carrier Altnes, which collided with the general cargoship Shannon in the Kattegat yesterday, remains close to the site of the accident.
• Greek seafarers announce January 15 strike
  THE Panhellenic Seamen's Federation (PNO) has announced a 24-hour strike of all Greek seamen employed on Greek flag vessels for tomorrow, January 15.
• Lerenius to negotiate with Swedish unions
  STENA Line's board of directors has commissioned company president Bo Lerenius to negotiate with Swedish unions regarding the proposed organisational change.
• Stena revises its profit forecast upwards
  GOTHENBURG-based ferry operator Stena Line is adjusting its profit forecast for the 1997 financial year upwards to Skr150m.
• Rio terminals are sold to private operators
  PRIVATISATION of terminals at the Brazilian port of Rio de Janeiro has taken a step further with the sale of the paper and sugar terminals.
• Currency turmoil hits Philippines ferry line
  WILLIAM Gothong & Aboitiz (WG&A), the largest domestic shipping operator in the Philippines, has succumbed to the currency turmoil gripping Asia.
• ISF to discuss STCW fears with Philippines
  THE ISF has finalised plans to send a fact-finding mission to the Philippines next month to discuss fears over compliance with the revised STCW Convention
• Montreal shakes off effects of ice storm
  THE Port of Montreal is shaking off the effects of a savage ice storm which cut electricity to homes and businesses in much of western Quebec and eastern Ontario
• Coal Carriers for NYK and bulkers for Wah Kwong
  AN order for three coal bulkers with one option has been placed with Oshima Shipbuilding of Japan by NYK.
• Small Florida port expands
  PANAMA City port in Florida is aiming to make its mark in industrial cargo and is expanding its exports by operating an industrial park.
• South American liner companies upgrade services
  INCREASING competition from northern carriers has forced local operators to upgrade regional services out of South America.
• Lloyd's appoints Australian corporate member
  A SECOND Australian-owned corporate member of Lloyd's has been approved to write marine and other insurance business.
• Grand Alliance expands
  GRAND Alliance members expect to deploy nearly 100 ships on east-west trades this year.

• Les redevances pour l'infrastructure ferroviaire seront-elles sources de distorsion de la concurrence?
  Le paysage ferroviaire européen subit actuellement une importante modification avec la mise en service des premiers corridors ferroviaires appelés "freightways", qui sont susceptibles de devenir des "freeways"... L'importance de cette évolution réside dans la promotion du rail via une accélération des trafics sur des axes précis, via une rationalisation des processus d'approche de la clientèle désormais confrontée à un seul interlocuteur chargé de la vente. Evolution positive donc, mais qui n'en laisse pas moins certains opérateurs et les chargeurs dans un climat d'incertitude pour ce qui a trait à l'aspect prix. L'exploitation des services étant désormais séparée de celle de l'infrastructure, quel sera le prix de la redevance présenté aux utilisateurs pour l'usage de ladite infrastructure ferroviaire? N'y a-t-il pas là un danger de voir les prix du transport ferroviaire augmenter?
• Grand Alliance met l'accent sur Hambourg
  Le groupe Grand Alliance désormais composé de Hapag-Lloyd, NOL, NYK, OOCL, P&ONL, et MISC déploiera dès le début du mois de février prochain près de 100 PC dans le cadre de 11 services distincts, dont 7 intéressent l'Europe. Dans ce contexte opérationnel, GA met l'accent sur Hambourg qui bénéficiera désormais de quatre touchées hebdomadaires au lieu de 3 jusqu'ici. Cette évolution est d'autant plus logique qu'il s'agit tout d'abord d'un port qui a toujours été très important dans les trafics avec l'Asie, qu'il s'agit ensuite du port de base du partenaire allemand et enfin, qu'il y a intérêt à s'y développer au moment ou un grand concurrent y réduit sa présence.
• La première phase de restructuration de l'APEC est-elle terminée?
  Comme nous l'avons mentionné dans nos éditions du 1er octobre et du 20 novembre de l'année dernière, l'Antwerp Port Engineering & Consulting (APEC) se trouve à l'aube d'une deuxième jeunesse. Il faut cependant que l'organisation, créée en 1997, s'adapte aux exigences imposées par le gouvernement flamand et pas l'AGCD aux associations sans but lucratif. La première étape de la restructuration nécessaire viendrait d'être franchie.
• Panalpina Belgique signe un contrat avec Fina Congo
  La semaine dernière, Panalpina Belgique a signé un contrat pour la coordination et la réexpédition de marchandises par voie maritime, destinées à Fina Congo, plus précisément Banana et Moanda (à l'embouchure du fleuve Congo). Il y a deux mois, les deux entreprises ont déjà signé un contrat identique, mais pour le fret aérien. Via ce "one stop shopping", Fina Congo se garantit la fluidité des transports du matériel et des pièces de rechange nécessaires pour les plate-formes de forage et les pipelines.

• Transport budget to rise 10% in '99
• UPS, pilots pick up where they left off
• Analysts: UP loss could be disastrous
• New Hong Kong airport delay welcomed
• Iran shipping group gains certification
• Obituary
• Single rail union proposal faces a fight
• Automated ships could end flagging-out crisis in Greece
• Rail association to restructure
• Divers attempt to seal sunken oil barge in gulf
• Salvage team works to refloat vessel grounded in Alaska
• Smooth-sailing yards can expect slowdown this year

• Patrick set to straddle the nation
  A further step in Patrick’s nationwide re-equipment of its major container terminals is underway with the conversion of Brisbane’s Fisherman Islands facility to full straddle operations and the consolidation of the Fremantle terminal as a forklift, ITV facility.
• Freight industry headed for further consolidation
  Increasing pressure on rail freight operators to lift volumes and forge commercial alliances with customers on the highly competitive east-west rail corridor appears to have spawned a new alliance between Specialised Container Transport and the K&S Group. Revelations yesterday of a possible tie-up between the companies follows strong industry speculation that a deal is being negotiated and is close to being announced.
• Bonus issues ‘complex’
  Representatives of Patrick and the Maritime Union of Australia met in Melbourne yesterday to discuss the complex issue of productivity bonuses. It is thought that several meetings might be necessary to address the company’s concerns which yesterday were being addressed at state level.
• Deep sea port options out next week
  Final recommendations on South Australia’s deep sea port investigation will be released next Thursday. The chairman of the Grains Section of South Australian Farmers Federation and the Deep Sea port investigation Committee, John Lush, said yesterday one of the options was a $52 million development of facilities at Port Adelaide and Port Giles.
• Clean-up continues
  Flood ravaged northern Queensland continued its massive clean-up yesterday as some vital transport links re-opened to traffic after several days. The recently upgraded main rail line between Townsville and Cairns was expected to remain closed until at least the weekend, but the main line south of Townsville reopened yesterday with minerals traffic on the western Townsville expected to re-open last night.