Newport News ends civil work The decision to abandon merchant shipbuilding after several tumultuous years may have caught many off-guard with its timing, but not its content, in view of rapidly-mounting losses suffered by the large, New York Stock Exchange-listed shipyard in its off-the-shelf Double Eagle product tanker programme.
Ulstein in Japanese design deal and US acquisition NORWAY'S Ulstein Group has landed a $17m design and equipment deal on the Japanese shipbuilding market, and has signed an agreement to take over a US propeller maker.
Maritime sector 'key to South Korea recovery' KOREA'S newly appointed maritime and fisheries minister has pledged that the Korean maritime sector will help lead the country back to financial stability.
Choyang arrears on supplies and charters CHOYANG Shipping has confirmed that it is behind in its charter payments and accounts to suppliers, but claims it will be out of the woods within several months.
APL head sees further growth of megaports Mr Rhein told the Ports '98 Conference, sponsored by the American Society of Civil Engineers, that working round the clock was the rule in some places, but not in Long Beach or Los Angeles where the practice seemed to be to work for four hours and take a break for two. That would have to change, Mr Rhein said.
Maine agrees Mack Point development AFTER more than two decades of unsuccessful effort, the State of Maine now appears set finally to develop a third major Atlantic cargoport, thanks to successful negotiation of a $19m agreement with two private-sector firms.
Reith warns on Australia union power The farmer-backed, non-union Producers & Consumers Stevedores says it has trained 150 stevedoring staff at its Webb Dock facility in Melbourne, and says it can now run a container operation there. The company is shortly expected to announce the opening of facilities in a second Australian east coast port.
Dragados and Cegelec win multipurpose shuttle tanker deals TWO contracts for the supply of key power and drilling components for the first multipurpose shuttle tanker to be built in Europe have been awarded.
Nissos Amorgos captain not sentenced, says Club THE master of the Nissos Amorgos has not been sentenced, says a spokesman for Gard, the P&I Club acting on behalf of the Greek owners of the vessel,
YICT charts expansion plans YANTIAN International Container Terminals (YICT) in Shenzhen in southern China is to commission a detailed study for a back-up site.
Precious joins Oman joint venture THAILAND'S Precious Shipping says it has signed a Founder Promoters Agreement to invest $14.5m in a joint venture project in Oman.
N&T Argonaut takes on World-Wide vlcc N&T Argonaut has taken delivery of the 286,000 dwt vlcc Argo Medea from a company in the World-Wide Shipping group.
Philippine crewing agency faces fresh charges THE Dutch executive of a Manila-based manning agency is facing a new round of lawsuits before the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration.
Germany ferry company cuts 400 jobs GERMAN company FRS has announced the shedding of 400 jobs as a direct result of the planned abolition of duty free sales in 1999.
Ulstein sells design and equipment ULSTEIN Ship Technolgy has sold ship design expertise for UT-700 type offshore vessels and ships' equipment to the Japanese shipbuilder Imamura Shipbuilding.
Indian government seeks stake in joint ventures INDIA'S government has plans to hold a stake in joint ventures between major ports and the private sector and between Indian Ports and overseas ports.
MPA opens door to foreign officers Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority is to allow non-nationals into the coveted positions of operating local harbour craft following a shortage of local certified officers.
DSR-Senator chief Sager resigns KARL-Heinz Sager has resigned as ceo of DSR-Senator Lines.
Judge dismisses lawsuit against Trasmed A MADRID judge has dismissed a lawsuit launched by minority shareholders of state-controlled ferry operator Trasmediterranea against company managers.
Incat offers Devil Cat to Washington AUSTRALIA'S Incat fast ferry company will make its 91m Devil Cat available to the US Defense Department as part of the Pentagon's search for a rapid-deployment vessel.
ITF warns shipowners on non-union stevedoring SHIPOWNERS have been cautioned by the ITF to "think twice" before signing contracts with Australia's non-union stevedoring group, P&CS.
MUA turns heat on Brisbane The Maritime Union of Australia will today press Patrick to begin enterprise agreement negotiations for the port of Brisbane. This afternoon's meeting will begin discussions on a Sydney document although chances of an agreement are said to be slim It is understood that the union will expect to begin discussions soon for agreements covering Brisbane and the port of Fremantle.
Reith wants NSW agreement revealed Minister for Workplace Relations Peter Reith yesterday called on the NSW government to reveal the contents of a "secret agreement" it had signed with the Maritime Union of Australia. After addressing the State Chamber of Commerce, Mr Reith told DCN it was "absolutely disgraceful" for the state government to sign a document with the body which held monopoly over labour employment on the waterfront.
Competition necessary, Reith tells pilots Despite the prevailing view of industry leaders that a regulated pilotage sector provides a better overall service than the alternative, Workplace Relations Minister Peter Reith has defended the introduction of competition as an important part of the government's overall economic strategy. Mr Reith told the International Pilotage Conference on Friday that the government believed "substantial and sustained improvement in performance can only be achieved if the tendency to monopoly power is replace by normal pro-competitive forces".
NR begins Fremantle Sea Train service National Rail begins twice weekly Sea Train services today between its Perth terminal at Kewdale and the port of Fremantle. The agreement gives NR trains access to Fremantle's north Quay overseas shipping berth and the Brambles-operated rail head terminal. NR general manager-shipping Alan White said the landbridge container service would at this stage run twice weekly on Mondays and Thursday and connect with NR's Superfreighter services from Kewdale on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Maritime safety 'crucial to good business' Mobil Shipping chief Gerhard Kurz has stressed to the Australian Marine Pilots Association conference the need to view maritime safety as a crucial component of good business. He said that charterers and pilots alike have a responsibility to use every means at their disposal to prevent tragic incidents in pilotage waters.
Freightliner Corp. and Wabash National, the truck tractor and trailer manufacturing market leaders, are trying to win approval of a 90,000-pound vehicle. Called the "safety concept vehicle," the manufacturers have enlisted the help of former Sen. Bob Packwood, R-Ore., and other lobbyists to press their case. Freightliner CEO James L. Hebe calls it "50-50" that the truck will be allowed to operate nationwide. Currently, only two states would allow the vehicle, which uses a shorter cabover tractor to come in a couple of feet shorter in overall length than the typical conventional cab and trailer in use nationally now.
A Senate Commerce Committee hearing on the nomination of Gus Owen to a second term on the Surface Transportation Board was on hold while alleged violations of federal ethics laws by Owen are investigated by the Department of Transportation's inspector general. The committee also delayed voting to confirm STB nominee William Clyburn until it decides what action to take on Owen. Also, Rep. Robert Franks, R-N.J., was named chairman of the House Railroad Subcommittee.
Should the National Classification Committee continue to receive antitrust immunity? That is a hot question before the STB right now. Major shipper groups, the Departments of Justice and Transportation as well as the brokers' trade association say no public interest is served by continued antitrust immunity. The NCC, scores of small-to-midsize trucking companies and a couple of former Interstate Commerce Commissioners disagree.
Union Pacific Railroad's promise to the STB that it will clear its congestion problems at Houston-area yards and on former Southern Pacific lines in Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas leading to Houston is being greeted with skepticism by shippers and state regulators. UP's latest service report to the STB showed only minor improvements in service, which the railroad blamed on weather conditions caused by El Ni-o and congestion on the Belt Railroad of Chicago.
Carriers and shippers in the Caribbean and South American trades are spending money and time securing their ships and cargo against drug smugglers as U.S. law enforcement agencies fight a losing battle trying to stem the flow of some 6 million metric tons of cocaine annually into the United States. The increased role of carriers and shippers comes as government agencies scale back their drug-fighting resources.
Fresh from its acquisition of the financially strapped Kalitta Cos. last year, all-cargo carrier Kitty Hawk Inc. turned in a solid report card for 1997. The Dallas-based carrier's acquisition of Kalitta included passenger/cargo charter operator AIA, the scheduled all-cargo American International Freight and an aircraft maintenance and overhaul facility in Michigan.
Security Capital Industrial Trust is heating up the cold storage market. With two major acquisitions under its belt the Denver-based industrial real estate corporation has set its sights on Europe. With clients like Nestle, Kroger Co., Campbell Soup, Sara Lee, Pepsi, Mars and Unilever in tow, SCI aims to develop full-service distribution parks in 37 U.S. markets and 21 international markets within three to five years.
CAPS Logistics is mapping new routes and inroads into the international supply-chain software markets. The Atlanta-based company recently appointed a vice president for Europe, the Middle East and Asia to head its international operations from Amsterdam, and is building an international value-added reseller network. The company's revenue increased 135 percent last year, and sales at CAPS have jumped 500 percent over the past five years. The company already has installed its software at 1,100 sites in 21 countries. Its customers include The Coca-Cola Co., Waste Management Inc., General Mills, Chevron Chemicals and Georgia-Pacific Corp.
Complaints from shippers that they are effectively blocked from using competition protection measures in the Canadian Transportation Act are being listened to. However, it isn't clear whether the agency is prepared to do anything more than listen, admitted Keith Penner, a government-appointed member of the agency. He told the annual conference of the Canadian Industrial Transportation League the agency is considering issuing guidelines sometime in the future on the steps that shippers have to take to be able to use the competition measures.
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