Australia docks row threat to inland jobs THE focus of the Australian waterfront conflict has shifted inland with several industries now warning of massive lay-offs unless stranded containers begin to move out of the docks.
Top Disney cruiseship project managers are replaced DISNEY Cruise Line and Italy's Fincantieri have replaced the top managers involved in building Disney Magic, the much-delayed first cruiseship ordered by the US entertainment giant.
Fruit dreams become nightmare HOPES of a bustling 1998 shipping season in the world fruit trades have turned sour.
Adventurous chefs promote exotic tastes FROM pawpaws to pineapples, experts are reporting a big growth in demand for exotic fruit and vegetables in markets like the UK.
Tyne sub-contractors sacked ALMOST 250 workers at a Tyneside offshore company have been dismissed for allegedly breaking their contracts in a dispute over pay.
A&P clinches £8m RFA vessel refit UK shiprepair and conversion specialist, A&P Group, has been awarded a Ministry of Defence (MoD) contract worth in the region of £8m ($13.5m) for planned maintenance and refit work onboard the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ship Olna, writes Kris Thorpe.
Canada barge orders go abroad BRITISH Columbia towboat companies have ordered 12 barges from shipyards on the Yangtze River, near Shanghai, officials have confirmed.
Seascope ahead of forecast SEASCOPE Shipping Holdings, one of London's leading shipbrokers, yesterday unveiled an impressive set of full-year results which comfortably exceed the forecasts made at the time of last November's stock market flotation.
ISU reports improved pollution prevention MEMBERS of the International Savage Union (ISU) recovered more than 1.3m tonnes of crude oil, chemicals and bunkers as a result of salvage operations performed last year.
Nenaco seeks creditor relief NENACO, one of the Philippines major domestic shipping operators, is seeking relief from creditors through loan restructuring.
Hong Kong shippers call for unified rate THE Federation of Hong Kong Industries is to lobby the government for an all-in-one ocean freight rate to help stabilise transportation costs.
CT9 set for early start THE Hong Kong government has struck an agreement on land premiums with port operators, clearing the way for work to begin on the much-delayed Container Terminal 9.
HMM profit slashed SOUTH Korean carrier Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) has reported that its 1997 net profits fell by more than half.
Indonesia plans to import containers INDONESIA will import containers to help alleviate a shortage caused by lower imports resulting from the country's currency crisis.
LR sets up Singapore HQ BRITISH classification society Lloyd's Register (LR) expanded its regional coverage to establish a new south-east Asia and Australia regional headquarters in Singapore yesterday.
ISA slams Portnet RECENT labour unrest and low productivity at the Port of Cape Town is a result of insufficient empowerment of local port management claims the Association of Shipping Lines. (ASL),
Lines abandon Patrick SHIPPING lines are beginning to abandon Australia's second biggest stevedore, Patrick.
P&O Ports faces Indian strife THE All-India Ports and Dock Workers Federation has threatened Sydney-based P&O Ports with "worldwide action".
Three NOL ships re-flagged and renamed THREE former Neptune Orient Lines containerships have been placed under the US flag and renamed for APL's trans-Pacific Guam-Asia-Mexico service.
'Brazil's port labour problems nearly over' DOCKSIDE labour problems surrounding many of Brazil's ports will soon come to an end, according to Transroll's Richard Klien.
Rio expands coffee box loading BRAZIL's Multiportos terminal of Rio de Janeiro is to install an additional container loading machine for coffee in time for the new crop in May.
Bona sells Bona Rainbow BONA Shipholding, the Bermuda-based aframax and suezmax owner, is selling the Bona Rainbow to Soponata for $14.5m.
Geodis a renoué avec les bénéfices en 1997 Le groupe français Geodis, qui regroupe une grande partie des activités routières de la SNCF, a réalisé un chiffre d'affaires de 17,7 mia. de FRF (110 mia. de BEF) en 1997, soit 17,6% de plus qu'en 1996 (15,0 mia. de FRF). Cette hausse très forte a été accompagnée d'une restauration de la rentabilité: l'entreprise créée en novembre 1995 a renoué avec les bénéfices.
La grève se durcit dans les ports australiens Alors que la grève se durcit dans les ports australiens, les parties concernées par le conflit font appel aux tribunaux des antipodes pour avoir le (bon) droit avec elles. Patrick Stevedoring essaie d'empêcher un boycot mondial des navires dont elle assure l'arrimage. De son côté, le syndicat Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) veut obtenir que les 1.400 dockers membres soient réintégrés chez Patrick Stevedoring. De son côté, le gouvernement australien espère secrètement que la puissance syndicale sera brisée.
Emery crée une filiale pour les cargaisons industrielles Emery Worldwide a créé une nouvelle filiale baptisée Global Projects Management (GPM) dans le but d'assurer des services logistiques sur mesure pour l'industrie énergétique, extractive et de construction. La nouvelle entité opèrera à partir du terminal Manchester dans le port de Houston et coopérera étroitement avec les sociétés-soeur d'Emery d'une part et l'armement Associated Transport Line (ATL) d'autre part.
ASG renforce son réseau en Allemagne La division ASG European Road Transport du groupe suédois ASG a annoncé qu'elle vient de conclure un accord de coopération avec la société allemande de transport routier et de logistique Pracht Spedition & Logistik, basée à Haiger. Ce partenariat couvre les trafics entre cette région de l'Allemagne d'une part et la Suède et la Finlande de l'autre.
Big bucks sought for track upgrade NEW interstate rail track landlord, the federally-funded Australian Rail Track Corporation has so far received more than $1.25 billion in proposals for the federal government's modest $250 million commitment to track upgrades over the next four years. ARTC general manager Leon Welsby said that while there were still more proposals to come, the Adelaide-based corporation had already started to rank the bids in order of priority in an effort to speed-up upgrades of the run-down sections of interstate rail.
Full Patrick terminals add more pressure PATRICK terminals around Australia are filling up with containers which the company is having difficulty moving, despite obtaining short term injunctions against Maritime Union of Australia pickets. The worst affected was Patrick's facility at east Swanson Dock, where 4000 containers are awaiting delivery, and the facility is filled to 90 per cent of capacity.
South Australia's deep sea study extended WORK on the deep sea port investigation is expected to continue for at least another two months according to Deep Sea Port Investigation committee chairman John Lush. He said the committee was still investigating three key areas; the changed situation at Ardrossan since BHP announced its intention to sell the port facility; more detailed analysis of the economic aspects of a full upgrade at Wallaroo; and projections for port cost differentials as ports are upgraded and ship sizes increase.
DHL launches first MiB facility Australia's attractiveness to overseas manufacturers as an Asia-Pacific regional base has been enhanced by its first Manufacturing in Bond facility. An MiB is a special zone where materials or products are brought in from overseas, a value adding process is carried out and the product is re-exported. As the product never enters the country, duty is not applicable.
Overseas protests ramp up THE problems of the Australian waterfront will receive international exposure today when workers in at least four countries protest against the treatment of Maritime Union of Australia members outside Australian embassies, according to the International Transport Workers' Federation, According to an ITF organiser in Queensland, Bob Carnegie, east and west coast longshoremen of America are moving to support their Australian colleagues. Mr Carnegie said Australian farm products may be the subject of a boycott in the US because of the role the NFF has played in this dispute.
Deep dive for tanker prices THE PRICE OF NEW TANKERS is going down and down and down. Far East builders are denying the Asian economic crisis is forcing them to cut prices but the word on the street is that there are bargains to be struck. Chandris of Greece and Singapore's Neptune Orient Lines are getting VLCCs for as little as $76m and Aframaxes for a mere $35m. Others like Tanker Pacific are waiting to make a move. The ball may only just be starting to roll. Cambridge Partners is pressing Chinese builders to build a series of VLCCs for as little as $70m each.
Big golden smile BIG-SPENDER FRED CHENG is in jovial spirits after taking delivery of the first of 15 VLCCs he has on order. Cheng talks about his $1.2bn venture in this week's edition.
Alabama-bound SHIPBUILDING VETERAN Cato Sverdrup is back. The man who once headed Burmeister and Wain gets to grip with his new role next month.
IMC charts a new course FREDERICK TSAO is now a key figure in the IMC shipping group having taken over the chairmanship from his father Frank. Fred very much favours the holistic approach to life.
Rare victory for Zissy SHIPPING OUTCAST Panagis Zissimatos has scored a rare victory out of the ruins of Adriatic Tankers. He is to keep his hands on his prized Princess of Adriatic personal yacht - for now.
Lauritzen's debt poser DENMARK'S J Lauritzen Holdings has taken a financial beating from losses on its shipbuilding operation. The question now is whether it will have to sell off some of its assets to steady the boat.
- Via Raffaele Paolucci 17r/19r - 16129 Genoa - ITALY
phone: +39.010.2462122, fax: +39.010.2516768, e-mail
VAT number: 03532950106
Press Reg.: nr 33/96 Genoa Court
Editor in chief: Bruno Bellio No part may be reproduced without the express permission of the publisher
- Via Raffaele Paolucci 17r/19r - 16129 Genoa - ITALY
