Lines to fight EU anti-trust fines A GROUP of the world's biggest container lines have launched an immediate fightback against the European Commission after being fined a total of Ecu273m ($317.6m) for anti-trust offences, including a price-fixing cartel.
German members attack cost GERMAN shipping lines DSR Senator Lines and Hapag-Lloyd have attacked the European Commission's ruling to impose fines on Taca members.
BG calls halt to drilling in Russia Komi project UK energy group BG has responded to the crisis in Russia by suspending drilling on the Komi-Arctic Oil joint venture until it has greater confidence in the project.
Talking Money In Japan British Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown yesterday met Japanese finance minister Kiichi Miyazawa in Tokyo on G7 business and said Japan must boost domestic growth and restore confidence in its economy.
North Sea 'bug' warning A typicaL North Sea platform could contain up to 150 embedded computer systems, of which a quarter may not be millennium compliant, a senior risk engineer has warned.
Year 2000 exclusion clause for energy underwriters A YEAR 2000 exclusion clause for underwriters writing energy and offshore risks is to be made available in the London market.
Costa chief raps Med ports PASSENGER ports in the Mediterranean have been given dismal marks by one of the leading operators of cruises in the region, Costa Crociere.
Britain's unions in safety bid BRITAIN'S Trade Union Congress will today hear a catalogue of serious safety deficiencies found on ships in British waters.
Merged P&I club reports continued growth MANAGERS at the North of England P&I Club said the merger with the Newcastle Club has boosted financial stability and received overwhelming support.
Spanish port results consistent FIRST-half results for Spain's 45 largest ports, under the public company Puertos del Estado, showed an increase in throughput of over five per cent.
Houlihan urges for pressure on lines ONE of the leaders in the recent abortive bid to de-unionise Australia's waterfront has urged farmers to press shipping lines for better rates.
Filipino ROs unite against redundancy threat FEARING redundancies after implementation of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System in 1999, hundreds of Filipino radio officers have banded together to fight for survival.
Norwegian bank merger to target shipping A NEW Norwegian bank, to be formed through the merger of Fokus Bank, the state-owned Postbanken and Christiania Bank, may capitalise on the latter's strong position in ship finance.
MCA presses pollution charges THE UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has successfully brought charges against UK-based Klyne Tugs on charges of pollution.
Lines fight back at EC fines SHIPPING Lines are fighting back at today's decision by the EC to impose fines on members of the Trans Atlantic Conference (TACA) on the grounds of alleged price fixing.
Salvarani warns flags of 'defensive measures' OVER 90 flag states are not complying with article 94 of the law of the sea, and could be disciplined, according to EU transport minister Roberto Salvarani.
ABS moves into management software ABS has extended its SafeNet program to create a management software suite by merging ABS InfoLink with Nautical Technology Corp (NTC) to create ABS Nautical Systems.
Pacific Carriers bucks the weakening Asian market SINGAPORE-based Pacific Carriers yesterday announced a leap in first half profit in spite of deteriorating economic conditions.
NOL warns of substantial first half losses NEPTUNE Orient Lines expects to report "substantial" losses for the first half of this year because of the continuing Asian economic crisis and depressed freight rates.
Chennai court accepts bid for abandoned vessel CHENNAI High Court has accepted a final bid for the Romanian multipurpose vessel Eleni, which has been languising at the port since February 1997.
Flotation of ABS Group not ruled out ABS Group, a company associated with the ABS class society, is not publicly traded, "but I wouldn't rule it out for the future," said ABS chairman Frank Iarossi.
Senate hears divergent views on Jones Act A US Senate committee yesterday heard widely divergent views on the economics and national security implications of the Jones Act.
Philadelphia opens renovated cruise terminal A NEW cruiseship terminal has been officially opened at the Port of Philadelphia, by Pennsylvania state governor Tom Ridge.
La Commission européenne impose de lourdes amendes aux membres du TACA La Commission européenne a décidé hier mercredi d'imposer de fortes amendes aux membres du TACA (Trans-Atlantic Conference Agreement). Leur montant s'élève à 273 mio. d'ECU au total. La plus grande est infligée à P&O Nedlloyd (41,26 mio. d'ECU). Mærsk et Sea-Land sont également sévèrement punis, avec des amendes de 27,5 mio. d'ECU chacun.
Norasia va transférer l'escale de son service nord-atlantique d'Anvers à Zeebrugge C'est officiel, l'armement Norasia va transférer dès la première semaine du mois d'octobre l'escale directe de son service nord-atlantique d'Anvers à Zeebrugge où ses navires seront alors traités au terminal de l'OCHZ qu'exploite le même manutentionnaire, la Hessenatie. C'est ce que nous a confirmé Vikas M. Khan, vice-président de Norasia. Ce transfert résulte de la conjugaison de plusieurs circonstances.
Hoverspeed donne un nouvel élan à Ostende-Douvres Hoverspeed à transporté 700.000 passagers et 138.000 véhicules au cours des six premiers mois depuis l'ouverture de la ligne Ostende-Douvres. Ce succès à incité l'armement à mettre en place une rotation à haute fréquence pour la saison d'hiver (qui commence le 28 septembre). Le port de Douvres profite de cette évolution et se prépare à traiter le trafic fret entre l'Europe et le RU qui aura doublé d'ici 10 à 15 ans. Le port anglais espère en outre pouvoir obtenir le titre de "premier North European Cruise Terminal" par la mise en service du deuxième terminal de croisière au printemps 2000.
Mixed reviews as EBA kicks in Despite claims of morale being at record low levels, Patrick facilities around the country have already boosted their productivity, only days into the company's new enterprise agreement. Patrick director Bill Clayton told DCN yesterday that crews in Western Australia and Queensland were already earning bonuses which are paid when productivity reaches 21 containers an hour. Mr Clayton said the agreement was working and working well, a point of view not shared by the secretary of the New South Wales Central Branch of the Maritime Union of Australia, Jim Donovan.
Coombs: still lying awake Yesterday the Maritime Union of Australia's National Secretary, John Coombs, warned Melbourne's shipping luminaries that if Workplace Relations Minister Peter Reith gets back into government in October, it will "be on again for young and old". Mr Coombs said: "I don't think these people are going to go away." He said that if Mr Reith was given a mandate "I think he will come after us again" and that this would be especially so if he found someone like Chris Corrigan to support him. The thrust of his message to the industry was that confrontation was not the way to go and that it was "time to get back to the boardroom table".
Inaugural shipment of sulphur for Anaconda KWINANA'S bulk cargo jetty has accepted the first shipment of sulphur for Anaconda's new $900 million Murrin Murrin nickel project . The shipment of 46,000 tonnes of sulphur arrived on the IMC bulk carrier Maritime Diamond last Thursday. Its arrival represents the culmination of a $7 million spending spree by the Fremantle Port Authority to upgrade bulk cargo facilities at Kwinana in order to attract the custom of Anaconda Nickel Ltd. Anaconda has agreed to use Kwinana to import around 500,000 tonnes of sulphur annually and trains returning from the Murrin Murrin mine site will carry nickel and cobalt for export from the port.
RAC-NR agreement to fund extension of rail crossing loops NSW rail access body Rail Access Corporation and National Rail this week announced the signing of a $15 million agreement to fund the extension of rail crossing loops across the state to accommodate NR's longer trains. In a joint statement, both parties said the "in principle" agreement would see an investment of about $15 million in NSW rail infrastructure to extend 10 crossing loops. Financing of the project is being provided through an undisclosed joint arrangement between RAC and NR. RAC is working with NR to identify locations for longer crossing loops. The first project will be to extend the Cowan crossing loop, north of Sydney, from 600 metres to 1650 metres at a cost of $1.8 million. The project is expected to be commissioned in January 1999.
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