Ingalls to pay $2.25 million settlement in improper billing case Ingalls Shipbuilding has reportedly agreed to a $2.25 million payment in a case brought under the False Claims Act by a former employee who gets a $405,000 award
Kværner third quarter report Kvaerner Group yesterday reported a pre-tax loss of NOK 1,151 million and an earnings per share loss of NOK 28.54, for the third quarter ending 30 September 1998.
South Korea denies that IMF funds help shipyards South Korean officials are rejecting charges by European Commissioner Martin Bangman that South Korea has been using International Monetray Fund aid to enhance its yards' competitiveness
Fury over Halla rescue package THE future of South Korea's bankrupt shipbuilder Halla Engineering & Heavy Industries appears to have been secured after creditors agreed to a restructuring of the company's massive debt.
European shipbuilders urge action on Korea price cuts European shipbuilders have stepped up the pressure on Brussels to take action over alleged price dumping by South Korean rivals, writes Tony Gray.
Battle heads task force to reduce energy costs A joint government/industry task force to reduce the cost of developing UK oil and gas resources was launched yesterday by energy minister John Battle.
Vosper Thornycroft to diversify through acquisitions in marine products sector VOSPER Thornycroft is planning to make more acquisitions in the marine products sector as it diversifies from its traditional base as a naval shipbuilder.
LNG business hostage to lack of vessels Future commercialisation of the liquefied natural gas business is being seriously impeded by a shortage of LNG carriers, according to Tim Cottew, chairman and chief executive of Osprey Maritime.
Floating production growth rate weakening Annual growth rates in the floating production industry are beginning to show signs of weakening, according to a new report, but the sector is bearing up well given the current state of the industry.
Unicool boosts fleet to 100 ships in fightback LEADING refrigerated shipping operator Unicool has responded to tough market conditions with two major initiatives boosting its fleet to a total of 100 ships.
Secondhand VLCC prices slump further PRICES for modern VLCC secondhand tonnage have slumped further due to the relentless pressure from prospective buyers.
PSA Corp adds fourth Italian port PSA Corp, the Singapore terminal operator, is to take a stake in Terminal Darsena Toscana, its fourth port investment in Italy
Rammed feedership refloated LEERORT, the container feedership that sank after being rammed by the Zim Piraeus in Colombo harbour on September 19, was refloated on November 15.
Polish minister delays Gdansk sale POLISH privatisation minister Emil Wasacz yesterday confirmed that he would delay giving final approval for the sale of Gdansk Shipyard until December 31.
Government U-turn resolves Swedish dispute COMPROMISE has been reached in a dispute over maritime policy in Sweden after a government U-turn.
Interest charges hit ICTSI ICTSI, the Manila-based container terminal operator, saw interest charges drag down third quarter earnings by 16 per cent.
Sulpicio ferry runs aground ANOTHER Sulpicio Lines ferry had a close brush with disaster last weekend when the 3,553 gt Princess of the Caribbean ran aground near Shell Island in Mactan Channel
OOCL boosts Baltic service HONG KONG operator OOCL is boosting its Scan Baltic service through the introduction of two 650 teu ice-class vessels.
Weak dollar boosts Canadian ferry operator A SUBSTANTIAL fall in the value of the Canadian dollar is helping the government's Marine Atlantic ferry service between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.
Election hinders Davie sale THE search for a buyer for the closed Davie Industries shipyard has been complicated by a provincial election in Quebec.
US faces scrapping dilemma THE US government must spend at least $58m over the next four years to maintain and guard 206 state-owned ships ready to be scrapped.
Clerici opposes cabotage liberalisation PAOLO Clerici, the president of the Italian shipowners' association, has called on the Italian government to ask the EU to postpone the liberalisation of cabotage.
New high speed link for Malta A NEW year-round high-speed catamaran car/passenger service is being introduced to operate between Malta and Sicily.
Cruise industry accused of cover-up THE cruise industry's whiter-than-white image has been hit by reports alleging that repeated sexual assaults on passengers by crew members are routinely covered up.
Wilhelmsen threatens to sell fleet WILHELM Wilhelmsen, chairman of the Norwegian shipping group Wilh Wilhelmsen, is threatening to sell the fleet if the Norwegian parliament approves its draft budget.
Laem Chabang port limit extended THAILAND'S ministry of transport and communications has given the green light to extend the port limits of the country's leading container port.
Adsteam moves into NZ FAST-GROWING Australian towage group Adsteam Marine has expanded to New Zealand.
Banacol transférerait définitivement son trafic d'Anvers à Zeebrugge Le groupe Banacol dirige depuis quelques semaines ses navires reefer vers les installations spécialisées de la BNFW (Belgian New Fruit Wharf) dans l'arrière-port de Zeebrugge, où ils déchargent des cargaisons de bananes en provenance du Costa Rica et de Colombie. Les raisons de ce transfert résultent de la conjugaison de plusieurs facteurs, qui pourraient d'ailleurs inciter l'entreprise à maintenir définitivement ce trafic dans le port côtier belge dès le début de l'année prochaine. Précisons qu'il s'agit d'un trafic annuel d'environ 160.000 t de bananes.
Changshu cherche opérateur pour port et terminal à containers En juillet 1997, un nouveau centre de transbordement maritime était mis en service en bordure du fleuve Yangtze, à Changshu, localité située à 97 km au nord-ouest de Shanghai, outil qui est appelé à aider au développement économique de cette province particulièrement dynamique qu'est Jiangsu. Dans le style qui est celui de la Chine aujourd'hui, ce projet prend d'emblée d'énormes proportions. Dès l'arrivée on est confronté à un immense bâtiment de plusieurs dizaines d'étages qui fait office de QG de l'administration portuaire, construction pratiquement vide pour l'instant, qui borde une route de deux kilomètres traversant des terrains encore déserts, mais qui devront accueillir des activités industrielles, d'entreposage et autres fonctions qui gravitent autour de la marchandise. Cette route mène à un port constitué de quelques entrepôts, dont celui de Westerlund, et d'un quai sur pilotis de 550 m de long, soit 3 emplacements, que deux passerelles géantes en ciment relient à la terre ferme. Deux portiques à containers de type panamax circulent sur ce quai ainsi qu'une grue mobile. Tel se présente pour le moment le port "polyvalent" de Changshu.
Copex Anvers offre un service de groupage sur les Caraïbes Copex Freight Antwerpen a été désigné agent pour la Belgique par l'armement américain NVOCC Tropical Shippings. Cela signifie que dorénavant, Copex pourra offrir un service de groupage de containers hebdomadaire à partir d'Anvers vers une cinquantaine de destination aux Caraïbes, aux Bahamas et en Amérique latine. Les containers seront livrés à Anvers par P&O Nedlloyd, qui a des départs à Rotterdam.
La semaine de travail de 48 heures dans le transport routier suscite le scepticisme Divers Etats-membres de l'UE sont sceptiques à l'égard de la proposition de la Commission européenne visant une directive contraignante destinée à réduire la semaine de travail des chauffeurs de poids lourds et d'autobus à 48 heures en moyenne. Si la Commission, qui se réunit aujourd'hui à Strasbourg, approuve la proposition, celle-ci sera soumise aux ministres européens du Transport dans les plus brefs délais.
Sydney shippers celebrate Sofrana's 30th HMAS VAMPIRE at Sydney's Darling Harbour was a fitting location for last week's 30th anniversary celebration for Australian supporters of Sofrana, hosted by the line and its shipping agents, Barwil. The decommissioned 1960s destroyer (now alongside the maritime museum) set the scene for a short address by Sofrana's chief executive Hans Assarsson, describing Sofrana as "a ship braced against the winds of change". Overtonnaging and depressed rates in the Pacific Islands routes had caused Sofrana to brace by concentrating its shipping operation into three key services.
Close Encounter of the green kind THE P&O Nedlloyd containership Encounter Bay, now on her final voyage to Australia, was yesterday prevented from leaving Barcelona by Greenpeace activists. The Encounter Bay, which inaugurated containerisation in the Europe-Australia trade and one of the first deep-sea containerships in the world, is to be scrapped after her present voyage. The Greenpeace protesters claimed the vessel will be "broken up manually in India," adding that it was "full of dangerous substances, including asbestos".
Scott Corp now 'more focused' Mount Gambier-based national transport group Scott Corporation is now a leaner and more focused group better equipped to respond to the constant challenges facing the transport industry, according to the company's chairman Alan Scott. Mr Scott told the group's annual general meeting in Mount Gambier yesterday that the company recorded an unaudited profit after tax of $1.14 million for the four months to October 1998 which was 12.9 per cent higher than the previous year. Revenue decreased 5.4 per cent to $82.5 million.
Mayne's logistics future 'rosy' Mayne Nickless chairman Mark Raynor yesterday forecast a rosy future for the Australian logistics business within the group's overall asset base, despite recent strong industry speculation that the company could soon move to sell off its logistics assets. Mr Raynor told the transport and healthcare group's annual general meeting in Melbourne that Mayne Nickless had completed its withdrawal from the under-performing and loss-making transport assets which burdened the group four years ago. "We are now able to focus on the key performance drivers of the continuing businesses and concentrate on improving performance in each of them, with the overall objective of increasing shareholder value," he said.
MBV to provide less services from inside THE latest annual report of the Marine Board of Victoria shows a loss of $362,284 for the financial year. The MBV recorded a profit of $395,628 profit the previous financial year. The board attributes the majority of the loss to an abnormal item. The report said: "In accordance with government policy, motor vehicles owned by the board were sold to the Commonwealth Bank in July 1997. These vehicles have been leased back to the board from the Department of Treasury and Finance in July 1997 under an operating lease." The report said in future, where appropriate, the board would rely more on external service providers.
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