Eletson ready to sell double-hull tankers ELETSON Holdings, which over a year ago relinquished to US energy major Mobil the first of four 46,000 dwt double-hull product tankers it had ordered from beleaguered Newport News Shipbuilding, may now be preparing to relinquish the three remaining vessels.
French ports closed by duty-frees protest FRENCH trade unionists have closed the Channel ports of Calais and Boulogne today in protest at the threat to their jobs posed by the planned abolition of duty-free sales next year.
P&O Nedlloyd set for a new age SEVERAL large containerships will soon be heading for the breakers. P&O Nedlloyd intends scrapping a number of older vessels once the carrier has taken delivery of five new 54,400 dwt boxships, each with a capacity of 5,000 teu, ordered this week.
Orkla sets up new company NORWAY'S Orkla group has established a separate shipowning company to take advantage of the country's new tonnage-based shipping tax regime.
Greek-owned fleet expands SIGNIFICANT gains in the amount of tonnage controlled by Greek shipowners over the last 12 months are reminiscent of the early years of the decade when the annual swelling of the fleet confounded pundits who felt Greeks would have their fins clipped by a tide of new legislation sweeping shipping.
Philippines still main supplier of seafarers THE Philippines remained the single largest supplier of seafarers to the world merchant fleet in 1997, with the number of Philippine seafarers deployed overseas reaching 188,469.
Rotterdam in Rostock land bridge talks ROTTERDAM port is in talks with the German Baltic port of Rostock over a container land bridge to link the two by daily block trains.
Clydeport pre-tax figures almost double to '7.85m WEST Scotland port operator Clydeport yesterday announced pre-tax profits of '7.85m ($12.9m), up 47.8% on 1996.
Strikes boost for Strike Club AN upward trend in strikes last year has helped generate an increasing membership for the Strike Club.
Tanker Navigation receives listing approval TANKER Navigation received approval yesterday for a listing on the Oslo stock exchange.
Bugsier wins Kiel salvage HAMBURG-based salvage operate Bugsier has won the order to free the German coaster which partially sank in the Kiel Canal.
Duty free protest to close Calais CALAIS, the French ferry port, will be closed all day tomorrow because of a 24-hour strike by French seamen and dockers over the proposed ending of duty free sales in Europe.
MUA escalates strike action TWO key Australian ports will be hit by strikes next week as the MUA escalates its industrial campaign against the Patrick stevedoring company.
P&O Ned seeks own Rotterdam terminal P&O Nedlloyd md Paul Bijvoets has stressed that the company's desire to operate its own terminal in Rotterdam is to control its own costs, not because of Maersk's move.
Ivarans sells liner shipping unit to CP Ships IVARANS Rederi in Oslo has sold its Ivaran Lines liner shipping subsidiary to CP Ships for an undisclosed price.
First "Russian" timber carrier leaves Malta THE first of six timber carriers held at Malta since 1991 is on the move.
H & W close to major drillship order HARLAND & Wolff (H&W) has come closer to winning an order for a large drillship from Global Marine.
Easy Line buys third Superflex ferry EASY Line, the Danish subsidiary of the Norwegian shipping group Eidsiva, has acquired a third ferry of the so-called Superflex type.
BIFA seeks EC controls on P&O Stena THE British International Freight Association (BIFA) is calling for the European Commission's Competition Directorate (DG IV) to impose conditions on the newly merged P&O Stena Line.
Arco boosts Alaska exploration spending US petroleum major Atlantic Richfield (ARCO) will boost its 1998 five-year oil exploration and production spending in Alaska to $2.5bn.
Waterfront woes worsen The principal antagonists in Australia's waterfront battle yesterday appeared to be moving deeper into the trenches, leaving users increasingly fearful of the cost and consequences. With productivity at Patrick's Botany Bay terminal dipping below 10 containers an hour, Patrick director Bill Clayton told DCN the company did not wish to close down the site and hoped the Maritime Union of Australia would come to its senses and cease all industrial action.
P&O Nedlloyd posts $110 million profit P&O Nedlloyd has recorded a $US 73 million profit last year, a $US54 million increase over the pro forma result for 1996 prior to the merger of the two shipping lines. The shipping line reported what it described as an encouraging fourth quarter despite the economic turmoil in Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia and Thailand - the four countries most affected by the crisis comprise less than 10 per cent of P&Os throughput.
Quality before competition pilots resolve The 224 delegates attending the inaugural international Pilotage Conference in Brisbane have backed the economic regulation of pilotage services in preference to the introduction of unfettered competition. The conference said competition in pilotage failed to properly serve the public interest, noting that the available evidence suggested the potential benefits of competition - in the form of "marginal cost savings" - far outweighed the added risk to ship safety.
Vaile flags a private ARTC Federal Transport Minister Mark Vaile has indicated that the government would consider privatising the Australian Rail Track Corporation in the longer term in line with industry sentiment on the issue. Mr Vaile was responding to comments by Shadow Transport minister Lindsay Tanner concerning the "revelation" last week by the ARTC's chairman Ken Baxter that the government could go in for privatisation.
High-roller Livanos in $400m bet SHIPOWNER Peter Livanos is on the verge of placing an order for up to 12 chemical tankers worth $400m. The boss of Ceres Hellenic Shipping Enterprises is in talks with yards in Italy, Poland and Korea. He is pressing ahead with the huge order despite his belief that the market for chemcial tankers will be at a low ebb when the ships are due for delivery.
SSY in the firing line over valuations LONDON SHIPBROKER Simpson, Spence & Young is facing a $31.6m damages claim for allegedly overvaluing the collapsed Adriatic Tankers fleet. US bondholders who lost millions of dollars claim some ships were valued at double their realistic level.
Shawyer going out to pasture VETERAN LONDON shipbroker Eric Shawyer is finally calling it a day. The flamboyant head of E A Gibson says he will retire in the summer ending a glittering 45-year career that saw him rise from messenger boy to the very top.
Market shakers PAUL RANKIN and George Tiney, the founding partners of P&I Club Ocean Marine Mutual, are planning a stock market listing in a move that could have big implications for the competition.
Doctor's orders SHIPPING LEGEND Loucas Haji-Ioannou is moving back into shipowning on the orders of his doctor. The 70-year-old has made the decision after being told retirement is not good for him.
Pireaus probe NORWAY'S Den norske Bank fears it may have uncovered irregularities in one of its shipping divisions. The investigation, based on activies in Piraeus, comes two months after a top executive left the bank.
Cruise booster MONTE CARLO-based Vlasov Shipholding is looking to boost its cruiseship business. Company chief Ettore Bonaventura comments on speculation that Cunard is a target.
Bluer bulkers THE FALLING value of bulk carriers is a worry for those owners who have spent heavily on ships in recent times.
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