US attacks China port policy A SERIOUS rift in Sino-US maritime relations is threatened following the accusation by American maritime interests that China has not observed the framework agreement reached in December for improved access to Chinese ports and terminal investments.
Sea-Land boxship blast injures two TWO seafarers have been reported injured in a weekend explosion which was followed by two fires on board Sea-Land service's Marshall Island-flagged containership, the 30,489 dwt Sea-Land Mariner, some 130 miles southwest of Crete.
Storm clouds gather in Sino-US dispute TROUBLE is brewing in Sino-US maritime relations. American maritime interests accuse their Chinese counterparts of back-pedalling on a December framework agreement for improved access to Chinese ports and terminal investments.
1996 memorandum of maritime discussions APL and Sea-Land were approved to open a container transportation service company and six branch offices in China cleared to engage in: booking space stuffing and unstuffing of containers warehousing and storage signing and issuing cargo receipts collecting freight and other charges for authorised services repairing and maintaining containers and other equipment arranging and concluding contracts with trucking companies for trucking services.
Lykes in new bid to clinch US subsidies THE previously unsuccessful effort to transfer agreements for $6.3m a year in US government subsidies to three Lykes Lines containerships has been renewed with a revised proposal.
Big rise in bulker scrapping A SHARP increase in bulk carrier scrapping has occurred during the first quarter of this year, spurred on by a depressed dry bulk freight market.
It's all chip shape and designer fashion IT is not considered necessary for merchant seafarers to have much knowledge of ship design. They accept what they get and the act of joining a ship is one of submission. Such an act of faith is an accepted part of the seafarer's lot, whether a master, mate or minion.
ITF plans anniversary summit in Oslo A SUMMER conference in Oslo to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the first International Transport Workers' Federation boycott of a flag of convenience ship is being planned by the ITF.
L'ESC réclame la transparence des coûts portuaires L'ESC (European Shippers' Council) accueille favorablement le Livre Vert de la CE sur les ports et les infrastructures maritimes, considérant que ladite Commission peut jouer un rôle important dans le développement des ports européens en élaborant un cadre politique approprié en fonction duquel les ports pourront prospérer. L'ESC est d'avis que les principaux objectifs que la CE devrait poursuivre consistent à accroître l'efficacité portuaire, promouvoir la compétitivité industrielle et assurer une concurrence saine et libre dans le secteur portuaire.
Nordana Line lance un service ro/ro mixte d'Anvers vers Mombasa Un nouveau venu se présente sur la route Europe du Nord-Afrique de l'Est, en l'occurrence l'armement Nordana Line, la division liner du groupe Danebrog Rederi AS, qui opère déjà au départ de la Méditerranée vers l'Amérique du Nord et latine. L'initiative d' opérer au départ d'Anvers se distingue par de nombreux aspects, en ce sens qu'il s'agit d'un service roulier mixte qui s'adresse tant au fret roulier ou conditionné en ro/ro qu'au fret en breakbulk ou en container et qui peut faire l'objet de manutentions en lo/lo. En outre, l'armement vise des délais de transit très courts. La fréquence sera d'un départ tous les 15 jours. Le premier départ d'Anvers est annoncé pour le 27 mai prochain.
Geodis vise 20 mia. de FRFde C.A. à l'horizon 2000 D'ici à la fin de l'an 2000, le groupe français Geodis espère se placer dans le peloton des cinq premiers groupes européens de transports et logistique. Ce qui lui impose d'atteindre alors 20 milliards de FRF de chiffre d'affaires (C.A.). Par rapport aux 17,7 milliards de C.A. réalisés en 1997, l'ambition affichée représente une progression de 13% en trois exercices. Analyse de la démarche pour atteindre cet objectif.
Australie: l'industrie automobile première victime du conflit portuaire L'industrie de la construction automobile est la première activité économique importante à faire des frais du conflit qu'engendre la réforme portuaire en Australie. En effet, le constructeur Toyota a annoncé qu'il arrêtait pendant quelques jours sa production à son unité d'Altona, étant donné que les piquets instaurés par les dockers licenciés bloquent sur les quais de Melbourne des dizaines de containers chargés de pièces. Les 2.500 ouvriers concernés ont été priés de prendre leur congé annuel.
Booming Austrac considers options Rapid ascension into the ranks of main line train operators has private company Austrac considering its options for raising capital. Knowing that potential investors will be eyeing future performance, managing director Tim Elderton has announced the winning of 14 containers of regular weekly cargo, from a mining company in Young selling magnesite, 21 tonnes per container.
P&O chief Hein 'skates on thin ice' P&O Australia Ltd stands firmly behind the federal government's push for waterfront reform according tot he company's chairman, Richard Hein He said the current situation could be compared to three skaters on thin ice, with two of those skaters already having broken through the ice. Mr Hein believes that P&O Ports in Australia is not earning enough on its investment and too much time is spent on dealing with industrial relations matters.
Govt shakes up NTC Just nine months after its inaugural meeting, the cross-industry body formed to advise government on intermodal and transport interface issues, the National Transport Council, has had its membership cut from 13 to six. Announcing the shake-up last week, federal Transport Minister Mark Vaile said the smaller body -- now with a strong international flavor -- would be able to focus more on strategic transport issues.
Workshop plots Fremantle's future course Western Australia's Department of Transport has hosted a workshop as part of a strategy designed to ensure that the Fremantle Port Authority's (FPA) long-term land side transport access needs are served well into the next millennium. In a framework-setting address, Graham Hooper, Maunsell Pty Ltd's director of port and transport planning, told the audience that major port planning decisions had to be based on cooperative alliances.
Turakina settlement may be nearing The Federal Court will this week resume hearing a claim for the release of the former South Pacific Shipping containership Turakina which is under arrest in Darling Harbour. The application by the vessel's German owners, is being opposed by one of the major local creditors, Patrick as well as representatives of her master and crew.
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