Cyprus probes ship papers fraud AN alleged international ship certification racket which could leave maritime regulators in several countries red-faced is under investigation in Cyprus after police searched a Panamanian-owned off-shore shipping office in Limassol.
Royal Caribbean indicted in pollution investigation A US federal grand jury in Miami has indicted leading foreign-flag shipping firm Royal Caribbean Cruises for allegedly "presenting false statements" during a US Coast Guard marine pollution investigation involving the 48,563 gt, Liberian-flagged cruiseship Nordic Empress.
Cosco's newbuilding jigsaw ALTHOUGH there seems to be a pause in Cosco's newbuilding plans, the lessons learned in the most recent newbuilding rounds means that shipyards will face tough demands from the Chinese line in future projects.
Asia crisis forces Maersk reshuffle MAERSK Line and Sea-Land Service's recently announced reorganisation in the Pacific amounts to a substantial reduction in tonnage at a time when eastbound volumes are soaring.
Cypriot action reveals registry doubts RIPPLES from the detention of a ship under the flag of Equatorial Guinea in Limassol last month are likely to reach much further than the owners of the offshore company on which the suspicions of the Cypriot police appear to have fallen.
Boxships calls boost Manila WILLIAM, Gothong and Aboitiz, the Philippines' largest domestic passenger and freight liner company, has deployed two container vessels to service the Manila-Mindanao route, writes Alec Almazan, Manila.
Where civilisation ends and the ocean jungle begins IN the midst of all the good news of improving standards and better policing and monitoring of shipping - ISM Code and what not - along comes a small crop of news about shipping's dark side.
BC seeks investors for newbuild programme BRITISH Columbia Ferry Corp, operator of one of the world's largest government-owned ferry fleets, is looking for investors to build and leaseback up to seven conventional ferries over the next 10 years.
Patrick warns MUA: Strike four and out IMMEDIATE legal action, involving substantial damages, is likely this week if members of the Maritime Union of Australia engage in any further strikes in their bitter dispute with Patrick and the National Farmers Federation. On Friday, Patrick sought an interlocutory injunction in the Victorian Supreme Court which would prevent the union from taking industrial action which would interfere with the company’s business. If successful, the injunction would expose the union to contempt of court charges and possible damages if it disobeyed the order.
BOC takes off in Melbourne MELBOURNE Airport’s fourth on-airport cargo handling terminal started scheduled operations over the weekend, with the new operator promising unprecedented levels of cargo handling services for the Victorian freight forwarding community. The first scheduled freighter aircraft to be unloaded at BOC Cargo Services Australia’s new $10 million facility -- an American International Cargo Boeing 747 freighter -- was scheduled to touch down at Tullamarine last night. BOC terminal manager Andrew Williams confirmed last week that American International, owned by ex-racing car driver Connie Kalitta, was BOC Australia’s first customer at the airport.
Weighing up the options ONE OF the basic matters worrying port transport operators is the apparent conflict between Footscray Road capacity reduction plans and the weight limits on Victoria Bridge. The bridge, now under construction, was designed to meet Austroads’ current standards, but does not take into account the proposals contained in the Austroads’ Future Direction document. It was designed to carry b-doubles up to 62.5 tonnes, although Transurban have advised that they will allow b-doubles up to 68 tonnes on to the bridge, but super b-doubles cannot use the bridge on a day to day basis.
SES successor near DESPITE a federal government-imposed sunset of 1 March for AMSA control of the Seamen’s Engagement System, the Australian Shipowners Association is optimistic company employment of seafarers will be in place shortly. In practical term the SES is due to pass out of AMSA’s control this Friday, but ASA chief executive Lachlan Payne said on Friday "cordial meetings with the unions" left him confident of an agreement that would lead to company employment for seafarers in the future.
Union plea: Recognise human angle The benefits of treating workers in a humane fashion were stressed by Maritime Union of Australia deputy national secretary Tony Papaconstuntinos at the Waterfront Reforms Ports and Shipping Conference in Sydney on Friday. Alluding to the current disputes on the waterfront, Mr Papaconstuntinos also lashed out at the federal government and in particular, Prime Minister John Howard’s promise that "no workers will be worse off" under his government.
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