Indonesia seeks debt freeze INDONESIA is seeking temporary freezes on oil imports and the servicing of foreign currency corporate debt in a bid to stabilise its battered economy.
Marine casualties fall but claims increase EXPLOSIONS that destroyed Turkey's largest tanker, and the loss of the containership MSC Carla which broke in half, were two of the more expensive shipping accidents last year that will push up claims faced by insurers.
Philippines freight rate rise angers foreign lines FOREIGN shipping companies calling at Philippines international ports are protesting at a freight rate rise imposed by domestic shipping lines on containerised transhipment cargo.
Cargoships top list of UK detentions BULK carriers and general cargoships accounted for 82% of the 156 foreign flag vessels detained by British port state control last year, according to statistics released by the Maritime Safety Agency.
OOCL set for switch to Modern Terminals ORIENT Overseas Container Line is to join the partners of the reformed Grand Alliance in moving its container handling business in Hong Kong to Modern Terminals Limited at the expense of Hongkong International Terminals (HIT).
Happy Rover Mammoet Shipping's 15,700 dwt heavylift vessel Happy Rover, delivered to the Dutch firm in August, is pictured in the Panama Canal carrying two 400-tonne cranes built by Spanish manufacturer Imenosa SA. The cranes were loaded at Ferrol and destined for coal handling facilities at the Chilean ports of Patache and Mejillones.
Reefer rates gap widens A FREIGHT rates gap is widening between older and newer tonnage in the refrigerated shipping market.
Italy set to pump fun into shipping sector ITALY is pumping some Lire2.5trn ($1.4bn) into its shipbuilding and shipping activities over the next three years which, according to the Ministry of Transport, closes the funding gap with other European countries.
Ship losses fall but tonnage lost increases MERCHANT ship total losses fell in 1997, although the actual tonnage loss rose, according to the Institute of London Underwriters.
Warsaw settles with Northern Shipyard POLAND'S government and Northern Shipyard in Gdansk yesterday reached a final settlement on compensation for ships built for, but never taken by, the Soviet Union.
Internatio-Müller enters European feeder trade INTERNATIO-Müller (IM) is re-entering the ship operating business with a feeder service linking the UK, North Continent and Scandinavia.
Government advisor bids to break MUA monopoly ONE of the Australian government's key waterfront reform advisers has helped establish a business to try to break the Maritime Union of Australia's labour monopoly.
Buenaventura stockpiles coffee to beat strike BUENAVENTURA port, Colombia, stockpiled enough coffee to last for 12 days of exports after hearing rumours of a trucking strike that started on January 25.
Fairplay transfers Baltic tugs to Rotterdam HAMBURG-based tug company Fairplay has started towing operations at Rotterdam.
Polish premier 'actively supports builders' JERZY Buzek, the Polish prime minister, stressed yesterday that his government 'would actively support the country's shipbuilding industry'.
Contship, CGM, Marfret join forces CONTSHIP Containerlines, CGM and Marfret are to join forces from the beginning of February to offer a round-the-world service.
Philippine lawmakers rush shipbuilding bill FILIPINO legislators are pushing for the immediate passage of a bill designed to boost the country's shipbuilding and shiprepair industry.
Western Australia receives shipbuilding boost A PROPOSED new marine fabrication and heavy industrial complex planned near Fremantle, Western Australia has received an A$80m ($53.6m) funding kickstart.
Australia moves on cotton credit scheme AUSTRALIAN cotton shipments to Indonesia, dwindling under the pressure of Asia's financial meltdown, are likely to be guaranteed by a government credit scheme.
Loki sells suezmax stake in restructuring plan LOKI, the Norwegian parent of Mercur Tankers, has sold its 20 per cent stake in the 1977-built suezmax tanker Alex Stream.
'Asian flu' begins to hit trans-Pacific trade TRANS-PACIFIC trade from US west coast ports is being hit by Asia's economic woes, with westbound trade falling and eastbound trade being fuelled by currency realignments.
Union Pacific records substantial loss THE Union Pacific Corp, parent company of the Union Pacific railroad, has reported its largest ever quarterly loss before exceptional costs.
ACH launches first Stolt chemical tanker LE HAVRE shipyard Ateliers et Chantiers du Havre launched the first in a series of three chemical tankers for Stolt Parcel Tankers on January 16.
Mersey Docks dispute is settled MERSEY Docks & Harbour Co yesterday settled its marathon dispute with 327 former dockers.
Contship/CGM/Marfret: Anvers sera-t-il retenu dans le service tour du monde? Une fois encore, c'est le souci d'une économie d'échelle, et partant d'une meilleure rentabilité, qui incite des armements à faire cause commune pour l'exploitation de services de lignes régulières. Contship et le tandem Marfret/CGM vont fusionner leur service tour du monde et ce, dès le début du mois de février prochain.
3M mise sur l'innovation en matière d'environnement Avec sa nouvelle unité de production de produits chimiques fluorés et son installation de récupération de fluorures, 3M Chemical Group à Zwijndrecht a répondu à l'appel "Osez innover"lancé par le gouvernement flamand. C'est ce qu'a déclaré le ministre-président Luc Van den Brande à l'occasion de l'inauguration officielle des nouvelles installations mardi dernier. Le projet représente un investissement de 2 mia. de BEF et a permis la création de 30 emplois. Rappelons que 3M Chemicals Europe est le quartier général de la production européenne des produits chimiques de 3M (Minnesota).
Schenker met fin à sa coopération avec Kaukokiito Le groupe allemand Schenker-Rhenus et la société de transport routier et d'expédition finlandaise Varsunais-Suomen Kaukokiito Oy ont annoncé qu'ils ont mis fin à leur coopération le 25 janvier. Cette rupture est bien entendu la conséquence de l'accord de fusion entre Schenker-Eurocargo et le groupe BTL (Bilspedition), dont la division Scansped permet de couvrir le marché finlandais en direct.
F. Huts (KTN/SPT): "A nous le troisième terminal sur l'Escaut" "Nous sommes candidats pour le troisième terminal à containers sur l'Escaut et optimistes quant au résultat. La Hessenatie a eu le premier, la Noord Natie le deuxième, le 3e ne peut que nous revenir. Nous sommes au premier rang". C'est ce qu'a déclaré le PDG du groupe Katoen Natie/Seaport Terminal mardi dernier, lors d'une réunion d'information au cours de laquelle furent évoqués les résultats et performances de son groupe en 1997, sujets sur lesquels nous reviendrons.
Asian crisis taking its toll on Hong Kong port traffic
Rekindling Cuban ties
Order seen failing to make Frankfurt mecca of air competition
Shuster rebuffs OMB on trust fund
Clarification
Korean Air adds freighter service to Vietnam route
Legislative preferences
CNF posts earnings turnaround
Argentine privatization to benefit cargo airlines
In deeper: Yangtze channel under way
Who needs the bunny? Your ocean carrier will energize you in more ways than one
Faced with threats to its domination in Rotterdam, ECT is taking the offensive as it readies a pact to run a boxport in Trieste, plans a series of inland terminals and sizes up the possibilities in Bilbao
Here are some new utilities that can cure your PC's ills
Connecticut harbors offer safe havens to shippers at very reasonable prices
MUA looks for new CTAL deal The Maritime Union of Australia yesterday applied to the Australian Industrial Relations Commission to initiate a bargaining period for P&O Port’s facility at Botany Bay, Container Terminals Australia. The facility has been effectively without formal agreement since the ending last year of the controversial Productivity Employment Proposal also known as the PEP scheme.
Specialised Container, Westrail reach agreement After months of protracted negotiations Specialised Container Transport revealed yesterday it had struck a long-term commercial rail access agreement with Westrail in Western Australia. The Melbourne-based private operator said it had signed a long-term track access agreement with Westrail, believed to be 10 years in duration, independently of the National Competition Council process.
Great Northern lines up expansion The distinctive maroon, red and yellow locomotives of Victoria’s newest privately-crewed rail freight operation Great Northern Rail Services Pty Ltd could be seen a lot more on Australia’s rail network in the future. The company is hopeful of winning more rail freight business after the success and interest generated from the start up of its first haulage contract two weeks ago.
Unions intensify outsource campaign NSW rail unions last week promised to continue their fight against the contracting out of rail maintenance services in the state, with unions warning they could soon start a campaign of bans and stoppages. Following a meeting last week, union officials said strike action was inevitable unless Premier Bob Carr agreed to a moratorium on all competitive contracting throughout the rail industry.
Burnie records fall in December The cargo tonnage shipped through the port of Burnie last month was the highest recorded in the port for the month of December. A total of 39 ships, 29 coastal and 10 overseas, handled a total of 470,560 tonnes, Burnie’s harbour master, Captain MJ Boss-Walker said.
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