Attica orders SuperFast ferries ATTICA Enterprises has ordered four large passenger-vehicle ferries for its SuperFast Ferries operation at Germany's Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft (HDW) in a move which will double the size of the company's fleet.
ICB Shipping takes up option on 'Mindoro' SWEDISH tanker specialist ICB Shipping is expanding its owned VLCC fleet, writes Tony Gray. ICB said it was exercising its purchase option on the 300,294 dwt Mindoro.
Jacobs sees robust profit growth STRONG half-year profit growth was yesterday unveiled by Jacobs Holdings, helped by the group's shipping and ports division moving into the black.
SeaFrance increases Dover traffic share FRENCH Channel ferry operator, SeaFrance, claims to have increased its share of the ferry market in the Strait of Dover during the first half of the year, despite a 6.7% fall in the number of passengers it carried.
Hitachi Zosen buoyed by orderbook strength LEADING Japanese shipbuilder, Hitachi Zosen, has little to fear from the current uncertainties in the newbuilding market, a senior company executive has said.
Japan bankers cool on loan to Shanghai yard JAPANESE banks are said to be reacting negatively to calls for a Yen18bn ($128m) loan extension for the Waigaoqiao shipyard, to be constructed in the Hudong district of Shanghai.
DFDS to save duty-frees by Norway call DENMARK'S DFDS, part of the Lauritzen group, expects a change in its Scandinavia-UK passenger ferry routes to yield a 25% increase in volume and get around next year's change in duty-free regulations.
Databases focus on stowaways TWO separate databases are to be compiled on stowaways, furnishing shipowners with the statistical backing to ensure that governments take their responsibilities in this area more seriously.
Eurotunnel hits throughput records A RECORD monthly throughput of 62,143 heavy goods vehicles were carried through Eurotunnel in June, according to figures just released by the Anglo-French tunnel operator.
Guayaquil targets 75,000 ton grain import UP to 75,000 tons of grain will be imported to Guayaquil during the second half of this year to compensate for El Ni'o damage to domestic crops.
CGM agrees Antilles service extension FRENCH liner operator CGM (CMA-CGM group) and the banana planters of the French Antilles have agreed a renewal of the current banana transport contract.
'Double hulls best' says report THE risk of oil spill from shuttle tankers can be more than halved if they have double hulls, claims a new study by Lloyd's Register and Amerada Hess.
Spanish group to run Paranagua A CONSORTIUM led by Spain's Terminal de Contenedores de Barcelona (TCB) will operate the container terminal in the Brazilian port of Paranagua.
Panama records toll and traffic growth CANAL traffic and toll revenues exceeded expectations for the first nine months of fiscal year 1998 according to the Panama Canal board.
Chevron warns on Australia/PNG pipeline US OIL giant Chevron has warned it may have to delay its proposed $2.13bn gas pipeline between Australia and Papua New Guinea.
Frontline takes first in vlcc series FRONTLINE has taken delivery of the first in a series of five vlccs from Hyundai in South Korea.
K Line eyes Med hub JAPANESE container carrier 'K' Line is eyeing the possibility of adding a Mediterranean hub to its services from the Far East to the North Continent.
Call to put army into Bangladeshi ports THE Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) has asked the government to deploy the army at key ports.
Gopalpur breaks into shipbreaking SHIPBREAKING has started near Gopalpur port in the eastern Indian state of Orissa with the breaking-up of a 10,000 dwt Russian vessel at the site by Burn Avon, a Calcutta firm.
India clears new maritime offences bill INDIA'S cabinet has cleared a proposal brought forward by the Ministry of Surface Transport to enact a new Admiralty Act.
Viking buys Tunisian ships LE HAVRE-based shipping operator Compagnie Viking has purchased two 2,700 dwt roros from Tunisian group Cotunav.
Hamburg Süd buys into Aliança GERMANY'S Hamburg Süd and Brazil's Empresa de Navegação Aliança have reached agreement on the sale of Aliança's container shipping and bulk trade activities.
Auckland port reveals box growth CONTAINER volumes at Ports of Auckland (POAL), New Zealand's largest container port, grew by 10 per cent to 499,000 teu in the year ended June 30 1998.
Crowley Maritime acquires tractor tug CROWLEY Maritime-owned Vessel Management Services has purchased a second-hand tractor tug for its growing southern California operations.
Consortium signs Colombo modernisation deal SRI Lanka's government last week initialled an agreement with an international consortium to modernise Colombo's Queen Elizabeth Quay, with a 30-year build, operate and transfer project.
Cement company plans new port JK CEMENTS of the JK group of industries is planning to build a port at Dholera in the Gulf of Cambay in the Indian state of Gujarat.
Philippines lifts cement export ban THE Philippines has lifted its ban on the export of cement, leaving a prospect of 1.5m tonnes of the bulk cargo for shipment to various parts of Asia within the year.
Strong interims expected from Singapore repairs SINGAPORE'S ship repair yards are expected to report strong interim earnings next month.
Guayaquil closer to privatisation PRIVATISATION of the Guayaquil bulk terminal is one step closer to completion, following approvals by the office of the state attorney and the National Council for Modernization.
Police raid Subic Freeport MORE than 100 people were injured after Philippine police staged a dawn raid on Subic Freeport to successfully oust sacked Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chief Richard Gordon.
Ecuador's El Niño aid finally released EUROPEAN El Niño relief donations to Ecuador have finally been released from customs warehouses after more than six months.
SCL désormais contrôlé à 100% par Safmarine L'armement SCL (Safmarine-CMBT Line) a définitivement perdu le caractère belge qui lui restait encore: le groupe CMB vient en effet de céder sa participation de 25% dans SCL à son partenaire sud-africain Safmarine. SCL avait été formé par la fusion des intérêts de Safmarine et de CMBT dans un partenariat à 51%/49%; dans la mesure, toutefois, où le groupe sud-africain détenait 49% de CMBT Investments, Safmarine détenait en réalité 75% de l'armement de ligne. La transaction porte également sur les 51% que CMB détenait dans CMBT Investments. Cela signifie que le groupe CMB se retire complètement du liner en Europe du Nord, alors que via son holding Almabo, il maintient une présence dans ce secteur en Europe du Sud via sa filiale Transinsular. C'est une page de l'histoire de la flotte marchande belge qui est ainsi tournée.
Hamburg Süd a repris toutes les activités d'Aliança Le groupe Hamburg Süd a repris toutes les activités inhérentes au transport maritime de containers et de vracs de l'armement brésilien Empresa de Navegação Aliança. Le transfert aura lieu à la fin du mois d'août.
Le transport fret par le tunnel sous la Manche augmente en volume et en prix A l'occasion du Summer Press Briefing, Fabrice Vennarucci, le directeur des ventes, et William MacKenzie, le directeur-général de la division fret d'Eurotunnel, ont dévoilé les innovations récentes et la stratégie de la société. Ainsi, un hangar d'entretien flambant neuf pouvant accueillir un train-navette entier a été constuit, tandis que le nom "Le Shuttle" sera systématiquement remplacé par "Eurotunnel Freight". Les chiffres sont encourageants et incitent à l'optimisme. En l'an 2000, les poids lourds pourront traverser la Manche jusqu'à cinq fois par heure.
Anvers: trafic toujours en hausse de 10,4% à la fin juin Le port d'Anvers poursuit sur sa lancée. Le trafic du mois de juin ayant été de la même veine (10,14 millions de tonnes, +21,5%) que celui du mois précédent (10,15 mio. de t, +6,8%), le port affiche un score remarquable pour le premier semestre: le trafic maritime a atteint 60,34 mio. de t, en progression de 10,4%, ce qui est supérieur à la progression enregistrée à la fin mai, qui était de 8,4%. C'est surtout le trafic à l'entrée qui a augmenté (+17% à 35,98 mio. de t). Le trafic à la sortie (24,35 mio. de t) maintient son rythme de progression au niveau de 2%.
New Strait plan moves to costing stage The long-term plans of retired businessman Arthur Hayward to establish a third fast passenger-freight ferry service across Bass Strait will reach a critical stage this week when Mr Hayward talks to a Western Australian shipbuilder about the up-front costs involved. Mr Hayward said last week he was proposing to start the new service between Burnie and Hastings in the summer of 1999 provided a vessel of the right specifications could be constructed at a reasonable cost, and also if the Tasmanian government and relevant state and mainland authorities pledged their support for the project.
Vaile sets mass limits timetable Transport Minister Mark Vaile has applied further welcome pressure on the ACT and NSW governments to introduce increased mass limits for trucks with 'road-friendly' suspension systems, according to the Road Transport Forum. In a speech on Saturday to the annual Australian and Tasmanian Livestock Transporters Association Conference in Hobart, Mr Vaile said he had instructed his department to prepare the instruments necessary for him to declare the National Highway open to the new mass limits regime from 1 January.
Bridge funding seen as top reform priority The most critical part of the long-awaited mass limit reforms, recognised as the most important micro-economic reform for the trucking sector is the availability of commonwealth funding for bridge upgrades. The federal government has not yet publicly stated its position on national bridge funding allocations or levels, other than to say it would take a proposal on the matter to cabinet shortly.
Govt disowns ACCC, MUA impasse The federal government has washed its hand of the impasse between the Maritime Union of Australia and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). Minister for Workplace Relations Peter Reith has said the matter is entirely for the ACCC, although he admitted that the implementation of the agreement between the MUA and Patrick would advance the government's objectives on the waterfront. Mr Reith told journalists that the federal government was prepared to financially assist with the payment of redundancies on the waterfront, provided that the outlined benchmarks were adhered to.
ALP backs fast ferry fuel rebate The ALP's Bass Strait policy -- designed to enhance the potential for a permanent 'Devil Cat' service between Tasmania and the mainland -- would not guarantee the viability of such a service, according to Tasmanian Tourism Minister Ray Groom. The ALP policy's proposes an increase in the fuel rebate applying to fast ferries from 5.3 cents per litre to the 27.5 cent per litre paid by operators of conventional vessels such as the Spirit of Tasmania.
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