European ferry safety questioned A SURVEY of European ferries has revealed "appalling safety deficiencies", according to a German report.
Belgium blocks new Sally service SALLY Line's attempt to revive an independent passenger ferry service to Ostend has been blocked by the Belgian government which will not allow the company to land passengers, writes David Mott.
Barley subsidy war erupts A BARLEY subsidy war has erupted between the US and European Union, and Canada has slammed both sides for instituting actions that threatened to depress the world price of grains.
Finnlines joins in call for tonnage-based tax system LEADING Finnish shipping group Finnlines accompanied improved results for the first four months of 1998 with a call for the introduction of a tonnage tax system in the country.
Asia ports set to tighten control SHIPOWNERS who do not comply with the ISM Code from the entry-into-force date of July 1, 1998, face certain harassment and delay to their ships from Asian port state control authorities.
The Grand Princess P&O's Grand Princess, the largest cruiseship in the world, manoeuvres in Istanbul, as she sets sail on her maiden cruise to Barcelona. The 109,000 gt ship was originally due to set sail from Southampton on May 14, but was forced to cancel her initial cruise to Barcelona because she had not been finished by the Fincantieri shipyard. Grand Princess is the first of three ships of a similar size being built for P&O. Even larger ships, code-named Eagle and of 136,000 gt, are being built for Royal Caribbean.The first, still to be named, is due for delivery next year.
Saga Petroleum profits are hit by low oil prices NORWAY'S Saga Petroleum saw operating profits halve for the first four months of this year due to low oil prices and lower production.
Head of Subic Bay may be in firing line THE hard-driving administrator of the Subic Bay freeport, Richard Gordon, may be on his way out in the wake of reports that incoming Philippine president Joseph Estrada is bent on removing him from his post.
Pressure mounts for Finnish tax-reform FINNISH shipping leaders are increasing pressure on the government for tax reforms in the lead up to the 1999 draft budget.
Southeast Asian repairers 'to gain from crisis' REPAIR yards in southeast Asia are set to increase their global market share as a result of the region's economic crisis, according to local reports.
Premier Cruises under credit scrutiny FLORIDA based Premier Cruises' has undergone a management shake-up at the same time as ratings agency Standard & Poors (S&P) placed the company on CreditWatch.
Five out of nine East Med ferries unsafe FIVE of the nine ferries surveyed in the eastern Mediterranean by Dutch company D Touw Expertise-en Ingenieursbureau fell short of safety requirements.
Australian ship detentions fall DETENTION rates decreased last year in Australia even though the Australian Maritime Safety Authority inspected more ships than ever before.
ITF told to end boycott AUSTRALIA'S MUA has been ordered to inform the International Transport Workers Federation that it does not want a second ship boycotted when it docks in North America.
Hanjin raises more cash HANJIN Shipping has signed a deal with Danaos of Greece to sell and charter back seven 2,700 teu vessels, bringing to $397m the total raised in similar deals this year.
Colombian coal exports to double COLOMBIA plans to double its annual coal exports to more than 50m tonnes by 2005, according to a report by state coal company Ecocarbon.
Cuban sugar harvest set for 50-year low CUBA'S sugar harvest is expected to hit a 50-year low this year, falling to 3.2m tonnes, according to industry officials.
Strike hits Petroecuador STRIKE action will cause Petroecuador, Ecuador's national oil company, to postpone crude shipments to 12 overseas buyers.
P&O Nedlloyd fortifies African presence P&0 Nedlloyd is strengthening its presence in Africa, and plans to use its new Las Palmas transhipment hub to improve its West Africa service.
Box crane prices collapse MINDLESS pursuit of market share by container crane manufacturers has brought about a collapse in prices, and driven capacity far beyond demand.
Indo Port project 'will continue' PREPARATIONS for Indo Port, the Indonesian port venture to be created on Batan Island close to Singapore, will continue this week in spite of this month's political changes.
First crew manager gains ISMA certificate DELTA Marine Personnel Services became the first crew manager to receive a certificate of full membership of the International Ship Managers' Association (ISMA) yesterday.
Asian crisis helps Golden Ocean GOLDEN Ocean has emerged smiling this year from the Asian crisis, according to this year's annual report.
Oversupply threatens petrochemical industry OVERBUILDING of global chemical production capacities could lead to oversupply and price reduction of petrochemical products, Dr Tony Kam, vp of Mobil Chemicals warned yesterday.
Lykes Lines: une 2e escale à Anvers avec son service AN L'armement Lykes Lines, une des filiales de CP Ships, a donné une nouvelle dimension à ses activités sur le secteur Atlantique, qui se manifestent désormais en Europe du Nord via deux services distincts, ceci dans le contexte d'un accord de coopération passé avec deux membres de la New World Alliance, à savoir APL (NOL) et MOL, Hyundai devant les rejoindre plus tard. Le service "North Atlantic Sprint" vient de faire l'objet d'une modification importante au niveau de la rotation en ce sens que l'escale directe de Halifax est abandonnée et que dès le mois de juillet prochain, une deuxième escale directe interviendra à Anvers.
Méditerranée: vers une surcapacité en hubs? "Nous n'avons pas besoin d'un hub de plus pour le transhipment de containers dans le secteur méditerranéen." C'est en ces termes que le managing director de Contship Italia, Giuliano Alberghini, a réagi, dans le cadre de la Terminal Operations Conference à Anvers, à une présentation sur le projet marocain concernant l'implantation d'un nouveau grand port à containers à proximité de Tanger. Les activités de ce terminal, baptisé Tanger Atlantique, seraient principalement axées sur le transhipment de boîtes pour le compte d'armateurs opérant sur les axes est-ouest et nord-sud.
Le Congrès US approuve un programme autoroutier sans précédent Le Congrès américain a approuvé à une majorité écrasante le Transportation Equity Act pour le 21e siècle (la loi "TEA 21") qui prévoit le budget pour la construction et l'entretien des routes le plus grand de l'histoire des Etats-Unis. Ce budget est de 175 milliards de USD (6.400 milliards de BEF), répartis sur les six années à venir. A cela s'ajoutent 41 milliards de USD prévus pour l'amélioration du transport en commun, de sorte qu'on peut estimer le budget total pour l'amélioration de la mobilité aux Etats-Unis à 216 milliards de USD (7.860 milliards de BEF).
Liner: la consolidation ne doir pas mener à la domination mais à la survie L'avenir du liner containérisé implique la consolidation qui mènerait à la domination. Ce point de vue, qui était également le thème d'une des sesions de la 22e Terminal Operations Conference & Exhibition 98, qui se tient ces jours-ci à Anvers, a été formellement démenti par Lua Cheng Eng, CEO de Neptune Orient Lines (NOL), armement qui on le sait, a repris dernièrement le grand armement américain APL. "Il n'est pas question de domination. Les armateurs consolident dans le but de survivre et réclament des taux qui doivent permettre de compenser les coûts de bons services et leur assurer de bons revenus", a-t-il dit.
'K' Line joins SEA scramble Yet another entrant is joining the crowded South-East Asian trade with the announcement by 'K'Line that it will slot charter from Australia-South Asia consortium member Regional Container Lines from the middle next month. 'K'Line's entry will coincide with the implementation of the dual-string, eight-ship ASA service which gets underway in mid June.
P&OP 'agrees' to use Patrick men The maritime Union of Australia yesterday claimed it had reached agreement with P&O Ports Ltd on the use of its members formerly employed by Patrick in Newcastle and Adelaide. Newcastle MUA official Jim Boyle said the union had agreed to allow the company to use its own union workers to unload the ships first, with Patrick members taking up any overflow.
US unions shift focus Waterfront unions in North America were yesterday shifting their attention to the Australia-New Zealand Direct line containership, the Direct Kea which they claim was loaded in Australia by non-union labor. This followed their victory forcing the Columbus Canada to return her Australian cargo loaded by non union labor at the height of the dispute between Patrick and the Maritime Union of Australia.
Call for regional cooperation Given the strains imposed by the Asian economic crisis, cooperation between shipowners in the Asian region is crucial if the growth of the shipping sector and stabilisation of trade is not to be adversely affected, according to the Asian Shipowners Forum. The Forum's members said they would attempt to achieve cooperation based on co-existence and co-prosperity among all parties in all fields.
FESCO bolsters N. American business Vladivostok's Far Eastern Shipping Company has moved to strengthen its North American operation by taking full control of its agency and management companies there in a buyout of other shareholders. The company has also committed itself to a further upgrading of the FESCO Australia North America Line, promising weekly frequency before the end of this year.
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