Safmarine in $55m deal for CMBT SOUTH African carrier Safmarine has confirmed it will pay $55m in cash to Belgian partner CMB, allowing it to gain full control of Safmarine and CMBT Lines, the north-south container shipping specialist.
Fabrication yard venture to boost jobs at St John's A NEW subsea fabrication yard is to be established to service the Terra Nova oil development, underscoring hopes that St John's in Newfoundland appears set to get some of the oil jobs it has been demanding.
Italian builders achieve increase in production ITALIAN shipyards have succeeded in pushing up production as they struggle with declining newbuilding prices.
Newbuilding orders revive German yards A LEADING German shipping industry expert believes the crisis facing the nation's shipbuilders is coming to an end, writes Sabina Casagrande, Bonn.
US scrapping proposal adds to breakers' woes INDIA'S beleaguered shipbreaking industry is waiting to hear if the US House of Representatives will vote to ban the export of old ships to developing countries for dismantling and scrapping.
Japanese builders face battle with South Korean rivals A WEAKENING yen helped to push seven of Japan's largest shipbuilders into profit during the past financial year.
IMB detective unit to target pirate gangs AN internationally-backed detective agency is to be set up with the goal of defeating the activities of pirate gangs - some thought to enjoy the collusion of the authorities - that prey on merchant shipping.
Japanese interested in 'Francesca' LIMASSOL-based Columbia Shipmanagement is currently negotiating with unnamed Japanese interests over the sale of the passenger ro-ro vessel Francesca, writes Andrew Grey.
UB Liner Services ceases trading UK-BASED North Europe-Mediterranean operator, UB Shipping Services, has ceased trading.
Cross channel ferry crewmen injured P&O European ferries has launched an investigation into an incident aboard the 33,000 gt cross channel ferry Pride of Le Havre, in which three crew members were injured.
Cruise boom for Barcelona CRUISE shipping through the Spanish port of Barcelona will reach record levels for 1998, according to the port authority's director of promotion and development.
IEA reduces oil consumption forecast THE weakening of Asia's economies has led to the International Energy Agency reducing its forecasts on global oil consumption for this year.
Firm rates bolster Teekay FIRM summer tanker charter rates on the Gulf-East crude oil tanker routes has been an instrumental factor in a much improved second quarter result for Teekay Shipping.
Government backs Halifax in mega-port bid HALIFAX port's bid to become the east-coast mega port for M'rsk Line and Sea-Land could be backed by the Canadian governments, according to Nova Scotia's transport minister.
Ectasy moves to Newport News FIRE damaged cruiseship, the Ecstasy, owned by Carnival Cruise Lines, has been transferred to Newport News Virginia yards from Miami.
IMB launches new anti-piracy initiative THE International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has launched a new Rapid Response Investigation Service to counter piracy.
Tirrenia faces ferry sale dilemma FIVE 1970-71-built ferries of the 'modified Poeta type' that were put up for sale at the end of last year by Tirrenia di Navigazione have not yet found a buyer.
Rotterdam hits new high AN expanding world economy and specific growth in the Netherlands, the US and Germany has helped boost the port of Rotterdam to a record throughput.
Safmarine takes control of SCL CAPE Town-based Safmarine has taken total control of SCL following agreement reached with Belgium's CMB.
New Europe/ECSA service launched A REMODELLED service on the Europe-East Coast South America trade will start operations on September 1.
Strintzis orders from Dutch yard GREEK ferry operator Strintzis Lines has ordered a 1,600 passenger/150 lorry capacity ro-pax ferry from the Dutch yard Van Der Giessen de Nord.
Japanese car output tumbling JAPANESE car production and sales to south-east Asia is set to continue falling because of the region's financial crisis, according to the country's car maufacturers.
Seattle opens intermodal yard INTERMODAL rail operations have started at the Port of Seattle's Terminal 5.
Confusion reigns at Subic freeport THE bloody Sunday assault at Subic freeport has left investors and traders confused as to who is in charge or with whom to transact business.
TDI-Halter wins rig order TDI-Halter has signed a letter of agreement with ENSCO International for the construction of an ENSCO 7500-design semi-submersible drilling rig.
HDW wins Greek fast ferry order ATHENS-listed Attica Enterprises has placed an order with Howaldtwerke Deutsche Werft for the construction of four vessels of the Superfast ferries series.
Cracks hit Darwin port project A CRACK along the entire face of a new wharf at Darwin has raised doubts over the current expansion of the port which aims to become Australia's major northern hub with Asia.
US sets up grain task force OFFICIALS with the US Departments of Agriculture and Transportation agreed yesterday to create an inter-agency task force.
Boluda launches Panama service SPAIN'S Boluda Group has started a supply and service operation in the Panama Canal through recently-created Compania Maritima de Panama.
Three yards bidding for SNCM order THREE shipyards are still bidding for the super fast ferry which SNCM Ferryterran'e is going to order.
Tarragona gets 60,000 teu boost THE Port Authority of Tarragona has announced a deal which will see an additional 60,000 teus going through the Catalonian port.
OOCL enhances Baltic service HONG KONG container carrier OOCL has enhanced the Scan-Baltic Express service that it launched three months ago.
Le projet de fusion Cosco-Sinotrans aurait capoté Le projet de fusion des armements d'Etat Cosco et Sinotrans auquel nous fîmes allusion il y a quelques semaines aurait capoté, malgré le feu vert qu'avait donné Pékin pour la réalisation de ce plan. L'objectif était de créer un mega-carrier sous l'égide d'une seule autorité. Selon les informations dont nous disposons, l'échec serait dû aux trop grandes différences qui existent entre les deux entreprises. Manifestement, certains aspects politiques auront joué. N'oublions pas que Cosco relève du ministère des Communications, tandis que Sinotrans est contrôlé par le ministère du Commerce extérieur et de la coopération économique.
Rotterdam: la croissance du trafic est plus rapide que prévue L'évolution du trafic du port de Rotterdam est supérieure aux prévisions du scénario à long terme repris de la récente étude "2020, perspectives pour le port et l'industrie". C'est la raison pour laquelle Willem Scholte, directeur général de l'Entreprise portuaire communale de Rotterdam, insiste auprès du gouvernement néerlandais en vue de créer l'espace vital nécessaire pour le port, à l'ouest de l'actuelle Maasvlakte.
L'entreprise portuaire d'Anvers face au millénaire Il y a à peine deux ans, les entreprises de consulting ont lancé une première campagne de sensibilisation concernant les retombées du passage à l'an 2000 (Y2K) pour les programmes informatiques et l'appareillage concerné. Certains estiment qu'il ne faut pas céder à la panique, tandis que d'autres estiment que le problème vaut d'être étudié. Le Centre Informatique de l'entreprise portuaire d'Anvers (ICH) fait partie du second groupe et a chargé une équipe de neuf personnes d'éliminer les retombées d'Y2K pour les logiciels propres et acquis. C'est ce que nous a confié le directeur Peter van Zundert.
Talks on meat rate changes Meat exporters and conference container carriers to the United States and Canada are to meet this Friday to discuss new tariffs which are to be introduced later this year. Members of the container line associations between Australia and US as well as Canada are to introduce tariff changes for sailings on or after 24 September. Letters sent last week by the Australia/New Zealand-United States Container Line Association as well the Australia/New Zealand-Canada Line Association to importers in the US and Canada said the carriers had concluded that they needed to review their competitive position on a port to port basis and ensure that charges for inland deliveries moved toward greater cost recovery.
Sydney to stay working during Games Sydney Harbour will continue to operate as a working port during the 2000 Olympic Games. This undertaking was given yesterday by the NSW Minister for the Olympics, Michael Knight and the Minister for Ports Kim Yeadon, while releasing the waterways strategic plan for the sailing events of the Sydney Olympic and Paralympic Games. The ministers said ferry and charter vessel services would continue as normal with no effect on peak ferry operations before 10am and after 5pm. During the day, commercial shipping will be able to access the harbour outside of competition times.
Beware GPS roll-over, AMSA warns The potential for problems to occur due to the "GPS roll over" has been brought to the attention of shipowners by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority in a Marine Notice. This latest notice (7/1998), replaces one issued in April (4/1998) which, it was suggested, may be incorrect. The authority noted that it remains prudent and important that all users of GPS equipment should contact their particular equipment supplier in regard to possible roll-over problems.
Boc adds Cathay to list of clients Qantas and Ansett's stranglehold on cargo handling services at Melbourne Airport appears to have weakened further with revelations that independent cargo terminal operator BOC Cargo Services Australia is set to grab the handling business of one of the airport's largest customers.
Engineers' dispute smoulders on The dispute between the Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers and Australian Maritime Safety Authority is showing no signs of an early resolution and continuing to hold up two vessels. The Cape Grafton continues to swing at anchor in Cairns, while the Rig Seismic is awaiting developments at New Plymouth in New Zealand. Despite a hearing in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission and several private attempts at resolving the impasse, no progress has been made to date.
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