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Shenzhen port volumes surge
STRONGER than anticipated growth at China's second busiest container port, Shenzhen, will see it trail mainland front runner Shanghai only slightly and overtake South Korea's Busan Port in full year throughput, the latest official figures reveal.
German transport official to hold talks here
GERMANY's director-general of shipping and aviation, Dr Hans-Jurgen Frobose, is here on a two-day visit under the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore's distinguished visitors' programme.
VLGC rates ease on higher competition, slow bookings
FREIGHT rates for very large gas carriers, the biggest ships that carry liquefied petroleum gases such as propane and butane, were little changed as bookings slowed and the supply of ship increased.
Thoresen Thai to sell 1b baht shares to ING
THORESEN Thai Agencies, Thailand's biggest shipping company by market value, agreed to sell one billion baht of new shares to ING Bank and its Thai unit through private placement to finance expansion.

Air and Land Transport

Boeing market estimate for 7E7 too high: Airbus
AIRBUS SAS said Boeing is greatly overestimating the potential market for the 7E7 Dreamliner and that it's not planning a response because it already has a plane that's more economical.
Airbus wins 20-jet order from Qantas unit Jetstar
New Bangkok airport on track for 2005
Lufthansa to launch 4 weekly flight services between KL and Frankfurt

Admiralty Casebook

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Shipping News

Shenzhen port volumes surge
STRONGER than anticipated growth at China's second busiest container port, Shenzhen, will see it trail mainland front runner Shanghai only slightly and overtake South Korea's Busan Port in full year throughput, the latest official figures reveal.
German transport official to hold talks here
GERMANY's director-general of shipping and aviation, Dr Hans-Jurgen Frobose, is here on a two-day visit under the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore's distinguished visitors' programme.
VLGC rates ease on higher competition, slow bookings
FREIGHT rates for very large gas carriers, the biggest ships that carry liquefied petroleum gases such as propane and butane, were little changed as bookings slowed and the supply of ship increased.
Thoresen Thai to sell 1b baht shares to ING
THORESEN Thai Agencies, Thailand's biggest shipping company by market value, agreed to sell one billion baht of new shares to ING Bank and its Thai unit through private placement to finance expansion.

Air and Land Transport

Boeing market estimate for 7E7 too high: Airbus
AIRBUS SAS said Boeing is greatly overestimating the potential market for the 7E7 Dreamliner and that it's not planning a response because it already has a plane that's more economical.
Airbus wins 20-jet order from Qantas unit Jetstar
New Bangkok airport on track for 2005
Lufthansa to launch 4 weekly flight services between KL and Frankfurt

Admiralty Casebook

web site

Shipping News

Shenzhen port volumes surge
STRONGER than anticipated growth at China's second busiest container port, Shenzhen, will see it trail mainland front runner Shanghai only slightly and overtake South Korea's Busan Port in full year throughput, the latest official figures reveal.
German transport official to hold talks here
GERMANY's director-general of shipping and aviation, Dr Hans-Jurgen Frobose, is here on a two-day visit under the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore's distinguished visitors' programme.
VLGC rates ease on higher competition, slow bookings
FREIGHT rates for very large gas carriers, the biggest ships that carry liquefied petroleum gases such as propane and butane, were little changed as bookings slowed and the supply of ship increased.
Thoresen Thai to sell 1b baht shares to ING
THORESEN Thai Agencies, Thailand's biggest shipping company by market value, agreed to sell one billion baht of new shares to ING Bank and its Thai unit through private placement to finance expansion.

Air and Land Transport

Boeing market estimate for 7E7 too high: Airbus
AIRBUS SAS said Boeing is greatly overestimating the potential market for the 7E7 Dreamliner and that it's not planning a response because it already has a plane that's more economical.
Airbus wins 20-jet order from Qantas unit Jetstar
New Bangkok airport on track for 2005
Lufthansa to launch 4 weekly flight services between KL and Frankfurt

Admiralty Casebook

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FedEx sees fruitful year ahead as severance moves change outlook Initial phase of Yangshan Port piling work completed MOL opens new vessel operations centre in Panama Minister Yeo to keynote Singapore conference Greybox to manage USL container fleet APM consortium gets rights to Luanda terminal Thai buys ground equipment All AA freight products now available online EU approves air deal

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Sinha to inaugurate Mumbai-Goa high-speed catamaran service at Ferry Wharf today Coast Guard rescues Essar Shipping crew hit by cyclone India, Iran favour regional common market Wool industry wants to import cashmere yarn from China Kerala may call for fresh EoIs to develop Alappuzha port Curtain goes up on yet another momentous occasion at JN Port - Celebrations and felicitations today Railways exceeds freight target for april- nov. Uni Express launches services from India CONCOR to resume weekly TKD/ MbPT, Nagpur/Mulund CFS service - Good news for Mumbai Port users! Industrial output records 5.4 pc growth in Oct. Container penetration levels will continue to grow, opines IPA meet Express Transport staff credit society celebrates 21st anniversary CII, ACFIC renew MoU to boost commercial ties TT Club's rating upgraded to B++

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DECEMBER 18, 2003
Supplier expands operations to Sakhalin Island Russian bunker supplier Bunker Holdings Ltd announced today that the company is now acting as a physical bunker supplier at Sakhalin Island. GAC strengthens global agency network with Unipros alliance Japan's Christmas holiday shutdown comes early Japan has resigned itself to its Christmas break over the past week, with indications from suppliers coming with 'valid after the 5th of January' in their small print, and nomination deadlines for the new year period coming up fast - if they haven't been reached already. Singapore middle distillate stocks recover from record low Singapore bunkers aim higher after steady week Despite gyrations in crude and the cargo market, bunker prices have been largely steady for fuel oil this week. This Thursday we saw suppliers across the board raising their indications and looking for higher prices, but we had very mixed reports with some saying the market was firm, others soft. Italians feel the Christmas rush

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DECEMBER 18, 2003
Port of Melbourne appoints new CEO Famous Pacific Shipping strengthens presence in Vietnam Volga-Dnepr's B747 all-cargo airline set for take off on April 1, 2004 Paderborn joins the German "ic:kurier" network Geodis opens 10,000 sqm platform for Metro in Romania EIB grants EUR 12 million loan to Guinea Canadian Pacific chooses IBM

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DECEMBER 18, 2003
Desperate shortage of ice-classed vessels Norwegian tug change to Danish Register Bergesen sells two VLCCs

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DECEMBER 18, 2003
Handysize bulker owner dismisses SARS fears Brussels ISM puzzle Broström sells small chemical tankers HUAL extends PCTC order

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DECEMBER 18, 2003
NYC sues New York Waterway Claims unpaid landing fees

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DECEMBER 18, 2003
BCrowley Maritime orders tug and tank/deck cargo barge Panama Maritime Authority adds two new security organizations Royal Olympic subsidiaries file for Chapter 11 protection WTSA member carriers plan reefer cargo rate increase Tsakos increases vessel holdings with seven-year time charter pact

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'Karachi Eight' hopes still alive THE American Club, insurer of the Tasman Spirit, is clinging to hopes that the eight men being detained in Pakistan in connection with the Karachi oil spill earlier this year may yet be released in time for Christmas. Blacklisted flag states gain help from IACS CLASSIFICATION societies have begun a programme to help flag states on the Paris Memorandum of Understanding "blacklist" improve their performance. Bumper year for Lloyd's insurers is predicted by analysts LEADING Lloyd's vehicles are set to make substantial profits next year as a result of generally firm premium rates, analysts forecast. Ring the changes LLOYD'S List is updating its communications system and as a result new telephone numbers have been assigned.

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DECEMBER 18, 2003
Heavy lifters eye wind farm plans THE UK government's announcement today that it intends to develop 15 offshore wind farms around the country's coast is expected to bring a significant increase in heavy lift work to operators such as Smit and Mammoet, a subsidiary of BigLift Shipping UK 3Q ferry figures disappoint FEWER ferry and cruise ship passengers departed from and arrived at UK ports in the third quarter of this year compared with 2002 Brazil prepares for investors SEVERE congestion across the Brazilian port sector is prompting vessel operating companies to consider investing in the country's key strategic ports Evergreen buys into failing Trieste TAIWANESE major Evergreen Marine has acquired a 30% stake in Trieste International Container Terminal through an Italian subsidiary Yukos to lift oil exports in 2004 YUKOS, Russia's embattled crude oil producer and export leader, said in Moscow yesterday it is expecting to lift oil production and exports in 2004 Nielsen steps up at DFDS Tor Line JENS Nielsen, former managing director of DFDS Transport in the UK, has been appointed the new MD of DFDS Tor Line, the UK arm of the Danish shipping group MSC places largest gantry order Rolls-Royce Marine looks east Chantiers workers express anxiety Royal Olympia seeks protection Jambo highlights bridge fatigue Germany debates toll tax disaster Indian coastal ship abandoned China Nav picks up Indotrans Crew leaves as tanker runs aground Ro-ros planned for Biscay venture

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DECEMBER 18, 2003
Oldendorff exits U.S. liner trades German bulk operator sells Indotrans service to Swire unit, ending brief venture into American market. S. Korea tax revamp to aid carriers New tonnage tax aims to shore up domestic maritime industry. Norasia service calls U.S., Indian ports Three Indian ports on route of new round-the-world service beginning in February. Houston clears another hurdle in Bayport project U.S. reopens 1999 steel dumping case Fogarty to head P&O Ports North America sales Tug operator sues Port of Canaveral Northwest raises air-cargo surcharge CP Rail plans mega-intermodal trains Kuehne & Nagel expands in France KCS expects NAFTA rail decision in early 2004 MOL wins China project contract Vitran prices 2 million shares

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DECEMBER 18, 2003
PONL loses court battle with former terminals director P&O Nedlloyd (PONL) has lost the lawsuit it brought against its former terminals and procurement director Pieter Bas Bredius. Cost concerns dog introduction of Californian port ID cards National ID cards for port workers could cost at least US$45million in the ports of Los Angeles (LA) and Long Beach (LB) alone, according to a government watchdog. Major overhaul for PONL/NYK's NZAX service US Lines to start with a fortnightly service Vertical Tandem Lifting removed from ILO Heath & Safety Code Wanhai and TMSC to launch joint Japan/China link Port of Portland regains box throughput high not seen since 1994 New Year, new name. NYK Group renames logistics subsidiaries

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DECEMBER 18, 2003
Royal Olympic vessel sails Company says temporary restraining order lifted after just two hours. Misery on Missouri Barge operations under threat after surprise ruling on river's water levels. TMM offers new deal to bondholders Company reaches agreement with ad hoc committee over new swap plan. Carnival misses Wall Street targets Net income rises, but figures below analysts' expectations. New CNG consortium formed Norwegian players team up on compressed natural gas venture. Swire buys last Oldendorff liner service London group's China Navigation unit snaps up four multipurpose ships for Asia, Middle East and US trades. Vyborg yard to build port Russian shipbuilder clinches deal to provide oil, gas and bulk terminals for Turkmenistan. Bergesen sells two more tankers Fred Cheng linked to latest VLCC disposal from Norwegian owner. Golar LNG raises cash John Fredriksen's nets $51m from share offering to grow business. PSTC denies graft claim Philippine National Oil Co's shipping arm says it did nothing wrong in recent tanker purchase. Essar ship abandoned in cyclone Indian owner's general cargoship swamped in Bay of Bengal. ExxonMobil under spotlight in Europe US oil major looks at 21-year-old single skin for Med crude cargo, but no charter results. NYK orders VLCC newbuilding Japanese owner takes its large tanker orderbook to nine ships with double-hull fuel tank vessel. Hapag Lloyd boxship sinks trawler One man is missing, presumed dead, after German owner's Tokyo Express hits boat off China. Missing Stellamare crew presumed dead Search fails to find three men lost when heavy-lift ship capsized in Hudson River. Thoresen in fresh fund raising exercise Rapidly expanding Thai bulker owner details second private placement in as many months. MOL inks China heavy lift contract Japanese shipowner to transport facilities for the largest ethylene plant in China. Farstad fixes Aussie charters Esso Australia ties up two of Norwegian offshore operator's ships in NOK350m deal. GAC in South Korean tie-up Dubai-based ship agency inks second agreement in a week to increase ports coverage.

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DECEMBER 18, 2003
IMO to develop voluntary safety audit scheme for member countries MOL to handle project shipments to China Orders for new boxships reach unprecedented 40% of active fleet Golar LNG raises $51 million through share issue Coast Guard expands scope of notice of violation program Divers to lift generator from capsized ship in Albany FedEx early retirement program lowers 2nd quarter earnings Bush signs reauthorization bill for FAA TSA awards $7.8 million in security technology grants Ex-Im Bank underwrites PIA's purchase of Boeing 777 planes Menlo forwarding unit negotiates deal with workers U.S. completes CAFTA negotiations Stricter international controls for portable missile exports Cote d'Ivoire, Niger ready to join AGOA Schenker, Siemens start new contract logistics venture GIPSA to review standards for sorghum shipments APM Terminals, local partner to operate Angolan box terminal Strong November volumes for Los Angeles port Future dredge dump sites proposed for Baltimore port