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Shipping News

Indian government backs US$1.3b rail link to ports
INDIA's Shipping Ministry is backing the setting up of a US$1.3 billion freight only rail line linking the interior to the major ports, as the country seeks to ease the transport of goods for exports.
SembMarine unit wins US$133.7m rig order
SEMBCORP Marine subsidiary PPL Shipyard has won a US$133.7 million contract from Indonesia's largest oil and gas exploration company for the construction of a deep-water jack-up rig.
US Coast Guard looks underwater
FEARING that the United States' ports are vulnerable to an underwater attack, the US Coast Guard is extending its domestic law-enforcement mission into a new arena: the sea below.
Royal Caribbean's Q4 loss widens to US$26m
ONBOARD REVELRY

Admiralty Casebook

Maritime liens not so cut and dried
AUS appeals court decision last month is a reminder to vessel owners to carefully preserve their rights under charterparty provisions or general maritime law, or risk losing their maritime lien over third-party cargo.

web site

Shipping News

Indian government backs US$1.3b rail link to ports
INDIA's Shipping Ministry is backing the setting up of a US$1.3 billion freight only rail line linking the interior to the major ports, as the country seeks to ease the transport of goods for exports.
SembMarine unit wins US$133.7m rig order
SEMBCORP Marine subsidiary PPL Shipyard has won a US$133.7 million contract from Indonesia's largest oil and gas exploration company for the construction of a deep-water jack-up rig.
US Coast Guard looks underwater
FEARING that the United States' ports are vulnerable to an underwater attack, the US Coast Guard is extending its domestic law-enforcement mission into a new arena: the sea below.
Royal Caribbean's Q4 loss widens to US$26m
ONBOARD REVELRY

Admiralty Casebook

Maritime liens not so cut and dried
AUS appeals court decision last month is a reminder to vessel owners to carefully preserve their rights under charterparty provisions or general maritime law, or risk losing their maritime lien over third-party cargo.

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No end in immediate sight to traffic jams at ports of LA, Long Beach P&O sells Plymouth development for US$103m FS Mackenzie develops Turkish operations Port of Hamburg reports strong growth for 2004 Honour Lane opens Fuzhou branch office Jentzer joins Stinnes Intertec's management board Private airlines in India to fly to London for first time Pacific Blue to start cargo operations Lufthansa Cargo improves td.Pro standard product services UA pilots approve wage-cut deal Cargolux named best freight airline by magazine

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MOL starts BPO centre in city India has an efficient pool of resources, say MOL top brass Kamal Nath launches C'wealth's India Trade & Investment Forum New Mangalore Port handles record 27.15 m tonnes cargo during April-Jan. 2004-05 Capital subsidy may be granted for private port developers 'Future of Arbitration' conference on Sat. IMC to hold WR conference on VAT tomorrow

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FEBRUARY 3, 2005
Price falls fuel Italian bunker demand Singapore fuel oil stocks drop ahead of February arrivals Singapore residual stocks drained over the past week, however fuel oil arrivals from the West to Asia expected to reach approximately 2m mt this month, possibly benefiting Singapore's squeezed bunker market. Arbitrage cargo drains ARA fuel oil stocks Fuel oil stocks fall below year-ago levels as trader loads VLCC for Asia. Valero: Aruba acquistion 'paid out' by end Q1'05 Aruba refinery and bunker operation acquisition from El Paso in 2003 'paid out' by next quarter after successful year, says CEO. ARA barge market edges up Royal Caribbean results falter on high bunker prices Shares in the Miami-based company closed at $49.35, down $3.65, after fourth-quarter loss widens to $25.8 million from $20m a year ago. O.W. Bunker welcomes new trader Holiday closures for the Chinese New Year Celebrations of the Chinese New Year will cause widespread office and market closures next week.

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Birkart Systemverkehre to cooperate with Active Logistics Guinea: new customs regulations TNT Logistics to partner Magneti Marelli Aftermarket Poland Flyovers in Dakar, but opposition to a toll motorway Knafaim-Arkia Holding's airline activities to be split off Strike in Le Havre Danish transport leader honoured

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FEBRUARY 3, 2005
ICS warns on EU "threat to international maritime law" Stolt-Nielsen's "marked improvement" in Q4 Golden Ocean crosses 5% stake level in Jinhui S&P "A"s for North of England and UK Clubs Dubai Maritime Association mooted

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FEBRUARY 3, 2005
PVA elects new leadership ICS slams EU pollution moves Wartsila plans auxiliary engine production in China U.S. Shipping Partners reports strong growth in income

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FEBRUARY 3, 2005
Everett Port Commissioners Ok deal with Sierra Pacific US reports surface transport gains with NAFTA trading partners Port of Portland schedules Terminal 6 open house Greenbrier announces death of company co-founder Alan James Matson Integrated Logistics buys Aquitane Assets

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Record Shell profits soured by new reserve cuts ROYAL Dutch/Shell has reported the largest profits ever for a UK company, with a record net income of $18.5bn exceeding analysts' expectations, on the back of surging oil prices and strong refining margins. Oil major hopes to see end of reserves saga ROYAL Dutch/Shell hopes it can finally close the book on the hydrocarbon reserves downgrades that have plagued it since the start of last year when the scandal first broke, writes Martyn Wingrove. Wallenius Wilhelmsen dumps Southampton Container Handling for ABP WALLENIUS Wilhelmsen has dropped Southampton Cargo Handling as its stevedore at Southampton, and switched its business to a unit of Associated British Ports, writes David Osler. Alarm bells ring as Asia to Europe box trades falter AFTER two bumper years the Asia-to-Europe container trades have suddenly stalled, sending a shiver of alarm through the market. Petredec makes $166m VLGC move Petredec, a leading liquefied petroleum gas trading and shipping company, has ordered two very large gas carriers from South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries in a deal worth $166m, according to shipbroking reports, writes David Osler.

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FEBRUARY 3, 2005
SNCM unions paralyse operations FRENCH ferry operator SNCM is struggling through a 24-hour strike today, called by leaders of the CGT union in protest against 'forthcoming dismantling and privatisation' of the company China lifts quotas on auto imports VEHICLE imports into China are set to surge following lifting of quotas in line with commitments to World Trade Organisation Sakhalin boosts Busan volumes THE development of the Sakhalin oil field in Russia has led to an increase of 20 per cent in volumes of container cargo transported between South Korea's Busan port and Russia Los Angeles plan proves elusive THE day after Long Beach adopted its 'green' policy, the neighbouring port of Los Angeles abruptly cancelled a key meeting on port pollution 'Disdainful treatment' needs fixing A North American Port State Control inspector has written to Fairplay decrying the 'disdainful treatment' suffered by seafarers DryShips IPO doubles up DRYSHIPS has nearly doubled its IPO size, from 7.1M to 13M shares, with pricing set at $18 a share today ' at the high end of original estimates World number one crashes into the red Malta shipyards bankruptcy threat Sovcomflot looks to the spot market Vopak signs Antwerp agreement Taiwan lines cash in on boom HMM, Hanjin turn to mega ships Long Beach goes green Seven feared dead after sinking Fine for dangerous goods failure Golden Ocean sets up manager

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FEBRUARY 3, 2005
DHS to require container seals Department of Homeland Security developing regulation that would mandate the use of high security seals on all ocean containers entering the U.S., a senior agency official said. Container traffic up 12% at West Coast ports Vancouver to expand facilities J.B. Hunt Transport profit doubles One-month hike for Europe-Asia boxes Cooper drops Alabama terminal bid CSX, Union Pacific plan western Mexico intermodal Port security grants money ill-spent, says think tank Maersk Line moves to bigger digs Continental joins Cargo Portal Services Israel averts port strike

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FEBRUARY 3, 2005
New Shenzhen toll free tunnel link eases cargo flow and reduces costs The toll free section of an expressway linking Yantian Port with central Shenzhen is expected to lower transportation costs and lift efficiency. Abidjan regaining high ground US sonar addresses underwater threat Revision of Belgrade convention on track for end 2005 Gwangyang throughput drops South Korea launches online port information system Tsakos receives ship from Korean shipyard

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FEBRUARY 3, 2005
Vafias mulls gas IPO Harry Vafias says StealthGas needs to beef up its assets before hitting the Street. Veteran OSG exec calls it quits Chief operating officer Robert Cowen championed OSG's drive for tax reform. US bags more big names Genmar, Mitsui, Goulandris and OSG named after security-check failures. Eimskip boxship out of action Dettifoss under tow to Rotterdam after steering blade breaks off in Atlantic. Row claims Ugland chief Strategy and maybe slimming costs Morten Riis his job in expanding dry bulk company. Wartsila to build in China Auxiliary diesel plant to be opened in Shanghai in joint venture with China Shipbuilding Industry Corp. Solvang triples its take Norway's Solvang looks for rates to continue strong in all its gas-carrier sectors. Trans-Asia wants Japanese ships Philippine ferry owner eyes overseas purchases as it seeks to renew fleet. Frontline sells stake in GOGL Tanker owner retains less than .001% in bulker spinoff after disposals. Two die in sinking Honduran cargoship founders off Malta, with four crew still missing. Maersk targets Central America Danish boxship giant starts direct calls in Mexico from Asia in March. Taiwan to sell off yard State could divest up to two-thirds of China Shipbuilding Corp this year. Hyundai profits down 68% World's largest shipbuilder suffers operating loss after raw materials leap in price. Pollution rules blasted ICS chairman Rolf Westfal-Larsen slams EU "criminalisation" of accidental pollution. Acquisitions boost US Shipping Addition of extra parcel tankers helps lift revenues at recently listed US flag tanker operator. Billung in at Golden Ocean Head of bulker pools at Torvald Klaveness to become Oslo-listed owner's boss in May. PacBasin ship stuck off Oahu Hong Kong owner's laden handysize bulker goes aground off entrance to Hawaiian island. Malta probes Aurelia sinking Maltese flag launches investigation into sinking of Seven Seas bulker off Japan.

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FEBRUARY 3, 2005
Shipowners oppose EU pollution criminality plan Yang Ming's net income rose 46% in 2004 Maersk Sealand adds direct Asia/Central America service Maersk promotes Laungaard VP U.S. Airways' losses widen in fourth quarter Korean Cargo to serve new Japan airport CSX to tighten procedures at intermodal ramps Two shipper associations withdraw appeals of FMC NVO ruling TSA reviews utility of hazmat placards Ridge departs DHS with Chertoff in the wings Rep. Young regains prime homeland security role

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FEBRUARY 3, 2005
Wärtsilä starts production of auxiliary engines in China Wärtsilä starts manufacturing marine auxiliary engines in China. A letter of intent has been signed about setting up an equally ... ICS attacks EU on spill criminalisation EU's Draft Directive on Ship Source Pollution, which seeks to criminalise seafarers involved in also accidental pollution, is fiercly attacked ... No "Scandinavian Star" trial in Denmark The Danish National Attorney (Rigsadvokaten) have decided not to re-open the Scandinavian Star case. His decision comes after looking ...