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US$10b plan to revamp Indian ports
INDIA plans to pump US$10 billion into development of its container terminal facilities at ports across the country, as part of a new national maritime policy.
NOL, others to raise rates on some products
NEPTUNE Orient Lines , Mitsui OSK Lines and 11 other shipping lines plan to raise rates on rubber items, canned food and other commodities shipped from the US to Asia on growing demand.
14 missing as S Korean cargo ship sinks
NORTH Korea approved an unprecedented search and rescue operation by South Korea's coastguards in its waters after a cargo ship sank off the communist country's east coast, officials said.
350 passengers leave stranded cruise liner
Hyundai Heavy's '04 orders cross US$13b

Admiralty Casebook

Specify sum insured: court
THE phrase 'sum insured' is not enough to make a marine insurance policy an 'agreed value' policy under the UK's Marine Insurance Act 1906, the English Commercial Court ruled last week.

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Shipping News

US$10b plan to revamp Indian ports
INDIA plans to pump US$10 billion into development of its container terminal facilities at ports across the country, as part of a new national maritime policy.
NOL, others to raise rates on some products
NEPTUNE Orient Lines , Mitsui OSK Lines and 11 other shipping lines plan to raise rates on rubber items, canned food and other commodities shipped from the US to Asia on growing demand.
14 missing as S Korean cargo ship sinks
NORTH Korea approved an unprecedented search and rescue operation by South Korea's coastguards in its waters after a cargo ship sank off the communist country's east coast, officials said.
350 passengers leave stranded cruise liner
Hyundai Heavy's '04 orders cross US$13b

Admiralty Casebook

Specify sum insured: court
THE phrase 'sum insured' is not enough to make a marine insurance policy an 'agreed value' policy under the UK's Marine Insurance Act 1906, the English Commercial Court ruled last week.

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Lloyd Triestino, Zim adds port to AUX service Shipping China 2005 not to be missed, organisers say Mega Pacific terminal to open in Tacoma CN continues labour talks with UTU Hamburg Sud's parent donates US$650,000 to tsunami victims P&O Nedlloyd to buy CMA CGM Black Sea service slots Nordcapital reports bumper shipping profits in 2004 LA Port authorities find 32 stowaways New European specialist joins TT Club FedEx China boss: we are going to increase Chinese investment Dragonair boosts services for Lunar New Year PB Air to launch Bangkok-Haikou flights

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JANUARY 20, 2005
Piraeus IFO avails rapidly recovering from New Year shortage Suppliers in Piraeus say avails are improving every day following recent supply issues. Italian Bunker avails improving on supplier by supplier basis Lion republic shows build in residual fuel inventories Onshore stocks of residual fuels in Singapore showed a build ths week after last week's large draw. BP Marine re-starts Cyprus operations one month early BP Marine is set to re-launch its bunker operations in Cyprus tomorrow, one month ahead of schedule. US gasoline stocks on track for next driving season The US Department of Energy says healthy builds in gasoline inventories may prevent a repeat of price spikes seen in 2003 and 2004. Oil prices ease after US oil inventory gain Oil prices ease after unexpectedly big crude oil inventory build in the US, but analysts warn that cold snap plus concerns about supply from OPEC and Iraq could prove supportive. Volgotanker wins reprieve from Court of Arbitration Russian tanker and barge operator Volgotanker says that the company has won a reprieve, after appealing against allegations from the state that the company owed $23 million in back taxes. Rotterdam market soft after crude plunge DOE and API at a glance: This week's US inventory figures Chemoil signs low sulphur term contract with Maersk San Francisco based global bunker supplier Chemoil has signed a contract with Maersk to supply what is so far believed to be the largest ever low sulphur bunker contract.

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JANUARY 20, 2005
Thales Geodis Freight Logistics signs contract with Embraer Arkansas adds trucking features to website Suez Canal charges to rise for first time in nine years TrenStar Inc and Martek Biosciences Corp to cooperate New IATA dangerous goods regulations effective 1 January 2005 Ecu-Line to Havana EWS appoints new human resources director

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JANUARY 20, 2005
OSG completes Stelmar acquisition MC shipping sells containerships

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JANUARY 20, 2005
Crown Pacific eyes Everett site for sawmill/electrical project Portland Airport boosts customer service program Portland Shipping Club wants 'Old Salt' nominations TSA shipping lines happy with business slowdown DOT wants public comment on new trucker hours proposal

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Greek court freezes Stelmar chief's shares STELMAR Shipping's $1.3bn merger with Overseas Shipholding Group was overwhelmingly approved by Stelmar shareholders yesterday even as management faced new volleys of criticism in the wake of a Greek court injunction against Stelmar's chief executive Peter Goodfellow. Aurora fiasco has P&O Cruises facing £22m compensation bill A £22.8m ($43m) bill for compensation faces P&O Cruises after it was forced to abandon a world cruise aboard the 76,152 gt Aurora due to propulsion problems. EU's port directive slammed as 'bureaucratic' and 'rigid' EUROPEAN seaports have revealed a long list of problems with the European Union's draft access to port services directive. US courts refuse Filipino claims A US federal appeals court has ruled that financial claims relating to Filipino seafarers who died or were injured in the 2003 explosion on the steamship Norwaycannot be pursued in the US but must revert to their homeland.

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JANUARY 20, 2005
OSG's Stelmar bid is approved SHAREHOLDERS of Stelmar Shipping have overwhelmingly approved Overseas Shipholding Group's $48/share offer for the company Rotterdam sacks commercial manager THE Port of Rotterdam gave its manager of commercial affairs, Paul Mittertreiner, one day to clear his desk yesterday Dutch to fund Lanka harbour repair DUTCH aid is expected to fund repairs to Kankesanturai harbour in northern Sri Lanka, which was damaged by the 26 December tsunami Ghost fleet appears in court GHOST fleet impact on residential property values landed the dwindling armada of rusting hulks in federal court yesterday No Norway compensation in US PLAINTIFFS suing Norwegian Cruise Line following the fatal boiler explosion on the Norway in May 2003 must seek compensation in the Philippines, not America Bidders sought for Indian contracts INDIAN Ports Association has invited global firms to apply for pre-qualification to design, manufacture and commission cargo handling and marine equipment Stelmar CEO's share options frozen Court requests fine against OPDR Mumbai sets new terms for box terminal Fourteen missing as vessel sinks Cruise confidence continues French to strike over new register Marseilles seeks future commitment Troubled Aurora world cruise axed Hellas to rebrand ferry lines Tension rises over Jasper port

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JANUARY 20, 2005
Vancouver backlog to last 7-10 weeks Deltaport operator says it will need most of the winter to work off backlog of more than 5,000 containers. WTSA increases rates on U.S.-Asia cargoes Reservations now required for Canadian intermodal rail hub JoC Online Newswire makes debut Strike at P&O's Chennai terminal Vancouver terminal declares force majeure CMA CGM enters British tonnage tax regime E.R. Schiffahrt names three container ships Armstrong joins PBB Eastbound Trans-Pac volume to rise 10-12%, lines say Charterers tighten grip on capacity

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JANUARY 20, 2005
Congested Vancouver box terminal declares 'force majeure' With some 10,000 containers grounded at Deltaport, Vancouver's largest box terminal, due to an escalating rail backlog, operator TSI Terminal Systems has declared force majeure. Consortia rules to be renewed as EC set to call time on conferences Any doubts that the EC would scrap liner shipping's block exemption to European anti-trust law will have been dispelled by this week's publication of responses to last year's White Paper. North American railways agree efficiency deal Los Angeles reveals 1.98% full-year growth, after December fall Australian intermodal hit by wagon shortage Port of Oakland imports rise during record 2m TEU year Auckland downplays PONL dispute Logistics companies invited to take 'competitive edge' in Kalahari Corridor Carriers throw more weight into UK tonnage-tax regime US ports welcome maritime policy 'focus', but continue focus on funding Jurong Port sets ambitious throughput target Inchon aims to move 1m TEU

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JANUARY 20, 2005
OSG wins Stelmar Shareholders overwhelmingly back $48 per share takeover. Goodfellow to go Outgoing exec declares himself 'disappointed' by Stelios as he rebuts repair allegations. MC Shipping frees cash New York-listed owner sells veteran Maersk-chartered boxships to help pay off debt. Excelerate bags first cargo First LNG regas ship set to load in Malaysia but final discharge point still up for discussion. Judge freezes Goodfellow assets Stelmar CEO loses control of shares pending further investigations into repair contract. VLCCs tread water February cargoes fixing fast, but little momentum for rate rise from Persian Gulf. CMA CGM talks up UK French owner could put more boxships into UK tonnage tax regime. New bulk terminal for Singapore Emirates National Oil behind planned VLCC-size facility on Jurong Island. Cosco sued Company execs accused of "an astonishing display of corporate arrogance" over truck deal. Carnival cancels Aurora trip Termination of round-the-world cruise will cost group 3 cents per share in the first quarter. Volgotanker wins tax appeal Russian tanker owner gets court backing in fight against $23m claim from authorities. Reprieve for Fjord Line staff Norwegian owner reverses decision to bring in Baltic crews, saving 500 jobs. Huge haul for HHI World's largest shipbuilder says orders topped $13bn in 2004. Bulker owners go public George (left) and Stathis Gourdomichalis to go public with two bulkers in reverse merger move. Crew missing after sinking Four men rescued but 14 unaccounted for after South Korean cargoship founders in North Korean waters. Norsk Hydro scraps charters Lucrative supply ship deal snatched from Farstad's grasp after energy company breaches tender procedure.

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JANUARY 20, 2005
WTSA to implement "cargo not otherwise specified" rate increase U.S.-flag Great Lakes carriers rebound in 2004 CORRECTION: Maruba to charter slots on Ampac service American Airlines suffers more losses Northwest reports 4Q loss of $420 million FMCSA takes another crack at daily drive limits for truckers Pacer Stacktrain expects UP to resolve network problems soon CN, BNSF in routing protocol agreement Union Pacific resumes original train speeds in San Antonio region Freightgate offers NVOs system to manage NSAs Armstrong joins PBB Global Logistics L.A.-Long Beach growth slowed to 11% in 2004

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JANUARY 20, 2005
Notice of strike on Swedish vessels The Swedish Merchant Marine Officer's Association (Sjöbefälsförbundet) and the Swedish Ship Officers' Association (Sveriges Fartygsbefälsförening) has filed notices of strike ... Color Line seeks Norwegian seafarers Norway's biggest ferry operator Color Line seeks 200 Norwegian seafarers to man "Prinsesse Ragnhild" when the vessel starts its new ... Fjord Line retain Norwegian seafarers Fjord Line and Norwegian Seamen's Union (NSU) has reached an agreement allowing nearly 500 Norwegian seafarers to retain their jobs ...