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Hijacked Singapore vessels found in M'sia; pirates held
MALAYSIAN authorities have detained four pirates and recovered a Singapore-registered tug and a barge, missing for nearly a month after being hijacked by pirates off the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.
Ship scrap prices hit record in Bangladesh
THE price paid for ships to be scrapped and turned into recycled steel rose to a record in Bangladesh this week because of a shortage of ships offered for breaking, brokers said.
Making ripples in a men's domain
THE title is 'port man of the year' of Rotterdam, but the winner of the accolade given annually by the city's press club this time is a woman.
Sembawang Kimtrans to invest in Indonesia's coal logistics
S'pore to adopt convention that offers higher maritime claims
Cosco Pacific plans US$718m expansion: reports
SembLog to set up Philippine venture

Strait Talk

Tough year ahead for P&I clubs
WHILE Jan 1 or the Chinese New Year may mark the passing of the years for most of us, the practitioners of marine liability insurance take most notice of Feb 20.

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Shipping News

Hijacked Singapore vessels found in M'sia; pirates held
MALAYSIAN authorities have detained four pirates and recovered a Singapore-registered tug and a barge, missing for nearly a month after being hijacked by pirates off the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.
Ship scrap prices hit record in Bangladesh
THE price paid for ships to be scrapped and turned into recycled steel rose to a record in Bangladesh this week because of a shortage of ships offered for breaking, brokers said.
Making ripples in a men's domain
THE title is 'port man of the year' of Rotterdam, but the winner of the accolade given annually by the city's press club this time is a woman.
Sembawang Kimtrans to invest in Indonesia's coal logistics
S'pore to adopt convention that offers higher maritime claims
Cosco Pacific plans US$718m expansion: reports
SembLog to set up Philippine venture

Strait Talk

Tough year ahead for P&I clubs
WHILE Jan 1 or the Chinese New Year may mark the passing of the years for most of us, the practitioners of marine liability insurance take most notice of Feb 20.

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XICT receives port's largest quay cranes Pirates lay low in wake of devastating tsunamis KarstadtQuelle sells logistics operations to Deutsche Post Singapore to adopt LLMC 76 K+N rises to the challenge of transporting radar Union Pacific reopens flood-damaged rail lines Cathay Pacific strengthens Perth service, strikes pay deal China Eastern to add 20 new planes to fleet Airbus exceeds 2004 delivery expectations

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Essar Shipping posts 191 pc jump in net profit DCI to consider interim dividend on January 29 SCI inks MoU with NITC: Focus on LNG transport Automobile exports race ahead by 28 pc in Q3 TPT contributes Rs 18.96 lakh to PM's Relief Fund MoS to push MoF for quick clearance of JNPT's channel dredging project Workshop on web-based Port Community System held at JNPT CONCOR introduces bonded trucking of air cargo at Coimbatore Transchart carries record 66.44 m tonnes of govt cargo in 2004 Value of spices exports rises by 17 per cent in April-November Pilot project of e-payment of Customs duty to be launched today Opportunities for textile exporters immense now'CII Darjeeling AEZ for tea to become a reality Restore duty drawback rates to earlier level, urges AIEC 2 Kinfra parks win SEZ status Cess on diesel, petrol may go up to Rs 2 in Budget Anti-dumping duty on Chinese fabrics mooted Board of Trade to be formed in Feb. BG norm eased for exporters sourcing inputs locally StoneMart 2005 from Jan. 28

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JANUARY 26, 2005
Two berths in Salalah reopened after bunker spill Maersk boxship allowed to leave port after refuelling accident. Chinese fuel oil imports reach nine-month high Inventories boosted to highest levels in several months amid declining domestic demand, say sources. Big US product draw, opposing crude figures DOE and API opposed on crude stocks, but both report significant draws in key product stocks. MPA hits back at reports of inaction in sodium case The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore clarifies the authority's role in dealing with the recent problem of high-sodium bunker fuel in the island state. Barge fees rise in Suriname Reports: Oil major agrees return of high-sodium cargo One of several high-sodium fuel oil cargoes brought into Singapore from a refinery in Yanbu has reportedly been taken back as market struggles to recover from shortage of suitable bunker material. Saudi posted prices up across the board Oil close to $50 after US refinery snag Oil market tracks rising gasoline levels up as US major refinery slows its fuel production; bunker prices fail to react today.

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JANUARY 26, 2005
Freightgate enhances Tariff-Trek Platform IRU warning against loss of EU competitiveness DFDS Transport acquires remaining shares of Uudenmaan Pikakuljetus RH Freight UK cooperates with Hungarocamion Alitalia to merge with KLM/Air France? USA grants operation rights to Lykes Lines Werner Albert celebrates 65th birthday

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JANUARY 26, 2005
Spain and Brazil sign Ballast Water Convention Telenor buys Neratek Rina in Euro project Piracy lull continues

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JANUARY 26, 2005
VT Halter Marine gets order for third NOAA FSV Seabulk Offshore adds to fleet Major Navy contract for Chouest Another BC Ferries' Queen gets major upgrade

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JANUARY 26, 2005
Port of Seattle signs Hanjin to long-term terminal lease Seabulk adds two vessels to international offshore fleet Comcast will be sponsor of Tacoma Tall Ships event Port of Vancouver, USA taps Ken Mishler as terminal boss Charles Blood plans to retire following 33 years with Port of Seattle

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Allan Exels at Economic Forum John Allan, chief executive of global logistics operator Exel, was one of 2,000 business and political leaders attending the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort of Davos. Europe flexes maritime muscles with global vision INDUSTRY and government have given birth to the body expected to secure the global pre-eminence of the European Union's maritime industry for the next 15 years: the waterborne transport technology platform. Verheugen admits South Korea 'failure' EUROPEAN Industry Commissioner G'nther Verheugen has acknowledged formally for the first time that the European Union has failed to press shipbuilding subsidy charges against South Korea. CNAN chairman and officers arrested over ship deaths ALGERIA'S state-owned shipping company, CNAN, was in a state of shock yesterday following the arrest of its chairman, Ali Koudil, and four other senior officers over the accidents which claimed the lives of 16 of the company's seafarers in the port of Algiers in November. 'Anglo-Australian consortium' has Georgia on its mind GEORGIA Ocean Shipping Co appears finally to have been privatised, with a Western consortium named as the buyer, although exact details remain unconfirmed.

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JANUARY 26, 2005
Sestao now a hot political potato BASQUE shipbuilder Astilleros Murueta has denied reports that it joined other companies to make an offer to buy a controlling 51% share in Izar's Sestao shipyard near Bilbao Ningbo to convert coal terminal HUTCHISON Port Holdings of Hong Kong has signed an MOU with China's Ningbo Port Group to jointly convert a state-run coal terminal into a container terminal Georgian shipping fleet sold THE state-owned Georgian Ocean Shipping Co is to be sold to an Anglo-Australian consortium for $161M Qasim told to relax age ban PAKISTAN today revoked Port Qasim Authority's ban on tankers older than 20 years but did allow a ban on vessels over 25 years old P&O raises NZ cruise profile P&O Cruises Australia, the Carnival Corp subsidiary, is to run a series of cruises from Auckland, New Zealand next Christmas on the 1984-built Pacific Sky Hanjin allays Seattle fears HANJIN Shipping has confirmed it will remain at the US port of Seattle, allaying fears the line would leave its location at Terminal 46 and move to a rival port such as Tacoma Captain missing after tug sinks Sepetiba's box handling soars Greenpeace intercepts GM bulker Korea Line profit soars French strike over flag fears First water ballast ratifications Torm approaches 100-ship target Kosan tanker faces pollution fine Second box berth for Durban Venezuela-US oil tensions rise

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JANUARY 26, 2005
Incomplete grade for DHS A Who's Who of think-tank experts tell Senate hearing that department is still a work in progress. Waterways charts legislative strategy Industry council urges Congress to spend money from Inland Waterways Trust Fund to upgrade locks and dams on rivers. Vancouver digs into box jam LA-Long Beach has mettle for steel Moves to renew Canada-U.S. lumber talks Seattle extends Hanjin lease TACA lines hike westbound rates Port of NY-NJ sets ship-to-rail record Chinese box-maker sees profits tripling P&O will take sale charge DOT opens agenda to public comment

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JANUARY 26, 2005
Surging economy forces South African port investment South African port authorities in Durban and Cape Town have been given the green light to invest a total of R2,075billion (US$340million) in upgrading container terminals. Listless charter index hangs out for holiday's end Weak dollar could stifle world trade and US exports, warns UN CN basks in highest rail returns in North America First batch of firms to enter Zhuhai-Macao industrial park Hamburg Süd and Aliança go it alone on UCLA service Two intra-Asia services launched Economic powerhouse China replaces US as Japan's top trade partner Chinese customs help beef up state revenues Ship collisions reported in China and Hong Kong Asia-Europe trade leads volume explosion for OOCL Eurotunnel operating revenues fall, but protected railfreight revenues rise Seattle terminal lease confirms Hanjin calls through 2015

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JANUARY 26, 2005
Court sacks Goa chief Delhi High Court quashes government appointment at shipyard at request of rival. Islamic fund kicks off DVB-backed investment vehicle makes first purchase in Indonesia. Exxon Valdez goes to UK SeaRiver Maritime's shrinking fleet is set to lose its most famous vessel. No mega yard merger yet German minister says French and other European shipbuilders not ready to create pan-European giant. ASP wins Georgia Shipping Australian ship service company surges from behind to win control of nation's shipowner. Edison Chouest wins $240m job The US military has awarded a time charter to back newbuilding for a mobile oil-terminal system. Canada holds faulty foursome Port state control officials detain three bulkers and a veteran tanker during December. Fesco feeds Sakhalin Russian owner plans new South Korean boxship link from Kholmsk. U-turn? EU floats idea of extending aid to Europe's yards in wake of WTO decision on Korea. Salalah reopens spill berths Two berths still shut at Oman port after incident involving fuel oil from Maersk boxship. OOCL soars Hong Kong liner operator sees revenues and volumes rocket from a year ago. Washington makes it a hat trick Vancouver-based shipyard group seals third ro-pax ferry upgrade project from BC Ferries.

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JANUARY 26, 2005
OOCL reports higher rates, surge in revenues Horizon Lines won't comment on IPO reports Seaboard adds Cayman Island congestion surcharge Retailer outsources logistics, sells assets to Deutsche Post British Airways pursues Shanghai route Menlo continues to lease air cargo service from World AA Cargo offers travel promotion CSX earnings fall after port business charge BNSF boosts 4th quarter earnings, revenues CN revenues soar 11 percent Schneider National will open 10 new brokerage offices CNF promotes Mullet, Cullen Norfolk Southern elects Moorman to board U.S. VISIT to try RFID CBP outfits Calexico with large radiation detectors Hanjin signs 10-year lease extension at Seattle port Eurogate tops 11 million TEUs at European terminals Port of Tampa names Wainio as director and CEO Port of Vancouver, Wash. appoints Mishler terminal manager

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JANUARY 26, 2005
Record orders for Aker Kvaerner The Aker Kvaerner Group secured orders worth NOK 41.6 billion (EUR 5.07 billion) last year and the order backlog was ... Torm confirms purchase of six ships Dampskibsselskabet Torm A/S has now confirmed the purchase of four product carriers from Malaysian Bulk Carrier Group (Pacific Carriers ... Champion Shipping buys three tankers Bergen-based Champion Shipping buys another three product tankers for just under NOK 400.0 million (USD 63.8 million), two from ...