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EU urges ships to use shore-side electricity to cut emissions
EUROPEAN Union regulators want more ships to use electricity when they are docked instead of burning fuel, reflecting heightened concerns about air pollution from maritime transport.
DP World keen on ports in Greece
DP World, which bought London-based Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co for US$6.8 billion, said it may be interested in investing in Greece.
RCL sees Q1 net profits drop 38% to 811.7m baht
SOFTENING freight rates and rising fuel costs were behind a 38 per cent drop in first quarter net profit of Thai-listed feeder line Regional Container Line .
TNT logistics sale attracts some 10 suitors: report
Neorion to build new ships for no-frills easyCruise

Strait Talk

Another tragedy, another test for IMO
THIS year has not been a good one for marine safety.

web site

Shipping News

EU urges ships to use shore-side electricity to cut emissions
EUROPEAN Union regulators want more ships to use electricity when they are docked instead of burning fuel, reflecting heightened concerns about air pollution from maritime transport.
DP World keen on ports in Greece
DP World, which bought London-based Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co for US$6.8 billion, said it may be interested in investing in Greece.
RCL sees Q1 net profits drop 38% to 811.7m baht
SOFTENING freight rates and rising fuel costs were behind a 38 per cent drop in first quarter net profit of Thai-listed feeder line Regional Container Line .
TNT logistics sale attracts some 10 suitors: report
Neorion to build new ships for no-frills easyCruise

Strait Talk

Another tragedy, another test for IMO
THIS year has not been a good one for marine safety.

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'K' Line orders five newbuilds Waigaoqiao's container yard now automated WTSA to raise rates for US meat, poultry shipments Posidonia to showcase Asian shipping heavyweights Construction on Sabah box terminal starts Seattle's Port and Longshore union demand swift security improvements Panalpina earnings up in first quarter Korean Air to convert 747s into freighters UAL posts Q1 net income of US$23b AirRep sets up dedicated charter broking operation TNT opens life sciences facility in Shanghai

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Aquarius Maritime opens office in Delhi INSA gets set to challenge DG-CEI order on service tax Shreyas Shipping wins exclusive Reliance deal Pens hover over revised shipping protocol with Pak US analysing data from shrimp traders Pakistan to import 50,000 tonnes of Indian sugar India a hot spot for food retailers Australian wheat being unloaded at Tuticorin, Chennai Ports Cochin Port replacing 2 obsolete tugs to hasten berthing operations AP govt goes ahead with fishermen's rehabilitation at Gangavaram Cathay Pacific to start twice-weekly freighters from HK to Mumbai & Chennai Sugar mills' export quota to be doubled India for FTAs with all Asian countries PTAs to be signed with S. Africa Customs Union & Mauritius Export thrust schemes to generate more jobs too India, Israel to jointly plough the technology field Excise road made less steep to propel small car producers India, Bangla to hold regular Customs meets to sort out ex-im related issues AIAI to hold Vision 2020 at WTC today Thai team at IMC explores business opportunities

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"K" Line orders five box ships SIA Cargo and Mercury Air Cargo announce strategic alliance LTL rates soften in USA La Poste reports strong profits in 2005 "EG" is no longer valid for European Community

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Drop in ship prices "means more disputes" IMO set to adopt long range vessel tracking GL's profit up APL's new China service

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Santos Brasil plans $318m terminal IPO THE owners of Santos Brasil, the largest container terminal in South America, are preparing to float the company on the Brazilian Stock Exchange. LNG industry defends use of 'proven' technology The liquefied natural gas industry has defended the use of "proven" offshore project technology following Louisiana's rejection of Freeport McMoRan Exploration's original plans for a $1bn terminal in the Gulf of Mexico. Conti in tanker switch GERMAN KG financier Conti has switched newbuilding orders for six boxships into chemical tankers, writes Katrin Berkenkopf in Cologne. Charters, bunkers and CP Ships cause Hapag-Lloyd losses HAPAG-Lloyd reported a loss yesterday for the first quarter of this year under the influence of persistently high charter rates, bunker prices and integration costs for CP Ships. Mitropoulos covers ground in Africa INTERNATIONAL Maritime Organization boss Efthimios Mitropoulos has discussed shipping issues with the presidents of both Kenya and Tanzania on a visit to East Africa last week, writes David Osler.

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MAY 9, 2006
Prestige witness makes accusation FERNANDO Balbas, the 61-year-old ship inspector at the port of La Coru'a and key witness in the Prestige legal case, has turned on Spain's merchant marine authority, accusing the agency of attempting to deflect criticism of its action in the sinking by accusing Balbas of misconduct Key Prestige witness wins appeal A key witness in the Prestige legal case has won an appeal against disciplinary action imposed by Spain's merchant marine authority Tonnage boost for GL GERMAN class society Germanischer Lloyd is expecting to announce a 10Mgt leap in tonnage this year, following its most financially successful year Tanker capacity fears grow CITIGROUP shipping analyst John Kartsonas says he is "very concerned" by the record tanker orderbook in the face of declining rates and limits to future oil production Consortium to bid for Scandlines A CONSORTIUM of three European companies wants to buy Scandlines, the Danish-German ferry operator soon to be privatised Piracy: Venezuela A CREW member on a yacht off Puerto la Cruz lost a kidney after being shot by raiders who boarded the vessel on 28 April JWC revises War Risk list Greens await Norway in India United Product Tankers Union calls for Spanish port strike Torm maintains forecast despite fall Macquarie pulls out of Patrick bid Alfaship safe, claim owners Rates holding steady, says RCL

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MAY 9, 2006
Five NY terminals hike demurrage Port of New York and New Jersey terminals will raise demurrage on import and export containers and reefers from 20% to 66% as of June 1. U.S. steel imports rise CP Ships deal hits Hapag net Expansion critical for U.S. container ports: Maersk executive UPS to expand sorting capacity at Illinois air hub Intermarine to re-open New Orleans office Port of LA to get floating security barriers U.S. proposes 'green' trade

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MAY 9, 2006
Santos Brasil shareholders prepare flotation Shares in Santos Brasil, South America's largest container terminal, could be traded publicly on the Brazilian stock exchange by the end of the year under plans by a leading shareholder. Iran's Valfajre Shipping Company negotiating over new Oman line Iran's Valfajre Shipping Company is in 'primary negotiations' with a non-state partner, over starting a new route between Iran and Oman, ci-online has learned. CP Ships integration drags HLCL earnings down China unveils plans to develop two more port regions Qingdao expansion plans under discussion SAFE Port act goes on to US Senate SITC to resume Moji/Hong Kong /Xiamen service Rhine barge terminal TriPort enters rail-shuttle scene Modalohr experiment encourages Lyon-Turin transalpine transit by rail Croatian Railways restructuring to release the brakes on development

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MAY 9, 2006
You don't say... Ho hum, Quintana announces earnings...but it's not talking about its more interesting business until next week. Quintana shares in limbo US-listed bulker company stock is about flat with price before rumours of its $740m fleet buy from Metrostar amid sluggish trading. Courage braves "challenging" quarter Singapore-listed bulker owner Courage Marine records a 35% drop in first-quarter profit as costs go up and sales go down. After the meltdown Jefferies plug helps stabilise reeling Aries stock after 9% dive triggered by dividend cut on Monday. Jinhui sells oldie Jinhui Shipping of Hong Kong offloads another ageing bulk carrier to a private Indian company for $6.5m Port chief gunned down St Petersburg oil terminal boss hospitalised in violent attack, but bodyguard killed. Nordcapital takes up options German KG company brings series of supply ships on order at Aker Yards to six. Greenpeace tracks Blue Lady Greenpeace supports claims that the former Norway cruise ship Blue Lady is on the move from Malaysia to the breakers yard in Alang. Victims' kin mull court case Relatives of 14 seafarers killed in a collision with a German reefer off South Africa last year consider legal action. Torm profit takes a tumble Torm hails 'better than expected' first quarter result despite income sliding as depreciation and interest payments gnaw at increased revenues. Hindustan in for tugs Indian shipyard vies with domestic rival Tebma for Cochin Port Trust order. TUI takes CP Ships hit German tourism giant's shipping division falls to first quarter loss because of costs of integrating container line. Borgestad's banished bulkers improve Norwegian owner posts bigger first quarter profit ahead of sale of five open-hatch ships to Gearbulk. Ferry talks delayed Discussions over Pakistan-Iran route to resume next month, according to Pakistani officials. Bunkers dent RCL results Despite carrying more containers Thai intra-Asian liner operator saw profits slip nearly 40%. Aframax sold for conversion Tanker Pacific's Andaman Sea to be converted into FPSO for mooring off New Zealand coast. Eagle under performs NASDAQ-listed handymax player's stock rises despite first quarter results below expectations.

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MAY 9, 2006
CSA carriers to hike bunker surcharge APL, MOL to join Hyundai's transpacific loop Intermarine reopens New Orleans headquarters HRMA changes name WTSA members to raise meat and poultry export rates $400 per FEU UP, BNSF to expand track capacity to Wyoming's coal market Macquarie Bank ends interest in Patrick DHL Exel Supply Chain wins 5-year Canon (UK) contract Hellmann Worldwide hires Goldstein for U.S. sales FWL Technologies appoints Teng EGL's 1st-quarter earnings up 54% California to vote on transportation bond measure Port of Los Angeles gives go-ahead to floating barriers Tideworks deploys terminal operating system in Port Arthur

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MAY 9, 2006
Environment minister blaims shipping for high values of ground level ozone Maritime transport and European diesel cars and trucks causes the high values of ground level ozone, claims the Swedish minister ... EU Commission refuses to publish report on Turkey maritime training The EU Commission's head of maritime affairs, Fotis Karamitsos refuses to make public a report which according to some sources ... Aker Kvaerner wins USD 400 mill subsea deal Aker Kvaerner wins a USD 400 million subsea contract from Reliance Industries Ltd to deliver an 18 well subsea production ...

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MAY 9, 2006
New barge services in Chile Major supplier offering expanded service, focusing on quality. Bunkers and bananas slip up Fresh Del Monte Q1 results Blame split between increased bunkers and banana costs as Q1 profits are halved. IEA boss predicts high oil prices for 4-5 years Lack of investment leading to high oil prices and tight market, according to Claude Mandil. Another quiet start to Rotterdam trading Bunker costs cut 40% profit for shipping firm Bunker costs ''the most significant cost element to the shipping industry'', Thai-based firm saying. Singapore bunker prices retreat, MGO tight Suppliers remain cautious in committing to prompt deliveries for MGO.