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Toll increases bid for Patrick 17% after clearing antitrust hurdle
TOLL Holdings Ltd, Australia's biggest freight company, increased its hostile bid for Patrick Corp by 17 per cent to A$5.4 billion after overcoming antitrust opposition to the deal.
Japan foundation gives M'sia training ship
AS part of its ongoing efforts to promote navigational safety and security in the Strait of Malacca, Japan's Nippon Foundation has donated a training patrol vessel to Malaysia's newly formed coast guard.
More dry ports needed to boost traffic: official
EXTENDING Asia's inland transport connectivity and establishing dry port networks linked to seaports will speed cargo movement, spread the benefits of globalisation and create new markets, a Bangkok-based United Nations transport official said yesterday.
Cosco to double container capacity by end-2008

Strait Talk

World's navies tackle Somali pirates, at last
LAST week, the United Nations Security Council urged UN member governments to use naval vessels and military aircraft in the fight against piracy and armed robbery off the coast of Somalia.

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Shipping News

Toll increases bid for Patrick 17% after clearing antitrust hurdle
TOLL Holdings Ltd, Australia's biggest freight company, increased its hostile bid for Patrick Corp by 17 per cent to A$5.4 billion after overcoming antitrust opposition to the deal.
Japan foundation gives M'sia training ship
AS part of its ongoing efforts to promote navigational safety and security in the Strait of Malacca, Japan's Nippon Foundation has donated a training patrol vessel to Malaysia's newly formed coast guard.
More dry ports needed to boost traffic: official
EXTENDING Asia's inland transport connectivity and establishing dry port networks linked to seaports will speed cargo movement, spread the benefits of globalisation and create new markets, a Bangkok-based United Nations transport official said yesterday.
Cosco to double container capacity by end-2008

Strait Talk

World's navies tackle Somali pirates, at last
LAST week, the United Nations Security Council urged UN member governments to use naval vessels and military aircraft in the fight against piracy and armed robbery off the coast of Somalia.

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OnePort gives way to HK shippers Singamas box production to reach 1.25m TEU in 2006 Siemens' Dematic opens in Suzhou Regulated rates for Malaysian hauliers to be scrapped after 31 years US freight railroad operators to invest US$8b in 2006 Ningbo to build second sea bridge Hong Kong airlines to receive mainland fifth-freedom rights ANA pilot union threatens strike TNT Express to hire 100 pilots Gulf Air appoints cargo head

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Dongnama Shipping Co. Ltd to launch Korea-India service Gati Coast to Coast plans to acquire 444-TEU vessel Global sea trade remains resilient, overcomes setbacks, fears & traumas, observes report India Steamship plans to expand fleet CoPt to invite EoIs for world-class cruise terminal and public plaza US, EU textile markets open wider with embargo slammed on China Curbs on iron ore export on cards Tea export horizon brightens Sugar mills may be allowed to export 90 pc of production Prospects for meat export bright, finds study US developers to invest $ 1 billion in own technology parks Govt set to fulfil Japanese norms for mango exports Textile exports up by 34 pc in January IPA move to appoint Rotterdam port as coordinator of Major Ports' biz plans DP World expects to sell US ports business for $ 750 m Trucks may go off roads from June Revamped GoM to decide on SEZ area issue RBI panel to present roadmap for full rupee float Specific excise duty on petro products may be imposed

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MARCH 22, 2006
Austrian Airlines moving to new premises APL terminal voted No. 1 in Southern California by truckers Etihad boosts frequencies to Munich New push for the trans-Asian railway Nestlé Chile outsources activities to Ryder

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MARCH 22, 2006
BW Gas buys into VLGCs Mission helps seafarers on "dangerously unsafe" ship Hamburg Süd shifts to Everglades Record week for Panama Canal Melissa expands

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MARCH 22, 2006
First chemical tanker gets Green Passport Boulogne to get high speed freight routes? DRBA issues ferry RFP BC Ferries Queen of North sinks B+H to go ahead with D/H conversions Aker Kvaerner drill package for Frigstad semi

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MARCH 22, 2006
US Airways plans flights from Portland to Philadelphia Portland Coast Guard office conducting terrorism exercise SSA Marine announces plan to explore 'strategic alternatives' Agencies responding to oil sheen in Elliott Bay Hanjin adding feeder service calling Singapore, Thailand

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Stricken Hyundai Fortune 'still afloat' as salvors near THE containership Hyundai Fortune, ablaze off the Yemen coast is still float, owner Hyundai Merchant Marine said this afternoon. Blast rips through packed Hyundai Fortune CARGO insurers face huge claims from the loss of hundreds of containers ablaze on a Hyundai Merchant Marine ship off the coast of Yemen. South Korean yards dig in heels on newbuilding prices BACKED by a boom in tanker orders and backlogs of three years or more, South Korean shipbuilders are standing firm on newbuilding prices with some saying they may rise further. Barcelona yard to take Marseilles concession UNION Naval Barcelona is set to take over as operator of drydocking facilities in Marseilles in May with the avowed aim of developing the 'biggest shiprepair yard in the Mediterranean', says managing director Francisco Arderius. Mystery over death on the Nile ONE Egyptian crew member was left dead, and another seven alongside 28 German passengers were injured after an accident of a river cruiseship on the Nile late on Tuesday, writes Katrin Berkenkopf in Cologne. American Club 'will act fast' LEADERS of the American Club are drawing up a circular to brief shipowner members about measures to improve its capital standing, as the wider protection and indemnity industry expresses concern about the setback caused by the club's difficulties to the mutual system, writes James Brewer.

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MARCH 22, 2006
BC Ferries sinking: all rescued BC Ferries has confirmed that all 101 passengers and crew aboard the Queen of the North have been safely evacuated. The 125m-long, 8,889-gt vessel, built in 1969, struck a rock off Gil Island in Wright Sound at about 0043 today and sank within an hour Romanian vessel had 28 deficiencies A Romanian general cargo vessel that suffered engine failure at Falmouth, UK, on 4 March and again on 15 March had earlier been detained at the port for 28 deficiencies P&O Cruises drops P&O house flag CARNIVAL Corp's UK subsidiary P&O Cruises is ditching its 30-year link to the P&O house flag on its external and internal communications J Lauritzen charts further growth DANISH shipping group J Lauritzen has been encouraged by a "very satisfactory" 2005 to seek further growth of its operations, Full story Color posts firmer trend on Oslo-Kiel STAGNATION of business on two short-haul ferry services bucked a firmer trend on the core Oslo-Kiel route of Color Line, the Norwegian ferry and hotel group Foreign operators fear DPW fall-out FOREIGN operators of US terminals are 'trembling' in the wake of the Dubai Ports World fiasco, according to a US security expert Russian state auditor to check Sovcomflot Migrant Watch: US/Caribbean 2 Migrant Watch: US/Caribbean 1 Migrant Watch: Smugglers sentenced India to strength links with S Africa Tallink pays €310M for Superfast ships No tankers for Russia-China gas plans USCG to speed international port visits Boxship fire in Gulf of Aden Zim Asia 'unaware' of collision

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MARCH 22, 2006
Crew evacuated from Hyundai ship Reliability critical to short sea FedEx profits up 35% Angry ports dispute a 'shock' to DP World chief Zim targets 25K Portland boxes Hapag-Lloyd earnings flat No new U.S. gov't. contracts for EGL NYSA launches port awareness campaign TNT opens Shanghai DC

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MARCH 22, 2006
Russians debate future for a professional logistics sector Russian transport users, arguing that a well-developed domestic industry will help create a professional and high-quality logistics sector, have continued their argument against the supporters of a transport-led approach to development. Gotthard tunnel delayed by contract dispute Continuing demand postpones charter rate drop Railways have a good box future It's the biggest container vessel in the world Toll tries again with new Patrick offer Australian cabotage threat forforeign lines Trans-Bass subsidy to be reviewed New Korea-Japan container service

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MARCH 22, 2006
Union 'helped convict Wallenius' A chief engineer could be jailed for five years and Wallenius is on probation after pleading guilty of pollution in the US. DryShips on the move again George Economou's public firm signs major new debt facility with potential $143m for new acquisitions. DP World looks east Dubai ports company targets port development in Pakistan as remedy for US hangover. Crew safe after blaze HMM boxship severely damaged off Yemen after huge fire, with containers lost overboard making shipping hazardous in the region. Dirty dozen held in US Drunken crew, an infamous Turkish bulker and more oily-water separator cases feature in February list of shame. CP Ships pushes down profit German group TUI says 2005 shipping earnings drop a little after acquisition of containership line. Ageing ferry sinks off BC More than 100 passengers evacuated as BC Ferries' Queen of the North grounds and capsizes. Patrick blocks Toll bridge Toll Holdings has some hard convincing to do if it is to succeed in its latest bid for Patrick Corp of Australia. Anek back in black Greek ferry operator boosted by higher revenues and a ship sale in 2005. Chambal sows seeds of growth Indian fertiliser producer Chambal orders two aframaxes from Hyundai Heavy to add to a recent purchase from Cardiff Marine of Greece. Not so sweet FFA Navios of Greece sees profit plummet as poor FFAs and ambitious fleet expansion programme take their toll. Braemar cleans up UK shipbroking group adds pollution response firm DV Howells to its marine portfolio. One bite only Brazilian owner told it was wrong to re-litigate its dispute with Triton after losing out in the US. FreeSeas inches into profit US-listed Greek bulk ship operation makes a profit of $100,000 in fourth quarter on three ship fleet. Canal is a record-breaker Daily tonnage total reaches new high at Panamanian waterway. Euroseas sells bulker Greek bulker and boxship owner offloads 1981-built handysize for just under $5m. B+H builds earnings Successful 2005 for US tanker owner as it prepares to convert six single-skinned ships to double-hulls. Sherwood steps down Sea Containers founder retires after 41 years at the helm with $200,000 a year for the next decade. Eastwind to double boxships John Kousi-led US shipowner Eastwind says it is in negotiations to buy four containerships to add to the four it owns.

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MARCH 22, 2006
TUI's shipping division matches record earnings, ready for '06 downturn Hamburg Sud to switch South Florida call Kitty Hawk posts $4.1 million 4th-quarter net loss Deutsche Post to sell Marken to 3i United, Shanghai Airlines sign code-share agreement U.S. trade rep outlines concerns over China in Shanghai speech Eurinpro building warehouse in Germany for Amazon DP World accused of operating monopoly in India Ocean carriers to be port security watchdogs for Coast Guard Panama Canal sets records for throughput Port of New Orleans names Gallwey COO

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MARCH 22, 2006
Tallink buys Superfast ferries Greek Attica Holdings sells the ro-pax ferries "Superfast VII", "Superfast VIII" and "Superfast IX" in a EUR 310 million ... "Credo" delivered The 21,353-DWT bulk carrier "Credo", owned by Swedish Donsötank (65 per cent) and Finnish ESL Shipping (35 per cent ... New Bornholm ferry sailed from Singapore The new passenger fast ferry "Bornholm Express" is now on its way to Denmark from the builders in Singapore. The ...

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MARCH 22, 2006
DOE & API: Latest key US inventory figures The weekly statistics from the US Department of Energy show draws across the board but mainly positive year-on-year comparisons. Expansion of additive capacity unlikely Current tightness in the additive market is part of a long-term structural change in the market, with no significant expansion likely, conference delegates told. Bungled refueling attempts result in spill convictions Two shipping companies have been found guilty of two oil spills occurring on the same night in 2004, both as a result of bungled refueling attempts. Market still quiet on Rotterdam bounce Gladstone: Bunker barge due for dry-docking Gladstone supplier IBS advises bunker buyers to plan their forward bunker requirements. Ship operator posts profit despite high bunker costs Bunker fuel costs has resulted in higher operating costs for Greek passenger operator. Malaysia urges removal of war-risk status on Malacca Strait Launch of Malaysia's new coastguard signals strong measures to counter piracy in the strait.