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Shipping News

Orders for oil tankers surge ahead of new design rules
SHIPOWNERS are rushing to order oil tankers from yards including South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries Co before stricter design rules come into force on April 1.
Education of shipowners key to growth of freight futures
THE emerging derivatives market for shipping freight rates may struggle to match industry hopes for exponential growth as long as small- and medium-sized shipowners remain reluctant to manage future risks.
US working to station own inspectors at Bahamas port
THE Bush administration will negotiate to station American customs inspectors at the largest seaport in the Bahamas, where the United States is hiring a Hong Kong conglomerate to help detect nuclear materials inside cargo, a senior customs official said Monday.
US urges Japan to sign screening pact
China oil carrier's H2 profit up 13% at 1.1b yuan

Strait Talk

Stopping illegal dumping at sea
SOMETIMES, it is a cruel and wicked world and no doubt there will be some in this industry who will have had trouble suppressing a gloating smile when Sweden's Wallenius of all people, or at least its Singapore-based subsidiary, pleaded guilty to a pollution offence in the US.

web site

Shipping News

Orders for oil tankers surge ahead of new design rules
SHIPOWNERS are rushing to order oil tankers from yards including South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries Co before stricter design rules come into force on April 1.
Education of shipowners key to growth of freight futures
THE emerging derivatives market for shipping freight rates may struggle to match industry hopes for exponential growth as long as small- and medium-sized shipowners remain reluctant to manage future risks.
US working to station own inspectors at Bahamas port
THE Bush administration will negotiate to station American customs inspectors at the largest seaport in the Bahamas, where the United States is hiring a Hong Kong conglomerate to help detect nuclear materials inside cargo, a senior customs official said Monday.
US urges Japan to sign screening pact
China oil carrier's H2 profit up 13% at 1.1b yuan

Strait Talk

Stopping illegal dumping at sea
SOMETIMES, it is a cruel and wicked world and no doubt there will be some in this industry who will have had trouble suppressing a gloating smile when Sweden's Wallenius of all people, or at least its Singapore-based subsidiary, pleaded guilty to a pollution offence in the US.

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Heung-A Shipping offers express service to India US Senators delay decision on China trade sanctions Zim's AMP service to call at Portland NCB not considering merger with Westport even if capacity is reached Patrick rejects latest bid from Toll Suzhou box volume surges 55pc in Feb Haikou's municipal authorities handed control of city's ports Lufthansa 2005 net profit rises 12pc Qantas to provide freighter to Australian air Express Singapore's Budget Terminal begins operations

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CSCL launches AMA service-offering weekly direct connection ex-Nhava Sheva to US West Coast GE Shipping takes delivery of OSV QE2 calls at Cochin Port Re-bidding for Sethu dredging project begins GE Shipping contracts 2 new product tankers 4 more categories of goods withdrawn from 'Target Plus' scheme with retrospective effect Seafood exporters at sea over new procedures Govt may levy 4 pc duty on Lankan pepper Exports of parboiled rice to African markets rise Mundra Port receives 1st box train on Palanpur-Samakhiali route Box trailer crew at Cochin Port go on strike Centre to develop 7 small ports States want right to tax 68 services, including ports New shredded scrap discharge record set at Kandla Port Capt. Nikhil Naik bowing out of P&O Ports on May 31 Golden Horn opens park for storing empty boxes, carrying out repairs at Kandla Cathay Pacific plans twice-a-week freighter service Govt announces temporary ban on deep-sea fishing in EEZ South Indian chambers form confederation CII signs MoUs with Melbourne & Ballarat Interactive meeting with Registrar of Companies at IMC on March 31

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MARCH 28, 2006
NYK appoints Atsushi Takahashi as Japanese resident representative in Istanbul New Hanjin Shipping office in Bremen Finnair adds Far East services UTT sold to Interbulk NYK's British logistics subsidiaries to merge

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MARCH 28, 2006
ABP takeover likely EC go-ahead for Aker/Alstom deal Passenger vessel refloated New Vietnam service

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MARCH 28, 2006
Lloyd Werft to repair Star Princess Bush withdraws Sanborn Marad nomination PGS to float off its FPSO activities Jindal orders second Keppel jackup EC approves Chantiers takeover

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MARCH 28, 2006
Grounded cruise vessel re-floated on Columbia River Port of Bellingham schedules marina project open house Oldest Coast Guard cutter makes stop in Seattle Port of Seattle taps Olmstead as top firefighter for 2005 First Central American port joins Customs' CSI program

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Fortune fireworks theory query EXPLOSIONS that ripped apart the Hyundai Fortunelast week were so powerful that the original theory of fireworks catching alight is being discounted in some circles, write Janet Porter and James Brewer. IACS takes fight to Greeks on common structural rules THE International Association of Classification Societies has pulled no punches in rebutting allegations levelled at its new Common Structural Rules by the Union of Greek Shipowners. PGS board to demerge floating production into new Petrojarl PETROLEUM Geo-Services' board of directors has approved plans to demerge the floating production business into a new entity, Petrojarl ASA . Carnival $34m Star Princess bill CRUISE giant Carnival anticipates being hit with a $34m bill for repairs and cancelled cruises following the fire aboard Star Princess last week.

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MARCH 28, 2006
EC green light for Aker-Alstom THE European Commission has given its approval to the takeover of Alstom Marine by the Norwegian shipbuilding group Aker Yards Carnival takes $40M cruise fire hit CARNIVAL Corp will take a $33.5M-$41.9M charge in its second quarter and full-year results as a result of the Star Princess fire Lines drive WCSA rates lower CHINA Shipping has joined 'K' Line and MOL on the Asia-West Coast South America liner trade as operators attempt to attract P&O Nedlloyd's customers away from Maersk Norovirus outbreaks surging SIX more suspected norovirus outbreaks have been logged aboard cruise vessels this month alone: last year's lull in shipboard illness is clearly over Engine failure grounds casino boat A CASINO boat operating out of South Florida was the latest passenger vessel to have problems last night when the SunCruz I grounded following an engine failure Barbados bags hull haul POLICE, Customs and maritime authorities in Barbados have seized $250,000 worth of marijuana in metal containers fixed to the hull of a ship that arrived from Jamaica 'Paper' rates forecast to drive market Great Eastern directors in buying spree Oslo adds two shipping listings MarAd candidate Sanborn pulls out

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MARCH 28, 2006
Sanborn Marad nomination withdrawn The apppointment of the DP World executive was blocked in the Senate during the storm over Dubai's failed deal to acquire U.S. terminals. GAO: Better radioactive checks needed at border APM's Pier 400 gets crane OCR New industrial park planned for Port of Houston EU threatens Russia WTO veto over airline tax Customs Update: An egg by any other name... DHL appoints Brewer Evergreen, OOCL, Yang Ming to launch Vietnam service

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MARCH 28, 2006
Zim plans raft of transpac changes Zim is planning a raft of transpacific changes, including new joint services. Jakarta aims for private investment in ports Indonesia's House of Representatives (DPR) is revising the law of shipping, which also governs port businesses, to promote private port investment. ABP shares jump following takeover approach notice EMC, OOCL and YML enter into joint Vietnam service Concor customers rail against rate rises OnePort relents on e-receipt deadline Chittagong FICCI opposes mayor over New Mooring privatisation China-India Express by HMM and Heung-A starts sailing Chu Kong Shipping's 2005 operating profit falls 9% Hanjin to set up sales office in Bremen

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MARCH 28, 2006
Diana buys manager New York-listed Diana Shipping pays $20m to buy private fleet manager under control of its principal, Simeon Palios. Surf's up Euroseas Ltd continues riding wave toward public listing with acquisition of surfer-gear shell company Cove Apparel Inc. TT Club races ahead Liner shipping mutual insurer reports healthy surplus and strong growth in ports and terminal business. DryShips buying again George Economou's public bulker company wastes no time in adding first unit since renegotiating $700m credit package last week. More twistlocks recalled Container stack collapse fears lead to German Lashing product recall but company stays silent. Carnival passengers left high and dry Six passengers on a Carnival Caribbean cruise were offloaded in Nassau for what the company alleges was 'aggressive and abusive' behaviour. Fireworks theory scorched Top liner shipping insurer TT Club doubts Roman candles could have caused devastating Hyundai Fortune blaze. Pirates target tanker in Red Sea Tanker attack in the Red Sea adds credence to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO)'s call for unity in the fight against piracy. Navmed chases fast ferry UK company wants US city of Rochester's loss-making Spirit of Ontario. CSG rides Chinese dragon China Shipping Group (CSG) subsidiary China Shipping Development Co (CSDC) continues to grow on the back of a booming Chinese economy. Huge payout for ferry victim New Yorker who lost legs in Staten Island tragedy receives second-biggest settlement in city's history. NYK invests in Vietnam Japanese giant NYK Line looks to invest in Vietnam with the purchase of vessels and port infrastructure development. Aker gets green light European Commission clears the way for Norwegian shipbuilding group to takeover Alstom yards. Calyon in Libyan deal French bank to support national energy shipping ambitions with loan to buy Chartworld aframaxes. Affin offloads MMM Malaysian merchant bank disposes of 4.5% stake in domestic shipowner. PGS to split Norwegian owner to list its FPSO and offshore shipping businesses separately. Gdansk deadline passes Single expression of interest for Polish shipyard lodged ' but who is the potential buyer? CKS speeds to profit Hong Kong catamaran owner Chu Kong Shipping Development Co (CKS) turns a profit in 2005. Mercury struck by norovirus Over 130 passengers and crew fall sick aboard Celebrity Cruises ship during Mexican vacation. B+H launches share offer Shipowner to sell up to 20,000 shares to non-US investors to meet Oslo listing requirements. Handymax wins better rate IPO wannabe Omega Navigation has bettered charter terms on one of its handymax bulkers. Belize goes white The Belize flag state has won a feather in its cap from the US Coast Guard (USCG).

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MARCH 28, 2006
Jacobs joins Inchcape Evergreen, Yang Ming, OOCL to start joint intra-Asia loop Hanjin opens Bremen office Felixstowe hosts its largest containership Bush withdraws Sanborn nomination for Maritime Administration IATA revises forecast for airline losses in 2006 Menzies Aviation (Australia) to buy Australian Air Support Asian airlines' February cargo up 5.3% Qantas to covert four 737-300's into freighters Panel: Failing infrastructure needs neutral evaluator, long-term debt John S. Connor opens Shanghai office Zim opens logistics center in Kingston Investment consortium mulling $4 billion ABP bid Port of Virginia TEUs up 12% in February Georgia Ports Authority approve rail expansion project Chileans now sympathetic toward Bolivian port APS lands contract for APM Los Angeles terminal Bush withdraws Sanborn nomination for Maritime Administration

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MARCH 28, 2006
Norwegian yards could strike from Saturday Work at Norwegian yards and at major construction sites like Melkøya by Hammerfest and Ormen Lange shore terminal at Aukra ... Considers bid for Associated British Ports An international consortia lead by the American investment bank Goldman Sachs is considering a bid for UK's leading port operator ... Aker Yards/Alstom deal gets EC OK Aker Yard's proposal to take 75 per cent in a new company consisting of Alstom Marine shipyards in Saint Nazaire ...

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MARCH 28, 2006
Still work to do after tragic B.C. ferry sinking Fuel containment efforts and investigations continue, options considered. Antwerp cements its role in ARA and Europe Rotterdam reigns supreme as Europe's biggest port and bunkering centre, but Antwerp is laying claim to growing volumes. Rotterdam: New general manager in place Antwerp trade offers above Rotterdam market at midday Authorities blame mystery bunker spill for bird deaths No spills reported in Russia or Japan, but a Coastguard spokesman has said that with poaching rampant in the area, even if a refueling ship had leaked oil, it would not make a report to Russian authorities. Its time for Antwerp! Bunker conference registrations closing for next week's inaugural ARACON event. Saudi Arabia expected to generate $160 billion in oil revenues Economists forecast record oil revenues for the kingdom in 2006. Huge Asian arb arrivals could flip market into bearish mode Traders fear heavy April arrivals of western fuel oil could quickly shift dynamics to bearish market. Singapore: Premiums high on prompt dates Prompt deliveries this week are difficult to fulfill as suppliers look to early next week. Aegean secures Singapore bunkering license Aegean is the first new company to secure a bunker supplier licence in Singapore since May 2003.