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Rotterdam rejects empty boxes as main terminal faces jam
SURGING container traffic at the Port of Rotterdam has slowed the main container terminal at Europe's largest port to a crawl, forcing it to refuse empty containers in order to avoid total paralysis.
NZ's Port of Tauranga posts 56% profit gain
PORT of Tauranga Ltd, which is in talks with Ports of Auckland Ltd to create New Zealand's biggest port company, said first-half profit rose 56 per cent on the sale of surplus land and higher cargo volumes.
Hitachi Zosen shares lead gains at shipyards
SHARES of Hitachi Zosen Corp and Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co led gains among Japan's shipbuilders yesterday after an industry group said the nation's shipyards built a record number of vessels last year, spurred by demand from China and other Asian nations.
Suez to cut fees to lure Asia-to-US traffic

Strait Talk

The sunken Erika sails on, in court
OVER seven years after the sinking of the tanker Erika in the Bay of Biscay, the trial of several parties allegedly involved in the vessel's loss has got underway in France.

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Shipping News

Rotterdam rejects empty boxes as main terminal faces jam
SURGING container traffic at the Port of Rotterdam has slowed the main container terminal at Europe's largest port to a crawl, forcing it to refuse empty containers in order to avoid total paralysis.
NZ's Port of Tauranga posts 56% profit gain
PORT of Tauranga Ltd, which is in talks with Ports of Auckland Ltd to create New Zealand's biggest port company, said first-half profit rose 56 per cent on the sale of surplus land and higher cargo volumes.
Hitachi Zosen shares lead gains at shipyards
SHARES of Hitachi Zosen Corp and Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co led gains among Japan's shipbuilders yesterday after an industry group said the nation's shipyards built a record number of vessels last year, spurred by demand from China and other Asian nations.
Suez to cut fees to lure Asia-to-US traffic

Strait Talk

The sunken Erika sails on, in court
OVER seven years after the sinking of the tanker Erika in the Bay of Biscay, the trial of several parties allegedly involved in the vessel's loss has got underway in France.

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Hapag-Lloyd takes delivery of new 8,750-TEU containership APL starts Mindanao Express Service for Philippines produce China's foreign trade grows 30 per cent in January Rail strike costs Port of Vancouver US$623.6 million Washington box tax meets resistance Deeper Savannah River channel needed to 'stay in big league' 'K' Line wins green award from Long Beach Qantas net profit rises 1.7pc to US$283m Costs to soar 80pc on Dong Muang airport re-opening, operators warn Continental linked to Unisys-operated cargo portal

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Allcargo Global Logistics, Tuticorin branch, celebrates 2nd anniversary in grand way Vini Container Lines inks NVOCC agency agreement to provide FCL services Mercator brings giant dry bulk vessel into Mumbai Port Guar-gum exporters get a leg up Coffee exporters to concentrate on specialty & niche markets EU sets terms for farm deal at Doha China's loss is India's gain in leather trade Baalu calls upon Major Port Chairmen to monitor NMDP projects on weekly basis, prepare action plan Verification of DEPBs at EDI ports dispensed with VSPL deftly handles first Panamax vessel Paradip Port gets quicker rail connectivity for ore shipments Special wagons to carry more freight on track Duties may be cut to induce investments in cold chain, warehouses IMC's engagements for Thursday Trade to promote peace, stability!

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FEBRUARY 21, 2007
Ro-ro dispute in Irish Sea American Club premiums hit Schat-Harding's new hooks ASRY's record year

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FEBRUARY 21, 2007
Brostrom and Offen in partnership deal Hornblower wins Cape May-Lewes ferry contract Australian port state control announces FIC American P&I Club reports "robust" renewal STX books first LNG ship order Arctic orders for MacGregor

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FEBRUARY 21, 2007
Port of Seattle moving ahead with Terminal 30/Terminal 91 plans Matson Navigation set to raise Hawaii, Guam/CNMI fuel surcharge Evergreen changing name of American shipping operations Port of Vancouver, BC feeling hit from labor dispute Hamburg Sud taps Montship as general agent for Canada

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Lines go for size upgrade in battle for giant boxships MSC and CMA CGM increase capacity of up to 16 boxships on order from just under 10,000 teu to over 11,000 teu. Mega boxships could ruin marine insurance markets, say underwriters ECT claims box jam is 'across North West Europe' ECT president Jan Westerhoud claims the box build-up suffered by Rotterdam is a problem all across North West Europe. France fails in bid to speed-up EU safety debate FRANCE'S attempt to speed up work on the latest EU safety legislation has backfired amid reported chaos at a ministers' meeting.

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FEBRUARY 21, 2007
Angel to serve crew at UAE anchorages THE Mission to Seafarers in Dubai is preparing to start a regular weekly vessel service to support seafarers at the east coast anchorages in the UAE Ostedijk towed closer to coast THE holds of cargo ship Ostedijk affected by fire have been opened, and the ship towed closer inshore, as solutions to the burning cargo problem continue to be discussed UK firms prosecuted for waste shipments THREE UK companies are reported to have been prosecuted in the last week for sending inappropriate shipments to the Far East Ferryways considering Spanish route BELGIAN ro-ro operator Ferryways is considering an expansion to its current UK services with a link between Ostend in Belgium to north-western Spain Regal Princess bottoms out PRINCESS Cruises' Regal Princess is headed to drydock for repairs after scraping bottom in the Mexican port of Huatulco HHLA plans spark more protectionism Exxon/Qatar GTL plan scrapped Repsol plays down Algerian LNG fears IRISL to launch petchem operations Agreement reached on Merchant Brilliant Vancouver hit hard by rail strike Tug deckhand killed in barge accident Korea to seek more oil and gas Second blow for Aboitiz ferries Malaysia contains spill

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FEBRUARY 21, 2007
Suez Canal dangles incentives The waterway plans to offer discounts to lure all-water services during the Panama Canal's expansion project. WTSA proposes rate hikes West Coast ports cruise through slow season Rotterdam to customers: No more empties CN strike hammers Port of Vancouver Massport to study shipping, infrastructure needs S&P upgrades Port of Seattle bond ratings Crowley to add ro-ro in Central America service Lamy sees 'good signs' for Doha Round Matson hikes fuel surcharge FCL Carrier starts breakbulk services to Far East

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FEBRUARY 21, 2007
Government intervention possibly "imminent" in CN strike Barring a sudden breakthrough in mediation talks to end a Canadian National Railway strike, Canada's federal government faces mounting industry pressure to introduce back-to-work legislation today. Rotterdam harbour towage disruption "likely" Trade unions have ignored a bid by Rotterdam harbour towage firm Smit to call off their strike ultimatum and re-open negotiations. Charter activity continues in the shadow of the lunar new year Samskip restructures North and Baltic Sea services Vancouver estimates cargo-volumes down 50%, thanks to CN strike CSCL to launch launch Daesan/Shanghai connection Japan introduces an advance manifest rule Non-Hamburg operations boost HHLA terminal growth past 16.1% Inchon Port sets handling target based on new capacity Toll H1 profits rise 87%, on back of more than doubled revenues Duisburg container handling increases 11% NZ ports merger looking wobbly Brazil's CVRD logistics corporation plans offering for logistics/terminal daughter

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FEBRUARY 21, 2007
Genmar soars on $15 dividend But New York owner has pulled the plug on its 'full-payout' quarterly yields in favour of $0.50 target figure. 55m reasons to smile Genmar's special dividend is special indeed for principal Peter Georgiopoulos, who stands to reap $55m from his 3.67m shares. BW Offshore makes APL move Helmut Sohmen-controlled FPSO owner makes $600m play for Norwegian turret mooring systems maker. Offen signs with Brostrom German owner solves knotty problem of former boxship newbuilds by inking commercial deal with Swedes. Gotland gains in 2006 Swedish tanker and ferry owner cut costs to boost profits last year. Baltija breaks down Wheels come off Lithuanian shipyard's profit in fourth quarter as costs rise. Ro-ro deadlock goes on Crew delay Merchant Brilliant arrest action in UK as Russian owner ADG promises to bring wages on Thursday. Austal eyes China Australian shipbuilder thinking of building ferries closer to key markets in Hong Kong and Macau. DnB divests GOC shares Shipping bank rakes in nearly $2m after selling around a tenth of its Golden Ocean stake. Blue Star ascending Greek ferry operation's profit at record high after welcoming more freight traffic on board in 2006. Yang Ming in cruise first Taiwanese boxship owner wants to build country's first cruiseship by 2012. Back in the black Kristian Siem's offshore firm returns to the black in the fourth quarter from a loss at the end of 2005. GO inches into profit Tighter cost control drags bulk operator out of the red as new owners add two more ships. STX confirms LNG debut Spain's Elcano paying more for 170,000-cbm vessel than originally rumoured, but still bagging a discount. Teekay Petrojarl result impaired Norwegian FPSO owner posts weaker profit on lower revenues, but fourth quarter production improved. Matson raises surcharge A recent increase in bunker prices sees US to Hawaii container line pass it on to customers. Profits inch up at Omega Dual-listed products tanker player ends its first year as a publicly traded company on a high.

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FEBRUARY 21, 2007
TACA looking to bolster "unsustainable" rates "Emma Maersk" sister delayed Matson increases fuel surcharge Samskip combines Swedish, Baltic services APL exec highlights capacity, service challenges for shippers OMI's profit slides 45% in 4th quarter British Airways orders four A320s Lufthansa Cargo expands service for special products Continental Airlines Cargo joins Unisys' Cargo Portal Services Japan Airlines announces new low-cost RFID system Earliest opening set for St. Lawrence Seaway Flynn: DHS set up to fail China has shortage of logistic pros Northrop Grumman receives Army logistics contract extension Skinner named logistics company chairman DSC Logistics wins Culligan business FCL Carrier moves into U.S. market CN strike drops Port of Vancouver's cargo volume by 50% Mayor urges state to cement L.A.-Long Beach port, logistics center link Port of Seattle receives S&P bond rating upgrade Nicaragua planning port improvements Port of Boston planning for growth Dublin terminal operator selects Tideworks software

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FEBRUARY 21, 2007
Fixed Fehmarn link postponed for a decade The fixed link over Fehmarn Belt will not get any kind of high priority in Germany. That was made clear ... China ahead of Japan in shipbuilding league China has for the first time passed Japan as shipbuilding nation and is now number two in the world after ... Broström signs long-term agreement with German Offen Broström has entered a long-term partnership with Reederi Claus-Peter Offen, which will add eight 37,000-DWT products tankers to the ...

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FEBRUARY 21, 2007
US legislation will not lower bunker sulphur levels New act allowing US to enforce Annex VI but no mention of 1.5%. West African 'hub' for marine lubricants Nigerian firm in landmark deal with BP-Castrol for marine lubricant blending and marketing. No 'EU position' on Annex VI yet Reports that the EU will urge IMO to back distillates are premature. Rotterdam market very quiet Ocean Intelligence forum to debut in Singapore Two-day forum on Marine Credit and Risk Management to take place from September 27-28 during the Maritime Week. Matson to increase bunker surcharge New bunker fuel surcharges to be effective from March 11 this year. Bunker supplies recovering in Japan Prices in Tokyo Bay fall on muted bunker demand.