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US cruise industry debates longer foreign-port stays
A Florida-based cruise line's efforts to protect its lucrative Hawaii business through a federal rule change is generating a wave of concern among port and business representatives who say it would harm jobs and tourist revenue.
Samsung Heavy wins US$1.3b drill ships deal
Samsung Heavy Industries Co, the world's second-largest shipyard, said yesterday that it would sign a US$1.32 billion accord to build two drill ships that will help meet demand to look for oil. The agreement for the ships, which will be used for deep-water exploration, was to be made later yesterday with a company in Oceania, Seoul-based Samsung Heavy said in a regulatory filing, without identifying the buyer.
Dubai's ETA Star to invest over US$1b in India: report
Dubai's ETA Star will invest more than US$1 billion in India's ports and aviation sector, the Business Standard reported yesterday.

Admiralty Casebook

Safety lapses led to port accidents
A PROBE by the UK Department of Transport into two relatively minor accidents during the berthing and unberthing of the Malta-flagged passenger ship Logos II in the port of St Helier has unearthed more than just the immediate causes of the incidents.

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Shipping News

US cruise industry debates longer foreign-port stays
A Florida-based cruise line's efforts to protect its lucrative Hawaii business through a federal rule change is generating a wave of concern among port and business representatives who say it would harm jobs and tourist revenue.
Samsung Heavy wins US$1.3b drill ships deal
Samsung Heavy Industries Co, the world's second-largest shipyard, said yesterday that it would sign a US$1.32 billion accord to build two drill ships that will help meet demand to look for oil. The agreement for the ships, which will be used for deep-water exploration, was to be made later yesterday with a company in Oceania, Seoul-based Samsung Heavy said in a regulatory filing, without identifying the buyer.
Dubai's ETA Star to invest over US$1b in India: report
Dubai's ETA Star will invest more than US$1 billion in India's ports and aviation sector, the Business Standard reported yesterday.

Admiralty Casebook

Safety lapses led to port accidents
A PROBE by the UK Department of Transport into two relatively minor accidents during the berthing and unberthing of the Malta-flagged passenger ship Logos II in the port of St Helier has unearthed more than just the immediate causes of the incidents.

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OOCL achieves double-digit container, revenue growth in 2007 Grand Alliance ATX service to deploy more tonnage to cut fuel costs Shekou CT showcases CIQ cold storage at Shenzhen West Port Vietnam's Vinalines to build seaports, berths nationwide GAC sets up oil, gas logistics facility off India's Kakinada port Container promotion receives Maersk Line backing Port of Tacoma appoints new project and contract administration manager Xiamen vice mayor says city searches for second airport site Shenzhen Airlines launches Nanning-Korea service Gulf Air to buy up to 24 Boeing 787 Dreamliners DHL demands prepayment of US$93 million note from ABX Air

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IAS InterChange to make grand debut in Indian Subcontinent Ship-breaking code: SC seeks govt reply in 8 weeks Varun Shipping sets aside Rs 1,600 cr. for acquisitions in 2008 Supertankers conversion prospects recede as dry bulk rates plummet Oils not well! MoS moots Rs 500-cr. infrastructure fund to develop smaller ports in Union Budget Air cargo hub to spring up near Kolkata CWC takes stock Commerce Secy expects exports to fall short of fiscal target EGoM to discuss SEZs' export obligation on Feb. 4 US recession will have limited impact on India-Nath MoF may halve I-T surcharge India Inc urges RBI to draw lesson from US Fed action, slash interest rates Foreign Trade Policy Analysis: Current Trends- By M. Sreedharan Indra K. Nooyi at helm of USIBC

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JANUARY 24, 2008
Ceva names executive vice-president of new ILS business unit OOCL to start new Asia India Middle East service Jet Airways opens new routes RZD to manage Armenian Railways Hellmann Worldwide Logistics and Quehenberger dissolve joint venture

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JANUARY 24, 2008
Shippers' cautious welcome for surcharge suspension BP says goodbye to Cyprus North of England stays an "A"

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JANUARY 24, 2008
Publication of Bourbon Dolphin inquiry report delayed Newark Bay closed after collision Siem cancels PSV-as-FPSO contract Torm takes stake in FR8 MacGregor books major RoRo equipment orders

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JANUARY 24, 2008
Cargo volumes for 2007 come in flat at Port of Tacoma Port of Seattle onboard Northwest clean air strategy DHL donates popcorn shipments to support Iraqi Boy Scout program Crowley orders barges from Gunderson Marine Three crewmen rescued from sinking tugboat

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JANUARY 24, 2008
Support grows for Swedish tonnage tax PROPOSALS gain wide political backing, ahead of report on boosting nation's shipping. Owners meet Norway's PM over tax row Torm swoops for stake in FR8 DANISH owner goes on product tanker acquisition spree, paying '125m for 50% stake. Vessels diverted after Southampton crane collapse OPERATIONS at SCT hit after recently refitted crane collapses on Hapag Lloyd boxship.

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JANUARY 24, 2008
Oily prints left near Ice Prince Merchant ships have been accused of cleaning tanks and dumping slops at sea near the wreck of the Ice Prince Pakistan shipyard to upgrade CHINA Shipbuilding and Trading Co is help upgrade Karachi Shipyard in Pakistan for commercial and defence purposes New Flame salvage underway TITAN Maritime salvors are preparing to cut away the stern of Handymax bulker New Flame in an attempt to begin moving the sunken vessel from the open ocean Indonesia wants more CPO tankers INDONESIA will have to build or buy at least 2,200 crude palm oil carriers worth $3.6bn in the next few years, anticipating the country's boom in CPO production 10+2: Huge cost, unknown benefit EU objections to US Customs' 10+2 rule seem to have been bolstered by a cost-benefit analysis by Customs & Border Protection, the very agency that proposed the scheme Immigration hits Dutch recruitment Vietnam pushes global ambitions Singapore rejects bunker rumours When two taxes just aren't enough' Bulk future for Japan single-hulls? GAC buys Danish equipment firm Korean ore contracts finalised Korea Line to expand fleet

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JANUARY 24, 2008
U.S. unveils new export control policies President Bush rolls out new package of export controls which seek to balance national security with globalization of technology. Lines say Trans-Pacific vessel utilization strong FedEx in talks to buy DHL Customs proposes change in valuation rule Recession likely underway, says Global insight Seattle port creates fraud panel Opinion: BIS stumbles with 'China Rule' Hapag-Lloyd orders 6 ships Union Pacific profit edges up in fourth quarter COAC meets in Tucson China passes U.S. as Japan's top trade partner

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JANUARY 24, 2008
Tanjung Priok Port plans new system to cut congestion BIFA gives FEFC congestion u-turn a cautious welcome OOCL donates USD40,000 to education foundation Zim stresses 'better slots costs' for new transatlantic run Southampton crane collapse forces diversions

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JANUARY 24, 2008
Juice carrier collides Orange Sun taking on water after colliding with two dredgers off New Jersey. Ostria returns Troubled Aries Maritime Transport products tanker returns to service after repairs. Su gives up reins Taiwan shipowner resigns from co-chairmanship at Star Bulk Carriers, a post he took in a deal approved in November. Bocimar booms Bocimar parent reports a 81% surge in yearly profits as capesize rates jump by 159%. A piece of barge pie Chicago asset manager reports a nearly 12.7% share of American Commercial Lines. Siem axes $82m charter Norwegian offshore player pulls out of a five-year Gulf of Mexico charter for a newbuilding platform supply vessel. Turks take bulker The 10,100-dwt Sir Jacob goes to unnamed Turkish interests for nearly $16.4m. Grimaldi and SSC ponder swap Italian group poised to sell its stake in Anek Lines to Yannis Vardinogiannis-led holding company in exchange for the Cypriot firm's slice of Minoan Lines. Port rapped over double impact St Helier told to toughen safety procedures in UK accident report into two collisions by same ship in six days. Tsirigakis takes stock US-listed Star Bulk Carriers to re-purchase and retire $50m shares and warrants reducing its exposure to the turbulent money markets. Chong launches Vita takeover Veteran investor bids for control of troubled Singaporean shipowner after boosting his stake to 36.05%. Weather drags lakes fleet American Steamship sees a 78.1% decline in profits as weather and low lake levels take their toll. Oslo stocks the best bet Shipowners listed on the Oslo Bors will have both a short- and long-term advantage if western economies continue to struggle, Pareto analyst says. TUI paves way for merger German group's tourism. shipping ties to be reinforced, and Hapag-Lloyd to order six more 8,750-teu vessels. Hebei to Samsung: 'Follow us' Owner of Hebei Spirit throws down gauntlet to Samsung to take responsibility and stump up cash as it pleads innocence. Essar linked to airport deal Indian owner registers interest in privatisation of Prague airport operator Czech Letiste Praha. Hanjin's seven deadly sins Subic Bay report into fatal explosion at shipyard finds safety lapses that led to accident. Seoul stocks surge South Korean shipbuilders' shares bounce back from their recent dry run. Torm buys into FR8 Danish tanker owner takes 50% holding in Singapore rival, owned by oil trader Projector. Su: 'Fall not my fault' TMT chief hits back at claims his futures dealing has played a leading role in the recent bulker backlash. Bond issue in Cosco's sight Cosco Shipping to use $145m to fund five-ship purchase as it reveals 84% rise in annual profit. Tamil Nadu backs Sethu canal Indian state urges government to resist calls to scrap controversial channel in Palk Strait. Condor up for grabs? Channel Islands ferry line reportedly put up for sale by Royal Bank of Scotland. HMM back in business Korean owner turns around losses in fourth quarter as freight rates rose. Qatar Nav to raise funds Feedership operator plans rights issue and announces 78% leap in annual net profit. BMA declares force majeure Coking coal exports from BHP Mitsubishi Alliance disrupted by heavy flooding in Queensland. Keppel clinch drillship deal Singaporean yard group secures contract for completion of new vessel with hull built in China. Pride back at Samsung US driller returns to Korean shipbuilder for third deepwater drillship on back of Petrobras charter. CSG inks first tankers Chinese shipbuilding group to build shuttle tankers for Norwegians plus convert more tankers into bulkers.

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JANUARY 24, 2008
TUI to look at Hapag-Lloyd merger to fend off takeover ISC reports 4th quarter net income of $3.4 million Euronav's profits slide 54% in 2007, more optimistic for 2008 BIFA happy with FEFC's U-turn on U.K. congestion charge German parent plans 600 million euro writedown for DHL Express India air freight market too young to measure correctly Miami airport cargo growth top 5% for 2007 Union Pacific's profit flat in 4th quarter, up 16% for 2007 Bonner tells trade to back DHS security strategy Indonesia, Barbados fully open borders to U.S. beef U.S. puts Czech Republic on IPR watch list USDA builds new plant inspection facility in Miami USDA appoints Parham to APHIS deputy administrator CBP starts upgrade of Web site Nooyi named chairman of U.S.-India Business Council Litman to retire after 45-year trade career Long Beach council shoots down port profit transfer increase Port of Tacoma TEUs down 7% in 2007 APM terminals looking into new Brazil facility

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JANUARY 24, 2008
Another record year Preliminary figures for 2007 confirm the high activity and investment by shipping companies in Scandinavia. According to our own records, a total of 339 ships and 13 drilling rigs were ordered and some 560 secondhand ships and resale contracts changed ... Intensified look-out for oil offenders around Ice Prince wreck After the discovery of some 60 oil-covered birds on Isle of Wight, the British authorities have increased surveillance around the position where the Greek dry cargo vessel Ice Prince sunk in bad weather on 15 January. The oil on ... Korean oil importers speed up single-hull phase-out South Korean oil importers will immediately start the phase-out of single-hull VLCCs and one of the major refinery operators will ban this type of vessel already from next year. Around 60 per cent of South Korea's substantial import ...

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JANUARY 24, 2008
Bunker tax proposal voted down Long Beach rejecting proposal to reinstate levy to offset pollution health impacts. Bearish DOE report tempers OPEC news OPEC hints at no production increase, US oil stocks rise more than predicted. Russia oil giant targets rapid growth Rosneft wants to be supplying 3-5 million metric tonnes of bunker fuel within two years. Rotterdam market firmed Singapore: Residual fuel stocks hit 8-month high Heavy influx of cargoes expected to continue in February. No end in sight for bunker shortage Melbourne port unable to offer 380 cst indefinitely. Hong Kong 180 cst prices jump on tight avails Market extremely short on 180 cst product with no offers from several traders and suppliers. ExxonMobil offers rare Thai cargo Bunker grade parcel scheduled for February loading.