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Shipping News

$3m system to boost haulage industry
A NEW Containerised Traffic System (CTS), launched yesterday, promises to streamline the tracking and communication processes for transport companies serving the local port industry, allowing them to enjoy full integration with their container depots, shippers and drivers throughout Singapore.
Shipyards in the US battling lack of workers
Dirk VanEnkevort wanted to take advantage of a shipbuilding boom when his family's firm leased one of the largest dry docks in the Great Lakes region in 2005. But now he's so short-handed he has turned to robots to help keep up.
Rotterdam operator keen on deep-water port in India
The Dutch port of Rotterdam expects to expand into India this year, a senior executive said yesterday, but he denied media reports that the port was close to a tie-up with Indian builder Larsen and Toubro Ltd .

Strait Talk

Getting around the ENC dilemma
LAST week, executives from electronic chart company Jeppesen Marine took part in a Norwegian press day at the Baltic Exchange in London.

web site

Shipping News

$3m system to boost haulage industry
A NEW Containerised Traffic System (CTS), launched yesterday, promises to streamline the tracking and communication processes for transport companies serving the local port industry, allowing them to enjoy full integration with their container depots, shippers and drivers throughout Singapore.
Shipyards in the US battling lack of workers
Dirk VanEnkevort wanted to take advantage of a shipbuilding boom when his family's firm leased one of the largest dry docks in the Great Lakes region in 2005. But now he's so short-handed he has turned to robots to help keep up.
Rotterdam operator keen on deep-water port in India
The Dutch port of Rotterdam expects to expand into India this year, a senior executive said yesterday, but he denied media reports that the port was close to a tie-up with Indian builder Larsen and Toubro Ltd .

Strait Talk

Getting around the ENC dilemma
LAST week, executives from electronic chart company Jeppesen Marine took part in a Norwegian press day at the Baltic Exchange in London.

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US economic slump brings west coast shipping declines CSAV NORASIA starts NAS service from Asia to Mideast and North Africa Ningbo export container sales surge 64.8pc in 2007 TOC Asia 2008 to be held in Shanghai, featuring CBP speaker Virginia Port Authority to buy US$41.7 million in straddle carriers M+R Spedag opens Guangzhou office World Courier expands pharma storage facility in India Lufthansa Cargo moves to Tianjin to set up third China JV China Eastern demands more information on Air China tie-up scheme Grand China Express Airlines to launch 30 new lines from western China Spain's Air Europa orders eight 787 Dreamliners

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Sarjak Container Lines accomplishes Herculean feat Emirates joins MIX service Delhi to host Conquest 2008 Zeal & enthusiasm mark R-Day celebrations at Kandla Port AI to deploy 2 cargo jets on S-E Asian sector Louis Berger to prepare master plan for Navi Mumbai int'l airport FinMin cautions Customs against dual claims for SEZ duty drawback Excess imports face curbs Growth momentum can be maintained, assures PM Intrinsic strength of Indian, Chinese economies seen shrugging off global slowdown

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Tarros Group announces death of chairman Houston gets additional wharf Turkish introducing more main deck capacity to Algiers New contracts for Bibby Distribution in UK World Air Cargo Event, Bahrain, 12-14 February

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JANUARY 29, 2008
Australian/UK crew row Foss in tug swap Volumes grow at Panama's ports PSA in Argentine JV Mississippi bargeman wins dope complaint case

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JANUARY 29, 2008
Excel to acquire Quintana More cruise ship applications for Intersleek 900 Austal books $73 million four-ferry order Senesco Marine delivers barge Cummings calls for new LNG terminal siting measures

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JANUARY 29, 2008
Class faces EU cartel probe COMPETITION authorities mount series of 'dawn raids' into alleged restrictive business practices. IACS prioritises safety agenda Excel clinches deal to buy Quintana SURPRISE deal comes a week after Quintana terminated a three-month sale process. Congressman takes tough stand over box scans US politician Elijah Cummings vows to ensure 100% scanning of containers becomes compulsory. United we stand, focused and relevant we remain THE year 2008 will contain a number of key milestones and anniversaries for the International Maritime Organization. Let's make life complicated UK'S tonnage tax regime has largely been doing what it was designed to do, while the EC has been complicating matters.

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JANUARY 29, 2008
Class societies named after raids Several leading classification societies have confirmed they were raided today by corporate watchdogs in Europe as part of an investigation into possible collusion to distort the classification market First port fund seeks investors THE WORLD'S first private equity fund for port investment has been set up in Kuwait and is targeting $500M from institutional investors Port incompetence costs millions THE shipping industry is losing $615M a year because of port inefficiencies and poor management, says Maersk's Poul Woodall DPW unafraid of US slowdown THE MD of DP World UAE does not believe that any slowdown in the US economy will affect the Middle East, and describes the port operator's plans for growth Aker foresees Gulf shuttle boom JONES Act shipowner Aker American Shipping reported a loss for 2007, but sees significant upside ahead from the deepwater Gulf of Mexico shuttle tanker market Old ferry to become old master TENDERS have been invited from a number of European shipyards to refurbish the secondhand ferry Jean Nicoli recently bought by SeaFrance for its Dover-Calais it service Panamanian ports enjoy record year China ports ignore coal export ban Quintana sells to Excel after all Dawn raid shock for class societies GE Shipping cleans up Attitudes harden on 100% box scans STX in Nigerian oil and gas venture Hyundai MM and HHI vie for HEC MOL hopes for solution to pitting

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JANUARY 29, 2008
Port of Jacksonville threatens eminent domain in Hanjin site negotiations Jacksonville Port Authority wants to kick-start negotiations to purchase a 167-acre site for a future Hanjin box terminal. February TWIC enrollment sites are announced NYK nearly doubles profit Small manufacturers ask Congress for trade boost Maryland funds Baltimore port highway upgrade Fuel hurts BNSF profit G7 goods trade grows Simpson, ex-Crowley VP, dies NIX route adds Emirates OOCL adds Cambodia office PSA, IPH buy control of Argentina terminal

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JANUARY 29, 2008
Savannah bucks trend as boxes jump 20% in 2007 APL sees advance in both rates and volumes in 2007 'Fastest growing' Port of Brisbane secures HPH investment Transnet starts Cape Town's rehabilitation programme OOCL expands in Cambodia

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JANUARY 29, 2008
Owner's books red US-listed Arlington Tankers posts a fourth-quarter loss of $636,000 on interest rate swaps, despite slightly increased revenues. Carnival cuts estimates Cruise giant reduces per-share earnings estimate by $0.03 on fuel costs and disruptions at AIDA. Marad scraps three US Maritime Administration sells a trio of reserve fleet ships for scrap, instead of having to pay recyclers to take them. Leveraging Quintana Cantor Fitzgerald analyst says Excel Maritime Carriers will be enhanced by the Quintana buy, but fleet leverage is a concern. CSAV seeking $200m Chilean liner company plans April shareholders meeting to vote on a $200m capital grab. Rose earns $15.3m Japanese-controlled general cargoship goes to undisclosed South Korean buyers. Class action EC inspectors raid European offices of classification societies investigating "possible cooperation among IACS members." Quintana sold Excel Maritime Carriers has completed the take-over of bulker rival Quintana Maritime two weeks after the deal was officially called off. Maersk giant gets help The post-panamax Elly Maersk is aided to port off Spain after problems in the Mediterranean. NZ exempts three Kiwi court allows older ferries to maintain 20 knots in Cook Strait despite new tighter speed regulations. Holiday hell for passengers Carnival cruiseship could be the latest to be struck by norovirus during voyage to Mexico. Three's company for MISC Malaysian shipowner joins up with a trio of heavyweights to form an LNG joint venture in Africa. Crew rescued off Lebanon German naval vessel comes to aid of 12 crew whose ship got caught in storm and lost containers overboard. Bridge work criticised in clash UK report reveals flaws in VTS at mouth of Humber after collision between James Fisher tanker and cargoship. Crowley orders barge duo Domestic shipyard Gunderson Marine to deliver two more heavy-lift units to US owner. STX bags capesize brace Greek owner splashes out $215m on 181,000-dwt twins at South Korean shipyard. HMM confident of deal Korean owner expects to buy former group company Hyundai Engineering when it comes up for sale. New chief for Mitsubishi Heavy Japanese shipbuilder's president Kazuo Tsukuda (left) to become chairman, with Hideaki Omiya taking top job. NYK in full flow Japanese shipowner ups full-year profit forecast on the strength of its long-term time-charter commitments. Mercator makes more Indian tanker and bulker owner rides better markets in first nine months to more than double profit. BC loses appeal Canadian owner can't publish new data from Queen of the North until federal report into fatal sinking is released. Balmoral cruise cancelled Fred Olsen Cruise Lines pulls plug on inaugural cruise of stretched ship blaming 'technical' issues. Mipo minted Increased orders for expensive vessels send full-year profit soaring at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard. PDZ sells Gee Hong Malaysian intra-Asian boxship operator offloads 30 year-old containership to Trans Mediterranean. Money pours in at GE Indian tanker and bulker owner gains from higher freight rates, new accounting rules and ship sales in first nine months. Austal inks extra Macau ships Cotai Waterjets (Macao) adds to initial ten-vessel contract at Australian fast ferry builder. ESL takes USAC slots Emirates Shipping Line is to take space on Arab line's India to Mediterranean liner service.

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JANUARY 29, 2008
Carriers, shippers support "balanced" draft cargo convention U.K. tonnage tax set for "unwelcome" changes for some shipowners Simpson, long-time Crowley executive, dies American Ro-Ro adds ships to Mideast service Emirates to take slots on North China India Express of KMTC, CNC International Shipholding may buyback 1 million shares of stock OOCL opens Cambodia office Lufthansa Cargo, DHL Express christen air cargo joint venture AeroLogic Matlin Patterson orders 6 Airbus 330-200 freighters Swiss WorldCargo makes organizational changes CBP puts $5 billion price tag on land port upgrades Con-way's earning's slide 55% in 4th quarter YRC posts big losses after fourth quarter charges Trans-Asia rail test train arrives five days early Trade groups seek more time for 10+2 comments EU, China announce information sharing Ruelas leaves Agility for Enterra Solutions Savannah reports record container volume in 2007 Portland seeks to qualify terminal bidders Hutchison investing A$200 million in Port of Brisbane box terminals Kalmar to service RTGs at Durban's Pier 1 Container Terminal

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JANUARY 29, 2008
Explorer wreck located The M/V Explorer wreck has been located. It was in late November that the Explorer hit ice and sank while on a cruise with 86 passengers and 66 crew members, all safely rescued. The Royal Navy HMS Endurance has ... Outrage after Total decision Oil major Total's decision to immediately pay out court-ordered damages to oil spill victims after the loss of the tanker Erika, but at the same time appeal the verdict where the company was fined for being partly responsible for ...

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JANUARY 29, 2008
Spill response hampered by language problems Coast Guard crews underestimated San Francisco bunker spill through inexperience and inability to communicate. Fujairah prices stay well above Singapore Price differential diverts demand to Asian hub. Bunkering JV to focus on barges Contracts already signed for new barges to operate in Durban and Cape Town, bunker trading activities transferred. Product flows into Singapore as new storage comes on line February fuel oil cargo volumes set to reach 10 month-high. Rotterdam market quiet Saudi Aramco aborts February cargo offer 86,000 tonne high-viscosity fuel oil cargo offered from Yanbu refinery has been cancelled. NYK posts 91% rise in net profit Forecasts record full-year results despite pressure from higher bunker fuel prices. Thieves steal barge steel Steel plates worth close to $60,000 cut from barge hull.