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Shipping News

Shipowners in India allowed to hire foreigners
THE Indian government has given the country's shipowners the green light to hire foreign nationals to ease an acute shortage of qualified seafarers.
Sinotrans interim earnings more than triple
Sinotrans Shipping Ltd, the bulk operator that held a Hong Kong initial public offering in November, more than tripled first-half profit after rates surged on China's demand for iron ore and coal.
Five pilots honoured with incentive awards
THE critical role of pilots in enhancing navigational safety in the port was recognised with the handing out of five incentive awards yesterday.
US dockworkers, shippers reach deal

Strait Talk

Three highly controversial cases in the spotlight
THREE court cases have attracted the attention of the international shipping community over the past week or so, involving in one way or another the Hebei Spirit, the Coral Sea and the Al-Salam Boccaccio 98.

web site

Shipping News

Shipowners in India allowed to hire foreigners
THE Indian government has given the country's shipowners the green light to hire foreign nationals to ease an acute shortage of qualified seafarers.
Sinotrans interim earnings more than triple
Sinotrans Shipping Ltd, the bulk operator that held a Hong Kong initial public offering in November, more than tripled first-half profit after rates surged on China's demand for iron ore and coal.
Five pilots honoured with incentive awards
THE critical role of pilots in enhancing navigational safety in the port was recognised with the handing out of five incentive awards yesterday.
US dockworkers, shippers reach deal

Strait Talk

Three highly controversial cases in the spotlight
THREE court cases have attracted the attention of the international shipping community over the past week or so, involving in one way or another the Hebei Spirit, the Coral Sea and the Al-Salam Boccaccio 98.

	web site

Alleged ILWU work disruption spreads from LA-Long Beach to Oakland CN quarterly profits fall 11pc to US$452 million European Commission prohibits government financial guarantees to DHL AP Moller-Maersk appoints new head of group finance Concor 'stranglehold' skims 40pc of rail operators' profits Textile, shoe shippers thank US Congress for voting to ban Burmese imports High officials sign Bulgarian Container Terminal deal at Varna Aeroflot Cargo on track for 2010 freight goal, says CEO Halifax latest Canadian airport cleared for transshipment scheme Pilots picket UPS head office over DHL restructuring Maximus rejuvenates its Ilyushin fleet with US$10 million overhaul

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BBC India office inaugurated in city DHL uses Kolkata Port to import LCL consol box for 1st time SCI posts 36 pc rise in Q1 net, 18 pc more income Great Offshore bags major ONGC deal CSL converting fishing vessel into seismic survey ship for Norwegian firm INTTRA ICM quickly sews up breaks in supply chain for shippers & forwarders JNPT honoured with Official Language awards MoS: No move for country-specific ban on port project bidders New SS wagons to haul more Now, it's India & China vs. US at WTO Indian economy to overtake UK in 10 years

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Norbert Dentressangle replaces CEO New OOCL India US service British Airways and Iberia to tie the knot CargoConcept throws in the towel BDP International expands presence in Argentina EU overhauls its airline blacklist Transit-Trans Kazakhstan 2008, 24-26 September

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JULY 29, 2008
Bunker hose cartel guilty pleas ACE delay Panama Canal traffic up, but slower transits Aker Yards German sell-off complete

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JULY 29, 2008
LCS 1 starts builder's trials Management changes at DeJong and Lebet CARB tries to regulate ship fuels Coast Guard probes DRD Towing personnel licenses Gulfmark Offshore reports record earnings

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DSME union steps back from action over sale THE union will allow due diligence by Korea Development Bank to proceed ahead of a planned stake sale. Manuli Rubber, US executive fined over hose cartel THE company was ordered to pay $2m in fines, while its former US president has been sentenced to 14 months in prison.

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JULY 29, 2008
Court hears how captain turned away DRAMATIC details have emerged about the sentencing in Egypt of a ferry captain for his failure to rescue the survivors of the Al Salam Boccacio disaster US West Coast labour deal agreed LABOUR peace has been preserved on US West Coast quays as longshoremen and terminal operators tentatively agreed on a new six-year contract Pemex plebiscite voters spank Calderón PRESIDENT Felipe Calderón's proposal to revamp a failing Pemex has been overwhelmingly rejected by Mexico's voters TSA cautious over box outlook FALLING box volumes in the Asia-US route have forced the Transpacific Stabilization Agreement to be cautious in its outlook for the rest of the year Essar records net losses for quarter MUMBAI'S Essar Shipping, Ports & Logistics has recorded net losses of $16.9M during the first quarter of the financial year Samudera adds link to Myanmar INDONESIA'S Samudera Shipping Line began today a new service linking Southeast Asian ports with Myanmar

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JULY 29, 2008
UPDATED: ILWU, PMA agree to new six-year waterfront labor contract Union, employers reach preliminary agreement on a new six-year waterfront contract for 25,000 workers at 29 West Coast ports. Earthquake shakes LB port Customs revamping rules for import country of origin Negotiations for global trade agreement collapse TSA hikes inland charges Mississippi River traffic speeds up after barge spill NY airfreight exports up Sinotrans profit doubles Danaos profit gains Guilty plea for SAS Cargo executive in fixing probe IBM to acquire Ilog

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JULY 29, 2008
Savannah's box volumes soar Felixstowe boosts service integrity with two new cranes Gold Container secure capital US West Coast ports: a tentative deal struck Great Lakes feeder service makes maiden call at Halifax

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JULY 29, 2008
OSG net jumps New York owner posts 10% more profits in the second quarter, thanks to a strong tanker market. Danaos on hold New York analyst cuts rating for US-listed containership owner over cautionary views for container movement. More OSV time Petrobras pushes back deadline for first lot of big offshore vessel tender. Spin-off in-line Frangou-led bulker owner Navios Maritime Partners reports $7.16m in second-quarter profits. Eyebrows raised "Unusual market activity" leads New York Stock Exchange to press US Shipping Partners for changes behind it. Slick denial Russian operator of ship accused by French maritime police of polluting English Channel says, "It wasn't us". Greek orders fall George Banos reveals investment in tonnage halved as treble trouble hits newbuilding market. Packed suit case Three law suits already lodged against American Commercial Lines over barge spill and more may follow. Insurer plunges Stan Galanski-led Navigators Group profits sink by 29% as capital losses and expenses grow. D'Amico jumps Monaco-based tanker arm of D'Amico group pushes up first-half profit 52%, largely due to ship sales. Insurer hires CFO New York-based Navigators Group taps ACE USA finance chief Francis McDonnell. No liftboat lift US-based Hercules Offshore takes a hit from lower domestic liftboat demand. Complete control South Africa's Grindrod buys remaining 50% of shares in logistics and trading subsidiary Oreport. Brucey bonus Double vessel sale and rising US and Asian income swell second quarter coffers at Bruce Streeter's GulfMark Offshore. What next? Consultants to find replacement for Royal Mail Ship St Helena, due to retire when new airport is built on remote Atlantic outpost. HHI hits high Increased deliveries of high-priced units send second-quarter profit soaring to record at Korean yard giant. Humpuss hunting Indonesian owner ready to spend $1.1bn on new tankers and bulkers, as first-half profit rises. Costly quarter Indian bulker and VLCC player Essar driven to three-month loss by higher costs. Manuli fined $2m Italian manufacturer to pay fine and boss goes to jail for tanker hose price fixing conspiracy. Prisco up Russian tanker owner carries 37% more cargo in the first six months of 2008. No takers Four 1920s-built Washington state ferries left untouched by eBay bidders. Aker $150m up Norwegian shipbuilder will post hefty sales gain in third quarter after shaking on FLC West deal. Deal done Dockers on the US west coast reach agreement with employers on new six-year contract, allowing ports to resume normal work. Dry heat Chinese owner Sinotrans notches massive first-half earnings jump thanks to booming bulker market. Mipo minted Korean shipbuilder posts best ever second quarter profit, if 2007 asset sales are stripped out. TMM tumbles Finance costs, exchange loss and strong peso undo revenue rise and send Mexican owner to large deficit. Samsung strong Shipbuilder's second quarter profit up 24% on the back of improved sales performance. Mercator motors Indian owner's Singapore offshoot makes the most of larger fleet and higher rates. Boxed up Chinese ports handle nearly 20% more containers in first half, Ministry of Communications says. Titan expands Hong Kong group adds second slipway at Quanzhou Shipyard facility in China. Goldman says sell US investment bank advises investors to exit most Asian drybulk stocks immediately. Yangon bound Samudera Shipping to launch new feeder service linking Myanmar with Southeast Asia. Repeat business Singapore's Keppel clinches FPSO contracts and a dredger jumboisation deal.

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JULY 29, 2008
TSA members to recover more inland fuel costs on intermodal moves Connaughton talks LNG with Japanese officials NOL adds Singapore businessman as board member INTTRA product alerts shippers of problems Continental cargo chief Boisen to retire Summers, Bambach tapped for management roles at CCM USDA prepares for final COOL implementation Globe Express opens first Europe office in Dunkirk IES moves to bigger digs in Hong Kong as Asia business increases Holland named APHIS CIO ILWU, PMA reach tentative West Coast dockers contract ATA suit seeks to block portions of SoCal ports truck plan Normal vessel access expected today on Lower Mississippi Port of Savannah says container volumes up 14.9% Mobile Container Terminal gets early test Panama Canal: Tanker traffic up, containerships down

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JULY 29, 2008
Global bunker market report New barges arrive in South Africa New-build bunker vessels being deployed in Durban and Cape Town. Staff changes at Curoil Samudera profit soars despite rising costs Strong cargo volumes and 'good control of operating costs' behind solid performance. Sharp increase in Asian bunker prices Singapore and Hong Kong markets up for second day running. Mid East refiner 'suspending' fuel oil exports More signs that Asian fuel oil supplies are coming under pressure. New recruits at Wrist Bunker New sales and marketing staff from outside the bunker industry join O.W. Bunker's German office. Japan fishermen to get fuel aid The government will provide close to $700 million for the fishing industry. Oil rebounds after Nigeria pipeline attack Overall sentiment still biased to the downside despite slight gains on Monday.