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PSA container volumes up 7.3% in 2008
Despite the slowdown in world trade, PSA managed to still post an increase in container throughput for 2008, and its globalisation strategy continues to pay off with the pace of growth at its non-Singapore business actually outstripping the local operations.
Alfa Laval to cut 1,000 jobs as orders slide
Alfa Laval AB, the world's biggest maker of heat exchangers, said it will cut 1,000 jobs in the first half of 2009 as shipmaking customers cancelled orders.
Chicago boat show to focus on buyers with smaller budgets
When the Chicago Boat, RV & Outdoors Show opens this week, exhibitors have a ready answer for consumers spooked by the deep economic downturn and surging unemployment.
Pirate's body washes ashore with US$153,000
Seoul slammed for jailing officers of Hebei Spirit

Logistics

Indian truckers call off strike
Indian truckers yesterday called off an eight-day strike that had nudged up prices of commodities and disrupted supplies of industrial goods, after talks with the government on measures including cuts in tolls and taxes.

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Shipping News

PSA container volumes up 7.3% in 2008
Despite the slowdown in world trade, PSA managed to still post an increase in container throughput for 2008, and its globalisation strategy continues to pay off with the pace of growth at its non-Singapore business actually outstripping the local operations.
Alfa Laval to cut 1,000 jobs as orders slide
Alfa Laval AB, the world's biggest maker of heat exchangers, said it will cut 1,000 jobs in the first half of 2009 as shipmaking customers cancelled orders.
Chicago boat show to focus on buyers with smaller budgets
When the Chicago Boat, RV & Outdoors Show opens this week, exhibitors have a ready answer for consumers spooked by the deep economic downturn and surging unemployment.
Pirate's body washes ashore with US$153,000
Seoul slammed for jailing officers of Hebei Spirit

Logistics

Indian truckers call off strike
Indian truckers yesterday called off an eight-day strike that had nudged up prices of commodities and disrupted supplies of industrial goods, after talks with the government on measures including cuts in tolls and taxes.

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Tianjin sees continued gains in 2009 despite global downturn CMA CGM poised to take 'leadership in Asia' with major service Shanghai TEU won't top Singapore's in '08 - nor will it in '09 Maersk drops FM5 service, adds calls to AE3 and AE11 US Navy to fight pirates with no authority to attack them US shippers ask FMC to refuse TSA's capacity control bid Singapore feeder, EP Carriers, said to be in financial trouble Saturday truck gates to stay open at LA-Long Beach ports Agility to merge local operations with Qatar's Gulf Warehousing Company Hactl suffers 3.8pc decline in air cargo tonnage in 2008 Air France-KLM cargo falls 20pc in December, BA down 14pc Continental is first US carrier to conduct biofuel flight

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Safmarine effects changes in Asia-S. Africa Safari CSAV starts Service Orinoco Central America service to call at Miami starting in January World fleet calculated at 13 m TEUs, to be 14 m TEUs in Aug. A.P. Moller-Maersk revamping hq., splitting Corporate Centre & service functions Container spot trading website launched by E6W6.COM Evergreen Line to build 100 boxships, sees global recovery in 2012 TSA members call for authority to hold capacity talks Rotterdam connections expand across south-east Europe ELAA starts year with A.P. Moller-Maersk chief Kolding as Chairman East-west routes reduce available Aug.-Jan. capacity by 11.5 pc ISS builds presence in Indonesia by strategic alliance with pt Equator Marindo Despite bad Q4, Rotterdam box volumes up NYK names new Capesize bulker Ravi Mehrotra appointed WISTA ambassador Baltic Dry Index registers seventh straight drop OXL/Flamar & Everett carry out heavy lift operations in-stream Bids invited for import of chick peas Sharp fall in stainless steel imports Maruti Suzuki's A-Star sails from Mundra Port to Europe Throughput at Major Ports up by 2 pc in Q3 EoIs invited to set up logistics parks along rail freight corridor NSCOWA provides free medical check-ups as part of Road Safety Week Rlys steaming thru' global gloom with increasing freight traffic Transporters end strike Insurers feel slowdown heat Continue financial market reforms, outgoing US envoy tells India Exporters' Chamber urges PM to exempt cotton from CST

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JANUARY 12, 2009
Kingfisher to connect Bangalore and Dubai Kingfisher Airlines, a private Indian carrier, is launching a service between Bangalore (India) and Dubai (UAE) on 8 February. The flights will be operated daily using an A320 airc... Paramount to enter cargo business Chennai (India)-based Paramount Airways is planning to launch a cargo division and also set up a flight catering business, which will be based in south India. The cargo division wi... Boeing faces financial demands State-owned Qatar Airways is threatening to demand compensation from Boeing for the late delivery of the B787 Dreamliner. The delay has affected the airline's expansion said Ali al... Swiss fund to buy troubled Lithuanian airline Investment fund Swiss Capital Holdings has agreed to buy the financially troubled Lithuanian airline flyLAL, the carrier said. The airline, the former state carrier, was priva...

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JANUARY 12, 2009
Boost for IMO's "no red tape" committee Sirius Star pirates drown London Club warns over liability and piracy

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JANUARY 12, 2009
Boeing plans 4,500 job cuts in Commercial Airplanes unit Port of Quincy asks for Economic Stimulus Funding NYK Logistics taps Chiarello as president/chief operating officer The Greenbrier Companies releases first quarter numbers US rail freight traffic down during 2008

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JANUARY 12, 2009
New vehicle carriers face lay-up SHIPOWNERS face the prospect of placing vehicle carrier newbuildings directly into lay-up as new car sales slump. Cars pile up as Russian imports slump Idle LNG ships pin hopes on gas projects AS MANY as 30 liquefied natural gas carriers from a tradeable fleet of about 287 are sitting idle. Police fear for health of kidnapped Panagopulos MASSIVE police hunt has been mounted by Greek police following the armed abduction of Pericles Panagopulos.

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JANUARY 12, 2009
India trucker strike suspended INDIA'S eight-day national strike by truckers was called off this evening after a meeting between the government and the All India Motor Transport Congress union Panagopoulos abducted in Greece GREEK shipowner Periklis Panagopoulos, who heads bulker company Magna Marine and founded Superfast Ferries, was kidnapped this morning in Athens as he was leaving his home in the Greek capital's southern suburbs Gazprom warns of 'new impediments' THE EC said today that "there are no further reasons or excuses to delay the resumption of the gas supply" from Russia to Europe via Ukraine Behind oil market's jitters OIL PRICES fell by more than $2 a barrel today as US unemployment figures for December deflated the market and jitters followed the fall of Brent Crude for February delivery to $45.12 Hamburg Süd shuffles SA services HAMBURG Süd has overhauled its service from the South America's East Coast to the US Gulf and Central America Alfa Laval to axe 1,000 workers A LEADING transport heating and cooling provider, Alfa Laval of Sweden, has axed 1,000 jobs because demand for its products has dropped, a spokesman told Fairplay today UK/France ferry route planned A NEW fast-ferry service linking British port Ramsgate with its French counterpart will start in March, the route operator has announced

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JANUARY 12, 2009
ILA readies contract demands Longshore union listing proposals on wages, safety, jurisdiction and other issues ahead of contract negotiations to begin in February Lines diverting Vancouver ships as union talks go on Va. Ports reorganizes US releases details on country-of-origin labeling Customs Update: More on CPSIA requirements New CEO for Emirates Line Slowdown coming: OECD Lufthansa cargo off 20% Tokyo to cut ship idling Five tanker pirates drown New CFO at Hapag-Lloyd

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JANUARY 12, 2009
TOL re-aligns NZ services Le Havre's annual box throughput impacted by strikes PSA's Teh: 2009 'an extremely difficult year' First Chile christening for Hamburg Sud Indian truck strike: union officials arrested : Called off this evening

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JANUARY 12, 2009
Ransom demand Kidnappers of Greek shipowner Pericles Panagopoulos are reportedly asking for EUR 40m. Fears for ill owner Greek police warn "kidnappers should be very careful" as Pericles Panagopoulos needs daily medication. Loan weight lifted Bulker and tanker owner OceanFreight scores new loan terms that ease vessel value requirements. Ships skip BC As labour talks continue past a key deadline, operators are diverting ships to nearby US ports. Korea responds South Korean officials defend a report into the Hebei Spirit accident that led toimprisonment of two Indian officers. Owner snatched Police in hot pursuit as Greek shipping stalwart and driver kidnapped at gunpoint in Athens. More fireworks? Steen Bryde to propose sale of fleet and dissolution of Nordic Tankers to shareholders meeting. Alfa wields axe Engineering group to cut workforce by 1,000 as $53m of marine orders cancelled. STX in PSV bid STX Europe's North American engineering arm takes aim at Petrobras offshore tenders. Loan for Lamnalco UAE based offshore vessel operator secures $125m loan to refinance existing AHTS fleet and buy newbuildings. Troublesome trio Odd Brevik's Deep Sea Supply is demanding more than $12m for three delayed seismic newbuildings, but Scan Geophysical won't cough up without a fight. Propulsion fails Electrical problems are blamed after post-panamax Maersk Kawasaki loses propulsion in a California channel. OSG rescues 162 Heavily pregnant woman amongst Somali refugees saved from sinking boat by OSG tanker off Malta. Faina fury Current master of hijacked Ukrainian arms ship lashes out at owner as detention heads for 16 weeks. Five a day axed Scrap market smoking as it reaches its highest level in two decades ' but prices are holding firm, report says. DFDS appeals fine Lithuanian arm of Danish group is not happy with double penalty for Vytautas spill. Blaze ship death Romanian engineer of Panama-flagged ship which caught fire in Suez Canal found dead. Sale terminated Solstad pulls sale of anchor handler after mysterious buyer fails to pay up. Arms ship wanted US Military Sealift Command seeking vessel to carry "ammunition" to Israel from Greece. Seoul doubt Is there a market for passengerships to make a 15-hour crossing from Korean capital to China? Rescue mission New Zealand ferry picks up two sailors from yacht with broken mast in Cook Strait. Double trouble Two Wilson mini-bulkers suffer engine-related incidents off Norway and Germany in last four days. Kristiansen in Gulf Nav gets new CEO as Per Westoft Kristiansen moves in to replace Simon Barham. Topaz two taken Dubai-based owner nets $42m deal with Total for brace of anchor handlers. Hellenic extends Fotini Karamanlis-led Greek bulker outfit ties up panamax for another two years, but at lower rate. PAL thinks big Indonesian yard could push up revenues 30% this year as it closes on new $60m state loan. Port offer Bangladesh's new government could allow seven landlocked Indian states to use its port facilities. Pirates drowned Five Somali gunmen die after boat capsizes as it brings ashore Sirius Star ransom cash. Shreyas sells Indian shipowner confirms departure of ageing boxship in $972,637 deal. Acergy sells "Non-core" pipe-laying vessel Acergy Piper leaves Oslo-listed owner's fleet for $78m. PD for sale Australia's Babcock & Brown will offload UK port operator at right price to reduce debt. Tug-barge freed Ethanol vessel grounds in Hudson River near New York, but three tugs pull if off mud flats.

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JANUARY 12, 2009
Armada files for bankruptcy protection Maersk makes changes in Med, Middle East services Final rule on COOL Chiarello COO of NYK Logistics (Americas) Judge denies filings in SoCal truck case PSA global volume up 7.3% in 2008 SoCal terminals to stay open Saturdays

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JANUARY 12, 2009
Court rejects claim from Prestige master It was ok for a Spanish court to impose a EUR 3 million bail in the case against Apostolos Mangouras, master of the ill-fated tanker Prestige that sank in 2002 and caused a 70,000-tons oil spill. The verdict ... Maritime lobby office forced to close One of the maritime lobby organisations in Brussels has been forced to close its office for financial reasons. Alliance of Maritime Regional Interests in Europe, Amrie, has for 15 years been lobbying for short sea shipping solutions and has managed ... Pirates drowned when Sirius Star was released The VLCC Sirius Star was released on January 9, after having been hijacked by pirates since November 17. A USD 3 million ransom was dropped from a plane. The pirates divided the money and left in a number of boats ...

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JANUARY 12, 2009
European bunker markets open the week soft Prices falling faster in north European hubs leaving widening differential. 'Special emphasis' on low sulphur product Cepsa Marine Fuels also plans to expand its barge fleet. Bunker hedges add to Armada's problems Struggling bulk operator's list of creditors include bunkering companies. Oil spills 'inadequately' policed Fujairah needs better deterrent to stop ships dumping oil waste. Buyers active in key Asian ports Prices softening as crude oil continues to weaken. Tankers seized for flouting bunkering regulations Malaysian authorities apprehend three vessels, including two Singapore-registered tankers. Tokyo backs cold ironing Shore-side power is planned to cut air emissions from ships