BRIEFS

web site

Shipping News

Flying high with Singapore's flag
THE growth of the Singapore fleet continued through 2008, with the tonnage of ships under the Singapore Registry of Ships (SRS) growing by some 10.4 per cent over 2007 to reach 43.7 million gross tonnes (GT) as of end December 2008. Last year, the Singapore fleet grew by about 8.2 per cent to 3,843 vessels, as compared to 3,553 in 2007.
Baltic Dry Index at highest since October
The Baltic Dry Index, a measure of shipping costs for commodities, rose for a fifth day to more than a two-month high on demand to transport iron ore to China, the world's biggest buyer of the steelmaking ingredient.
Greek shipping tycoon kidnapped by armed men
A Greek shipping tycoon was kidnapped at gunpoint near his home in the coastal suburbs of Athens on Monday, in the third such high-profile abduction in Greece since last June, police said.
Pirates free Philippine crew, ship
Indonesia scales down search for ferry victims
Ferry disaster highlights transport problems

Strait Talk

Watch costs, but stay shipshape
RECESSIONS tend to mean lower standards as some shipowners who are strapped for cash try to cut corners. Even blue-chip owners look closely at costs.

web site

Shipping News

Flying high with Singapore's flag
THE growth of the Singapore fleet continued through 2008, with the tonnage of ships under the Singapore Registry of Ships (SRS) growing by some 10.4 per cent over 2007 to reach 43.7 million gross tonnes (GT) as of end December 2008. Last year, the Singapore fleet grew by about 8.2 per cent to 3,843 vessels, as compared to 3,553 in 2007.
Baltic Dry Index at highest since October
The Baltic Dry Index, a measure of shipping costs for commodities, rose for a fifth day to more than a two-month high on demand to transport iron ore to China, the world's biggest buyer of the steelmaking ingredient.
Greek shipping tycoon kidnapped by armed men
A Greek shipping tycoon was kidnapped at gunpoint near his home in the coastal suburbs of Athens on Monday, in the third such high-profile abduction in Greece since last June, police said.
Pirates free Philippine crew, ship
Indonesia scales down search for ferry victims
Ferry disaster highlights transport problems

Strait Talk

Watch costs, but stay shipshape
RECESSIONS tend to mean lower standards as some shipowners who are strapped for cash try to cut corners. Even blue-chip owners look closely at costs.

	web site

Vancouver dock, truck strike threat sparks 'ship diversion' MSC to take another 14,000-TEU ship with more to come Minsheng Shipping first in western China to offer cross-strait service US Coast Guard comes to rescue of drifting Maersk ship Hamburg Port becomes leading gateway to Eastern Europe Dalian sets up new customs facility to centralise clearance operations Emirates Shipping Line appoints Capt Romi Kaushal as CEO India's new SCI 4,400-TEU ships make first call at Felixstowe Container trucks threaten to join Chennai truckers strike Auckland container volume hits an all-time high in December Le Havre suffers 7pc drop in container volume in 2008 Cathay December cargo off 23.9pc, down 1.6pc in '08 Air China to take control of Air China Cargo in buyout Growth reported in India's air cargo market

	web site

Dr Ashwani Kumar, MoS for Industry, to inaugurate mega logistics & maritime event in city SOS Signals loud & clear! Iran to pay in euros for tea Virginia ripe for investments, says US tycoon Health officers may be deputed at ports to check food imports m.v. Island Sky cruises into Tuticorin Port 3 new handling records set at Tuticorin Port at turn of year New MoP discharge record set at New Mangalore Port Trainee IAS officers visit JN Port PM lays stone for Chennai Port-Maduravoyal elevated expressway project Gateway Rail dedicates to trade Punjab's 1st private rail-linked logistics park at Sanehwal Apeda nod mandatory for Basmati export Nath hints at more export sops Gujarat vibes with tycoons

	web site
JANUARY 13, 2009
Swiss reports record results 2008 was a record year for the airline Swiss. The freight business also developed well. Freight tonne kilometres sold rose by 7.3%. The freight load factor by volume declined sligh... Air France-KLM group definitely takes Alitalia stake The board of the Italian flag carrier Alitalia has decided to transfer 25% of the company's share capital to the Air France-KLM group for EUR 310 million. The newly-formed Alitalia...

	web site
JANUARY 13, 2009
Braemar expects thinner times in 2009/10 Kenya slams Sirius Star payment 240 plus missing in Indonesian ferry disaster K line cuts Asia-South services

	web site
JANUARY 13, 2009
Eidesvik takes delivery of X-bow ship Signal International gets drillship upgrade work Hunt on for kidnapped ferry magnate

	web site

'Cherry-picking' charterers look only to one-year horizon MAERSK Broker says charterers will avoid deals of over 12 months and continue to source relatively cheap tonnage from banks. Report gives dire warning for dry bulk spot rates Panagopulos abductors demand E40m, say unconfirmed reports POLICE refuse to comment on reports of huge ransom sum. Liberia and LISCR cleared of corruption PROBE clears Liberian government and US-based company that operates its national registry of corruption allegations.

	web site
JANUARY 13, 2009
Lawsuits deluge NY court THE SOUTHERN District Court of New York continues to be flooded by an unprecedented volume of shipping lawsuits Terminals fail TWIC test THREE Miami terminals were restricted from receiving inbound international vessels on Tuesday after US Coast Guard inspectors found them non-compliant with Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) rules Charter renewals take hit DIANA Shipping has announced another new time charter, once again at a fraction of the rate of the previous contract Probes clear Liberian flag TALKS will resume soon between the Liberian government and its US-based flag administrator after two independent investigations cleared both parties of any wrongdoing in a protracted political scandal Hanwha told to rethink Daewoo deal KOREA Development Bank has demanded that Hanwha submit reworked funding plans by the end of the month for acquiring a majority stake in Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Panama trade poised for shake-up CONTAINER traffic patterns will undergo a major transformation upon completion of the Panama Canal expansion in 2015, according to a new report by Dutch rating and research firm Dynamar Fifth ship released in a week BOTH TURKISH ships held by Somali pirates are free after today's release of the chemical tanker Karag'l, a lawyer for its owner said

	web site
JANUARY 13, 2009
Maersk sees no recovery until 2011 A.P. Moller CEO Andersen says liners unlikely to recover before the end of next year Marad: US maritime policy doesn't support int'l. trade Defense Dept. logistics plan falls short of goals: GAO Seattle tunnel endorsed PCC opposes TSA request New container terminal approved for Port Everglades China-US trade gap narrows "K" Line warns on earnings Tokyo's US boxes decline CSX expects lower earnings PD Ports up for sale

	web site
JANUARY 13, 2009
Maersk confirms MECL1 & MECL2 service adjustments MOL expands and renews contract with GT Nexus MSC upgrades Euro-IO-Australia service CMA CGM change paves way for Delmas in FE/South Africa trade PANYNJ's Larrabee ouzes confidence

	web site
JANUARY 13, 2009
E-mails 'false' A report clears the president of Liberia of wrongdoing, saying emails were fabricated, but it suggests impropriety by a former aide. Zell barging up Billionaire investor Sam Zell hikes his stake in American Commercial Lines to more than 25%. Suit targets EPA Federal lawsuit says US ballast water rules are too weak and demands treatment. Ransom rumour Rumour spreads in Greek shipping circles that a Pericles Panagopoulos relative has paid something for his release. Signal bags $50m Gulf Coast yard group Signal International scores fabrication contract for Noble drillship upgrade. Another ship freed Servet Yardimci says crew safe as Turkey-flagged ship follows four others out of pirates' clutches in dramatic week. 30 saved Rescuers find more survivors of Indonesia ferry sinking but 230 people are still missing. Sole control Germany's ThyssenKrupp buys out partner OEP to take 100% ownership of its shipyards. Norden axes staff Shore-based staff to be chopped by 15% as Danish owner adjusts to slashed fleet amidst dry-bulk slump. Oilexco action More doubt surrounding rig and PSV contracts as insolvent oil firm comes under fire from Transocean. 'Cuts necessary' Norden CEO Carsten Mortensen says axing of shore-based staff an adjustment to changed world. Port plan Tanzania wants to build two more berths at Dar es Salaam to ease box congestion. Trio held Malaysia detains three Singapore tankers over lack of documents and lifeboat permits. Suez tolls to drop? Is Suez Canal Authority about to do a U-turn on fee cuts as traffic slows on Somali piracy? Anker away Nordic Ferry Services offloading veteran ferry as part of new deal to serve Danish island of Bornholm. Bunker building Russian owner Sovcomflot planning series of bunker tankers at domestic Nevsky shipyard. Broker downbeat Alan Marsh-led outfit expects to see lower revenues and profits next year from shipbroking. Fire kills one Crewman found "carbonised" after blaze on Greek ship under repair at Romanian shipyard. Eidesvik escape A crew of 52 onboard a Norwegian offshore vessel repel pirate attack at the "previously safe" port of Calabar. Signing on Poland's Gdynia launches redundancy programme ahead of asset sale to repay illegal state aid. Cruise from hell? P&O facing flak for filling Ventura with boozed-up "chavs" who caused chaos on Christmas voyage. One more set free South Korean supramax bulker with 21 crew becomes fourth ship in a week to be freed off Somalia. Crunched K Line says "remarkable" drop in value of securities will leave it JPY 16.3bn worse off this year. KDB turns up heat Hanwha Group given until end of week to submit "detailed and realistic" plan to buy Daewoo. Euroferries ready UK start-up to launch cross-Channel service in the spring after years of talks. Rig deals off Credit crunch causes US driller Transocean to pull the plug on record charter and an asset disposal. Tough times in 09 Singapore's PSA sees volumes up over 7% but warns that 2009 will be an "extremely difficult" year.

	web site
JANUARY 13, 2009
No 4th quarter containership orders MarAd: Align maritime policy with economy Maersk to call at Mobile terminal Cathay's December volume plummets 24% UPS adds domestic service in 16 countries Cathay issues profit warning Teamsters ratify YRC Worldwide concessions Great Lakes ore, stone volumes 'plunge' New safety rules for hazmat tank cars Final rule on COOL Defense slips on Logistics Roadmap Customs publishes AES penalty guidelines ILWU, Canadian shipping group talks ongoing COSCO Pacific sees 1.5% growth in December Va. ports complete reorganization

	web site
JANUARY 13, 2009
Norwegian vessel attacked by pirates Eidesvik Offshore's 3,790-gt Viking Forcados, built 2002, was on Tuesday morning attacked by pirates close to the Idahoe field off Calabar in Nigeria. The vessel was engaged in subsea works in the area that has not been considered as ... Greek shipowner kidnapped One of Greece's most successful shipowners since the days of Onassis, Pericles Panagopoulos, was kidnapped on Monday outside his house in Kavouri near Athens by three armed men. According to unconfirmed information, the kidnappers demand a EUR 40 million ransom ...

	web site
JANUARY 13, 2009
European bunker prices mixed Rotterdam sees prices firming by $12. Russian shipping company looking at bunker tanker project Sovcomflot joins shipyard in looking at developing 'high technology bunker-tankers'. Bunker trader helping clients 'through difficult time' IBME putting 'mechanisms' in place to help with payment plans. O.W. Bunker says bulk operator owes it no money Statement says information relating to outstanding credit is 'factually incorrect'. Russian single hull ban 'delayed' Conflicting reports on enforcement of MARPOL regulation for Russia's bunker barges. Bunkers drop as crude oil slips Crude oil prices falling on expectations of low demand. Indian refiners offer four 380 cst fuel cargoes Refiners offer a total of 220,000 mt for February loading. Fuel-saving equipment gets orders Integrated electric propulsion solution receives orders worth $30 million. Brightoil forms JV for China operations JV will build wharves, oil storage and ancillary facilities. Chimbusco's bonded sales top 4 million mt Sales in 2008 increased despite losing market share to new entrants