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Obama vows to halt rise of piracy off Africa's coast
US President Barack Obama vowed on Monday to 'halt the rise of piracy' off the coast of Africa after the dramatic rescue of an American merchant captain, foreshadowing a longer and potentially more treacherous struggle ahead as he weighs a series of unpalatable options.
SEAL snipers praised for freeing captain
The hard part was not the distance - 23 metres - an easy range for an experienced sniper.
Greek-flagged tanker hijacked off Somali coast
Somali pirates have hijacked a Greek-flagged tanker off the coast of Somalia, a regional maritime official confirmed yesterday.
Grain freight rates unfazed by pirate raids
Port development strategies for tomorrow
W Australia relieves grain ship congestion: handler

Strait Talk

Urgent action needed to stop the Somali gangs
AS I started writing this column, a drama was being played out in the Indian Ocean off Somalia. Four increasingly desperate pirates were holding the master of a US-flagged container ship at gunpoint in a drifting lifeboat.

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Shipping News

Obama vows to halt rise of piracy off Africa's coast
US President Barack Obama vowed on Monday to 'halt the rise of piracy' off the coast of Africa after the dramatic rescue of an American merchant captain, foreshadowing a longer and potentially more treacherous struggle ahead as he weighs a series of unpalatable options.
SEAL snipers praised for freeing captain
The hard part was not the distance - 23 metres - an easy range for an experienced sniper.
Greek-flagged tanker hijacked off Somali coast
Somali pirates have hijacked a Greek-flagged tanker off the coast of Somalia, a regional maritime official confirmed yesterday.
Grain freight rates unfazed by pirate raids
Port development strategies for tomorrow
W Australia relieves grain ship congestion: handler

Strait Talk

Urgent action needed to stop the Somali gangs
AS I started writing this column, a drama was being played out in the Indian Ocean off Somalia. Four increasingly desperate pirates were holding the master of a US-flagged container ship at gunpoint in a drifting lifeboat.

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TSA tells 14 member lines to set floor on freight rates CTSA summer bunker surcharge to fall 24.7pc until July Ningbo January-February trade value to US plunges 20pc Latest HSBC forecast gloomier, sees worst year in three decades Guangzhou Port's channel dredging passes inspection Long Beach to develop Middle Harbour as super green box terminal Shanghai starts building international shipping service centre Slow steaming only one feature of Maersk's no-frills 2009 US wholesale inventories slide for sixth month California truckers call for delay on low-carbon fuel use China's domestic air cargo market recovers in March Macau International Airport' volume slumps in February Guangzhou's air cargo terminal rushes to June completion Congressional chairman demands 100pc screening no matter what

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Opal Asia Logistics opens offices in Jaipur, Nashik & Rajkot Govt against cargo reservation policy-MoS Secy explains Ship inspection regime needs overhaul It's all swell in the deep, blue sea! Sarma hints at extension to shipbuilding subsidy scheme US Navy Seals rescue Maersk Alabama Captain unharmed, kill 3 pirates in 5-day high seas drama Fieo projecting India's strengths at Canton Fair Poland seeks closer trade ties with India Downturn opens door for closer economic ties with Arabs-Fieo 1 m tonnes of white sugar imports allowed duty-free without EO India, Russia eye $ 10-bn trade by 2010 Mundra Port gets adept at project cargo handling too GTI bags 'Container Terminal of the Year' award KoPT Chief PRO, B. K. Sahu conferred 'Hall of Fame in PR' award Anthracite coal unloading record set at Vizag Port RBI dispensing with mandatory CA certificates from exporters

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APRIL 14, 2009
MB supports US, French interventions Pacific Adventurer probe focuses on lashings Shipowners' opens in Singapore Finnlines issues Q1 loss warning IMO approves draft HNS Protocol Master's mistake "caused Explorer casualty"

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APRIL 14, 2009
BAE San Diego gets $24.6 million Navy award Hornblower partners port in paint study Senesco Marine delivers tug Pirate attacks continue ... and Pentagon considers new moves

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APRIL 14, 2009
Somali pirates step up attacks in good weather MOONLIGHT hijacks mark new departure in tactics as two more vessels are seized. Maersk to review piracy response plans Rem Offshore to finally split as power struggle ends SOLSTAD Offshore and Norwegian entrepreneur 'ge Rem'y are splitting the shipping firm Rem Offshore. Beluga and Hochtief in offshore deal COMPANIES to invest '800m in four vessels designed for use in the installation of offshore wind turbines.

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APRIL 14, 2009
Two ships taken by pirates PIRATES resumed their ship hijackings this morning, after several attackers were killed when US and French commandos freed captives over the weekend Cuba cruising in 'baby steps' ROYAL Caribbean shares jumped on news of the softening US stance towards Cuba, but investors might have the timing wrong, Wachovia analyst Tim Conder said today New US stress on piracy seen PIRACY is now likely to occupy a "fair amount of time" for the Obama administration, Defense Secretary Robert Gates has confirmed since the Maersk Alabama drama Ship freed from Mogadishu INDIA'S government said today a ship and its 21 crew members, 14 of them Indians, have been freed after being detained for more than half a year in the Somali capital of Mogadishu Eurogate's volume falls 9.2% BOX TERMINAL group Eurogate/Contship Italia reported today a fall in throughput across its network of 9.2% in the first quarter

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APRIL 14, 2009
STB Airs Competition Options in Hearing CSX Profit Falls 30 Percent LA Port Traffic Decline Slows Yusen Further Expands in India Maersk Shifts to Seattle CSAV Seeks Further Financing Wind Energy Imports May Slow Port of Tampa Loads NYC Bridge Project Jubail Builds More Producer Prices Fell 1.2 Percent CEVA Joins Cargo 2000 Maersk Reviewing Ship Routes off Somalia Idle Boxship Capacity Falls FMC Cancels April Meeting Canacar Alleges Violation of NAFTA CN Cites Delays in EJE Report Panama Transits Slip 1.4 Percent Retail Sales Dive 9.4 Percent J.B. Hunt Profit Falls 16 Percent Slide Show: Ports And the Economic Storm Long Beach Middle Harbor Passes Green Test

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APRIL 14, 2009
Yang Ming boxship in stowage alert 'It's a crisis.Wake up': Alabama c/o LT Cortesia grounding blamed on the 'misconduct' of first officer CKYH Alliance summit suggests more rationalisation Durban box terminals secure NOSA five star rating

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APRIL 14, 2009
Dry high Eagle flies, Navios and DryShips find wings as dry sector stages partial rally in New York. Hot Chile CSAV gains 16% on Santiago stock exchange after disclosing talks to raise up to $750m to shore up sagging finances. Loans nosedive Syndicated lending lightest since 2003 as major shipping banks sit out first quarter. Fulford's pay slips But former Clarkson chief's bank balance is still looking rosy despite lengthy gardening leave. Master at fault Misreading of ice conditions led to loss of the 2,398-gt Explorer in Antarctica, says Liberian Registry report. Casualty file Action in the Gulf of Aden dominates our latest WebTV round up of casualties from around the world. New lease of Leiv Firming of $630m offshore contract with Petrobras for Leiv Eiriksson sends DryShips' stock up. Lebanon ship falls Another US-owned boxship comes under fire while Sea Horse becomes second seized ship of the day. Scrapping chaos Norwegian-owned bulker one of only two vessels to face the torch last week as market spooked by crashing steel prices and a bleak outlook for Bangladeshi yards. Greek hit twice Chian Spirit panamax escapes pirate attack in Gulf of Aden a day before Irene E M seized. Rem cut up Age Remoy-led shipowner sliced in half to end long-running dispute with major shareholder Solstad. Back in business Onset of the summer season brings ray of light for the container sector as laid up capacity falls for the first time this year. Maersk ship blaze Inspectors called in as AP Moller-Maersk FPSO catches fire at Western Australian oilfield. Kanasashi files Japanese shipyard Kanasashi Heavy Industries seeks court protection as it stopped work for a fortnight. Premier deal Jan Erik Tveteraas-led Sevan signs a pact with Premier Oil to charter FPSO if Oilexco takeover goes through. Greek ship seized Handymax bulk-carrier joins three other Greek ships currently held by Somali pirates. NPCC goes Dutch Ulstein Sea of Solutions secures design contract for derrick pipelay vessel for Abu Dhabi outfit. FPSO drought Market for new floating production systems has frozen due to economic meltdown, says consultancy.

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APRIL 14, 2009
Idle boxship capacity drops marginally NYK Line to cut expansion plans 10% Cathay's March volume down 13.7% J.B. Hunt 1st quarter profit slides CN submits first railway acquisition reports Russian, Finnish rail companies to tie up New U.S. deputy undersecretary, foreign ag services CEVA adds auto sector contracts ProLogis signs deal with B&G Long Beach terminal study approved SIPG shelves Zeebrugge terminal plan with APMT Guyana investigating port smuggling claims

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APRIL 14, 2009
Violence in piracy waters escalate American forces have rescued Richard Phillips, the master of the US-flagged Maersk Alabama, from the lifeboat he was held in by four pirates. Three of the pirates were killed Fire in Vikingland galley A fire broke out in the galley on the Swedish ro-ro vessel Vikingland on the afternoon the 12 April, when the vessel were at berth in Kotka, Finland. The

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APRIL 14, 2009
Low-sulphur fuel rule for new terminal Vessels to adhere to stringent emission reduction measures at POLB 'green' terminal. Europe: Prices firming after holidays Trade resumes in Europe after Easter break. A.P. Moller - Maersk to review piracy policy Says it is 'examining routes and vessel assignments' in response to Somali piracy activity. Iran fuel oil exports resumed Fujairah bunker players say lack of Iranian exports in Q1 did not cause product tightness. Canada officials announce support for joint ECA Ministers confirm federal government support for joint Canada-US proposal to the IMO. 'Hours' before bunker spill was noticed Crew were unaware of leak during early stages of 270-tonne bunker spill. Asia: Bunker prices mixed at key ports Hong Kong holding firm while other ports softened Tuesday. Iran hints at new OPEC output cut Further cuts may be imposed if oil demand continues to fall. South Korea bunker sales dip in February Slowing economy hits demand for marine fuel in local markets.