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Shipping News

Asia cargoes to US fall for first time in 2 years
US imports on the world's biggest trading route are dropping for the first time in almost two years as consumer confidence weakens to the lowest level since the recession that ended in 2009.
Baltic index hits 7-week low on muted demand
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates to ship dry commodities, fell to its lowest in seven weeks as Chinese iron ore buying remained muted and economy concerns hit sentiment.

Strait Talk

Bunker issues loom large
LAST week, Barcelona was the venue for debate on a range of issues affecting the bunker industry. Some 170 delegates were registered for The International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) annual convention.

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Shipping News

Asia cargoes to US fall for first time in 2 years
US imports on the world's biggest trading route are dropping for the first time in almost two years as consumer confidence weakens to the lowest level since the recession that ended in 2009.
Baltic index hits 7-week low on muted demand
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates to ship dry commodities, fell to its lowest in seven weeks as Chinese iron ore buying remained muted and economy concerns hit sentiment.

Strait Talk

Bunker issues loom large
LAST week, Barcelona was the venue for debate on a range of issues affecting the bunker industry. Some 170 delegates were registered for The International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) annual convention.

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Maersk, CMA CGM, Safmarine flee Tanger-Med's labour chaos for other ports FMC sees derivatives market, freight indices as sound rate setting guide Colombo dock strike ends as state eases strict wartime security measures Eighty potentially explosive reefer boxes isolated in Port of Seattle Hanjin/Korean Air chairman urges integrated air, sea land logistics Port of Dandong Port to invest US$1.6 billion to upgrade infrastructure Ningxia's road cargo movement up 11.2pc in first nine months Erenhot customs trade cargo volume up 24pc first three quarters MSC boosts Hong Kong-Vietnam feeder service by adding second ship Eight Belgian investors sign deals with 11 Chongqing companies Xiamen box millionth TEU at St Petersburg First Container Terminal in 2011 Cargotec builds ship unloader for Paradeep port, northwest India First air-operated hoist produced by Germany's JD Neuhaus Asian bankers poised to replace Euro banks to win aviation sector: Boeing Lufthansa Cargo pioneers Smartphone freight tracking for customers SDV to manage Airbus spare parts warehouses in Europe, Mideast, Asia United Continental Holdings post performance declines in October

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NOVEMBER 8, 2011
Union Pacific Railroad invests in its central Missouri line Union Pacific Railroad in the west of the US will continue improving the transport infrastructure in Missouri by investing USD 4 million in the rail line that runs from Jefferson C... China Airlines renews contract with Fraport Cargo Services Taiwanese China Airlines has signed another long-term cargo handling agreement with Fraport Cargo Services (FCS), its freight handling agent in Frankfurt of more than ten years. Ch... PD Ports appoints business development director PD Ports, a UK-based company specialising in port operations and logistics has recently appointed Geoff Lippitt as business development director. He also joins the company's execu... Good third quarter for port of Rotterdam Cargo throughput in the port of Rotterdam increased during the first nine months of 2011 by 1.7% to 327 million t. Throughput increased for agribulk (+17%), coal (+3%), other dry b... Dunkirk port announces start of citrus fruit and fresh vegetables For the third year in a row, the port of Dunkirk is participating in the import campaign of citrus fruit and fresh vegetables from Morocco through the Agadir Express service of CMA... Appetite for change in air safety On 2 November, the 3rd conference of the des National Competence Center Aviation Security Research (NCAS) was held at the Frankfurt/Main airport in respect of the topic of thefutur... Gulf Air launches Falcon Cargo Bahrain's national carrier, Gulf Air, announced the launch of Falcon Cargo, its newly branded cargo umbrella offering more innovative, cost-effective features, products and service... Turner-Price orders refrigerated units from Marshall Marshall Fleet Solutions in the UK has won a contract from Hull-based food service distributor Turner-Price for the supply of T1000 Spectrums, the latest range of Thermo King refri... Gotthard base tunnel: rail technology project approved The Swiss Federal Office of Transport (FOT) has approved the detailed project for rail technology of the overall system and permitted the installation of the systems. This means th... Kerry Logistics re-aligns Thai supply chain Following the severe flooding affecting Bangkok and surrounding areas, Kerry Logistics has relocated its express centre from the capital to the east of Thailand, 20 km from the por... IRU rewards best Eurasian hauliers 2011 The International Road Transport Union (IRU) recognises outstanding Eurasian road transport companies for their implementation of best practices in environmental protection, corpor... K+N plea agreement approved by US court The United States District Court for the District of Columbia has approved a plea agreement between Kuehne + Nagel International and the US Department of Justice, which was entered... FedEx Express opens new Belgian distribution centre FedEx Express has opened a new distribution centre in Machelen (Belgium). The facility represents the latest in a series of major FedEx investments in Belgium over the last four ye...

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NOVEMBER 8, 2011
HOS plans massive U.S.-flag OSV newbuilding spree Vancouver Shipyards awarded chip barge contract ClassNK releases SCR system guidelines Kolbenschmidt brings large bore pistons to Marintec China BWT system retrofit gets DNV approval

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NOVEMBER 8, 2011
Northwest Ports earn award for environmental achievement Port Tracker report predicts slowing of container imports Marcon International brokers sale of world's largest hover barge Ports thank FMC chairman for starting diverted cargo inquiry Crowley Maritime adding to refrigerated container fleet

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NOVEMBER 8, 2011
Saga Tankers announces its last quarterly results Company announces exit from shipping as it reports net loss of $104m Ocean Rig frontrunner on Petrobras drillship project Next year could be 'breakout year' for offshore unit, says George Economou Record panamax newbuilding numbers put pressure on spot rates A bulk carrier of 60,000 dwt-99,999 dwt delivered every working day during 2011 Idle container fleet to hit 600,000 teu by early January Alphaliner forecasts carriers will be forced into laying up further vessels as demand weakens Aframax owners close to opting out of Mediterranean trade as earnings slide Returns on benchmark route in negative territory Steamship pushes premiums up by 5% Club also makes modest increase in deductibles Q&A: Norton Rose's new recruits Ex-BLG marine partners Chris Zavos and Patrick Foss discuss why they made the move P&I clubs move to vet armed guards Shipowners are not able to independently judge the quality of PMSCs Armed guards, states and the rule of law Command structures and legal responsibilities must be transparent before we can move ahead with drastic anti-piracy measures Putin announces $13bn cash boost for shipping Russian president promises hefty subsidies over next 10 years UK go-ahead to armed guards splits insurance industry The use of armed guards creates concerns over third party liability and an escalation of violence DryShips profit clipped by swaps loss Drilling unit 'our biggest asset', says George Economou, though dry bulk side is coping with volatility Paragon Shipping secures two panamax period charters with Vitol Increases fixed revenue days for next year to 76% of its 10-strong bulk carrier fleet Engine joint venture is bearing fruit During the third quarter of this year the Wärtsilä Hyundai Engine Company took in orders for 16 LNG carriers Wärtsilä has eye on the environment Involvement in public initiatives and projects focusing on sustainability and environmental improvements reflects desire to correct image Hanging on in there Is it worth it for lines with smaller market share to buy big ships for Asia-Europe trade lanes? Finnlines sees gradual increase in cargo volumes Ro-ro and port operator reports 7% rise in imports, while exports up 13% Appenship to be wound up Company had only one ship in operation Revenue and throughput grow at Hutchison Whampoa European ports Improvement seen despite slip in October volumes Omega Prince released after weekend arrest Omega Navigation Enterprises tanker said to have returned to trading Creditors close ranks against Omega Creditors want company liquidated, or George Kassiotis-led management to stump up cash for their own legal costs Germany's cartel office fines BMT $1.4m for illegal price fixing of bunkers Company made illegal agreements with Bominflot over fuel supplies in Weser-Ems region Oil supply to rise as non-conventional production methods increase Output from Caspian Sea and Brazil set to help push up global levels Global oil demand expectations revised up Good news for tankers as Opec forecasts 2m bpd increase over medium and long-term China steps up efforts to take greater control of iron ore imports Beijing seeks to support domestic steel industry by limiting price volatility Ceva Logistics on course to be in top five ocean freight forwarders Air cargo freight rates and volumes fall, but ocean business keeps growing EXCLUSIVE: Japan's top three box lines could merge MOL chief dubs larger Asia-Europe rivals' race to fill big ships to capacity 'a silly deed' CH Offshore rides out its first quarter in the black and cash rich Singapore offshore supply vessel operator's revenues hit by the need to sell ships to comply with Indonesian Cabotage Law

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NOVEMBER 8, 2011
Putin pledges to spend $13Bn for shipping RUSSIAN Prime Minister Vladimir Putin reportedly said today the Kremlin plans to pump at least 400Bn rubles ($13Bn) into shipping €11M penalty for German bunker suppliers GERMANY's antitrust authority today fined two bunker suppliers in northwest Germany more than €11M ($15M) for oil price collusion Danaos feels 'sudden drop' BOX SHIP-lessor Danaos swung to losses in its latest quarter, with CEO John Coustas highlighting charter-market turmoil Camillo Eitzen staggered CAMILLO Eitzen said today it plunged deep into the red last quarter because it had to write down holdings in the two listed companies Court change rules for Corsica ferries FRENCH ferry operator Corsica Ferries claimed victory today after a French court annulled the public service concession held by rivals SNCM and CMN for services between the port of Marseilles and Corsica Disposals hit GulfNav results DUBAI'S tanker operator, Gulf Navigation, has blamed operational costs and vessel disposal for mounting losses 43 migrants uncovered OFFICIALS found 32 migrants hidden by people smugglers last week at Greek ferry terminals Bulker S&Ps defy BDI fall DESPITE the Baltic Dry Index's level, buyers continue to snap up older bulkers as prices flatline with the orderbook-to-fleet ratio Finland/Sweden ferry groups seeks aid ECONOMIC slumps and two harsh winters have put the future of the world's northernmost ferry service under threat LNG spot costs triple COSTS OF shipping LNG under spot contracts reportedly tripled in October year on year WW reverses to profits A STRONG performance by vehicle carriers has increased revenues for Wilh Wilhelmsen and turned its losses into sold net profits in 3Q11 Arkhangelsk fire rages AT RUSSIA'S Arkhangelsk port, workers are still trying to extinguish a fire that has been burning since 6 November FESCO's box volume rises 28% RUSSIA'S FESCO has reported "respectable" growth in its container-related businesses for the nine months to September 2011 Waiting game starts for tanker S&P deals SECONDHAND tanker sales are slowing considerably, with prospective buyers hoping that lower prices will follow now that the tanker rate rally has ceased Rate contagion spreads to sub-Panamaxes RATES pressure is spreading from Panamax box ships down to the sub-Panamax sector, brokers told Fairplay today

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NOVEMBER 8, 2011
Widdows Predicts 'Significant' Ship Idling in 2012 Retired NOL Group President and CEO Ron Widdows, decrying the steep rate-cutting that is crippling the shipping industry's financial health,... LTL Yield, Rates Rising, But So Are Costs Less-than-truckload pricing is rising, financial results from the largest LTL carriers show, buoyed by tightening capacity and increased freight volume... Matson Profit Falls by a Third to $28.6 Million Matson Navigation saw third-quarter operating profit plunge 32.7 percent year-over-year to $28.6 million, largely because of the cost of shutting... Hastings Resigns as Sea Star President Steve Hastings has resigned as president of Sea Star Line, the third-largest carrier in the U.S. mainland-Puerto Rico trade. ... NRF Port Tracker Cuts Import Forecasts Again The Global Port Tracker retail industry shipping report lowered its fall container import forecasts for the second straight month and... Clarksons' Ben Gibson On Derivatives Trading, Freight Rate Volatility (Video) Benjamin Gibson, a freight derivatives broker for Clarkson Securities, in the U.K., talks about derivatives trading in the container shipping... Dockwise Sells Yacht Transport Unit to NYC Firm Dockwise is selling its yacht transport business to New York-based Coby Enterprises Corp. to focus solely on its core heavy... Thai Flooding Swamps Toyota Supply Chain Severe flooding in Thailand is hurting Toyota, which is still reeling from the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in... CEVA Boosts Profit 5.8 Percent on Revenue Gain CEVA Logistics boosted third quarter profit by 5.8 percent to $125.6 million on a 1.2 percent gain in revenue to... Air France-KLM Cargo Down on Capped Capacity Air France-KLM carried 5.2 percent less freight in October than a year ago, as the Franco-Dutch carrier capped freighter capacity... India's Ports' Container Volume Up 4 Percent The volume of containers handled by major ports in India grew about 4 percent year-over-year from April through October, the Indian... Japan Airlines Posts $1.25 Billion Net Profit Struggling Japan Airlines said Tuesday that it posted a net profit of 97.4 billion yen ($1.25 billion) on a consolidated... Long Beach Board Expected to Confirm Lytle Nomination The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners is expected to confirm the nomination of J. Christopher Lytle as executive director... Pacific Carrier Newcomers Face $150 Million Losses Six ocean carriers that entered the trans-Pacific liner market in the past two years will account for $150 million of... Danaos Revenue Jumps 33 Percent Danaos boosted third quarter revenue by 33 percent from a year ago as its fleet expanded but losses on interest... Maitland Discusses Economy's Impact on Ship Safety (Video) Clay E.C. Maitland, managing partner of International Registries Inc., administrator of the Marshall Islands ship registry, worries that ship safety...

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NOVEMBER 8, 2011
Why a red-inked 'Black Friday' could scupper embattled liners If the latest dire consumer sentiment predictions are accurate it seems likely that the top two tradelanes of the world, Asia to Europe and the transpacific Asia ... Hanjin Shipping suffers losses in three consecutive quarters At corporate level South Korean transport group, Hanjin Shipping saw its revenue increase by over 8% to USD6.53 billion, but made an operational loss of USD289 ... Suez Canal traffic stays strong in September The latest monthly figures published by the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) reveal that cargo growth remains bullish while bigger ships are being deployed across all ... Horizon suffers Q3 net loss on back of goodwill impairment charge US Jones Act carrier Horizon Lines has plummeted to a Q3 net loss of USD126.5 million - with a major reason being charges related to the culling of its transpacific ... Lonrho ahead at interim stage The UK stock listed Lonrho Group, which has interests in transport, infrastructure, agri-business and leisure activities throughout sub-Saharan Africa, has reported ... ACL to finalise specification of 'unbelievable' eco newbuilds Atlantic Container Line (ACL) has moved further forward in its groundbreaking order for 'the first ships of their type in the world' as the US-headquartered carrier ... Mothballed box tonnage to hit 600,000 by January That is the prediction of Alphaliner in light of the worsening imbalance between supply and demand in container liner shipping, which has seen in the last ... Avoid claims by correct packing, stowage and securing: TT Club Leading transport and logistics industry insurer, the TT Club, says that there has been a 'notable increase' in cargo claims relating to inadequate stowage and ... MSC switches capacity to Mediterranean MSC continues to quietly switch its fleet of 14,000TEU vessels operating between Asia and Europe from Northern Europe to the Mediterranean. The vessels are being ... K+N gets confirmation of fine A court in the US has confirmed that Kuehne + Nagel must pay a fine of USD9.9 million for its role in fixing airfreight surcharges between 2002 and 2007. The judgement ...

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NOVEMBER 8, 2011
A&B sings boxship blues Matson Navigation's New York-listed parent sees profit slip 66% in the third amid transpacific turmoil. Yard sheds giant hover barge Oregon-based shipbuilder finds buyer for unfinished air cushion barge abandoned by bankrupt miner. Kreuz boosts backlog Lion City-listed subsea contractor sinks teeth into $57m worth of projects following fresh round of awards. CTI torches bulker Brokers and cash buyers say sale of vintage bulker marks a new low in the Indian demolition market. Pacific Drilling plots IPO Drillship affiliate of Israeli shipping dynasty lines up US fundraiser in a bid to ride the rising tide of interest in the deepwater arena. NAT's dividend deterrent Herbjorn Hansson-led tanker owner could miss the chance to claim cheap assets if it continues to raid loans to pay shareholders, analysts say. Finnlines profit fades Higher costs hurt Finnish ro-ro player in first nine months, but volumes picking up. MOL offers Thai freebie Koichi Muto-led Japanese liner operator to take bone fide relief supplies to flood-stricken country for free. Wilhelmsen takes Cido quintet Oslo-listed owner takes in five vessels from South Korean firm on five-year contracts. Paragon fixes again Greek bulker owner playing the long game with panamax charters to Vitol as it boosts 2012 cover to 76%. Knightsbridge tops bets John Fredriksen-linked tanker and bulker owner beats Wall Street expectations in the third quarter. Bonds for Songa Offshore operator launches five-year paper in Oslo to fund rig payments. Vets 1 - pirates 0 Vietnamese war veterans save Taiwanese fishing vessel after tossing pirates into the sea.

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NOVEMBER 8, 2011
Rena salvors' next job: removing containers Maersk using "fully automatic" twistlocks A system tested over eight years allows containers to be released by the vertical pull of cranes, eliminating time-consuming unlocking done by stevedores. Discharge begins as ships berth. FMC Chairman tongue lashes carriers The two major carrier discussion agreements in the transpacific were called on the carpet last week by the chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission. Transcripts "shockingly tardy". Exploding reefer contaminant may be methyl chloride Refrigeration experts believe they have discovered with "near certainty" the cause of several explosions in the cooling systems of refrigerated containers, explosions that have killed three workers worldwide. Horizon reports $126 million loss in 3Q I may have an late add for this Private navy to combat piracy looks for investment MSC to assess Alameda Corridor fee Mediterranean Shipping Co. said this week it plans to charge for cargo moving from Asia to North America by way of the LA/Long Beach Alameda Corridor connecting to downtown LA rail yards. Transpacific graveyard

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NOVEMBER 8, 2011
IFO prices show double-digit rises in Fujairah Products slowly return to Durban spot market. Cartel office fines second bunker player for price fixing German authorities levy fines of $15 million. European bunker markets firm Bullish mood is pulling IFO380 numbers to almost 2011 record highs in Rotterdam, player tells Bunkerworld. Whose shipping emission is it anyway? Without taking ship emissions into consideration, the UK's climate change act would be disingenuous. But is the method used in CCC's recent study of emissions flawed? Do you expect a smooth transition to the global 3.50% sulphur limit? Middle East markets face major challenge with 2012 sulphur limit Over 80% of HFOs from Fujairah seen above 3.50% sulphur in September, and some regional ports typically supply close to 100% above new global limit. Double-digit gains in most Asian ports Demand below average in Singapore and Tokyo Bay on Tuesday, says traders. US agencies provide $500,000 grant to 'repower' vessels Vessels to be fitted with new, fuel efficient engines. Bunker players review impact of Japan's refining law Local refiners could close plants to avoid investments. Danaos closes quarter with losses Higher daily operating costs mainly attributable to increase of lubricant expenses, says company. Tanker company posts heavier losses NAT taking initiatives to save on bunker fuel during "weak tanker market".