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Shipping News

Insurance brokerage AJG takes over ITI Solutions
The US mid-market insurance brokerage Arthur J Gallagher (AJG) has made its first Asian acquisition after a US-heavy spree.
Baltic main sea freight index rises
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates to ship dry commodities, rose for a third session on Monday although the market outlook remained bearish due to rising fleet supply.
M'sian aid ship aborts Gaza mission after engine trouble
A Malaysian aid ship attempting to reach Gaza after being warned off by Israeli naval forces last week has been forced to abort its mission after engine trouble, activists said.

Strait Talk

Emissions: ICS gets off the fence - finally
FOR as long as I can remember, one of my stock questions to the Singapore Shipping Association (SSA) has been about its membership of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and its non-membership of the International Shipping Federation (ISF).
Surprise fall in Q1 motor insurance claims
MOTOR insurance claims in the first quarter of this year have seen a surprise fall even as Singapore's vehicle population hit a record high.

Motoring

VW cruises to No3 spot in Singapore
VOLKSWAGEN has inched ahead to become Singapore's third most popular car brand so far in 2011, as the mid-range German make leverages on its slightly upmarket image here to help boost sales amid the sharply reduced COE quota.
Toyota's flaws: lack of control, no safety chief
Toyota Motor Corp's centralised structure, scepticism of external critics and lack of a global safety chief are among flaws the company needs to address as it recovers from record recalls, an advisory group said.

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Shipping News

Insurance brokerage AJG takes over ITI Solutions
The US mid-market insurance brokerage Arthur J Gallagher (AJG) has made its first Asian acquisition after a US-heavy spree.
Baltic main sea freight index rises
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates to ship dry commodities, rose for a third session on Monday although the market outlook remained bearish due to rising fleet supply.
M'sian aid ship aborts Gaza mission after engine trouble
A Malaysian aid ship attempting to reach Gaza after being warned off by Israeli naval forces last week has been forced to abort its mission after engine trouble, activists said.

Strait Talk

Emissions: ICS gets off the fence - finally
FOR as long as I can remember, one of my stock questions to the Singapore Shipping Association (SSA) has been about its membership of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and its non-membership of the International Shipping Federation (ISF).
Surprise fall in Q1 motor insurance claims
MOTOR insurance claims in the first quarter of this year have seen a surprise fall even as Singapore's vehicle population hit a record high.

Motoring

VW cruises to No3 spot in Singapore
VOLKSWAGEN has inched ahead to become Singapore's third most popular car brand so far in 2011, as the mid-range German make leverages on its slightly upmarket image here to help boost sales amid the sharply reduced COE quota.
Toyota's flaws: lack of control, no safety chief
Toyota Motor Corp's centralised structure, scepticism of external critics and lack of a global safety chief are among flaws the company needs to address as it recovers from record recalls, an advisory group said.

web site

Shipping News

Insurance brokerage AJG takes over ITI Solutions
The US mid-market insurance brokerage Arthur J Gallagher (AJG) has made its first Asian acquisition after a US-heavy spree.
Baltic main sea freight index rises
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates to ship dry commodities, rose for a third session on Monday although the market outlook remained bearish due to rising fleet supply.
M'sian aid ship aborts Gaza mission after engine trouble
A Malaysian aid ship attempting to reach Gaza after being warned off by Israeli naval forces last week has been forced to abort its mission after engine trouble, activists said.

Strait Talk

Emissions: ICS gets off the fence - finally
FOR as long as I can remember, one of my stock questions to the Singapore Shipping Association (SSA) has been about its membership of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and its non-membership of the International Shipping Federation (ISF).
Surprise fall in Q1 motor insurance claims
MOTOR insurance claims in the first quarter of this year have seen a surprise fall even as Singapore's vehicle population hit a record high.

Motoring

VW cruises to No3 spot in Singapore
VOLKSWAGEN has inched ahead to become Singapore's third most popular car brand so far in 2011, as the mid-range German make leverages on its slightly upmarket image here to help boost sales amid the sharply reduced COE quota.
Toyota's flaws: lack of control, no safety chief
Toyota Motor Corp's centralised structure, scepticism of external critics and lack of a global safety chief are among flaws the company needs to address as it recovers from record recalls, an advisory group said.

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Transpac rates slip on over-supply concerns, but bunker surcharges stick China to spend US$27.7 billion dredging Yangtze to 12.5 metres to Nanjing IMO okays armed guards on ships in pirate-infested waters off Somalia The Containership Company sells its only boxship to service debt Boxship deliveries in 2013 should hit historic high of two million TEU Rotterdam Maasvlakte 2 breakwater to use 20,000 huge cement blocks Jilin aims at added value logistics coming to US$17.25 billion Ningxia first quarter rail cargo down 1.4pc, but box volume up 27.5pc Icelandic volcanic ash grounds flights, Ryanair cancels under protest New capacity for air freighters expected over next two years Cool Containers wins regulatory approval for temp-control air boxes

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Global shipping leaders call for creating sustainable industry BoA to mull over new SEZ proposals on May 31 Fieo welcomes move to boost India-Africa trade to $70bn Sharma to plead case with FM for DEPB extension Soaring global prices push rubber imports down 92 pc Trade pact with Japan may provide opportunities galore for India's pharma industry China to run Pakistan's Gwadar port MPT calls for action against reconstruction of demolished structures Port of Antwerp felicitates Chipolbrok on completing 60 years Food inflation falls to 7.47 per cent India, 5 more countries to dominate growth by 2025: WB report

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MAY 24, 2011
Turkey issues fewer carnet TIRs in April The number of carnet TIRs that were issued in Turkey in April 2011 sank by 1.56%, compared to the same month in 2010. The number of transit permits sank by 1.61%. A total of 55,382... Schaeffler Group: favourable start to business year 2011 The Schaeffler Group says that it has had an excellent start to business year 2011. The company reported top results for the first quarter of the current year. Sales grew by 25% to... Liege airport goes green By 2016, no less than 30% of the electricity supply in the Belgian region of Wallonia will come from renewable sources. That's the target fixed by the Walloon government. Eager to ... DB Schenker Rail changes management Dr Christian Kuhn, managing director production at the German service provider DB Schenker Rail, has informed the company's supervisory board and the management that he is resignin... 25 m long trucks to become the norm on Dutch roads Seven years after major field trials with 25.25 m trucks began in the Netherlands, the Dutch Ministry of Transport in The Hague has decided to grant permission for t... CMA CGM adds a new call at Piraeus to its Epic service CMA CGM Group's Epic service is now calling at Piraeus on its way from North Europe to the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East. This gives the French Group a direct servic... ATA reports strong volume increase in April The Air Transport Association of America (ATA), the industry trade organization for leading US airlines, reported that some US carriers - namely Alaska, American, Continental, Delt... European air traffic situation following Grimsvötn eruption The Grimsvötn volcano, near the centre of the Vatnajökull ice cap in south-east Iceland, began to erupt in the afternoon of 21 May. Due to the airborne ash concentrati... "Ostwind": business flourishing The "Ostwind", a blocktrain that conveys containers to the CIS, is flourishing. The number of containers that it carries has risen steadily from month to month this ... BNSF honours 76 Shippers The US transport service provider BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) recently honoured 76 shippers with BNSF's Annual Product Stewardship Award for the safe transportation of hazardous ma... Banedanmark awarded contract for renewal project in Denmark Banedanmark has awarded a contract to renew 38 km of track on the Bramming - Tønder railway line along Denmark's southwestern coastline. The contract, which was won by a joint... Hermes inaugurates new main hub in northern Germany Hermes, a German logistics and CEP service provider, recently held an official ceremony to mark the opening of its new main handling hub in Langenhagen (Lower Saxony, Germany). The... Senior management executive movements at OOCL The shipping company OOCL has announced the following executive movements at its headquarters and Hong Kong regional office, effective from 13 June: Miranda Lou, currently managing... Irish port and shipping volumes up in Q1/2011 According to the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO), the volume of shipping and port traffic in most of the principal sectors grew during the first quarter of 2011. Total lo-... Evergreen Group places orders for ten 8,000 teu vessels The Evergreen Group (Taiwan) has ordered and signed a contract with China Shipbuilding Corp (CSBC) for ten 8,000 teu environmentally advanced containerships. Three of the new vesse... Ceva expands with new freight management office in Finland The logistics and SCM specialist Ceva Logistics recently opened new premises in Helsinki (Finland), thereby strengthening its freight management platform in the Nordic region. Stra... Nippon Express USA opens new logistics centre in Chicago Nippon Express USA, a subsidiary of Nippon Express, has completed the construction of its new Chicago Logistics Center East (CLC East), which, in combination with the adjacent Chic...

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MAY 24, 2011
New Obama Iran sanctions hit maritime companies DNV president says shipping safety standards are slipping Stena Bulk buys three LNG tankers ABB propulsion strikes gold in wind farm vessel market Beng Kuang Marine wins order for four crane barges Cunard's Queen Mary 2 saves fuel after switch to Intersleek 900

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MAY 24, 2011
Port of Coos Bay hires firm to control rail line vegetation Maersk line going green for wooden container floors Wallenius Wilhelmsen taps Leroi as managing director for China Mitsui adding ship simulator at Manila seafarer training facility Union Pacific employee earns railroad safety honor

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MAY 24, 2011
Mediterranean aframax rates begin to cool off Earnings expected to dip further as June cargoes enter market Tonnage glut turns heat on breaking rates Large ships secure best prices as Indian subcontinent rates dip Chinese cash lifts value of 15-year-old panamaxes Government decision to let China's currency strengthen is reflected in dry bulk sale & purchase deals Nor-Shipping 2011: More pain to come from excess tonnage Big hitters at Nor-Shipping offer gloomy view of shipping's prospects Nor-Shipping 2011: Maritime governments gather in Oslo for informal talks Environment and Arctic on the agenda Euroseas ramps up rates for feeders Charter extensions for pair of early 1990s-built boxships net an average 90% rate hike Chinese growth prompts Sinotrans to seek 35% stake in InterBulk Existing shareholders' equity to be diluted by issue of 165m new shares Oaktree launches new heavy-lift operator from remains of Beluga Hansa Heavy Lift will use 16 Oaktree-funded vessels and acquire more from administrator Nor-Shipping 2011: Norway and Japan sign technology agreement Countries to co-operate on areas such as LNG, offshore wind technology and ship recycling Nor-Shipping 2011: GL urges owners to use cutting edge technologies There is significant room for improvement in the operational efficiency of vessels, says Erik van der Norrdaa Nor-Shipping 2011: OSV sector must 'defend its corner' on maritime law IMO legislation covering the broader industry often not relevant to 'energy sector' vessels CMA CGM confirms 16,000 teu upgrades for three ships on order Chief executive Saadé refuses to rule out eventual investment in 18,000 teu vessels Nor-Shipping 2011: Brazilian offshore market faces crew challenges Lack of trained personnel means huge wage bills for oil companies and operators Croatian quality points to brighter future Mining group Kermas proposes innovative strategy for county's struggling shipyards Nautical maps sail into uncharted waters Texas waterway pilot leads campaign to bring National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data up to date Nor-Shipping 2011: Industry backs bunker levy to combat CO2 gases EU emissions trading would create unfair, difficult-to-administer monster, say delegates IMO's move on boxes is welcome Guideline on container safety have failed to stamp out bad practices The long view Investors worried about the dawn raids on container lines can still see a brighter horizon Sri Lanka shortlists 15 for investment in port newbuild plants and factories China has played huge role in first two phases of development at Hambantota port Singapore Shipping signals more vessel buys after stellar results Recently purchased car carriers boost profits Nor-Shipping 2011: Mitropoulos predicts an IMO with more teeth Outgoing secretary-general predicts a new era for his successor Costamare profit pips analysts' forecasts Boxship prices and charter rates justify investment, says Kostis Konstantakopoulos How Shen Neng 1 sends a wake-up call on safety A large part of the maritime industry operates on the assumption that those who work on ships do not need sleep like the rest of humanity Nor-Shipping 2011: New tool helps bunker buyers find value DNV Petroleum Services launches real-time data analysis of bunker quality Nor-Shipping 2011: Owners and charterers must agree cost savings Incentives needed for owners to make 'substantial investments' in vessel efficiency Arthur J Gallagher buys niche Singapore marine broker Purchase of ITI Solutions lays platform for US insurance broker's expansion in Asia Swiber wins $109m in offshore support contracts High oil prices generate strong demand for offshore contractors Don't blame the master Should ship's captains be expected to put their lives, and their family's lives, at risk for piracy prosecutions?

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MAY 24, 2011
For tankers, 'brutal' 'pain' or 'opportunity'? BOSSES from two of the world's top tanker companies today gave wildly divergent views of the sector's future CSAV targets Sinochem CHILEAN liner CSAV has filed a barrage of asset-attachment suits against Chinese oil and commodities giant Sinochem, new legal documents revealed Migrants drown off Greece A MIGRANT boat has capsized off Preveza in western Greece, drowning two children and one man BDI reaches six-week high SOARING Capesize rates pushed the BDI today to a six-week high at 1,398 points VLCC deliveries hit peak HEAVY deliveries of VLCCs will delay a rate recovery until 2012, but a cessation of new orders is promising, Credit Suisse analyst Gregory Lewis said today Greener ore? It's a winner A GIANT Vale ore carrier that cuts fuel consumption today won the inaugural Clean Ship Award at Nor-Shipping in Oslo Cache found on box ship COLOMBIA's military has seized about 12 tonnes of cocaine, hidden in containers bound for Mexico, IHS Global Insight reported today Singpore Shipping plots growth SINGAPORE Shipping, which specialises in securing long-term vessel leases, plans to acquire more ships after a big rise in profits last year Shipping urged to hire Sri Lanka rebels FORMER Tamil Sea Tiger rebels, retrained since the end of Sri Lanka's ethnic war, could be hired as crew, a terrorism authority told a Colombo forum Costamare deploys cash BOX SHIP owner Costamare has reported better quarterly results than expected and disclosed significant plans to acquire more ships Wilh Wilhelmsen 'optimistic' on Japan NORWAY'S Wilh Wilhelmsen said today it needs to adapt its ro-ro operations to deal with Japan's quake crisis Piracy cover rises 20% BROKER Arthur J Gallagher of Singapore today told Fairplay demand for piracy insurance has risen by one-fifth in the past year COSCO's unit dodges Beijing's ire COSCO Corp (Singapore), a China COSCO subsidiary, today said it was not involved with irregular financial statements that Beijing has alleged were found in its parent's books Rising from Beluga's ashes THE GROUP succeeding bankrupt German project carrier Beluga, Hansa Heavy Lift, is about to start operating, Beluga stakeholder Oaktree Capital Management said last night in Bremen

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MAY 24, 2011
Baltimore's Jim White Says Port Targeting Discretionary Cargo Maryland Port Administration Executive Director Jim White says deepening for a 50-foot berth and extensions to CSX's National Gateway intermodal... Trailer Bridge Names New CCO Trailer Bridge named Scott W. Fernandez as chief commercial officer today in place of the departing Adam E. Gawrysh Jr.,... LaHood Sends Emergency Funds to Minnesota Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is making $1 million immediately available in quick release emergency funds, allowing Minnesota's Department of Transportation... DOT Stimulus Payments Reach $28.2 Billion The Department of Transportation's payouts to states for construction projects under the 2009 stimulus law reached $28.2 billion as of... Diesel Drops 6.4 Cents Per Gallon The average price of diesel fell 6.4 cents in the past week to $3.997 a gallon across the U.S., the... CMA CGM to Expand Capacity of Three Ships CMA CGM will enlarge the capacity of three ships on order from 13,800 20-foot equivalent units to 16,000 TEUs, according... Few Injuries, No Fatalities at Con-way Truckload Three Joplin, Mo., employees of Con-way Truckload and the spouse of one employee were injured in Sunday's tornado, the trucking... Missouri Expedites Relief Trucks to Joplin Missouri's departments of transportation and public safety are helping truckers expedite shipments of equipment and relief supplies to tornado victims... Top Rails Add 935 Workers to US Operations The seven largest railroads added 935 employees to their U.S. operations from mid-March to mid-April, for a new high since... Hapag-Lloyd to Apply Bandar Abbas Surcharge Hapag-Lloyd said it will apply a port congestion surcharge on all containerized cargo moving from Asia and Oceania to Bandar... Japan, EU Recognize Trade Security Programs Japan and the European Union started mutually recognizing their trade security and facilitation programs called Authorized Economic Operator programs Tuesday,... Costamare Profit Drops 28 Percent Costamare's first quarter profit slipped 28 percent to $17.9 million from $24.7 million a year ago, but the NYSE-listed container... Box Ship Deliveries Seen Hitting Record in 2013 Deliveries of container ships are set to hit a record high in 2013, driven by a surge of orders in... Singapore Air Freight Grows 6.1 Percent Freight volume at Singapore Changi Airport grew at its fastest year-over-year rate of 2011 in April, expanding 6.1 percent and... Japan Logistics Operator in Talks to Buy Weyerhauser Line Japanese logistics operator Sumitomo Warehouse Co. says it is in advanced negotiations to acquire Weyerhauser's wholly-owned ocean vessel subsidiary, Westwood...

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MAY 24, 2011
Shanghai Shipping Exchange prepared to audit index Australia's Patrick facing standstill CMA CGM Titan christened Honda face summer shut-downs New Maersk boxes saving the rain forests

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MAY 24, 2011
Grim reality plagues VLCCs Tor Olav Troim asks is today's brutal market the worst time for shipping since the Black Death? Christensen: Uno here to stay Former Lorentzen & Stemoco chief says new venture Uno Offshore is making its mark. Ofer empire under fire Obama administration targets Tanker Pacific and Ofer Brothers of Israel in battle to crush Iranian nuclear agenda. Euroseas extends duo The hybrid bulker-boxship owner extends two containerships at handsome rates. Murmansk left on shelf Sale of 25% stake in Russian tanker and bulker owner cancelled after lack of bids. Tanker dragged down Volgotanker ship goes under in Ukrainian shipyard as drydock sinks. Hot or not Shipping young guns discuss which markets they will be fighting over as they look to the future at NorShipping. First stronger in first Taiwanese bulker owner First Steamship increases earnings in 2011 as revenues rise. Be smart with your money ER Offshore chief Ian Perrott hopes investment in the sector will not get back to 'ridiculously high' pre-crash levels. Petra Perdana goes red Malaysian offshore owner left stony-faced after plunging into the red. Diesel smugglers held Mumbai police raid supply ship used to store cheap fuel; arrest two men. BKM scores newbuildings Singapore-listed shipbuilder wins a $22m contract to build four offshore crane barges. Fairstar bags big deal Oslo-listed heavy-lift company's bottom line gets a growth spurt after it signed a $28m contract to shift a fertiliser plant.

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MAY 24, 2011
Collaboration displayed on U.S.-Canada border U.S. Customs and Border Protection is playing a leading role in coordinating the law enforcement activity of sister agencies in the Department of Homeland Security, as well as other federal, state and local organizations along the northern border.... DHL forwarding unit adds Tianjin/Mongolia rail link DHL Global Forwarding has started a rail service connecting Tianjin with Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. The logistics giant said it is the only company offering scheduled services that navigate Mongolia's "congested routes and complex custo... Arthur J. Gallagher acquires Singapore broker Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., an international insurance brokerage and risk management services firm headquartered in Itasca, Ill., said Tuesday it has acquired ITI Solutions Pte Ltd., located in Singapore. ITI is a specialist insurance broker with e... Costamare: 8,800-TEU newbuilds for Evergreen Containership leasing company Costamare said it has ordered five containerships, each about 8,800 TEUs of capacity, from Sungdong Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. Ltd. of Korea. It said it has entered into long-term time charter agreements wit... IMO to examine container weight declaration The International Maritime Organization will look into the issue of wrongly declared container weights, prompted by a proposal last week from maritime representatives of the Netherlands, Denmark and Australia. The IMO's Maritime Safety Committee w... Sea Star to raise rates Sea Star Line said it is imposing a 5.5 percent general rate increase, effective June 5. The carrier also said it plans to increase its "total accessorial charge" and a fee for hazardous cargo on June 19. The fees are outlined in detail here . The... Alphaliner: Record containership orders for '13 Information service Alphaliner said deliveries of new containership capacity is likely to hit a new record in 2013. "Lured by attractive newbuilding prices and the strength of last year's market recovery, containership owners have flocked to order ... Deliveries could top 2 million TEUs Alphaliner: Record containership orders for '13Information service Alphaliner said deliveries of new containership capacity is likely to hit a new record in 2013. "Lured by attractive newbuilding prices and the strength of last year's market recove... American Shipper June 2011

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MAY 24, 2011
Eniram sees 'distinct rise' in interest towards efficiency products 'Decision support software for ship operators has experienced a growth of interest over recent years,' says Eniram CEO. Short sea shipping service a success in the Great Lakes 'Instead of 50 trucks burning fuel and releasing emissions into the atmosphere, we've got one barge with a much smaller carbon footprint,' said Hunt's Transport. Middle East prices mixed Deliveries available for supply up to and including 07 June in Cape Town. New bunker barge for ARA Argos Ceebunkers will deploy newbuild next week. Rotterdam bunker prices firm 'No fundamental reason' for prices to be back at the $600 level. Report: Negative GHG profile for some current LNG ships Norwegian study says some LNG-fuelled ships are 20% worse for climate change than traditional diesel engines. More arrests in India as fuel smuggling probe continues Seized vessel was being used 'as a floating petrol pump'. 'Steep rise' in bunker costs keeps operator in the red 'Bunker price increase had a negative impact of approximately $1.7 million,' says Nordic. Safety features enhanced on GlobalView Fleet Management System Warnings for rogue waves, piracy and war risks or icebergs means ships should not always follow optimal and most fuel efficient route. Clean Ship and Next Generation Ship Awards announced at Nor-Shipping World's biggest ore carrier wins award for its fuel efficiency while LNG-fuelled ship wins Next Generation category. Bunker prices generally firming in Asia Mixed demand in key Asian bunker ports on Tuesday. AWT launches ship-specific routing service Ship routing and fleet management services now designed to meet the specialised needs of voyages by vessel and cargo type. DNVPS launches 'Fuel Insight' bunker analytics product Can help shipping companies 'get best value from bunker purchases' or be used by supply side as a quality control tool. Indian court arrests vessel over unpaid bunkers Bos Angler owes bunker supplier GFL $350,000 for supply of 340 mt of MGO. Alliance posts 98% hike in Q1 profits For its downstream segment, Alliance expects 'challenges going forward.' Book Review: Commercial Practice in Bunkering Commercial Practice in Bunkering a 'valuable source of information', says publisher. PetroChina buys fuel oil cargo at higher premiums 380 cSt fuel oil cargo purchased at a premium of $2.50-$3.00 pmt.