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SingaPort '98 expects record 8,000 visitors despite downturn
Representation from regional ports has been hit, but the event has drawn interest from outside Asia
Fewer orders expected for Japan and S Korean yards
Pirate attacks becoming more violent: IMB report
PORT SHOTS
SIA to provide technical support to new Tata airline
An 'in principle' agreement has been reached on India's US$370m airline
UPS hopeful on expansion after deal reached with pilots
Thai airfares cannot be in dollars
European airlines lash out at EU antitrust policy
Continental Airlines' 4th quarter profits up 55%
More to raise funds via IPOs
Study shows firms sell shares for 3 reasons: vessel acquisition, speculative asset play and debt repayment
China's shipbuilding ambitions and Korean yards' problems

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K Line reorganises transpacific West Coast services
Korea's port charges set to rise
Fuel surcharges unreasonably high warn FTA
Remote dual reefer monitoring system launched
Profit surge anticipated for containership companies
Korean Air offers cargo service to Vietnam
Air cargo rates rises blocked by threat from forwarders
PAL sticks to purchase plan
Ground-handling monopoly to end at Frankfurt airport
Lot and BA join to improve Central European routes

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JANUARY 21, 1998

Antwerp to get new container terminal
Lower profits for CSX and subsidiary Sea-Land
Northwest reports fourth quarter record
Row over Amsterdam Airport intensifies
Belgians now also drive on deep-frier oil

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$1.4 billion hit puts Boeing in red
Phil Bannan returns to Port of Everett
BLG delivers million box year
Canadian port begins ballast water program
Corps releases Columbia River dredging report
American railroads restructure organization

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Cheng Lie set to upgrade Asian operations
Sea-Land posts drop in operating income
CSX reports net earnings of $799 million for 1997
JAL to add another freighter for fy 1998
TNT express to start '9 am Express'
Northwest achieves record profit in 1997

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Crescita media superiore al 20% per i terminal con punte di eccellenza a Genova (+42%) e a Gioia Tauro (+145%)
I porti italiani a tutta forza
Solo La Spezia, che era stata leader nel '96, crolla e perde il 30% del traffico specializzato
Gallanti propone un fronte comune del Mediterraneo
Ma sulla ripresa torna l'ombra della riforma
Entro il 31 marzo la chiusura del contratto per assegnare il Molo Settimo
L'olandese Ect in rotta verso Trieste
Parte la mega-alleanza fra Amburgo e Brema

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JANUARY 20, 1998

Marine Drilling Signs 3-Year Exxon Contract
Transocean Wins Unocal Contract

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Antwerp wins go-ahead for $124m quay project
ANTWERP has won the green light from the Belgian government for a phased construction programme geared to more than double container handling capacity at the port from 2.5m teu to cross the 5m threshold between now and the end of the next decade.
NEL Lines seeks capital increase to fund newbuildings
INVESTORS in the Maritime Company of Lesvos (NEL Lines) will shortly be asked to approve a large capital increase to pave the way for the company's first newbuilding contracts.
Cammell takeover is 'breakthrough
GIBRALTAR'S deputy chief minister has said that UK group Cammell Laird's takeover of the territory's former naval dockyard could open the way to a significant expansion of its maritime services.
Saga in refit dispute with A&P
SAGA Group, which was forced to cancel a Christmas cruise after refit delays and a fire on board the Saga Rose at A&P Southampton's yard, is locked in a dispute with A&P over final payment for refurbishment work to the vessel.
Malta Drydocks blast probe nears conclusion
AN appeal court rehearing of an inquiry into a fatal explosion at Malta Drydocks in February 1995 is expected to enter its final stage shortly.
Carriers switch SLCS service to Thamesport
CANADA Maritime and Orient Overseas Container Line are switching one of their UK ports of call for the St Lawrence Co-ordinated Service (SLCS) from Felixstowe to Thamesport.
Ships warned over lack of charts
AN official report into a bulk carrier grounding has warned that ships are still flouting international standards by sailing into Australian waters without the appropriate charts.
Financial crisis forces rise in Asian airline rates
ASIAN airlines are increasing freight rates both on long-haul and short-haul routes to absorb some of the heavy costs caused by the financial crisis in the Far East.

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JANUARY 21, 1998

Saga Shipping witholds repair payment
SAGA Shipping is refusing to pay its final instalment for repair work carried out in December by A&P's Southampton yard on its cruise vessel, Saga Rose.
Bids for Crete ferry services blocked
THE Greek shipping minister has quashed the hopes of Attica Enterprises and Strintzis Lines expanding their activities into the domestic Greek ferry routes.
Strike Club extends cover
THE Strike Club is extending its level of protection for members, but is also implementing a five per cent general increase in rates for Classes I and II.
SingaPort expects record attendance
PSA Corp is confident that SingaPort will achieve record visitor figures despite the south-east Asian region's recent currency turmoil.
Finland increases shipping levy
THE Finnish government has raised the charge levied for ships using the nation's shipping lanes by three per cent from the beginning of this year.
DFDS turns its back on Swedish flag
DFDS has decided to register the first of three freight roro newbuildings on order for its Tor Line subsidiary with the Danish International Ship register.
Bids sought for Haldia project
CALCUTTA Port Trust is seeking bids to build a ship repair complex and two multipurpose berths in Haldia Dock Complex.
POEA suspends manning agent
THE Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has finally acted on complaints against a crewing agency.
Asia satisfied with pollution exercise
A RECENT joint exercise conducted near the Indonesian port of Ujung Pandang showed that the region has more than enough expertise to deal with an oil spill disaster.
Indian ports to ban unsafe ships
INDIA'S Secretary of the Ministry of Surface Transport has announced that the country's ports will be closed to ships that do not conform to the ISM Code
Alaska debates oil spill response regulations
THE grounding of the Japanese reefer ship Kuroshima in the Aleutian Islands has Alaska politicians and environmentalists seeking oil spill response legislation.
Canadian ferry chief resigns
ANDREW Hamilton, who has headed the controversial fast-ferry construction programme being overseen in British Columbia by Catamaran Ferries International, has resigned.
Cruise shipping to boost Gibraltar port
GIBRALTAR port is expecting a record number of cruiseship calls in 1998.
Hamburg-Bremerhaven to merge container businesses
HAMBURG'S Eurokai and Bremen/Bremerhaven port operating company Bremer Lagerhaus (BLG) plan to merge their container businesses.
Gibraltar port study published soon
GIBRALTAR is soon to make public a study of future strategy for the territory's port.
SIGTTO members on target for ISM
SIGTTO says that its member companies will have no problem meeting the ISM deadline.

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Anvers: premier navire attendu au 3e terminal à marée vers la mi-2000
Le gouvernement flamand a donc donné le feu vert au projet de réalisation du troisième terminal à containers dans la future darse à marée à réaliser au sud du village de Doel. Lors de sa réunion du 20 janvier dernier, ledit gouvernement a en fait pris des décisions très importantes, qui vont au-delà de ce projet, car permettant une nouvelle vision de ce que va devenir cette zone portuaire de la rive gauche, ce qui implique en fait la disparition à terme du village de Doel et une révision du plan initial d'aménagement de certaines infrastructures.
Cosco va impliquer Anvers dans ses services sur l'Afrique du Sud et l'Amérique du Sud
"Nous devenons "Global" et sommes axés sur le marché mondial. Outre le transpacifique et l'Atlantique, nous abordons d'autres secteurs. Nous avons d'autres services à l'étude qui intéressent l'Europe et le port d'Anvers sera impliqué". C'est ce que nous a déclaré Chen Xuekun, président de Cosco Europe GMBH, le QG de l'armement à Hambourg, à l'occasion d'une réception donnée à la clientèle pour la présentation de la nouvelle étiquette de l'agence anversoise, qui lui est dédiée, à savoir "Cosco Belgium s.a." (ex Cosfur Shipping and Agency Co) (1).
BLG et Eurokai fusionnent leurs activités dans le secteur containérisé
Les opérateurs de terminaux Bremer Lagerhausgesellschaft (BLG) de Brême et Eurokai de Hambourg ont l'intention d'exploiter ensemble leurs activités containérisées à partir du début de l'année prochaine. Pour ce faire, ils prendront des participations croisées. La collaboration sera concrétisée en une joint venture 50/50, qui sera introduite en bourse et devrait être ouverte au grand public à partir de 2003.

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BA's AA deal isn't only hassle the carrier faces
Argentina to announce runoff winner
Jones Act combatants make their case to GAO
Fredrickson sells assets, closes doors
Corpus Christi to host meeting
Level of liberalization at issue in US-Japanese aviation talks
Postmaster General Runyon to exit; boosted competition against FedEx, UPS
Kerr Norton Marine
Illinois Central net income up 17% in fourth quarter
Evergreen expands at Kaohsiung as Uniglory upgrades its fleet
Yentas, take note: 2 Israeli firms are developing ultra-fast modems
The solution to port industry's problems could be lying in your own back yard

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WA rejects SCT bid
Melbourne-based private operator Specialised Container Transport was dealt a blow yesterday when it was announced that the West Australian government had decided against declaring all rail and freight support services sought by SCT.
The National Competition Council, which received five applications from SCT last year for declaration of rail and freight support services in WA, said the WA Premier had decided not to declare Westrail’s rail line service on the basis of there being an effective access regime in place.
Giles, Adelaide get deepsea nod
Port Giles and Port Adelaide (Inner harbour berth 27) are being recommended for major redevelopment by the Deep Sea Port Investigation Committee (DSPIC)which has been looking into the future of South Australia’s grain export future. A comprehensive report on the DSPIC’s findings is being released today for public comment.
Millennium bug to strike ship owners
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has warned ship owners to brace themselves for the millennium bug and begin making preparations now to counter its possible effects on their operations. The safety authority has advised shipowners that the millennium bug may strike a range of onboard systems rendering some vessels inoperable if measures are not taken now to counter their effects.
Another fast ferry for Cook Strait
Competition in the New Zealand fast passenger ferry area is building with the introduction of a new Cook Strait fast ferry service operating between Mana north of Wellington and Picton. The latest ferry was built by Cougar Catamarans at the South Pacific marine boat yard in Queensland.
Hedland licence won’t be exclusive
The Port Hedland Port Authority has indicated it is unlikely to grant exclusivity to the company which wins the right to provide stevedoring service at the port. PHPA general manager Ian Hutton said documents being drafted to call for expressions of interest in providing stevedoring at the port would differ from those issued for the management of the Dampier public wharf.
Union won’t provoke rig dispute: Coombs
The Maritime Union of Australia has no intention of provoking a dispute on the oil rig Ocean General, according to MUA national secretary John Coombs.
Mr Coombs yesterday told DCN from Hobart, where he is attending the ALP national conference that he welcomed the decision of the AIRC not to exclude the union from representing workers on the vessel, a new oil rig which will operate on the North West Shelf of Western Australia.