Chile set to privatise ports CHILE has put international developers on stand-by for a national port privatisation drive which is expected to begin in the second half of this year.
Acomarit wins CSL business ACOMARIT'S Glasgow-based UK operation has won the technical management contract for six self-unloading bulk carriers from companies associated with the CSL Group in Canada.
Halla plotting revival after court reprieve For the first time in several bleak months, troubled Halla Engineering & Heavy Industries has been able to impart some positive news.
Taylor Woodrow boost UK-based Taylor Woodrow, currently building a '45m gravity base structure for Amerada Hess' South Arne field in the Danish sector of the North Sea, is looking to consolidate its position in the industry.
Danes seize the initiative DANISH shipowners have seized the initiative ahead of the next round of global talks on maritime transport by inviting the head of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to address them.
Patrick losing grip on Melbourne cars PATRICK Stevedores' once vice-like grip on the bulk of the car trade in Melbourne appears to be increasingly tenuous, sources say.
Sobrena busy on 'Nilos' damage BREST-based repair yard Sobrena is currently undertaking approximately 100 tonnes of steel renewals aboard the Centrofin Management-owned 88,666 dwt tanker Nilos, which was in collision with a reefer vessel during late February and suffered damage in two separate positions on her starboard side.
First for Florida yard as 'Tarago' joins the marines REPRESENTING the largest ever single-ship contract secured by the company, Atlantic Dry Dock Corporation has begun the conversion of the ro-ro cargoship Tarago into a pre-positioning vessel for the United States Marine Corps.
Davie shipyard not for separate sale DAVIE Industries shipyard at Levis in Quebec is not for sale on its own, according to a company spokesman, but its parent company may soon be sold..
Hamburg Süd bolsters global fleet HAMBURG-Süd is bolstering its global fleet with the purchase of one containership and by chartering two others.
Rotterdam cleared for privatisation ROTTERDAM port could become a private entity, or an independent public entity, under proposals put forward today by a government advisory board
Brussels delay worries P&I clubs THE International Group of P&I Clubs says that the EU's failure to discuss its proposals is adding unnecessary risks on cover in the event of a catastrophe claim.
Profits being eroded says PSA chief PROFITS are being eroded by overcapacity, depressed freight rates and the Asian economic turmoil, said PSA Corp chairman, Dr Yeo Ning Hongs.
Sale of Brazilian dredgers sparks outcry THE decision, by the Brazilian government, to auction the country's four remaining dredgers has sparked an outcry.
China to boost timber imports CHINA'S decision to restrict logging will cause a surge in the country's timber imports.
South Korea seeks barter trade with Indonesia A SOUTH Korean trade mission will visit Jakarta early next month to promote barter trade with Indonesia.
ACL plans two-for-one share split SHAREHOLDERS in Atlantic Container Line (ACL) are to be asked to approve splitting the company's stock at a shareholders' meeting on March 30.
Nomadic shipping acquires Carmencita NOMADIC Shipping, the Norwegian operator of medium-sized reefer vessels, has bought the 265,000 cft reefer Carmencita,built in 1992 and valued at $12m.
Vancouver plans crops terminal VANCOUVER Wharves is to build a C$42.5m ($30m) speciality crops terminal on Vancouver's north shore.
Pequiven to build new pier complex VENEZUELAN state petro-chemicals company Pequiven has contracted with an international consortium to build a $130m pier at the Jose oil and chemical complex in eastern Venezuela.
Inchon port operating at 50pc capacity SOUTH Korea's financial crisis is beginning to haunt the country's ports.
Evergreen to order five boxships EVERGREEN Marine is set to order a further five 5,000 teu containerships from Japanese builder Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
Evergreen starts South America service TAIWANESE carrier Evergreen will start a weekly fixed-day service in May between the East Coast of North America and the ports of South America's east coast.
Geest invests in the future GEEST has placed a £1.5m ($2.49m) order for 350 new 45ft containers that meet EU road transport requirements.
Club Med 1 takes new colours THE sail cruiseship, Club Med 1 has arrived in Le Havre to undergo major upgrading works worth $10m.
Italians buy bulkers THE Italian Coeclerici group has recently finalised the acquisition of two bulkcarriers from the South Korean shipyard Halla Heavy Industries.
Oil producers to cut exports VENEZUELA, Saudi Arabia and Mexico have vowed to slash their oil exports by April 1 in an effort to bolster plummeting oil prices.
Singapore announces milestone SINGAPORE announced the handling of its one millionth container today at the opening of Singaport, Asia's largest annual maritime event.
Cruising and ferries power P&O profits CRUISING and ferry operations were the star performers at P&O last year helping to push up operating profits by 11.5 per cent to '568.3 ($950m) before reorganisation costs.
Challenge International se lance dans le groupage containérisé shortsea sur l'Irlande La société française de transport et d'expédition Challenge International va bientôt entamer un service de groupage containérisé entre l'Europe continentale et l'Irlande. Ce service, qui reprend partiellement le flambeau de feu Bell Lines, est exploité en commun avec la compagnie maritime Marfret. Il s'ajoute aux services containérisés porte-à-porte déjà exploités par Challenge entre le continent et la Grande-Bretagne.
Gand: forte croissance des investissements, baisse de la valeur ajoutée et de l'emploi D'un point de vue macro-économique, 1996 a été une année moyenne pour le port de Gand. La valeur ajoutée (86,4 mia. de BEF, -2,7%) et l'emploi (23.800 emplois, -1,1%) ont suivi la tendance à la baisse des trafics maritimes (21 mio. de t, -2,7%). Les investissements ont par contre sensiblement augmenté. Cet élément, ainsi que d'autres facteurs, pointe dans la direction d'une amélioration à partir de 1997. C'est ce que démontre la dernière édition de l'étude annuelle de la Banque Nationale de Belgique sur "l'intérêt économique du port de Gand".
Livre vert: les dragueurs rejettent la facturation de l'accessibilité maritime Dans une réaction au Livre vert sur les ports et infrastructures portuaires, l'EuDA estime qu'il ne saurait être question de faire supporter aux utilisateurs du transport maritime tous les coûts (internes et externes) du transit portuaire, alors que la route et le rail ne supportent pas toutes les charges d'infrastructures. Le secteur du dragage estime qu'il faut opérer une distinction entre les différents types d'infrastructures et autres travaux.
"Le transport routier français ne veut pas devenir la marine marchande" "Nous ne voulons pas que le transport routier devienne la marine marchande". C'est ce qu'a déclaré le président de la FNTR la semaine passée, en faisant une analyse de la situation à quelques semaines de la libéralisation totale du cabotage le 1er juillet prochain. Selon lui, les transporteurs français sont confrontés à des conditions de concurrence non harmonisées et "ils ne disposent dès lors pas aujourd'hui de toutes les armes pour profiter de l'opportunité que réprésente l'ouverture du marché européen". La menace gronde. En effet, la FNTR a annoncé qu'elle va accentuer la pression au cours des trois prochains mois. "Si aucune avancée n'était enregistrée sur certains points essentiels , elle prendrait alors "l'opinion à témoin". Rendez-vous est pris le 30 juin", a dit René Petit.
Kennett still seeks third terminal Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett yesterday promised to continue government efforts to attract another international container terminal to the port of Melbourne. Last year a OOCL-led consortium withdrew an offer to build a third container terminal at the port, blaming what it called "bureaucratic processes and insincerity" of the Melbourne Port Corporation and the Victorian government.
Patrick takes things 'day by day' With a week-long strike now underway at its container terminal at Botany Bay, Patrick is approaching the dispute on a day-by-day basis. The outcome of the company's meeting in Brisbane yesterday with the Maritime Union of Australia to discuss a new enterprise agreement for the port, and particularly the possibility of any further industrial action is expected to be the determining factor in Patrick's next move.
WA's PGA wants talks before P&CS arrives Western Australia's Pastoralists and Graziers Association will call on the National Farmers Federation to consult it before attempting to set up a Fremantle branch for P&C Stevedores. PGA president Barry Court denied that there was any truth in Maritime Union of Australia statements which said the PGA had warned the NFF to drop its plans to set up a stevedoring operation in Fremantle.
Latest freight equalisation scheme The Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme should operate on the basis that the concept of 'sea freight cost disadvantage' is defined, widely understood and the related entitlement to assistance is quantifiable and capable of annual update, according to the TFES Review Authority's draft report. The three-man review team headed by former Transport Minister Peter Nixon found that the existing scheme's shortcomings fundamentally arose due to: lack of transparency as a result of a failure to clearly define the concept of freight cost disadvantage, and a need to link standard compensation entitlements to a current quantification of the freight cost disadvantage.
LSS refutes Beaufort handling charges claims The CEO of Liner Shipping Services Ltd, Llew Russell, reacted sharply yesterday to claims in yesterday's DCN by Australian Peak Shippers' Association executive director Frank Beaufort regarding increases in terminal handling charges in the European trade. "I can assure your readers that the only reason for the increase in THCs since they were last adjusted arose from increases in stevedoring costs in Sydney, Melbourne and Fremantle for two major ship operators in the Europe - Australia trade, backdated to 1 January 1998," Mr Russell said.
Even as it said it was seeing some relief of its Texas service debacle, Union Pacific Railroad faced new problems with traffic bound for Mexico and with a suit filed by a major shipper, Dow Chemical. Though not the first suit filed against the railroad seeking damages for service failures, Dow's role as a prominent UP shipper and the $25 million minimum in damages it seeks will make its case one of those that are followed closely in what will likely be a barrage of legal actions against UP.
Association of American Railroads President M.B. Oglesby Jr. resigned just nine months after he was hired. The association said Oglesby was leaving "to pursue other interests," while sources said he was unhappy that his role in directing lobbying efforts was being narrowed. Oglesby said his departure resulted solely from his inability to make the four- or five-year contractual commitment to AAR that its board was seeking.
Cruising? Effortlessly? In New Jersey? That's the goal of the new $500 million E-Z Pass project to collect tolls electronically along key freight routes in the Garden State. It's the largest electronic toll contract ever awarded. The vendor is MFS Network Technologies, Omaha, Neb., a unit of WorldCom. Trucking interests say it's no magic wand for congestion but can be effective if part of a larger overall strategy to improve the flow of people and freight in the congested Northeast.
The merger between Canadian National Railway Co. and Illinois Central is taking small steps toward landing in the hands of the Surface Transportation Board for approval. Last week, CN offered to buy three-quarters of Illinois Central stock, approximately 46 million shares, for $39 in cash. The tender expired on March 13. All IC stock will be held in a voting trust pending approval of the acquisition by the STB. The $560 million in IC debt to be assumed by CN gives the acquisition a total value of slightly less than $3 billion. Once completed, IC President Hunter Harrison is set to become the top operating officer of Canadian National.
One down, one to go. United Parcel Service breathed a huge sigh of relief last week when its pilots overwhelmingly ratified their new contract. The ratification assures labor peace at the package giant through 2003. Meanwhile, officials at FedEx are scratching their heads over why their pilots rejected a contract which was unanimously endorsed by union leaders. In December, when FedEx management and leaders of the FedEx Pilots Association agreed on a tentative contract, the stage appeared to be set for the company's first official labor contract. Something changed in the minds of the voters, it appears, and many speculate the FedEx pilots didn't like the possibility of UPS pilots getting a sweeter deal.
Nobody really likes change. Shipyard workers are especially not fond of it and it looks like more is yet to come. As the movement of cargo relies more on technology and less on physical pushing and pulling, the days of every port city having more than enough cargo are gone. Today shippers are more educated about transportation alternatives and are more savvy negotiators. Everyone agrees before it gets better, labor problems at the world's ports are going to get worse.
It's more of a burger daddy than a sugar daddy but for Rail Van Inc. the road ahead looks sweet indeed. The privately held investment company of KDR Ltd., whose members include Dave Thomas, the founder and senior chairman of the restaurant chain of Wendy's International, has purchased a 25 percent stake in the privately owned Worthington, Ohio, transportation company. The deal puts Rail Van on track to fulfill its goal of blossoming from a company that takes in $350 million in sales annually to one that tops $1 billion.
A beleaguered Union Pacific Railroad is looking for a high-tech remedy for some of its service problems. With the help of ALK Associates and Cisco Systems, the railroad is installing a new visually oriented locomotive management system at its Omaha dispatching center and expanding its wide area computer network to open the way for more voice and data traffic. But the company admits that it still needs to get more timely, accurate data on trains and freight into its Transportation Control System.
Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway are discussing a plan for joint operation of their busy mainlines which run on either side of the Fraser River Canyon between Kamloops, British Columbia, and Vancouver. Jack McBain, CN's senior vice president of operations, stressed the talks were in the exploratory phase. The proposal for joint operations involves using the CN mainline for westbound trains and the CP line for eastbound trains. The proposal wouldn't greatly increase the capacity of the two lines but should lower operating costs.
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