Carnival exercises option with Masa Yards Carnival Cruise Lines has exercised an option with Kvaerner Masa-Yards of Helsinki, Finland, for the construction of a third 84,000- ton Spirit class ship expected to be delivered in 2002.
Friede Goldman Halter and Yantai Raffles win big order from China China's Yantai Raffles Shipyard and Friede Goldman Halter, as prime contractor, have won a $109 million contract from CNOOC ( China National Offshore Oil Corporation ) to build a 157m , 3800tons Heavy Derrick / PipeLay Vessel.
Austal worry on Sleipner tests TWO days before the loss of the high-speed ferry Sleipner, builder Austal Ships asked the Norwegian Maritime Directorate for clarification over its requirements concerning heavy weather evacuation trials, it has emerged.
Bad weather halts Erika wreck inspection Inspection of the aft section of the wreck of the Erika was at a standstill yesterday as the unmanned mini-submarine being used in the operation remained immobile at the wreck site at a depth of 120 metres, writes Andrew Spurrier, Paris.
Mitsubishi plan fails to impress AMBITIOUS profit targets released by loss-making Mitsubishi Heavy Industries have been greeted with criticism from analysts who say the company does not have a realistic exit plan from poor business lines.
Small firms face extinction in Caribbean consolidation Consolidation in the Caribbean insurance industry will continue this year, with smaller, inadequately-funded companies disappearing from the scene, according to insurance consultant Bernard Aquing, former managing director of the Reinsurance Company of Trinidad and Tobago.
Rates boost Hong Kong register HONG Kong's shipping register has received an important boost after China's communications ministry agreed to cut charges for Hong Kong-registered ships calling at mainland ports.
Le Havre-headquartered Delmas . . . Le Havre-headquartered Delmas has chartered the 1,799 teu Concord, which has been renamed Zoe Delmas. The vessel, deployed in the Europe-East-Africa services, was built in 1988 by Bremer-Vulkan.
London Eye claims fear THE London insurance market is expecting an early flurry of claims resulting from the failure of the London Eye giant wheel on New Year's Eve.
Philippines smuggling crackdown THE Philippines government is monitoring 17 seaports and airports in the country which are suspected of being entry points for smuggled goods, writes Alec Almazan, Manila.
In 1999 Deutsche Post led a major consolidation of the European freight transportation industry, spending billions on trucking, parcel and logistics companies. And yet it was only a prelude to the year now dawning, one that will be much more significant to the future of DP. This fall, most likely in October, the German government will begin a partial privatization of DP, offering a yet unspecified number of shares in the postal authority to the public. This initial public offering has been the reason behind DP's $3 billion plus buying spree over the last three years, and in the coming months will dominate the company's agenda.
The Surface Transportation Board has brushed aside a 36-year-old precedent, saying it will judge the intended Burlington Northern Santa Fe-Canadian National consolidation on downstream competitive effects in addition to its standard tests of competitive balance and elimination of two-railroad competition.
The French government has called for a review of International Maritime Organization safety standards following a serious oil spill in the Atlantic Ocean that began washing ashore on French beaches Christmas Day. The French minister of transport, Jean-Claude Gayssot, said current maritime safety regulations do not go far enough in protecting the environment. He also criticized shippers for using cheap ships operating under flags of convenience to cut transport costs, a practice he said exposes the environment to greater risk.
You've heard the guarantee - "or your money back." Now someone wants to hold companies - small parcel carrier companies, that is - to that promise. Enter www.shippingrefunds.com, the brainchild of Mark Taylor, president and chief executive officer of Taylor Systems Engineering Corp. The service guarantees to track down refunds for you. Companies pay for the service only if www.shippingrefunds.com succeeds in getting back money for late or undelivered shipments from carriers such as United Parcel Service, Federal Express, RPS, Airborne Express and DHL.
The age of fourth-party logistics is upon us, but don't expect a revolution to suddenly hit supply-chain management. The next step in the evolution of logistics partnerships, 4PLs take these relationships to a higher level with more integration and the inclusion of more partners. Taken to its ultimate conclusion, a 4PL entity can become an autonomous supply-chain management organization that is a profit center in its own right.
Truckload carriers are seizing the opportunity to raise rates, sometimes by as much as 5 percent. But most of the new revenue will go to pay higher costs for diesel fuel and drivers. The cost of diesel has nearly doubled in price in the past year and driver pay continues to escalate. Driver pay and fuel comprise nearly 60 percent of the overall cost of a truckload operation. For the most part, rate increases are sticking as shippers were stung by equipment shortages during the fourth quarter.
Federal Express, struggling to pump up needed volume and pay for skyrocketing fuel costs, has a few tricks up its sleeve. Following the lead trucking companies and commercial airlines, it was expected to announce a fuel surcharge of its own to kick in next month. After much internal debate the express carrier finally came to the conclusion last week that it had to find a way to stem the tide of the expected $200 million in costs in fiscal year 2000 due to fuel prices. United Parcel Service does not have to do the same. Meanwhile, FedEx is looking for a way to stimulate growth in the package business and has set its sights on the largely ignored small shipper to do just that. A new sales focus and commission structure will be announced later this month.
Although an end-to-end merger with little if any overlap, the proposed merger of Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Canadian National Railway was not welcomed with open arms by shippers still coping with service disruptions in the East. Even Surface Transportation Board chairman Linda Morgan has her reservations about the merger, including concern that it could spark another round of mergers much sooner than expected.
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