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Shipping News

Abandoned seamen go home without back wages
FIVE seafarers abandoned in Singapore for six months by their US employer returned home on Monday without the US$20,000 back wages owed to them by their US employer.
Tg Pelepas expects volumes to grow 5%
7 Taca members to get EU antitrust exemption
Cruise ship pays record Panama toll
Situation monitored closely: Belize register
Hutchison to jointly develop Indon port

Air and Land Transport

Thai Air cuts US flights, adds Japan services
STYLS voided here Thai Airways International, Asia's eighth-largest carrier, will cut flights to the US by half after bookings dropped following the Sept 11 terrorist attacks, and increase flights to Japan, where demand has surged.
Boeing sees R&D deal with Japan firms for Sonic Cruiser
Major US airlines report Nov loads, traffic still down
April launch of rail link to KL airport on track
Cathay hopes for code-share with American Air soon
India's Jet Air predicts 15% fall in passenger traffic
China Southern starting code-share flights with Garuda

web site

Shipping News

Abandoned seamen go home without back wages
FIVE seafarers abandoned in Singapore for six months by their US employer returned home on Monday without the US$20,000 back wages owed to them by their US employer.
Tg Pelepas expects volumes to grow 5%
7 Taca members to get EU antitrust exemption
Cruise ship pays record Panama toll
Situation monitored closely: Belize register
Hutchison to jointly develop Indon port

Air and Land Transport

Thai Air cuts US flights, adds Japan services
STYLS voided here Thai Airways International, Asia's eighth-largest carrier, will cut flights to the US by half after bookings dropped following the Sept 11 terrorist attacks, and increase flights to Japan, where demand has surged.
Boeing sees R&D deal with Japan firms for Sonic Cruiser
Major US airlines report Nov loads, traffic still down
April launch of rail link to KL airport on track
Cathay hopes for code-share with American Air soon
India's Jet Air predicts 15% fall in passenger traffic
China Southern starting code-share flights with Garuda

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CSXWT to sell Hamina Multimodal Terminals interest B&Q, Maersk Logistics ink pan-China agreement Bangkok to host ports and shipping conference HPH receives approval for stake in ECT Hat-trick for PSA Air New Zealand appoints Palmer chairman Asian air freight conference to be held in Singapore Airport expressway opened in Gansu province Air France reports confidence boosting fiscal year 2001-02

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DECEMBER 4, 2001
Capacity use airlines still down Evergreen re-shapes its global services Thai airways to halt flights to LA Financial troubles for Sabena restart Brazilian airline grounded Teamsters against American/BA Pact China Southern with Garuda

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Longest heavy petro-chem gear transported from Hazira to Mumbai - Another feather in NPIL cap Govt to help export 20,000 tonnes of rubber Generic drugs export gains momentum Hutchison casts hat in Vallarpadam ring Dubai Ports Int'l, United Liner Agencies to be awarded contract on BOT basis - Vizag Port Container Terminal Cotton import duty hike likely: Minister FAO official cites India's edge in certain agro items exports Synthetic textile exports dip traced to sudden changes in govt policies, slowdown Centre may clear Dronagiri SEZ today Apeda plants seed for flower business to sprout in Amsterdam Bajra purchase norms relaxed Sinha sees 'significantly better' economy by mid-2002, admits fiscal crisis Govt extends drawback to embroidered garments, quilted made-ups Govt invites global advisors for STC stake dilution IGC places global wheat output at 574 mt Gujarat CM move to help trade & industry

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DECEMBER 4, 2001
Tight avails and congestion in Ecuador, Chile OK Panama market firming, St Eustatius avails resumed Bominflot launches South African bunker trading arm IPE November volumes soar Nationwide strike looming in Venezuela Strike continues in South Africa Panamax grounding highlights Bosphorus sensitivity Next renewal of oil-for-food program could be more difficult Crude oil stays firm on Middle East violence and possible Russian cuts Rough seas send oil rig adrift in the Mediterranean Bunker price indications from Russian ports Montevideo and Alpha Zone bunker prices Brazil bunker prices steady Rotterdam morning market report

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DECEMBER 4, 2001
Danzas streamlines in Skanderborg Posten Norge with Linjegods EGL Sweden: turnover up Swisslog builds for Saarioinen Planzer grows in Como Community Express expands Neptumar branch represents CCNI ValuShip appoints appointed Central Shipping «K» Line adds 13th unit to order CCTL charter vessels

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Growing violence halts Gaza Strip port project A CONSTRUCTION consortium building a port in the Gaza Strip has cancelled the project because of the escalating violence in the region. Evergreen line switch forced by box crisis EVERGREEN Marine Corporation has decided to scrap its famous round-the-world services after more than a decade and a half in favour of a pair of beefed-up pendulum strings. Höegh Galleon on spot market amid Enron fall-out LEIF Höegh of Norway has put its 1974-built, 87,500 cu m liquefied natural gas carrier Höegh Galleon on the spot market, as aftershocks of Enron's Chapter X1 filing begin to reverberate around the world.

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DECEMBER 4, 2001
Govt urges Pemex to back the flag VL rates recover as oil market firms Fruit fly fear frustrates trade Petronet soft-pedals Cochin terminal Belgium ready for tonnage tax? Bangladesh to tighten ferry safety Karachi port seeks aid from Japan Brazil port areas going private LT threatens to quit Trieste US import boost for NZ Malta yards 'must double sales' SA strike 'worst for years' Rökke's Aker Maritime bid fails EU plans LNG probe, says KSA Humber Pilots' strike deferred SA port strike crisis deepens EU plans LNG probe, says KSA Evergreen re-shapes global services Marina to probe bareboat tax scam Singamas consolidates in China Canadian strike has little effect France to sink 'ship of shame' Kwangyang fee exemption extended

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Les problèmes en Allemagne et en Espagne pèsent sur le bénéfice de Salvesen Le groupe logistique britannique Christian Salvesen a enregistré au cours des six premiers mois de cette année une hausse du chiffre d’affaires de 17,8% à 411,2 millions de GBP. Des pertes en Allemagne et une baisse des activités dans le secteur automotive espagnol ont toutefois entraîné une baisse du bénéfice d’exploitation avant amortissements de 17,4% à 17,1 mio. de GBP. Mais les activités au Royaume-Uni ont progressé. Elles serviront de modèle pour l’expansion européenne de Salvesen, qui sera fortement soutenue par l’application de systèmes ICT. De nouveaux contrats logistiques ont été conclus avec Metro en France et Tesco au RU. Evergreen: Anvers et Zeebrugge restent inscrits dans les deux services pendulaires L’armement Evergreen vient de confirmer le remplacement de ses services tour-du-monde eastbound et westbound par deux services pendulaires hebdomadaires. Cela sera réalité dès la mi-février prochain. Il s’agit d’une importante mesure de rationalisation, que dictent les circonstanes dans lesquelles évolue le liner. Les services en question maintiendront cependant la même couverture portuaire que celle des services tour-du-monde. DPD va assurer le transport de colis pour Würth en Allemagne Le groupe allemand Würth et Deutscher Paket Dienst (DPD) ont signé un accord de coopération. DPD assurera les envois de colis des produits Würth vers le destinataire final en Allemagne. Cela signifie que DPD se chargera de la distribution et livraison de l’ensemble des colis de l’entreprise commerciale à partir de tous les magasins et points de vente en Allemagne. Dans ce nouveau concept logistique du groupe Würth, Spedition Erwin Steinle continuera à assurer les envois de diverses. Zeebrugge a-t-il loupé le coche? Pour le port de Flessingue, qui vient d’attirer Cobelfret Ferries dans son giron, l’heure de la consécration a sonné. L’armement belge y exploitera en effet dès 2003 un grand terminal roulier mixte, c’est-à-dire axé tant sur le ro/ro maritime que sur le ro/ro fluvial. Il s ‘agit là pour le port néerlandais d’un client de choix, compte tenu de ses spécialités et disciplines opérationnelles, qui généreront d’importants trafics et entraineront des activités connexes. Daan Bruinooge, le président de Zeeland Seaports, considère qu’il s’agit là pour Flessingue d’une nouvelle percée sur la scène de la logistique shortsea. “Cette venue est plus qu’une compensation - tant en termes de volumes que de travail portuaire - pour l’implantation de Grimaldi que nous n’avons pas pu attirer, puisque cet armement a opté pour Anvers”, a-t-il dit. Si la réalisation de ce projet s’inscrit logiquement dans la stratégie expansive de Cobelfret Ferries, elle n’en aura pas moins un impact sur l’activité portuaire à Zeebrugge, qui constitue encore pour l’instant la principale base opérationnelle de l’armement sur le continent. D’où la question: la MBZ, qui exploite le port côtier belge, a-t-elle loupé le coche?

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DECEMBER 4, 2001
Planned strike to skip PDVSA The one-day nationwide strike in Venezuela on 10 December will affect only the private sector. Great Lakes fleet unaffected by strike Replacement non-unionised ship engineers were brought in to maintain normal operation. Skuld sets 30% general increase Douglas Jacobsohn aims to boost finances with biggest rate hike so far. Ocean Group shipyard wins tug contract The $25.46m contract will provide work for more than 150 workers over two and half years. London Club to hike rates by 27.5% John M Lyras-led P&I mutual confirms trend of hefty general increases. Enron to stick to core business The main priority will be to keep its pipeline operations while filing for bankruptcy. ExxonMobil sees silver lining New opportunities may arise during the recovery period for shipping. Russia to auction Kuban stake Investors can buy a slice of Krasnodar-based dry cargoship owner next month. Kvaerner assembles backers for share issue Troubled Norwegian group ready to go with fundraising scheme that could signal major change in its ownership. UN rules ULCC cannot sail European Navigation tanker runs up $1.5m demurrage over Iraqi sanctions probe. Earnings fall prompts Sea Containers downgrade Ratings agency Standard & Poor's is more pessimistic about ferry operator's credit position. Key RCCL shareholders back merger Anders Wilhelmsen stock voted for link-up with P&O Princess. Valuship ties up terminal deals Klaus Glusing's new container line has sorted out its port arrangements in the US. US Navy patrolling Malacca Straits Ships with cargoes of "high importance" are getting a naval escort through the strategic waterway. MOL doubles up on Africa service Japanese giant's boxships will go twice weekly between Asia and southern Africa next April.