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Shipping News

Two top APL execs leave, regional units cut to 4
HOT on the heels of removing chief executive and president Flemming Jacobs, Neptune Orient Lines has cut the chief operating officer position at its container arm APL and slashed its regional divisions from six to four to create a 'flatter, leaner organisational structure' for 'sustained profitability'.
Philippines drops plans to privatise North Harbour
THE Philippine Ports Authority has abandoned plans for privatising the Philippine's largest cargo and passenger terminal.
Daewoo shipyard's 2002 orders down 12%
DAEWOO Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co, the world's second-largest shipbuilder, received 12 per cent fewer orders last year as a global economic slowdown weakened demand for new ships.

Air and Land Transport

Qantas, Air NZ seek to allay fears over tie-up
AUSTRALIA's Qantas Airways and Air New Zealand offered a series of undertakings to Australia's competition body in a bid to overcome concerns about their proposed alliance.
Demand for efficiency over speed: Boeing
KLM, Lufthansa say downturn will force cuts
Swiss Air trying to counter weak demand
Air France, Delta aim to expand SkyTeam
Taiwan plane makes history

web site

Shipping News

Two top APL execs leave, regional units cut to 4
HOT on the heels of removing chief executive and president Flemming Jacobs, Neptune Orient Lines has cut the chief operating officer position at its container arm APL and slashed its regional divisions from six to four to create a 'flatter, leaner organisational structure' for 'sustained profitability'.
Philippines drops plans to privatise North Harbour
THE Philippine Ports Authority has abandoned plans for privatising the Philippine's largest cargo and passenger terminal.
Daewoo shipyard's 2002 orders down 12%
DAEWOO Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co, the world's second-largest shipbuilder, received 12 per cent fewer orders last year as a global economic slowdown weakened demand for new ships.

Air and Land Transport

Qantas, Air NZ seek to allay fears over tie-up
AUSTRALIA's Qantas Airways and Air New Zealand offered a series of undertakings to Australia's competition body in a bid to overcome concerns about their proposed alliance.
Demand for efficiency over speed: Boeing
KLM, Lufthansa say downturn will force cuts
Swiss Air trying to counter weak demand
Air France, Delta aim to expand SkyTeam
Taiwan plane makes history

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MOL expects steady cargo growth through to 2005 Port Authority of NY/NJ sells US$250m consolidated notes Intermarine expands cargo lift capabilities with two big lifters Danzas forms partnership with Lemuir Group in India KT Trans branches out with Malaysia/Indonesia service Montreal's 2002 container traffic reaches new high KLM posts Q3 operating loss of US$67.82m, freight revenues flat Emirates to increase fleet size, expand route network in 2003 Freightgate releases FMC publishing system

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JANUARY 24, 2003
Lufthansa expects decline in profits Lufthansa cautioned that profits in 2003 would remain far below the 1 billion euro posted in 2000, and warned of a possible hiring and investment freeze after a cut in capacity. TPG expands unaddressed mail network in Germany Mail, express and logistics company, TPG N.V, through its subsidiary TPG Post Holdings (Deutschland) GmbH in Germany, has today acquired 100% of the shares in Werbeagentur Fischer GmbH, a Bergen, Bavarian-based unaddressed mail distribution company. 'Giant electromagnets to moor ships' 'The gentle press of a button could soon be all it takes to keep a giant ship secured to the dockside. The port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands is getting ready to test an experimental system later in 2003 that will use a series of strong electromagnets built into the quay to moor giant container ships.' Good results Yellow Yellow earnings from continuing operations rose to 50 cents a share -- beating a Thomson First Call estimate of 49 cents -- in the latest fourth quarter from 7 cents a year earlier. US Senate kills US Airways plan The US Senate killed a proposal to allow US Airways Group to restructure payments to its employee pension system, increasing chances the bankrupt carrier will end its pilots' retirement plan.

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Forbes Gokak Group companies offer impressive, wide range of shipping services - Colourful brochure released Norasia launches new website Exporters now prefer invoicing in euro WTC Spring Meet & Expo from March 30 India to extend $ 200 m credit line to Iran Saudi's Royal Commission to take part in CII's IETF 2003 IETF fair to include infrastructure show FAPCCI signs pact with Irish Chamber HC dismisses P&O Ports' plea Cochin Port discharges record 11,480 t. coal in a day Record 10,046 tonnes of sulphur unloaded at Vizag Port in a day Emirates to invest in Kerala projects Transworld Group brings a degree of warmth to shivering North Karnataka govt to enact legislation for Hassan SEZ - Seeks Delhi nod for another coastal SEZ Jaswant may seek Cabinet nod on concept paper - Major subsidies phase-out likely Capexil urges decanalisation of high-grade iron ore ECGC to go online CII to conduct 'Managemantra' in TN Stainless steel prices to go up by 5-10 pc Govt may decanalise import of diesel, petrol CII seeks basic excise duty of 8 pc on textiles. 2-day IMC international convention on Feb. 7 & 8 - 'Business Opportunities in SEZs'

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JANUARY 24, 2003
Venezuelan oil workers slowly returning to work Keeping track of volatile markets Daily bunker market report from Praxis Energy Agents Singapore remains tight as the market takes a dip US stocks moves fox analysts Brazilian market update from Petrobras Daily bunker market report from Praxis Energy Agents (Thursday) Suez basks in the glow of falling indications Suppliers keen to offload keep Rotterdam numbers low

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JANUARY 24, 2003
Finnish vessel adrift off the Canadian East coast NSA: Difficult to reverse flagging out Seventh detention for black-listed vessel

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JANUARY 24, 2003
Austal USA bids to build "X-Craft" Shortlisted for Navy experimental project.

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JANUARY 24, 2003
Pacific Maritime Association members join union in ratifying labor agreement Second week of January offers mixed bag for rail freight Air cargo association accepting Hall of Fame nominations Port of Vancouver, USA completes Terminal Two upgrades Maersk Sealand warns shippers on approach of manifest rule enforcement

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Grimaldi slams EU on rush for safety rules A 'hysterical' rush to introduce new safety legislation has swept up politicians in the European Union in the wake of the Prestige disaster, the continent's top shipowner has claimed. APL executives quit in wake of Jacobs departure APL chief operating officer, Ed Aldridge, and president for Asia, Ken S'rensen have stood down in a management shake-up. Speculation mounts over Lapthorn sell-off UNCERTAINTY surrounds the future of the fleet of Lapthorn, one of the UK's few remaining shortsea shipping operators, writes Tony Gray.

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JANUARY 24, 2003
P&OP loses Nhava Sheva plea La Guaira re-opens; pilots at work Room for manoeuvre on manifest rule Colombian scandal dredged up again Wind Song sunk Russian rail jam worse than pack-ice Troops disrupt port of Guayaquil Tricolor hit by salvage tug NYK eyes sub-continent terminals EU steps up pressure on CSI Taiwan shipyard back in the black Vallarpadam cleared for take-off US strengthens Pakistan coast guard Owner urged to bail out Mangouras Tanker resumes voyage after repair EC turns sights on German loans Japan homes in on WA gas Greenpeace invades Stolt ship Finnish ro-ro adrift in Atlantic China suspends tanker imports Grain terminal purchase talks on China urged to lift bulk curbs Jordan keen on White list inclusion Halifax in $138M box hash haul

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JANUARY 24, 2003
EU cool to U.S. open skies offer The European Union reacted skeptically to a U.S. offer to make changes to controversial bilateral aviation accords with EU countries in order to align them with EU law and remove a barrier to mergers between European airlines. Customs OKs 24-hour exemptions The Customs Service has approved 47 exemptions from terms of the 24-hour manifest filing rule for breakbulk carriers. Record cold hampers U.S. logistics Arctic weather across the eastern two-thirds of the nation piled snow on southern highways and choked northeastern harbors with ice. Mississippi transit hampered by low water Matson parent profit slips Schenker consolidates Canada units Emirates delays U.S. entry Sri Lanka adopts WTO valuation Danzas in India joint venture APL signs with Colombo terminal International Shipholding turnaround Emery Forwarding names director of ocean sales

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JANUARY 24, 2003
Lines demand ice breaker for Russia-bound boxships Liner agencies representing container carriers in Russia are demanding that the St. Petersburg Port Authority provide an ice breaker at the port. Eurogate slams European rail liberalisation programme Thomas Eckelmann, CEO of terminal operator Eurogate, was scathing about the progress being made to privatise the rail sector saying the level of competition was 'appalling'. JNPT win battle to keep POP out of Mumbai terminal bidding MSL set to launch India USWC service in March Norasia takes Asia/Europe slots from Hanjin Chicken run links mainline services to southern Brazil India's east-coast ports fight for cargo

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JANUARY 24, 2003
Hands up Billabong Norwegian company pleads guilty to spill charges, but crew do a runner. PDVSA execs booted Chavez fires 3,000 staff, as opponents admit production reaches 25% capacity. Mississippi burning Severe drought cuts water levels, pushing shipping costs sky-high. Tug makes it a hat trick on Tricolor hits Salvors find speedier way to remove car carrier wreck's bunker oil. Teekay executive pockets a packet Herbjorn Hansson gets $143,250 from Nordic American Tanker share sale. Trasmediterranea launches new African route Newly privatised Spanish ferry owner to link Almeria with Algeria. Baltic states back single hull ban Spanish government to plough cash into Prestige spill-hit Galicia. NEPIA warns on ship security P&I club tells owners to prepare for terrorist threat code. Large clean carriers pull in the cash Rates look set to hold well into March with scant tonnage available. US ports dispute hits Matson Hawaii to US container line sees operating profit slashed by west-coast lock-out in the second half. Orders down at Daewoo Korean yard follows Hyundai in revealing fall in demand during 2002. ISC heading into profit US LASH owner posts narrow 2002 loss, but fourth quarter positive after unprofitable routes dropped. Viktor Lenac lines up fresh funds Croatian yard allocates extra cash for improving its facilities. Chung Mong-hun ordered to stay in Korea Son of Hyundai founder told not to leave country during investigation into secret aid to the north. Teekay gets preliminary S&P rating Ratings agency assigns 'BB-' rating to aframax operator's $500m mixed shelf offering. Crew abandons Lundqvist ro-ro Canadian military helicopter airlifts ship's crew to safety in advance of stormy weather. Graykowski joins Philadelphia Shipyard Ex-Marad man joins Aker Kvaerner Yards' struggling US facility.