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Shipping News

India's Gati makes S'pore regional HQ
After a two-year gestation, India's leading homegrown express distribution and supply chain solutions provider Gati has finally decided to make Singapore its regional headquarters as it ramps up its expansion into the Asia-Pacific region and globally.
Croatian shipyards face restructuring
Time stood still on the docks of 3.Maj shipyard as the champagne bottle swirled and smashed against the hull of a tanker being launched for Latvian owners.
STX pledges to maintain structure of Norway's Aker Yards
South Korea's STX Shipbuilding pledged on Monday to maintain the structure of Norwegian group Aker Yards after the EU cleared it to take a controlling stake in Europe's biggest ship maker.

Strait Talk

Should industry be prepared for biofuel?
OVER the years, the cargoes carried by the shipping industry have changed and ship designs have evolved to meet market design. One of the most striking developments at present is the rapid expansion of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier fleet which will soon only be a bit smaller, in terms of numbers, than the very large crude carrier (VLCC) fleet.

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Shipping News

India's Gati makes S'pore regional HQ
After a two-year gestation, India's leading homegrown express distribution and supply chain solutions provider Gati has finally decided to make Singapore its regional headquarters as it ramps up its expansion into the Asia-Pacific region and globally.
Croatian shipyards face restructuring
Time stood still on the docks of 3.Maj shipyard as the champagne bottle swirled and smashed against the hull of a tanker being launched for Latvian owners.
STX pledges to maintain structure of Norway's Aker Yards
South Korea's STX Shipbuilding pledged on Monday to maintain the structure of Norwegian group Aker Yards after the EU cleared it to take a controlling stake in Europe's biggest ship maker.

Strait Talk

Should industry be prepared for biofuel?
OVER the years, the cargoes carried by the shipping industry have changed and ship designs have evolved to meet market design. One of the most striking developments at present is the rapid expansion of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier fleet which will soon only be a bit smaller, in terms of numbers, than the very large crude carrier (VLCC) fleet.

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Shanghai-US trade up 12pc in Q1, but growth 11.9pc slower than before World container demand to fall this year, industry group predicts Guangxi to invest US$32.8 billion on air, sea land infrastructure upgrade Cosco arms ship leaves Durban, lingers off Luanda with guns for Zimbabwe Horizon Lines wins women's club award for courage during sea rescue APL reports box volume and revenue increases of 13pc - 14pc Hapag-Lloyd's 8,749-TEU vessel will also serve as training ship Malaysia's Bintulu launches US$63 million plan to near double box volume JV set up to transport freight from Germany-Russia-Asia Qantas Airways to build joint cargo terminal in Jiangxi Swiss WorldCargo named top airfreight carrier India air cargo companies demand exclusive freight stations

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The buccaneer is back! Geeta Shipping & Clearing handles export boxes from ICD-Ankleshwar to Nhava Sheva by rail Vadodara Steamer Agents' Assn 'takes berth' Europe offers more remunerative markets, asserts Ficci Raw sugar exports overtake refined variety Coffee export volumes up despite bearish price trend Onions adding pungency to export basket MPSEZ Container Terminal hosts maiden call of recast EPIC service Fresh record in unloading of bentonite in bulk set at Vizag Port CWC's ICD-Dashrath celebrates 8 years of successful operations CWC & FACT sign MoU to set up CFS at Udyogamandal Meeting called to explain BCHAA staff HMRDC aiming at moving 6 m tonnes of cargo in 2008-09 New time limit for FBT scrutiny notice Nath to confer on FTA with Canada next month Talk on foreign policy implications for business tomorrow

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MAY 6, 2008
Wilkinson named new Weber VP Smits joins German logistics association advisory council Hapag-Lloyd TUI ' John Fredrik threatens to bail out ANA continues with another record year Shanghai'Ningbo bridge opens Norbert Dentressangle increases turnover

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MAY 6, 2008
Passengers taken off grounded cruise ship Precious profit up GL buys Malaysian-based consultancy Belships' operating profit doubles Block stow warning Swire Pacific's major China AHTS order Dryships sells, and buys EC approves STX takeover of Aker

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MAY 6, 2008
Heavy lift Fjord loads first cargo American Commercial Lines reports Q1 results Transocean gets drilling contract for another newbuild drillship ENSCO orders fifth ultra-deepwater semi

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MAY 6, 2008
India Register gets monopoly on statutory surveys LEADING class societies have lost authorisation to undertake statutory surveys on Indian flag vessels. Indian Register takes centre stage in Asia Tui board squares up to Fredriksen at AGM battle JOHN Fredriksen has pulled out all the stops to secure the removal of Jürgen Krumnow as chairman of Tui's supervisory board. SNRH wins injunction against licence suspension TUG crew back at work after court declares move by Le Havre port authority is invalid.

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MAY 6, 2008
French workers walk from yard talks A FRENCH government pledge to exert a right of access over investments and strategic decisions at STX-controlled Aker yards has failed to quell angry complaints from unions. Liner lobbyist joins Team McCain WORLD Shipping Council president and CEO Christopher Koch is departing his post as the liner trades' chief advocate in Washington to serve as policy coordinator to presidential hopeful Senator John McCain Orders push up GL profits GERMAN class society Germanischer Lloyd recorded a 15% increase in revenues to €421.7M ($656M) last year, driven by acquisitions and new contracts for its industrial services division Finnish tonnage tax bill mooted ' again FINLAND'S finance ministry plans to present a draft bill for tonnage tax in the next few weeks in an effort to put an end to the continuing slide of the nation's merchant fleet in its foreign trade Drapeng Sun completes maiden voyage The Drapeng Sun, the first LNG ship built in a Chinese shipyard, completed her maiden voyage on 2 May, 2008, according to a report in Bloomberg DFDS sells four tramps DFDS, the Copenhagen-based listed shipping and logistics group, has sold four tramp vessels from its DFDS Lisco subsidiary in Lithuania.

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MAY 6, 2008
WSC's Koch to join McCain campaign World Shipping Council chief takes leave of absence to become policy coordinator for Republican campaign. Trucker protest snarls Port of Oakland TUI plans Hapag sale DHL U.S. chief out New TWIC centers to open FMC schedules meetings Customs Update: Travel and laptop computer searches U.S., Canada toughen rules for Seaway ballast water Canada pushing for South Korea, Colombia trade deals i2 income drops STX Aker sale approved

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MAY 6, 2008
ICG revenue flat but containers up 4% GL acquires risk management consultancy Greek port strikes can go ahead Oil price crashes through USD120 barrier Dublin terminal invests in Tideworks

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MAY 6, 2008
Eagle sinks talons into profits Net income soars by 69% on fleet growth and charter rate gains. Dirty dozen Eleven held last month in US over safety and pollution deficiencies, plus one for security failings. Builder mulls boxship yard Brazil's Maua shipyard has reportedly made inquiries about building a containership yard at a northeast port complex. Up and down for Teekay Lazard Capital Markets analyst drops first-quarter earnings estimates after ratcheting down aframax rates, but second-quarter projections get a boost. Irish bank in for 10% A Bank of Ireland investment advisor arm in Connecticut lifts holding in spin-off Teekay Tankers. Ferry 'practically sunken' Officers union calls for an investigation after a Naviera Armas ropax has spent nearly a week grounded off Morocco. Chopper lifts burn victim The US Coast Guard medevacs a 22-year-old crewman from a Jo tankers chemical tanker. Star Bulk no longer has an Iota Greek bulker owner offloads oldest unit in fleet, Star Iota, to Shanghai-based outfit for $18m. D'Amico earnings jump 77% Italian products tanker player sees first quarter profit aided by ship sale. Erria selling Turkish newbuilding Danish owner puts 60% of latest chemical tanker delivery from Celiktrans Shipyard up for sale. Aker Philly gets $150m boost Oslo-listed yard bags funds to complete 12-ship order from its former partner. DFDS sells four Danish group completes exit from tramp shipping after selling multipurpose quartet to Greek interests. Fredriksen attacks TUI 'club' Tanker tycoon slams German group for not cashing in on the shipping boom and challenges it to behave like a public company. Tanker shot at off Somalia Dutch chemical tanker sustains "minor damage" after coming under fire 300 miles off Somali coast. FEFC calls it a day Liner group to cease operations in October as Europe ends conference system. EMERA tries for westbound hike Europe to Middle East box conference wants $200 per teu more to combat delays and higher costs. Aboitiz loss widens Philippines ferry owner hit by higher fuel costs in first quarter. Mogster steps back Norwegian shipowner resigns as chairman of Dof Subsea and will be replaced by CEO Mons Aase. First is good for First Steamship Taiwanese bulker owner almost doubles profit in initial three months of 2008. Engineer sacking "illegal" Philippines supreme court finds CEC third engineer wrongfully dismissed back in 1999. Samsung strengthens Korean shipbuilder's first quarter profit rises despite provision for Hebei Spirit oil spill. Odfjell profits sliced in half Oslo-listed owner's first quarter income cut 57% due to lower returns from its parcel tanker fleet. Unproductive MPC German fund manager MPC Capital sees first-quarter profit slide 70% as products fail to materialise. Chinese behind Goldenport sale Greek still banks healthy profit from sale of oldie but price lower than reported and buyer not compatriot. Neptune orders in China Norwegian offshore player goes to Sinopacific Group's Zhejiang Shipbuilding for two IMR ships. Hyundai confirms record deal Marmaras of Greece paying $156m each for three VLCCs at Korean shipyard. Profits halve at Belships Oslo-listed bulker owner sees first quarter results slump due to big increase in charterhire expenses. Samudera surges ahead Profits up at Indonesian liner operator on better volumes, rates, utilisation and bunker surcharges. More woe for CH Offshore Profits at Singapore operator slip by nearly 30% in third quarter due to whittled down fleet.

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MAY 6, 2008
Emirates Shipping Line exits U.S. trades STX cleared over Aker Yards shareholding Germanischer Lloyd buys Trident Consultants Goldenport sells bulk carrier TOP Ships takes delivery of drybulk vessel World Shipping Council selects Wood-Thomas as green VP Box crunch shifts some U.S. exports to air Deutsche Post: 1st quarter "very satisfactory" Emirates received $110 million over last year for A380 delays U.S. assists with Air Jamaica's privatization Cargolux to raise fuel surcharge CSX plans link between East Coast ports, Midwest U.S.-flag Great Lakes cargo stagnant in March FedEx Truckload Brokerage expands coverage to Canada U.S., Indonesia continue efforts to improve trade and investment U.S., Canada revise guidelines for potato trade Korea trade deficit with Japan grows USDA allows interstate move of 7 Hawaiian fruits to U.S. mainland FMC to discuss SoCal ports' truck plan Hanjin Heavy Industries alleges extortion in Philippine shipyard project 5 Md. lawmakers oppose proposed LNG terminal at Sparrows Point

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MAY 6, 2008
Foto session possible cause of cruise vessel grounding The grounding of the cruise vessel Mona Lisa some 10 nautical miles from the Latvian coast on Sunday morning, might be investigated by the flag state Bahamas. The vessel is stuck in the sand on the wrong side of the ... STX buy of Aker shares gets green light from EU The EU Commission has approved the STX buy of 39.2 per cent of the shares in Aker Yards. The South Korean shipbuilding group will become the largest shareholder in the company and is expected to have representatives elected to ... Clipper joins up with Argentinean tanker company The Danish Clipper Group has joined forced with a new partner. This time it is the Argentinean company Petro Tank S.A. of Buenos Aires. Together with Clipper they have formed the company Petro Clipper for the purpose of developing shipping ...

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MAY 6, 2008
Fishing vessel owners fined for bunker spill Falmouth harbour authorities welcome court's decision. Kittiwake launches onboard test kit The DIGI Insolubles meter can help determine condition of lubricant oils. Bunker market report from Praxis Arbitrage volumes set to fall Fuel oil inflows to Asian markets slow as prices stifle demand. New tanker for EMSA programme European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) says Swedish-flagged tanker has joined its network. Rotterdam distillates still tight Iran: Bunker sales to exceed 2.5 million mt Sales have increased more than 10-fold compared to two years ago. Adriatic box terminal gains on rising bunker costs Container lines exploiting the benefits of using regional ports. New supplier in Pakistan Greece-based company is supplying the four main grades of bunkers.