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Strikers blockade oil depot in France
French fishermen demanding state aid to cope with soaring fuel costs blockaded France's largest Mediterranean oil depot at Fos-sur-Mer yesterday, escalating a 10-day protest movement.
Hamburg to join bid for TUI's Hapag-Lloyd
Hamburg, home to TUI AG's Hapag-Lloyd unit, will join MM Warburg & Co and billionaire Klaus-Michael Kuehne to bid for the container-shipping company, the German city's Finance Senator Michael Freytag said yesterday.
Strike closes six more Norwegian airports
Another six Norwegian airports closed yesterday as a ground workers' strike escalated, creating transport problems for the oil industry which relies on airports in western Norway for access to offshore rigs.

Strait Talk

Misdeclared cargo poses challenge
I CAN still remember the embarrassment although the incident in question happened 35 years ago. I was the third officer of a conventional general cargo liner and, as such, responsible for recording the details of all cargo in the ship's stowage plan.

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Shipping News

Strikers blockade oil depot in France
French fishermen demanding state aid to cope with soaring fuel costs blockaded France's largest Mediterranean oil depot at Fos-sur-Mer yesterday, escalating a 10-day protest movement.
Hamburg to join bid for TUI's Hapag-Lloyd
Hamburg, home to TUI AG's Hapag-Lloyd unit, will join MM Warburg & Co and billionaire Klaus-Michael Kuehne to bid for the container-shipping company, the German city's Finance Senator Michael Freytag said yesterday.
Strike closes six more Norwegian airports
Another six Norwegian airports closed yesterday as a ground workers' strike escalated, creating transport problems for the oil industry which relies on airports in western Norway for access to offshore rigs.

Strait Talk

Misdeclared cargo poses challenge
I CAN still remember the embarrassment although the incident in question happened 35 years ago. I was the third officer of a conventional general cargo liner and, as such, responsible for recording the details of all cargo in the ship's stowage plan.

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Cosco seeks stake in the big Greek port of Piraeus Seaspan takes delivery of first of eight circa 2,500-TEU containerships Maersk recasts east coast South America-Europe service CMA CGM announces ANDEX South America west coast service World container demand lower, pulls down US intermodal traffic Shortage of seafarers in coming years alarms Drewry think tank First China-Mexico flight service to be launched in late May Dragonair to acquire two more Airbus A320-200s Air Berlin commences Beijing-Dusseldorf service Heathrow's Signet International clinches Queen's Award for Enterprise

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SCI plans to acquire more OSVs Balaji Shipping mapping out new frontiers Ship with sugar cargo hijacked; fate of 10 Indians uncertain MMTC to import 8 m tonnes coal 31 pc rise in veg oil imports MoS to spend Rs 5K cr. on executing port expansion projects in 2008-09 Dubai co. keen on setting up port & shipyard in Gujarat CONCOR & FACT join hands to establishb CFS in Kochi D. S. Jha holds reins of NCHAA Doesn't add up! India, Finland to update air services pact in Aug. Rangarajan panel moots 10 pc MAT on SEZ units GJEPC keen to promote India as trading hub Assocham optimistic of India-Pak trade talks Foreign Trade Policy Analysis: Current Trends-By M. Sreedharan

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MAY 20, 2008
Management reshuffle at Schenker CKYH alliance to modify services and link K-PNW and AES2 BAWC shows strong revenue performance ERS Railways: More trains to Poland Skandia Autologistics is now Avelon Group

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MAY 20, 2008
Piracy attacks around the globe Currency loss and volatile bulk rates hit Camillo Eitzen's Q1 Euroseas buys boxship NCL settles equal opportunities case

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MAY 20, 2008
U.K. set to sign aircraft carrier contract GE and C-MAR team on hybrid tug technology $550 million plan for LNG import facility offshore NJ Earthrace nears Hawaii USCG amends Vessel Security Officer regs SpeedFerries buys SpeedOne

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MAY 20, 2008
MHI stands firm against steel mills' demands MITSUBISHI Heavy Industries denies reports it has agreed to increases of $200 per tonne. Material costs may threaten MHI deal Aker Yards' shares plunge after Saevik sell off SHIPBUILDER'S market value slashed as Per Saevik disposes 11.45m shares at reduced price. Excel has doubts over newbuilding deliveries YARD's failure to secure refund guarantees could wipe out half of Excel's newbuilding programme.

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MAY 20, 2008
Takeover bid for Hapag-Lloyd A GROUP of investors including the Hamburg state government is bidding to buy Hapag-Lloyd, which is being sold by the German tourism group TUI, Hamburg-based bank M. GAC puts off IPO plans THE Gulf Agency Company (GAC), a global provider of shipping and logistics services, has decided not to proceed with plans for an IPO, according to a report in Emirates Business KDB to manage Daewoo sale KOREA Development Bank (KDB) will manage the sale of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering itself after splitting with Goldman Sachs Group as a co-adviser, because of potential conflicts of interest Three die in Everglades gas leak HAZARDOUS materials crews are investigating a chemical leak that killed three people early today aboard a ship that is alongside at Port Everglades Slower ro-ros 'CO2-friendly' A change of attitude including a reduction in the speed of vessels is needed in the ro-ro industry, said Arild Borgund Iversen, president and CEO of Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, at the RORO 2008 Conference in Gothenburg Oz cargo 'contamination' row THE JAPANESE Agriculture Ministry has rejected a 20,000-tonne shipment of West Australian barley after claiming residues of the insecticides Amitraz and Fipronil were detected in a pre-shipment sample.

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MAY 20, 2008
Environmental report says Long Beach plan will aid handling, cut pollution Middle Harbor Redevelopment Project will improve efficiency while reducing pollution by more than 50%, according to Corps draft report. Hamburg joins consortium to bid on Hapag-Lloyd APL doubles capacity at Global Gateway in Oakland Evergreen links Aus., E. Asia Gas leak aboard ship kills three at Port Everglades Wal-Mart not adding DCs RFID: $9.7B by 2013 LNG trucks for LA-Long Beach FMC delays meeting Dockworker strike continues at Port of Marseilles Savannah boxes up 19%

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MAY 20, 2008
Upgrade and slow-steaming for Maersk's ME3 service Hamburg to bid for Hapag-Lloyd Salalah to phase in more cranes Leaking container kills three in Florida Obama sides with opponents to Chicago railroad acquisition by CN

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MAY 20, 2008
Cowen's (belated) payday Settling with ousted chief executive cuts $1.1m from OceanFreight's first-quarter earnings. Ice, dredging hurt lakers Thickest ice in years hampers fleet, and light loading in 'dredging crisis' didn't help. OceanFreight logs profits US-listed bulker owner's adjusted net profits beat analyst expectations. Color Line sells oldie Finland's Stella Naves Russia pays $20.8m for the Chrisitian 4. O brother, where art thou? In the case of the Mapas, it could be on the bridge or in the engineroom of a car carrier. Elders demand ship release UAE ship hijacked off Somalia chased from one port to another by angry elders threatening armed intervention. Hamburg vies for Hapag NOL has competition as German city teams up with Klaus-Michael Kuehne to bid for TUI's container line. Three dead in gas leak Deaths on ship berthed in Port Everglades blamed on argon from reefer container. DFDS makes losing start Danish ro-ro ferry player posts first quarter loss as volumes stagnate and costs rise. Dry high in sight? Baltic Dry Index set to reach new record on Tuesday as rumours circulate of $305,000 capesize spot deal just failing. No dollar woe for Platou Private Norwegian broker banks heavier annual profit despite 20% drop in value of US dollar against kroner. Indian ports set for major boost Shipping ministry lines up 10 expansion projects at cost of $1.2bn in current year. Four revved up for Piraeus bid Foreign quartet want to take over car terminal at Greece's largest port. Jadroplov falls to forex loss Croatian bulker and boxship owner hit by weaker US dollar in first quarter. Aker slumps on Saevik's shock exit Norwegian shipbuilder's market value sliced by 7% after shipowner dumps his 11.45 million shares at a heavy discount. Eitzen goes into reverse Weaker bulker market pushes Axel Eitzen's Camillo Eitzen holding company into the red in first quarter. Bigger is better for Goedee Larger fleet and lower crewing costs help Dockwise to post improved profits in the first quarter. CMA CGM targets South America French liner giant to start its own weekly service dedicated to the west coast of South America. Norden high on dry Danish owner posts large first-quarter profit increase as volatile dry-bulk market reaps rich rewards. Eidesvik earnings up Norwegian offshore owner beats the falling dollar as first quarter profits rise by a fifth. Swords to ploughshares Former Aussie navy high-speed catamaran purchased by low-cost English Channel ferry operator. Evergreen shifts focus Taiwanese box line launches its first link to Australia from East Asia.

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MAY 20, 2008
ISS to put focus back on liner agencies French Court rejects Prestige claims against ABS Thai carrier reports dip in profit, revenue DryShips rides record dry bulk rates Intermarine contracts for eight more ships Chilean lines alter U.S. Gulf, Mexico, Central America loop Far East/Europe trade swelled by new deliveries CSAV recalls Far East ports to Pacific Caribbean service Euroseas buys containership Safmarine names 2,474-TEU ship British Airways World Cargo revenue up 3% Pennsylvania announces turnpike-leasing bid Motor carrier Jevic goes out of business STB awards utility $30 million in case against UP Commerce seeks input on refining deemed export policy Wincanton changes German management PCC takes trade agenda to Washington Schenker management changes SoCal ports respond to FMC information request on antitrust agreement L.A. port commissioners grill PierPass chief Long Beach port to break five-year development moratorium Port of Salalah buys cranes

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MAY 20, 2008
Pirates seized aid vessel The 4.787 DWT Jordanian-flagged cargo vessel Victoria, built 1997, carrying 4,200 tonnes of sugar in humanitarian aid from Denmark to Somalia was seized by pirates 35 nautical miles off Mogadishu on Saturday evening. The vessel is operated by ... Orkla Finans behind new shipping company Norwegian Orkla Finans will stake NOK 1 billion in a new shipping company named Atlantis Navigation. The aim is to control a fleet of 15 vessels within three years. It's not yet announced which kind of vessels the new company ...

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MAY 20, 2008
New offices for growing UAE supplier 30% growth in past year, new offices opening in Dubai and Greece. Bunker market report from Praxis Fishermen's fuel protests, strikes, hamper bunkering Bunker business lost as vessels skip French oil hub to avoid delays. Rotterdam barge market remains tight Evergreen announces new Taiwan-China-Australia Express New service replaces the North Asia-China-Australia Express. Malaysia seizes 'illegal fuel' Authorities seize vessel off Pulau Payar. Indian refiner urges tax break on bunkers Indian bunker market suffering due to 'uncompetitive prices', IOC says. Salvors 'exposed' to bunker spill damages International Salvage Union has repeated concerns about the bunker spill convention.