BRIEFS

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Strait Talk

Shipping's carbon war
LATE last year, Virgin Atlantic Airlines' boss Sir Richard Branson - together with a number of other very rich sponsors - launched a not-for-profit organisation 'targeting market-driven solutions to climate change'. He may not have anticipated just how quickly appropriate his chosen name, the Carbon War Room (CWR), would become.

Motoring

Honda Civic faces tough test from rivals
Honda Motor Co's Civic, a US benchmark for small cars since 1973, faces its toughest challenge in decades as models from Hyundai Motor Co and US rivals tout better fuel economy and fresher looks.
GM plans to build small battery electric cars in China
General Motors is planning to build small battery electric vehicles in China within two years, and to increase overall production in China to meet local demand, executives said on Monday.

web site

Strait Talk

Shipping's carbon war
LATE last year, Virgin Atlantic Airlines' boss Sir Richard Branson - together with a number of other very rich sponsors - launched a not-for-profit organisation 'targeting market-driven solutions to climate change'. He may not have anticipated just how quickly appropriate his chosen name, the Carbon War Room (CWR), would become.

Motoring

Honda Civic faces tough test from rivals
Honda Motor Co's Civic, a US benchmark for small cars since 1973, faces its toughest challenge in decades as models from Hyundai Motor Co and US rivals tout better fuel economy and fresher looks.
GM plans to build small battery electric cars in China
General Motors is planning to build small battery electric vehicles in China within two years, and to increase overall production in China to meet local demand, executives said on Monday.

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Far East-US trade volumes rise 17 per cent in 2010 Active capacity grows 21pc to 14 million TEU in January Maersk to add two 13,092-TEU ships to AE-7 service CKYH to cut six Far East-Europe sailings after Chinese New Year First full length Yangtze River railway open to traffic Le Havre box volumes up in 2010 despite strikes Successful pirate ship seizures edge up from 51-53 year on year Singapore continues focus on maritime industry Mumbai ship collision panel wants 25-year-old ships banned from India Calm in stormy markets key to logistics success: Dachser chief Qantas resumes A380 Sydney-Los Angeles flights January 16 Airbus, China enter into air traffic control upgrade scheme Financially ailing Air India to be restructured by government Three aviation mishaps in Alaska over single week

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Seashell Logisticsopens Hyderabad branch India-Africa trade can touch $57 bn 14 cos vie for development of Vizhinjam port project 5 bid for installing floating cargo handling facility at Haldia GMB has carved a niche for Gujarat on the maritime map of India Port sector may attract 1.1 lakh cr.investment at Vibrant Gujarat Special Issue of Port Trust Kamgar released Duty-free sugar imports allowed till March 31 Exports set to cross target-Fieo chief Imports of sensitive items rises by 14 pc in April-Oct. Lions social service award for P. D. Rathi New Secy for Spices Board

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JANUARY 11, 2011
USA improving safety at highway-rail crossings The federal railroad administration (FRA) has teamed up with US states to develop model state legislation for use in the development of bills to improve safety at highway-rail grad... RCA subsidiary Express-Interfracht Hungaria founded The merger of the two freight forwarders Raabersped and Mavtranssped in Hungary has created the new company Express-Interfracht Hungaria, a subsidiary of Rail Cargo Austria (RCA), ... Switzerland planning to reduce number of road signs The Swiss government has initiated a review of the nation's traffic laws and road sign regulations. Updating the traffic rules is expected to make them clearer and easier to unders... Augustin expanding network The Austrian service provider Augustin Network is setting up new locations in its main markets, adding two branches and a fleet parking area. Augustin's network is being adapted to...

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JANUARY 11, 2011
General Dynamics to add 400 jobs at Electric Boat Quonset Point BAE develops non-lethal laser to defend against pirate attacks API "deeply concerned" by aspects of spill commission report Spill Commission full report seeks big changes Crowley Maritime acquires Houston freight firm

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JANUARY 11, 2011
Port of Coos Bay Oks lease for call center space with Xerox Crowley reports purchase of Jarvis International Freight Coast Guard petty officer receives public service honor Tacoma Port Commissioners tap Bacon as president for 2011 Troy McClelland to take helm of Snohomish County economic organization

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JANUARY 11, 2011
Mediterranean aframaxes 'withdrawn from market' Earnings tumble into negative territory as owners compete for scarce cargoes Indian demolition rates firm to near $500 per ldt Demolition activity cooled sharply in the opening days of 2011 after a late-December flurry, but rates remained firm and some owners secured attractive deals for their elderly tonnage Mercator Lines secures charters for tanker pair India's Mercator Lines has reportedly chartered out two 42,000 dwt product tankers for between 12-15 months at a rate of $12,500 per day Baltic Dry Index slides to a new 20-month low The Baltic Dry Index slid again today, dropping 15 points to 1,480, with improving panamax rates failing to reverse the fall LNG spot rates double as exports surge Rising exports of liquefied natural gas in November and December saw spot market rates double from $30,000 daily six months ago to more than $60,000, as charterers take ships to carry extra cargoes to South Korea and Europe Uncertainty over coal ports reopening Australian officials unable to predict when operations will resume Rise in grain cargoes from the US Gulf lifts panamax rates Spot rates for panamax bulk carriers are expected to firm this week as coking coal shortages stemming from Australian floods spur an increase in cargos from the US east coast MCA slashes coastguard jobs as rescue centres close Loss of 228 staff and 10 stations needed to improve efficiency and save around '80m Pacific carriers fail to lift rates as capacity fears loom Revenue boost from peak season surcharge likely to be short lived Middle East to Japan VLCC rates dip Saudi Arabia to Japan rates today dropped to W47.7, equivalent to $12,255 per day New labour rules could miss 2012 start date Austerity moves delay sign-up to Maritime Labour Convention 2006 Lloyd's marine market will stay competitive Shipowners to benefit from stable insurance rates Fresh strikes set to cripple French ports CGT trade unions and port employers continue negotiations Watch out for those dark clouds It has been a mixed week for marine insurance Brokers anticipate Asia turnaround Rise in activity expected this year Courts take a hard line over demurrage time bars Owners warned of pitfalls in rules on notification Floods expose hazards in global coal supply Little long-term gain for owners who find they are subsidising coal mining industry Asia's trade prowess is rooted in its past Early maritime traders built a world complete with traffic jams and stone credit cards Industry has greater influence in ship design trends Research centre will look at ways of making improvements in the performance of ships Business and academia brought closer together at Southampton research centre Lloyd's Register training venture with the University of Southampton is set to focus on innovations in transport, energy and the environment HSH Nordbank and Chinese bank move hailed But Hamburg minister rules out sale off German financier's shipping portfolio Moorhouse takes helm at Maritime London Former Lloyd's Register chief appointed chairman of Maritime London WWL inks long-term lease at Jurong port To develop processing centre for high-and-heavy ro-ro cargo at Singapore hub Crowley snaps up Jarvis International US line expands logistics reach as it buys freight forwarder Disasters hunt in packs It is surprising that many ship operators appear to be vulnerable to all sorts of liabilities and are unable to claim force majeure New kid in town There is more evidence that Chinese banks are eyeing longer-term strategic moves into international ship financing TCC close to buying its first ship Set to complete purchase of Taicang Dragon for $28.8m in February New Vopak terminal to boost Europe oil reserves To build and operate terminal with NIBC European Infrastructure Fund Excel lifts fleet coverage with further index-linked capesize deal Five-year time charter deal agreed for Greek owner's latest addition, Mairaki

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JANUARY 11, 2011
S&P cuts OSG debt rating S&P today graded down its credit rating of Overseas Shipholding Group by two notches, citing the tanker major's "weak, highly leveraged business profile". DnB tops 2010 syndicated loan tally SYNDICATED shipping and offshore loans topped $50M in 2010, with DnB NOR Bank leading the pack, according to data compiled by Dealogic. China iron imports in first drop since '98 CHINA'S iron ore imports dropped in 2010, for the first time in a dozen years, IHS Global Insight reported today. Tighter spill liability urged - but not on shipping AN INQUIRY into causes of the Deepwater Horizon disaster today focused squarely on offshore facilities ' and did not mention increased shipping liability caps. Brazil car imports up 144% VOLUMES of passenger cars imported into Brazil on vehicle carriers surged 144% year on year in 2010, IHS Global Insight reported today. US mariners fly home after Ceuta ordeal FOUR US seafarers are today flying home to Florida from Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta, where they had been stranded 1 n-mile offshore for five weeks. Crowley buys global energy broker Jarvis CROWLEY Maritime today continued to expand into freight brokering with the purchase of Jarvis International. Gazprom closes LNG deal with India's GSPC GAZPROM Marketing & Trading said today it has agreed to sell about 300,000 tonnes of LNG to India's Gujarat State Petroleum Corp. Yangzijiang earmarks $128.6M in IPO proceeds YANGZIJIANG Shipbuilding said it plans to use NT$3.76Bn ($128.6M) of its Taiwan IPO proceeds as working capital. Malaysia port throughput rise isn't finished MALAYSIA'S ports have reported 14.8% more throughput in 2010 than the previous year, and transport minister Kong Cho Ha today predicted another rise of 7% this year. Shanghai's port profits rocket 43.6% y/y SHANGHAI consolidated its position as the world's busiest box port when it announced today profits of 5.4Bn yuan ($812.5M) for 2010. ExxonMobil slips off VLCC top 10 list THE WORLD'S largest oil group, ExxonMobil has crashed out of 2010's list of top 10 spot charterers of VLCCs. WWL deal will make Jurong ro-ro hub SINGAPORE'S Jurong port will become a regional ro-ro hub with the signing of a long-term deal with global logistics player Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics. Fair weather seen for boxes CONTAINER shipping can plan for a lucrative 2011 even though the gently softening freight rates that marked 2H10 will extend into early this year, according to BIMCO. Port strikes hit Melbourne and Geelong AUSTRALIA'S maritime union has made good on its promise to spread industrial disruption from Western Australia to Victoria, affecting the ports of Geelong and Melbourne.

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JANUARY 11, 2011
NY-NJ Terminals Closing For Winter Storm The Port of New York and New Jersey will close all its marine terminals on Wednesday as the port braces... Donohue Urges Free Trade, Improved Supply Chain U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Thomas J. Donohue on Tuesday called for the abolition of all tariffs on goods moving... STB Sets Hearing on Captive Shippers' Rail Access The Surface Transportation Board will hold a May 3 public hearing to start the first review in over a decade... US Chamber President Calls for Transportation Investment Investment in transportation is a key part of rebuilding the U.S. economic foundation, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce will... Hong Kong Air Freight Growth Slows Cargo traffic at Hong Kong International Airport grew 7.1 percent in November over the same month the year before amid... Railcar Owners Activate More Idled Cars in December Freight railroads, shippers and railcar leasing firms across North America pulled 1,539 freight cars out of storage in December, as... Wholesale Inventories Dip 0.2 Percent as Sales Rise Wholesalers' inventories dropped 0.2 percent in November, the first month-to-month drop in nearly a year, while sales rose for the... World Courier Opens Guangzhou Office World Courier opened a logistics service office in Guangzhou, the third wholly foreign-owned office in China for the cold-chain logistics... Drewry Forecasts East-West Rates to Fall 7 Percent Drewry Shipping Consultants is forecasting average ocean freight rates on major east-west trade lanes will decline 7 percent this year... Labor Dept. Data Highlights Trucking Contraction The number of trucking operations tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics dropped 7.5 percent from 2007 through early 2010,... DOT Closes in on Stimulus Commitments Goal The Department of Transportation's efforts to lock in remaining funds from the 2009 economic stimulus package have it closing in... MSC Hikes Europe-South America Bunker Surcharges Mediterranean Shipping Co. notified its customers Tuesday it will boost bunker surcharges on all cargo transported between Northern Europe and... Bridge Co. President Stamper Released From Jail Dan Stamper, president of the Detroit International Bridge Co., was released late Monday afternoon after spending a few hours in... Crowley Acquires Energy Logistics Company Crowley Maritime is expanding its reach into the energy and oil market with its acquisition of Jarvis International Freight, a... Joe Cutrona, Former NASSTRAC Chief, Dies Joe Cutrona, who led the association representing small parcel shippers for two tumultuous decades of change in the U.S. transportation... Senator Seeks Home for Orphan Earmarks Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., is asking Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to bring home the money from unused or "orphaned" congressional...

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JANUARY 11, 2011
French port strikes clarified Drewry predicts east-west rates to continue falling Brisbane prepares for the great flood PWC report reveals 'changing world order' Savannah welcomes CSAV's AMEX service

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JANUARY 11, 2011
S&P slices OSG ratings Agency lowers New York-listed tanker owner's credit and debt ratings as rates rock industry forecasts. Hartmann lands LPG hire Diversified German owner fixes out last of three gas carriers tied to 2008 boxship order swap, brokers say. Seoul eyes US grain trade STX Corp and Hanjin Transport said to be in talks with South Korean government over acquisition of US grain trading house. Green Reefers plots split Kristian Eidesvik-controlled reefer owner asks shareholders to bless reverse split as stock price raises red flag. Bulker in Red Sea scare Mystery surrounds late-night incident where shots were fired at capesize Orient Crusader. Prosafe seeks suitor Oslo-listed rig owner eyes summer picnic to keep busy while waiting for $35m accommodation contract to commence. Skimmer row goes to court Louisiana shipyard sues state contractor USES and Oil Piranha over payments for 14 oil units. Greek tanker beats pirates Goldenport panamax Alpine Persefone avoids hijacking deep in the Indian Ocean. Boost for US offshore duo Rising rig count and slowing OSV newbuilding flow helps draw upgrades for Tidewater and Gulfmark. Owning debut for TCC Copenhagen-based newcomer close to acquiring its very own container vessel. Adani eyes new ports Indian group targets domestic terminal dominance through talks for east coast sites. LNG newbuild prices jump Pareto Securities says $30m has been added to the price tag of a new LNG carrier, pushing the total fee up to $210m. GNMTC suezmax attacked Pirates attempt to hijack Libyan-owned tanker in the Gulf of Aden, TradeWinds is told. Cruiseship worker on trial Jamaican crewman accused of bringing cocaine into Bermuda on RCCL's Explorer of the Seas. Eitzen tanker held Selandia-managed ship detained in Germany over storage of oil waste.

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JANUARY 11, 2011
QualaWash snaps up PSC Container Services QualaWash Holdings, a provider of services for commercial and industrial portable liquid and dry bulk containers in North America, has signed a definitive stock purchase agreement with PSC to acquire PSC Container Services. "PSC''s tank trailer cle... CN unveils 'green' chassis Canadian National Railway said it will roll out an innovative chassis in April that it expects to reduce fuel consumption by 8 percent to 10 percent for trucking of CN containers to and from its intermodal terminals. The "EcoRide" chassis has seve... New Military Sealift Command Mideast head The U.S. Navy''s Military Sealift Command has named Capt. David A. Geisler to head of its Middle East operations. He replaces Capt. Donald D. Hodge, who has held the position since August 2009. Geisler will be responsible for coordinating the air a... Wallenius Wilhelmsen opens Singapore facility Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics said it has signed a long-term lease with Singapore's Jurong Port to develop and manage an on-dock processing center that will cater to manufacturers of heavy rolling equipment such as agricultural, mining and constru... Clarification: NYK joins Evergreen Asia/Europe loop American Shipper last week reported that NYK Line hadjoined as a slot buyer an Evergreen Line-operated service between Asia and Europe . The report inadvertently omitted calls the service -- Evergreen's CES loop -- makes at Tanjung Pelepas (PTP). T... Evergreen splits intra-Asia loop into two An intra-Asia service operated by Evergreen Line that previously linked Korea and Japan with Taiwan and the Philippines has been split into two separate regional loops, according to American Shipper affiliate ComPair Data. Evergreen's KTP service i... Maersk launches Europe/Mexico service Maersk said it is launching a direct weekly service between North Europe and the East Coast of Mexico, making the pitch that the absence of an intermediary U.S. port call "will save the exporters hassle of the country's stringent regulations for cu... Hyundai exits Southeast Asia/Australia loop Korean liner carrier Hyundai Merchant Marine has dropped out of a multicarrier loop linking Southeast Asia and Australia, according to American Shipper affiliate ComPair Data. Six carriers remain (either as vessel operators or slot buyers) on the ... GT Nexus adds truck capability to service GT Nexus said it had added new capabilities designed to support truck transportation to its transportation management system. The company said the internet-based truck features link and extend GT Nexus' ocean and air spend management services. Joh... Doesn't hold back

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JANUARY 11, 2011
Family class reefer leaves DK-flag after 20 years J. Lauritzen Ship Management has re-delivered the reefer vessel J'rgen Lauritzen to its Greek owner, the vessel has been sailing under Danish flag for 20 years. The ship was

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JANUARY 11, 2011
Higher bunker prices expected to hit 2011 results Fyffes says it is facing 'higher bunker costs due and less favourable exchange rates'. Bunker prices rise in Fujairah Tight barging in Fujairah until January 17, according to sources. Rotterdam market firms Bunker market "pretty quiet" in Hamburg. Promotion at Bunker Holding Nielsen appointed to Senior Risk Manager. New Group Technical Manager for Cockett Angus Ogilvie, Cockett Group's Technical Director, will retire at the end of the year. Spanish mayor wants talks on bunker risks Offers 'channel of dialogue' with Gibraltar's Chief Minister. Emissions technology company embraces 'Win-Win-Win Formula' Company 'overwhelmed' with product demand, says spokesperson. Singapore, Hong Kong bunker prices hit 12-month high Average demand at Asia's key bunker ports, traders say. Singapore lists bunkers suppliers by volume for 2010 BP Singapore retains top position for seventh year running. Brightoil to tap on China's growing oil imports market China may need 120 VLCCs from the current 50 in line with the growth in oil imports, company executive director says. Tight MGO avails ease in Mumbai Local refiners resume offering MGO at the port, traders say.