South African carrier takes delivery of ex-TNT Airways Bae freighter Fair Aviation, based at Johannesburg's Lanseria aiport (South Africa), recently took delivery of its first ex-TNT Airways Bae 146-200(QT) freighter. The charter and ACMI specialist...
Loan for new rail terminal in Moldova The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is lending USD 12 million to Danube Logistics, the owner and operator of Giurgiulesti International Free Port, to financ...
DAF expects Europe's heavy trucks market to rise With a market share of 16%, DAF strengthened its position in the European heavy truck market in 2012 (2011: 15.5%) and is now the second largest truck brand in the Netherlands, Bel...
Pan-European toll charge calculator DKV Euro Service now offers a tool for calculating toll charges for trucks throughout Europe. The calculator takes into account all of Europe's road pricing systems, including the ...
North Carolina Ports Agency names acting executive director The North Carolina State Ports Authority (USA) appointed Jeff Miles as new acting executive director, effective immediately. Miles joined the authority in 2005 as chief operating o...
CSX returns American Red Cross response trucks When the American Red Cross needed to return the emergency response vehicles (ERVs) used in superstorm Sandy to home chapters across the country, the agency turned to CSX and other...
Bahrain Air files for liquidation "Today is a sad day for all Bahrain Air shareholders and employees" - with these words, the Middle Eastern airline declared bankruptcy on 12 February 2013, citing finan...
Röhlig growing despite difficult economic climate Röhlig, an owner-managed global logistics company based in Bremen (Germany), has announced its provisional business results for 2012. The ocean and air freight service provider pos...
Militzer & Münch deepens footprint in Indian subcontinent Militzer & Münch, a global transport and logistics service provider based in St Gallen (Switzerland), has augmented its worldwide network by the addition of three important loc...
UPS and Jabil to provide global reverse logistics services The US integrator UPS has formed a strategic collaboration with Jabil Circuit Inc. UPS's logistics and distribution business unit and Jabil Aftermarket Services will provide optimi...
AF-KL-MP Cargo launches new 15-25'C product for pharmaceuticals Air France KLM Martinair Cargo recently launched a new product called "Variation Pharma Control 15-25'C". It is meant for temperature sensitive pharmac...
Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach post record results in January Los Angeles and Long Beach, the USA's two largest ports, together noted a 5% rise in import container handling and 1% growth on the export side in January this year. California's p...
Evitt to head new V.Ships cell created in pact with Costamare Former InterManager president 'jumped at' new role in Greece
China shipbuilding begins to embrace construction mortgages A rising number of Chinese shipyards are starting to secure their borrowings
CSAV eyes wide-beam boxships Chile-based carrier eyes South Korea orders after capacity cutbacks
Paragon ties up debt restructuring with banks Dry bulk owner wins gentler repayment schedule and posts fourth-quarter profit
Russian antitrust probe targets at least 12 box lines Investigators raid major players' Moscow and St Petersburg offices
Seafrance acquisition will raise cross-Channel freight and passenger prices Brussels reveals initial findings of Eurotunnel takeover probe
Shipping crisis threatens German banking system, Bundesbank warns Quarter of Commerzbank shipping book now graded high risk
OSG reports $20m pre-tax losses for first six weeks of bankruptcy Tax liability 'undeterminable at this stage', company confirms
Overseas Shipholding Group seeks permission to sell three older tankers Firm seeks more time to file reorganisation plan but reports 'good progress'
Diana Containerships scoops Hanjin panamax for $22m Hanjin Malta comes to Greek owner with three-year charter-back deal
Italy's banks ditch tankers and dry bulk to back cruise and offshore deals Private equity has yet to take off as established players cut their shipping exposure
Ex-seafarers feel careers in law and insurance are beyond their reach Job survey finds that those who come ashore are misinformed about pay and prospects
Shell books bargain price product tanker Energy major presses on with long-term charter deals
Could Obama's bucket of cash benefit shipping? The US president has announced a Partnership to Rebuild America, but the role of private capital has been left vague
Oil on troubled waters Brussels has declared that Iran sanctions do not apply to bunker fuels
Vale declares force majeure after rain shuts Mozambique rail link Maputo must upgrade its infrastructure to support growth in coking coal exports
Quarter of Commerzbank shipping loans are high risk, says finance chief Bank's shipping book falls 10% between third and fourth quarters
Caribbean aframaxes enjoy time in the sun Players report highest earnings this year so far
Golden Bric road The World Bank's finance arm is stepping up lending to emerging markets' maritime sector
Red alert German banks are more exposed to shipping than to struggling eurozone countries' debts
German banks are overexposed to shipping, warns Bundesbank Financiers on the hook for $134bn are 'getting into a tough fairway'
Golden Ocean cancels its last three capesizes at Jinhai Decision belies Fredriksen firm's strong fourth-quarter performance
Siem giving losses the slip SPECIALISED reefer ship operator Siem Shipping has started the year on a strong note after almost breaking even last year
Payout buoys Navios NAVIOS Holdings today reported a one-off surge in quarterly profits from a lump-sum insurance settlement, but its drybulk rates have plummeted
OSG plan months away BANKRUPT OSG is seeking a multimonth deadline extension for its restructuring and has revealed new operating and cashflow information
Carnival sells three oldies CARNVIAL Corp luxury brand Seabourn said today that it has sold its three oldest ships to Xanterra Parks & Resorts and that it is planning a newbuilding
Liner capacity glut seen extending BOX SHIP utilisation on the key Far East/Europe westbound route has been forecast to remain poor this year, despite vessel lay-ups
FreeSeas remains listed HANDYSIZE specialist FreeSeas confirmed today it will continue to be publically traded on NASDAQ after it switched market platforms
EC guidelines quashed early THE EC said today it will drop antitrust guidelines that it adopted in July 2008 so shipping could adapt to the liner conference system's demise
Migrant bodies said thrown off sinking vessel FIFTEEN survivors were still in a Sri Lankan hospital today recovering from a migrant smuggling attempt in which 98 dead were said to have been thrown overboard
Eurotunnel challenges competition findings CHANNEL tunnel operator Eurotunnel said today it plans to challenge UK Competition Commission findings
Singapore's Jason Marine adds offshore unit SINGAPORE-listed marine communications provider Jason Marine said it has set up wholly owned subsidiary Jason Energy for the offshore oil and gas segment
Fujian group plans 1.5Bn yuan investment CHINA'S Fujian Provincial Communication Transportation said today it plans a 1.5Bn yuan ($239M) investment in its port and marine shipping businesses
Late New Year Distorts HKIA's January Performance Hong Kong International Airport saw cargo volumes surge in January but the true state of air freight demand ex Asia will not become clear until March due to the distorting impact of the Chinese New Year holidays. HKIA's tonnage increased 21.2 percent to 334,000 metric tons last month as year-on-year volumes...
Hong Kong Trade Volumes Fell in January Hong Kong's Census and Statistics Department today reported the volume of Hong Kong's total exports of goods in December 2012 jumped 13.9 percent, while the volume of imports of goods fell 11.0 percent. The monthly prices of exports of goods inched up 0.7 percent, and the prices of imports of goods...
Trucking Industry Started 2013 'With a Bang,' ATA Says The American Trucking Associations' advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index rose 2.9 percent in January, after increasing 2.4 percent in December 2012. Tonnage has jumped at least 2.4 percent every month since November 2012, gaining a total of 9.1 percent over that period. As a result, the index equaled 125.2...
Charleston's Container Volume Rose 7.7 Percent in January The South Carolina Ports Authority reported that the Port of Charleston's container volume was 121,286 20-foot-equivalent units in January, rising 7.7 percent year-over-year. Container volume for the first seven months of the fiscal year increased more than 11 percent to 892,487 TEUs handled from July 2012 to January 2013, up from...
Air Transport Services Group Appoints Lichte to Board of Directors Air Transport Services Group has named Arthur J. Lichte to its board of directors. Lichte, 63, was commander of the Air Mobility Command at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois when he retired on Jan. 1, 2010, as a four-star general after 38 years of service. He previously served as assistant...
Pacific Imperial Railroad Upgrading Desert Line Pacific Imperial Railroad has been engaging partners to upgrade its Desert Line freight operations in San Diego. In December 2012, the Delaware corporation signed a 99-year lease with the San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway Company and the San Diego Metropolitan Transit Development Board to operate the Desert Line, which provides...
Motor Carriers Binging on Reefers A lackluster outlook for the U.S. trucking industry hasn't stopped traditional dry van operations from expanding into refrigerated business. Roadrunner Transportation and Celadon Trucking Services are among the carriers that acquired reefer operators in 2012 and are ready to continue the expansion. "Last year, we had a total of nine acquisitions,...
Freight Industry Braces for Sequestration Whether or not the so-called sequestration takes effect March 1, the message to the trade and transportation community is clear: Expect more bumps and prepare for cuts. The nation's fiscal tightening threatens not only freight-related transportation programs but also general commerce, particularly shippers and carriers involved in military contracting. Even if...
Panther Appoints Schneeberger President, CEO Panther Expedited Services has appointed R. Louis Schneeberger as president and CEO and Edward R. Wadel as chief operating officer. Andrew C. Clarke, Panther's president and CEO since 2007, has resigned from the Arkansas Best Corporation subsidiary. Schneeberger joined Panther in 2010 as CFO and treasurer. He previously served as CFO for...
Port Logistics Group, Tagsys Test RFID Tracking Port Logistics Group and Tagsys RFID are testing radio-frequency identification in pilot programs for customers at Port Logistics Group's Los Angeles/Long Beach and New York/New Jersey gateways in the first quarter of 2013. The companies said they will partner on development and deployment of Tagsys RFID solutions, integrated with Port Logistics...
USA Truck Names Simone President, CEO USA Truck has appointed John Simone as president and CEO, as well as a member of the board of directors. Former CEO Cliff Beckham has returned to his previous role as the company's executive vice president and CFO, which he previously held from 2002 to 2007. Simone has more than 30 years...
Etihad Cargo's January Tonnage Hit Record High Etihad Cargo reported tonnage in January was 32,613 metric tons, rising 27 percent from 25,600 metric tons in January 2012. The gain was primarily driven by increased demand into and out of China and India, said Kevin Knight, Etihad Airways' chief strategy and planning officer, in a written statement. The company's...
FedEx Targets E-Commerce Market FedEx has launched a new Web-based tool, fedex.com Integration Manager, to serve the e-commerce industry. The company says the new tool is intended to help business owners who manage multiple stores online simplify the shipping process. FedEx small business customers can enter their e-commerce providers' account information once, and fedex.com Integration Manager...
Con-way Launches US-Mexico Intermodal Service Two Con-way Inc. subsidiaries are launching a new intermodal service focused on U.S.-Mexico trade. "With changing global trade patterns and the rise in near-sourcing, Mexico is increasingly a location of choice for manufacturing and distribution," said Saul Gonzalez, president of Con-way Truckload, in a written statement. The Con-way unit already operates...
Trucking Acquisitions Expand Dependable Business is perking up for Dependable Companies. The Los Angeles-based transportation and logistics company recently acquired two trucking-related businesses in Southern California, and is shopping around for more. Dependable purchased C.A.N. Transport, a drayage company in Carson, Calif., and Atlant USA, a Compton, Calif.-based distribution firm. The acquisitions are Dependable's first...
Hapag-Lloyd to Hike North America-Latin America Rates Hapag-Lloyd will hike rates for all cargo and container types on its trade from North America to Latin America, effective April 1. From the U.S. and Canada's east coast to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and east and west coasts of South America, the increase will be $150 per 20-foot container...
Canadian National Appoints Vena EVP, Chief Operating Officer Canadian National has appointed Jim Vena as executive vice president and chief operating officer, according to Claude Mongeau, CN's president and CEO. Vena, 54, will be based in Montreal. Replacing him as senior vice president of the southern region in Homewood, Ill., will be Jeff Liepelt, 53, who is currently senior...
Norfolk Southern Names Nesbitt, Thompson as Directors Martin H. Nesbitt.John R. Thompson.Norfolk Southern has elected Martin H. Nesbitt and John R. Thompson as directors, according to Wick Moorman, chairman and CEO. Nesbitt has been appointed to the audit and finance committees, and Thompson has been appointed to the audit and governance and nominating committees. Nesbitt, 50, of Chicago, is...
Suddenly Seeking Solutions A few weeks ago an intermodal executive asked me a question to the effect of, "Where should we be headed?" As I talked out my answer and the rationale, it occurred to me that on the surface I sounded cringingly mundane, my observation the type that could have been made...
US shippers still have east coast concerns A large US clothing retailer contact of New York-based analyst Scott Group and Ed Wolfe is continuing to divert its imports via Los Angeles and Long Beach until ...
Suez transits 16% down in January The number of ships using the Suez Canal declined by 15.9% in January, compared to the same month of 2011, to 248 vessels with toll revenue falling ...
Maersk goes Chile on China When it opens in December, Maersk Container Industry (MCI) San Antonio will be the first factory outside China producing insulated reefer containers. Currently, ...
German twin ports box volumes show 3.4% rise for 2012
CSAV moves towards more boxship ownership Chilean ocean carrier CSAV has signed a letter of intent with South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries [SHI] for 7 x 9,000 teu wide-beamed containerships ...
Go big or go home Diana Containerships will likely rely on bank debt to fund ship acquisitions if it continues to expand its liner fleet in the months to come, management told investors Tuesday.
Crowley tipped as buyer Crowley Maritime Services is rumoured to be behind a potential order for up to four product tankers at US compatriot Aker Philadelphia Shipyard (APS).
Greek swung STX axe Dilek Shipping of Greece is believed to be the owner behind a double bulker cancellation at STX Offshore & Shipbuilding last week.
FREE buys more time FreeSeas appears to be gaining ground in the fight to keep its public listing alive.
Khan quits DVB DVB is braced for its second big-name departure in a couple of weeks.
Dry deliveries drop Bulker newbuilding deliveries came down by one third in January offering hope for the depressed market.
Box Ships banks more US-listed Box Ships has pumped up profit in the fourth quarter as its containership fleet expanded.
PSV "used in attacks" A supply ship hijacked off Nigeria has been used by pirates to kidnap crew from two others ships, security experts believe.
Seabourn in fleet revamp Carnival Corp offshoot Seabourn is on the verge on ordering a new vessel after agreeing to sell its original three cruiseships as part of the ongoing modernisation of its fleet.
Palios in action again Simeon Palios has continued his acquisition activity with his Diana Containerships today laying down $22m for a Hanjin vessel.
Default cash boosts Navios An insurance pay-out on charter defaults has sent profit rocketing at Greek bulker owner Navios Maritime Holdings.
Penguin marches on Penguin International has seen a bounce in its fourth quarter earnings as revenue rose across the board.
Evitt back at V.Ships Alastair Evitt is returning to V.Ships to head up its Greek business.
Paragon seals debt deal Greek bulker owner Paragon Shipping has finalised debt restructuring that will chop $44m off repayments this year.
EU puts trust in shipping The European Commission (EC) will allow maritime anti-trust rules to expire as they're "no longer needed."
Plan to let Rena rest A proposal to leave part of the wrecked Costamare containership Rena in place off New Zealand has received a mixed reaction from local residents.
Eurotunnel deal in doubt? The UK's competition watchdog has said Eurotunnel's purchase of former SeaFrance ferries could raise prices for customers.
Tanker in French clash A French tanker has been damaged in a collision with a fishing boat off Le Havre.
How deep will GOGL cut? Golden Ocean's latest newbuilding cull has been welcomed in the market but there is some debate as to how many of its remaining orders will survive the cut.
Nordic books $5m loss Denmark's Nordic Shipholding is to book a loss of $5m from repaying debt to Clipper Group.
Russia raids box lines Russian authorities have raided the officers of 13 container lines as part of a probe into possible price-fixing.
BWO sees reversal BW Offshore has seen a reversal of fortune in its final quarter results after overturning a previous impairment on a delayed FPSO conversion.
Heavy-lift occupied Brazilian port workers have boarded a Chinese heavy-lift to protest against state modernisation plans.
Panamax streak to continue Record South American shipments in the second quarter will not be sufficient to haul panamax rates to profitable levels, Bloomberg reports.
More crew seized More crew have been kidnapped in another raid on an offshore vessel off Nigeria.
AMSC avoids OSG bullet American Shipping Company has turned in an improved operating profit during a quarter in which its only charterer filed for bankruptcy protection.
Titanic still on track Australian tycoon Clive Palmer says his replica of the ill-fated liner Titanic is still due to sail in 2016 despite the lack of a final newbuilding contract in China.
No TC beyond 2013 Golden Ocean looks to be positioning its dry bulk fleet for a market recovery from 2014.
Golden cans trio Golden Ocean has walked away from three more newbuildings at China's Jinhai Heavy Industries.
Hedland China cargoes up Shipments of iron ore from world's largest export facility to China increase by nearly 30%.
Vale calls force majeure Vale has declared force majeure on coal exports out of Mozambique due to heavy rainfall for the past two weeks.
Fuel leak caused fire Initial investigations into the engine room fire aboard a Carnival cruise ship earlier this month have blamed it on a fuel leak.
MM&P ratifies 10-year contract The union, which represents 4,500 to 5,000 licensed deck officers and retirees on board U.S.-flag ships, said the members of its offshore group have voted overwhelmingly to ratify a series of 10-year contract extensions.
U.K. group designs 20-foot box with more pallet space The internal length of the box allows it to accommodate an additional four Euro-pallets or two ISO pallets per tier. The door opening width allows fork-lift trucks to load pallets two or three at a time.
Iberia strike could have big impact
Armed warehouse theft in Brazil On Feb. 16, 30 armed men forced their way into a warehouse in the Sao Paulo-based industrial park Centro Logistico Brasil, stealing an unknown number of tablet computers and smartphones, according to FreightWatch International.
USDA considers changes to plant import rules "These proposed changes are necessary to relieve certain restrictions, update existing provisions, and to make the regulations easier to understand and implement," said Rebecca Bech, a deputy administrator at APHIS.
Washington Notebook: Sequester spells delay for international commerce
Alphaliner details week demand at top 25 ports
Aker may build up to 4 tankers for undisclosed buyer
Redundant EU ocean competition rules lapse
Cargolux adds African flight
CH Robinson releases TMS mobile app
Cargo Data's RF in-transit temperature solution
Washington law would have large state ports hire draymen
Risler closed for holiday Risler will be closed on Wednesday, February 20.
IP week starts in style with the Bunker Lunch Petromedia's Bunker Lunch offers a first taste of networking and topical presentations during London's annual bunker industry gathering.
Prices lose direction in Fujairah 180 cSt product lost $8.00 in Durban.
New port planned for Tanzania Project to connect Atlantic and Indian oceans via rail link.
Prices go soft in northern Europe Mixed pricing picture across European ports.
Azerbaijan's state oil company to supply in Ceyhan Five-year lease taken on storage space.
Bunker costs eating into shipowner's profits Annual profits down by 80%.
Engine-room fuel leak caused cruise ship fire Cruise ship was left without power for five days.
Another South Korean refiner to offer LS bunker product S-Oil plans to start offering low sulphur product in April.
Asia bunker prices remain soft In Singapore, IFO 380 cSt material fell $3.50 pmt.
ZIM extends bunker agreement with refiner Price will be set 'according to a formula based on international prices.'
Emma Maersk undergoing repairs Vessel's engine room was flooded at the beginning of February.
Seychelles-based supplier sees bunker sales climb The MT Seychelles Paradise 'has revolutionised the business model of offshore bunkering.'
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