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Hopes of ending port row

All hopes are pinned on the resolution of a year-long dispute at a meeting between union representatives and the Lyttelton port today.

Capacity to spare on way for Asian ports?

While ports in the US and Europe face congestion, many Asian exporter nations such as China and South Korea will have container terminal capacity to spare in massive building programs, Citibank analyst Charles de Trenck told this month's TOC Asia conference in Hong Kong.

Clash over coal and woodchips

A legal dispute over the use of a conveyer belt has the potential to cause significant disruption to the export of coal and woodchips from Bunbury Port.

Focus on mismatched hours

The Victorian Freight and Logistics Council's is to host a series of workshops to discuss the issues surrounding the mismatch of operating hours in the port of Melbourne containerised supply chains.

Fortescue says claims are `negotiation strategy'

The media stoush between Fortescue Metals and China Metallurgical Construction (Group) Corp took on a new dimension on Tuesday when the Australian miner rebutted strongly claims its deal with the Chinese company was not binding.

Land grab fears on waterfront

The hard-pressed Melbourne Maritime Museum on the south bank of the Yarra River may be under serious threat.

Swire set to shuffle NGPL service into new loops

Swire Shipping has restructured its New Guinea Pacific Line, dropping the New Zealand leg of the service and adding in a new eastbound new link from southeast Asia to Papua New Guinea.

Um Qasr silo delivering

Infrastructure problems hampering the import of 1m tonnes of AWB wheat at Um Qasr port in Iraq have been resolved.

Woodside hopes high for Browse

Woodside Petroleum is hoping its Browse gas field west of Broome can be developed in the next four years as part of a liquefied natural gas project.

Lufthansa carries 11% more cargo

Lufthansa Cargo carried nearly 1.8m tonnes of cargo last year, which was 10.9% more than in the previous year, parent Lufthansa said . Despite a concurrent expansion of the freight capacity offered, the utilisation ratio climbed to 67%, up from 65.6% in 2003.

More weight in cargo, says No. 1

Deutsche Post is hoping for a rise in net profits to e2bn (US$2.6bn) for the current year, not least thanks to the use of new financial accounting standards.

The face of transport changes in makeup

“Where's your tie?” a woman was asked when she entered a boardroom full of men working in senior positions in the maritime sector.

Tiger in the fuel tank

It is surprising what hides behind the present euphoria about freight rates in so many sectors.

NYK aims to boost fleet to 880 by 2010

Japan's largest shipping line NYK is to spend an unprecedented US$13.8bn to achieve the goals in its latest mid-term management plan.

Profits put TT Club on course for a ratings lift

Leading insurer Through Transport Club has confounded critics by producing its biggest profit in history and setting itself on the road to a ratings upgrade.

Sinotrans margins pinched

Admitting that there is “intense competition in the Chinese logistics market”, freight forwarder Sinotrans's president, Zhang Jianwei, said China's largest transport company's net margin was squeezed from 4.05% to 3.66%a in 2004.

Cargo plane hits rocks in lake

Human error is suspected to be the most probable cause of the crash of a Boeing 707-300 aircraft as it approached Entebbe airport on March 19 to refuel.

Maritime casualties

CORNER BROOK (Bermuda)

One day of protest fails to stop French quota

Striking French seafarers clashed with riot police last week as they sought to disrupt services through the Channel tunnel and block access to the nearby A16 motorway.

Slick threatens Goa beaches

India's Coast Guard is fighting to contain 110 tonnes of fuel that leaked into the sea off Goa after a barge collided with bulk Maritime Wisdom at 0100 hrs at Panjim.

Submarine 'sank French trawler'

Andrew Spurrier, Paris.

Ten trapped on burning ship

At least 10 people are feared dead after they were trapped on burning vessel Polaris in Ghana's main port of Tema, the BBC reported.