INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Anxious eyes on Asian piracy

Piracy attacks are on the rise in Asia for the first time in five years, reports Marcus Hand

Maritime sector keeps growing despite crisis

Lion State licks its wounds as it comes to terms with its deepest ever downturn but analysts say the recovery has begun, writes KEITH WALLIS

Singapore box volumes slowly creeping up

 

Golden Ocean back in black

NEWBUILDING delivery delays and Chinese demand for commodities and have helped bring restructured Golden Ocean Group back from the brink of bankruptcy.

Piracy portal takes risk initiative

SHIPOWNERS will have access to a comprehensive, web-based threat assessment portal from this autumn, in a joint venture between trade association BIMCO and private security specialist Aegis with input from the International Maritime Bureau.

Suez Canal revenues plunge

REVENUES from Egypt’s state-owned Suez Canal reached US$382.9m in July, a 22% fall on the corresponding month in 2008.

Hamburg down by over a fifth

THE PORT of Hamburg reported total turnover of 54.2m tonnes in the first half of the year, a drop of 23.7% compared with the same period in the previous year.

Panama Canal results are buoyed by toll increases

THE PANAMA Canal Authority has posted higher than expected revenues in the first nine months of its financial year, reflecting the resilience of the waterway in the face of the global downturn.

STX Pan Ocean drops into red

STX Pan Ocean plunged US$112m into the red in the first half of the year as the dry bulk shipping collapse took its toll.

High winds big blow to ports

Terminals need to prepare for storms which cost the global economy US$72bn in 2008, writes JERRY FRANK

Europe may bar strike cargoes

CARGOES loaded by strikebreaking workers at Ireland’s largest container facility could be blocked elsewhere in Europe.

Hutchison is upbeat despite lower result

THE GLOBAL recession has started to ease but a global recovery is not yet a certainty, according to Hong Kong ports giant Hutchison Whampoa chairman Li Ka-shing.

Thune Andersen quits Maersk

AP MOLLER-Maersk high-flyer Thomas Thune Andersen has resigned as chief executive of Maersk Oil and is stepping down as partner in the governing firm of shipowners.

Sinotrans to rejuvenate fleet

SINOTRANS Shipping, one of China’s largest shipping companies, is set to almost double the size of its fleet from 1.7m dwt to 3.1m dwt by 2011.

Hapag-Lloyd cuts more jobs and pay

SEVERE internal cost-cutting measures being put in place by struggling container line Hapag-Lloyd include salary cuts of between 10% and 20%, while “further headcount adjustments” are being considered.

Glimmer of hope as rates on key routes start to rise

FREIGHT rates are finally heading in an upwards direction on the world’s two biggest trade routes as container lines keep capacity under tight control.

Panama flag sees 10% growth

PANAMA’s flag register increased to 8,644 vessels at the end of July, rising from 8,605 in December 2008.

Port of London in gateway plea

PORT of London Authority’s (PLA) chief executive has called for the UK government to take a “sensible” approach to the economics of London Gateway, DP World’s 3.5m teu hub which is “under review” because of the global downturn.

Sharp fall in volumes for PLA as recession bites

PORT of London Authority saw volumes fall 16% to 23m tonnes in the first half of this year, compared with the same period in 2008.