NATIONAL NEWS

Exporters exuberant

AUSTRALIA’S tourism and mining industries were hardest hit by the global financial crisis but there appears to be light at the end of the tunnel with the majority of exporters believing that sales will increase in the next 12 months.

Humpbacks entertain the marine world in Port Phillip Bay

WHALE SPOTTING: Correspondents from Melbourne report a fleet of humpback whales in Port Phillip Bay over the last fortnight. A ferry skipper sighted up to four of the whales next to the Queen of the Netherlands as she worked to dredge the bay. The ferry Sorrento (pictured above) had to give way to a whale on a sunny Sunday afternoon as crowds watched on from the shore.

Canberra to push against marine pests

THE FEDERAL Government has ramped up its efforts to combat marine pests.

Hunter coal producers asked to join export expansion plan

HUNTER coal producers have been invited to participate in a potential 30m tonne expansion of Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group’s (NCIG) export terminal in Newcastle.

2010 nominated to be the year of the seafarer

NEXT year will mark the Year of the Seafarer, the council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has declared in a session in London, endorsing a proposal from secretary-general Efthimios Mitropoulos.

More heat on Swire over spill

SWIRE Shipping has been asked to remove containers that have been on the seabed off southeast Queensland since the Pacific Adventurer casualty.

DP World invests in future of Port Botany

INTERNATIONAL stevedore DP World has committed to making new investments as part of an agreement to operate at Sydney’s Port Botany for another 15 years.

Hapag-Lloyd needs cash to survive

GERMANY’S largest container line, Hapag-Lloyd, needs fresh capital of more than €1bn (US$1.4bn).

Rowsthorn reduces stake in Asciano

CHIEF executive Mark Rowsthorn has reduced his stake in Asciano when taking up his entitlement under the company’s recent capital raising process, Asciano confirmed on Tuesday.

Third Sydney stevedore decision soon

SYDNEY Ports Corporation expects to announce its decision on Port Botany’s third container terminal operator by mid-August.

Golar enters liquid natural gas market with WA joint-venture

JOHN Fredriksen’s Golar LNG is expanding its presence in the liquefied natural gas logistics chain with its first floating liquefaction unit.

Deltec buy extends Toll’s presence in Asia market

THE TOLL Group, which has expanded into freight forwarding in Asia, is planning a similar move into the express parcels and courier sector after acquiring three mainly Hong Kong-based outfits.

Newbulker ‘deluge’ to counter congestion

OWNERS of dry bulk tonnage hope chronic delays at ports in China and Australia will continue to prop up freight rates, as a “deluge” of new ships is delivered from yards this quarter.

Caution on rates despite iron ore trade imbalance

COAL and iron ore seaborne trade hit 460m tonnes in the second quarter of 2009, the fifth highest volume recorded since 2004 and up from 419m tonnes the previous quarter.

Centre simulates real sea situations for Australian Maritime College

AFTER more than two years in the making, the Australian Maritime College (AMC) this month unveiled its new $7m simulation complex.

Coal demand returning to Queensland

THE PORT of Abbot Point set a monthly tonnage record in June, exporting almost 1.66m tonnes of coal in a reflection of improving export numbers for other Queensland ports