Weekly Edition 28th of May 2009

Casualty Briefs 28-May 2009

 

Bulker crew save fishermen adrift for 13 days

The 1985-built, 70,992 dwt Hebei Courage was at the centre of a sea rescue off the coast of Southern China on May 20.

Fatigue may have contributed to grounding: ATSB

FATIGUE may have been at the heart of a grounding in Port Phillip Bay a year ago, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said last week.

Ferry master criticised on speed in fatality inquest

THE MASTER of the ferry Pam Burridge, which sliced through 10-metre wooden motor cruiser Merinda in March 2007, killing four people, failed to keep a safe speed and proper lookout in the moments before the accident in Sydney Harbour, an inquest has heard.

Second mate at centre of Atlantic Eagle grounding

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has found that a second mate failed to monitor the Atlantic Eagle's progress or establish her position when given the helm before she grounded off Albany last year.

New entrant on China trade?

DESPITE no signs of a recovery in China-Australia container volumes, a new weekly service could be introduced within a matter of months.

New lease on life after long wait for DP World

DP WORLD is close to securing a new lease to continue operating at Port Botany.

Botany fees up to keep plans on track

SYDNEY Ports Corporation will raise its fees in line with consumer price index (CPI) increases as it battles to ensure it has enough funds for the $1bn Port Botany expansion.

Online extension

LLOYD’S LIST DCN has extended its free online access period until the end of May.

Senate mulls next move on quarantine cost recovery

NON-LABOR senators were waiting on the detail before deciding whether to block quarantine cost recovery moves flagged in this month’s Budget.

Peak bodies in cautious welcome to centralised transport regulations

THE AUSTRALIAN Transport Council gave land transport peak bodies a glimpse of the holy grail of national regulation last Friday.

Port Bonython application in

PORT Bonython Fuels this week lodged a development application with the South Australian Government for the construction and operation of its fuel storage and distribution facility at Port Bonython in the state’s Upper Spencer Gulf.

Cruise delay after swine flu detected

THE CARNIVAL P&O cruise ship, Pacific Dawn, was held in Sydney for several hours on Monday after the company’s screening process returned positive human swine flu tests on two incoming passengers.

Swire speeds up services

SWIRE Shipping’s services shake-up continues apace with changes to its South East Asia-Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands service announced by the line on Monday.

Rotterdam Rules: new laws cover liability in wide net . . .

THE SIGNING in September of the so-called Rotterdam Rules will make ports and terminal operators subject to an “onerous” compulsory liability regime, law firm Holman Fenwick & Willan has warned.

. . . but could be a fuss about nothing

THE ROTTERDAM Rules that are due to be open for signing on September 23 may be like the Y2K Millennium Bug in that “nothing may come of them”, according to Ince & Co partner Ted Graham.

Cracks appear as US and Europe in standoff over liability convention

SHIPPERS in North America and Europe have clashed over new Rotterdam cargo liability rules that are due to be ratified in September.

Farmers oppose ABB Grain plan

VITERRA will struggle to win over farmers who control 45% of ABB Grain as it bids $1.6bn to take over the Adelaide agribusiness.

Barge arrives in Newcastle after mishap off coast

A SALVAGE crew was able to secure an unmanned barge drifting in rough conditions off the New South Wales coast at the weekend.

Back to school for trucking talent

QUEENSLAND has launched two freight transport education initiatives this month.

Port Kembla biodiesel plant now one step closer to construction

THE $243m soybean processing and biodiesel production plant at Port Kembla has been granted planning approval, New South Wales lands minister Tony Kelly said last week.

Hunter coal capacity cut

PORT Waratah Coal Services (PWCS) will cut export capacity through the port of Newcastle next month in a bid to reduce the size of the queue off the port.

Key investment down

INVESTMENT in machinery and transport equipment fell in April reflecting an overall decline in imports of overseas goods, the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show.

Independent marine surveyors – and the survival of the species

The changing role of the independent marine surveyor has been forced by the dramatic changes in shipping of the last 15-20 years

Trade logistics industry set to weather the storm

SERVICE providers in international trade logistics and supply chain management, particularly small to medium enterprises face a challenging business continuum with the downturn of international trade.

Grand plan to the rescue

Fishing boats still disappear, fishermen get swept away from their remote Pacific islands and yachtsmen perish

New life for lifeboats

After more than six years of research, the Safecrafts project has developed an innovative new approach to the safe abandonment of ships at sea.

Nothing out of the box from China trade in 09

CONTAINER lines in the China trade remain extremely cautious about the rest of 2009, especially given persistent rumours that an almost complete newcomer may appear within the next few months.

Japan-China box trade declines 9%

CONTAINER trade between China and Japan fell 9% overall in March.

Wei hails Cosco alliance with aluminium giant Chalco

CHINA’s largest shipping company, China Ocean Shipping (Group), has formed a strategic alliance with the Aluminium Corp of China (Chalco), the country’s largest aluminium producer, to handle freight for the company.

Indian hope in container data

IS INDIA the new China? Could the world’s largest democracy, which now has a population on a par with China, be the engine of the global recovery?

Shekou pulls plug on RTGs

SHEKOU Container Terminal in southern China is set to further upgrade its rubber-tyred gantry cranes with an automated electric coupling system that should improve operating efficiency.

Batista woos Wisco to invest Rio steel plant

CHINESE steel manufacturer Wuhan Iron and Steel Co (Wisco) has signed a landmark agreement with Brazil’s richest man, Eike Batista, that will see billions of dollars of Chinese investment fuel further growth in his rapidly expanding mining and ports empire.

Still standing together

As the International Shipping Federation celebrates its centenary, president Spyros Polemis speaks to Janet Porter about the organisation’s achievements and the challenges ahead

Stern warning on tanker safety

THE TANKER industry has been given an explicit warning that it is being scrutinised for any signs of cost-cutting that could jeopardise safety.

Emissions ‘could grow by 150%’

A RECENTLY published report by a group of experts on the impact of ship emissions on the environment is probably the most comprehensive study of its kind. Despite the uncertainties that the report authors readily admit to, it gives a benchmark and a strong tool for the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to use in discussions over the next steps for reducing the impact of a steadily growing global fleet on the environment.

Pacific box rates plunge

CONTAINER shipping’s woes are showing no sign of easing, with transpacific freight rates remaining under extreme pressure.

NOL’s April volumes down 22%

CONTAINER volumes and freight rates are continuing to contract at an alarming rate, latest monthly figures from Neptune Orient Lines show.

Sea change for Customs, practice?

Huge changes in the structure of customs operations in Australia are underway but it remains to be seen how much this will improve the lot of customs brokers and freight forwarders, writes ROB McKAY

Plastic fantastic and just for forwarders

AUSTRALIAN trade, credit and facilitation platform provider Octet has had its eyes set firmly on freight forwarders as it seeks greater acceptance.

GST reforms remain subject to refinement

ANY SECTOR looking at what it takes to shift bureaucratic and political inertia could learn a great deal from the Customs Brokers and Forwarders Council of Australia’s (CBFCA) battle to change the way goods and services tax (GST) is applied.

Security scheme awaits its time

THE FUTURE of the authorised economic operator (AEO) scheme appears clouded until such time as it gains broader acceptance from the industry and its advantages become plain.

Japan to challenge subsidies

THE JAPANESE government is looking to resurrect international shipbuilding competition talks amid growing concern over the level of financial support being offered to their Chinese and South Korean rivals.

Singapore warns against indiscriminate anchoring

THE SINGAPORE authorities have hit out again over reports that its waters are dangerously congested with idle ships.

Reefers at all-time low

ABOUT 10% of the specialised reefer fleet is currently inactive, according to Lloyd’s Marine Intelligence Unit. About 40,000 dwt, or 85 vessels, greater than 100,000 cu ft are currently classified as not having any movement or AIS activity for more than 35 days.

Grain of optimism for panamax period rates

PANAMAX spot rates leapt 15% in mid May and have surged more than 60% over the month, with the rally triggering owners to agree longer-term charter deals with some of the world’s major bulk carrier operators.

Chinese company commits to Queensland LNG

BG GROUP’S liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Queensland has gained momentum after a decision by China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) to invest in the development.

LNG raises new funds for Gladstone facility

AUSTRALIA’s Liquefied Natural Gas has completed a fund-raising exercise to support its Fisherman’s Landing project.

UN must take central role in global fight against piracy

AN INTERNATIONAL anti-piracy meeting attended by delegations from 66 nations has proposed that the United Nations play a role to coordinate an international force to combat piracy off Somalia. A draft chairman’s statement from the Kuala Lumpur International Conference on Piracy and Crimes at Sea obtained by Lloyd’s List highlighted several measures to tackle piracy off Somalia including a direct request for the UN to consider “the possibility of taking joint measures through the contact working group on piracy... to suppress acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships off the coast of Somalia”.

US mulls law to put military on its ships

The US House of Representatives has hinted that lawmakers might take matters into their own hands and introduce legislation requiring military personnel on board US flag ships in piracy-prone regions, if US Department of Defence (DoD) and US Coast Guard (USCG) officials do not come up with a similar plan by June.

Readers back Russian call for piracy court

A SURVEY of Lloyd’s List readers – a group not traditionally inclined to support Moscow’s foreign policy agenda – has found that 85% backed Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s call for an international court to tackle Somali piracy.

Health forces Sorensen to quit Maersk

SOREN Thorup Sorensen has resigned as group chief financial officer of Denmark’s AP Moller-Maersk, the leading containership operator and oil and gas group, for health reasons.

Bulk carrier asset values predicted to rise by 20%

BULK carrier asset values are set to increase by at least 20%, according to Dahlman Rose’s latest forecast. The US bank cited improved capesize and panamax spot market rates as the reason behind the upwards revision in ship values.

HSH Nordbank gets bail out

THE WORLD’S largest shipping bank HSH Nordbank will receive a capital injection of €3bn (US$4.1bn) from the states Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg, an extraordinary general meeting decided last week.

Hanjin ups rates on Asia-Med

HANJIN Shipping, South Korea’s largest shipowner, will increase freight rates on its services from Asia to the Mediterranean from June 1.

Operational efficiencies could halve shipping CO₂ emissions

Some lobby groups, including the WWF, agree that there should be a cap on emissions for the whole industry, above and beyond the design index and operational guidelines being developed for individual ships.

Seat at IMO looks set for Asian owners

ASIAN shipowners are on course to get a seat at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) at the end of this year, in a move that should significantly strengthen their influence at the United Nations body.

Splashback

Lloyd’s List DCN readers were all guns blazing on the ongoing issue of CUSTOMS DUTY and GST PAYMENTS last week. Responding to a letter from Jeff Harrod, published in Lloyd’s List DCN’s print and online editions last week, here’s a sample of what you had to say:

Delivering decades of better roads

THE AUSTRALIAN Government will provide long-term road improvements for trucking operators for decades to come through its massive investment in infrastructure under the 2009-10 Budget.

Hollywood already riding to the rescue

WHEN Richard Phillips, master of the Maersk Alabama, was seized and held at gunpoint by pirates for a few days before being rescued by US Navy Seals, he was instantly hailed a hero.

Watch on the coast

THE UK, says a committee charged with looking at the security of borders, is vulnerable to terrorist menace by sea.

Hollywood calling

NEWS that the 55-year-old Maersk Alabama master Richard Phillips has appointed Creative Artists Agency to represent his interests as he sifts through book and film offers begs the obvious question: who should play the lead role in the inevitable blockbuster?

Shipowner calls for more naval forces after attack

A GREEK shipowner whose bulk carrier came under attack in the Gulf of Aden early yesterday has launched an impassioned plea for more naval protection in the area.

Why finesse, not force is the key to negotiating with pirates

The hijack of Maersk Alabama has made it almost certain that some US-flag ships will carry firearms. The head of the company that operates Biscaglia, the first US-owned ship hijacked off Somalia, sees this as a bad idea — and a bad omen, writes Rajesh Joshi

Preventing piracy

Maritime security specialists from US think tank Rand Corp talk to David Osler about a complex problem that may require some unconventional solutions

Atalanta piracy drive fails to woo doubters

GERMAN owners are not entirely satisfied with the European Union’s anti-piracy mission Atalanta, writes Friederike Krieger.

Military repels raid on Total platform

NIGERIAN military personnel have repelled an attack by armed gunmen on an offshore drilling platform operated by French oil major Total, writes David Osler.

Nigeria pirate attacks going unreported, warns IMB Industry left in dark about risk of violence

THE International Maritime Bureau has warned that serious under-reporting of piracy attacks off Nigeria is hampering the fight against increasingly violent incidents.

IMO told faster ships are needed for food aid

SENIOR European Union naval staff want commercial shipping to provide faster and more up-to-date vessels to ensure that World Food Programme aid arrives safely at east African ports, writes Jerry Frank.

Japan sends air support for destroyers on Gulf of Aden anti-piracy patrol

JAPAN has sent two maritime patrol aircraft to east Africa to bolster anti-piracy surveillance operations in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, writes Keith Wallis.

US Navy pinpoints traits of vessels at ‘high risk’

CHARACTERISTICS of vessels most in danger of being boarded in the Gulf of Aden, and of those most likely to escape the attention of pirates, have been profiled by US Navy Intelligence, writes Nigel Lowry in Athens .

Pirates’ greater firepower raises stakes for owners and insurers

Potential use of missiles and grenades is adding to the complexity of the risk environment