NATIONAL NEWS

New focus on secure cargo

THE AUSTRALIAN Maritime Safety Authority has the loading and securing of containers and the locking of hatch-covers in its sights.

Decision time for WA grain rail

THE WESTERN Australian Government is expected to reveal its plan of action for the state’s decaying grain rail network by the end of the month.

WA hits Prime with $73m tax bill over ARG purchase

THE NEW year has been soured for Prime Infrastructure Group, (formerly Babcock & Brown Infrastructure), with the Western Australian Government slapping the company with a $71.3m tax bill.

Western Plains secures Flinders Ports export deal

WESTERN Plains Resources has signed a memorandum of understanding with Flinders Ports which will see a boost in bulk throughput at either Port Pirie or Port Adelaide.

Australian port queues fuelling global congestion

CONGESTION at Australia’s bulk ports shows no sign of easing.

Industry calls for federal help as offshore strike starts to bite

ACCUSATIONS and counter-accusations continued to fly between industry groups and the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) as offshore support seafarer strikes rolled on last week and federal workplace relations minister Julia Gillard ignored calls to become involved.

Newcastle sets export record in December

THE PORT of Newcastle shipped a record of almost 52m tonnes of cargo in the six months to December thanks largely to coal, according to data released this week.

Stuart fuel hub at Port Bonython approved

ANOTHER piece in the Port Bonython jigsaw was put in place on Tuesday with South Australian planning minister Paul Holloway approving Stuart Petroleum’s $110m two-stage diesel storage and refinery facility.

Road carnage stirs demands for urgent shift in modal thinking

The holiday road toll in NSW, dominated by accidents involving trucks, has fuelled efforts to drive bulk and dangerous goods back onto the tracks and ocean, reports Rob McKay

Gladstone seeks contractors for LNG dredging project

GLADSTONE Ports Corporation (GPC) has called for dredging contractors to submit expressions of interest in its proposed Western Basin liquefied natural gas (LNG) dredging project ahead of a decision on its environmental submission.

Queensland lines cut by floods

QUEENSLAND Rail has reported an extended series of track closures and damage due to floods.

Green dismay as Bell Bay derailed

THE TASMANIAN Greens believes the state government’s move to axe rail freight services to Bell Bay will create a heavy strain on roads and businesses in the state’s north east.

Railyards to go under new plan for Hobart port

HOBART will lose its port rail yards under the draft master plan for Sullivans Cove released by the Tasmanian Government late in December.

Trade gap wider in November

THE TRADE deficit recorded in November, although an improvement on the previous month’s result, was a sign of the ongoing fallout of the global economic downturn, federal trade minister Simon Crean said.

Chevron and Nippon enter 15-year Gorgon deal

CHEVRON Australia and Japan’s Nippon Oil have signed a heads of agreement for the annual delivery over 15 years of 300,000 tonnes of liquefied natural gas from its $43bn Gorgon project. The latest deal is among a spate of LNG contracts Chevron has secured in recent months.

Bigger Southern Lily to replace island trader

THE SOUTHERN Lily, which currently operates between New Zealand, Tonga, Samoa and American Samoa, will be replaced by a larger vessel of the same name on January 27.

Mariana to use larger vessels for Darwin, Townsville runs

MARIANA Express Shipping will introduce two larger vessels for its Darwin and Townsville services later this month.