Weekly edition 1 September

Post-flood dredging digs in at Bundaberg

DREDGING operations at Bundaberg Port will help undo damage caused by this year’s flood disaster.

Port Kembla steels itself for BlueScope closures

BLUESCOPE Steel’s decision to shut its Port Kembla operations will likely see a decline in the number of ships through the New South Wales port.

Boxed in by a rates scramble – but market forces seem to rule

ADVERTISED freight rates and container surcharges are a staple of the shipping industry and of maritime trade.

Cruise gathering considers state of sector

AUSTRALIA’S cruise industry gathered in Newcastle last week for 15th annual Cruise Down Under conference.

Dumping rules make over

A BILL aimed at strengthening Australian anti-dumping protection against “unfairly”-priced imports, is working its way through federal parliament. And it appears to be quite close to becoming law as it only has three stages out of an 11-stage process, to go.

Shipping in welcome to streamlined maritime regulations regime

INDUSTRY groups have broadly welcomed an agreement to standardise maritime regulations across all states in Australia.

Meat industry mood darkens as world foresees an austerity diet

AUSTRALIA’S livestock and meat (beef) export industries now look set to face a very different 2011 compared to earlier forecasts, according to Australian cattle industry projections 2011, Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) mid-year update.

Golar LNG adds two newbuilds and first FSRU

OSLO-LISTED Golar LNG has confirmed two 160,000 cu metre gas carrier newbuilding options with Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries. The pair follow on from the initial six vessels the company ordered with the Korean yard earlier in the year.

Japanese yards see dream grain ship order slip away

ONE of the world’s largest agricultural processors, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), is considering ordering new vessels – but not the 35 it was rumoured to be buying.

Mercator to buy third coalmine in Indonesia

INDIAN dry bulk-focused shipping line Mercator Lines is investing Rs2.5bn (US$56m) in another coal mine in Indonesia.

China credit squeeze impacts ore

FORTESCUE Metals Group, Australia’s third biggest producer of iron ore, said tighter credit conditions in China have slowed orders from steel mills, writes Bloomberg.

Rising ammonia cargoes lift gas carrier freight rates

INCREASING European demand for ammonia has created extra employment opportunities for large and medium-range gas carriers available to load in the Middle East Gulf and has subsequently put upwards pressure on freight rates for these vessels.

Melbourne’s dredging back wash

MORE than two years since the controversial channel deepening project in the port of Melbourne was completed, feelings still run high.

SA bulk commodities export facility step closer

STRATEGIC design and engineering group Arup, has been chosen to carry out an environmental assessment of a new multi-million dollar export facility in South Australia.

Australia now offers greatest opportunities – and challenge to world’s project specialists

AUSTRALIA right now is probably the world’s most dynamic port design, construction, dredging, maintenance and expansion market. With the current and proposed projects list including works such as the Kembla outer harbour, Oakajee, Onslow, Anketell and Dampier, there are few countries that can match this volume and variety of work.

Pieces falling into place for Oakajee port project

CONSTRUCTION of Western Australia’s multi-billion dollar Oakajee port in the mid-west is currently on track to commence next year.

Port Botany expansion explained in detail

PORT Botany is the commercial seaport that serves New South Wales, Australia and is located on the northern shore of Botany Bay, 12 km south east of the Sydney central business district.

Kai Tak Cruise Terminal conceived

URS/SCOTT Wilson was appointed by the civil engineering and development department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to carry out the design and construction supervision of the site formation for a new cruise terminal at Kai Tak, Hong Kong.

Under construction: Brisbane ferry terminal

QUEENSLAND’S Government has announced that the winner of the Brisbane ferry terminal design competition is a consortium comprised of Cox Rayner Architects, Derlot interior designers and Aurecon engineers (CRDA).

APL freight rates could bottom out

FREIGHT rates for APL in the period to July 29 were slightly higher than in the period to July 2, but were 17% lower than in July 2010, the company said in its latest operational update.

Cosco’s Wei goes as Ma steps up

WEI JIAFU, the outspoken head of China Ocean Shipping Group (Cosco), the nation’s largest shipping company, was expected to stand down as chief executive last week, while retaining the role of chairman, according to sources close to the company.

Casualty briefs 1 September 2011

Maritime

Man in US court on piracy charge after arranging ransoms

A MAN is to face piracy charges in the US after allegedly acting as a go-between on behalf of ransom seeking Somali pirates.

US funds poised to fill KG void

US PRIVATE equity companies could become a viable financing alternative to the barren KG market for German boxship owners very soon, a German ship finance specialist said.

German box owners losing market share

NON-GERMAN containership owners that charter out tonnage to box lines are gaining market share as a result of the absence of German owners and KG funds ordering new vessels in the shipbuilding market.

Remembering back to the Mecca pilgrim trade: part 2

AT THE bottom of the gangway each hadji produced his passport and ticket. At the top of the gangway he was counted, his berth number checked, and if a tourist-class traveller he was issued with a ration card, an enamel plate and mug.

Ports embrace online move 15 years ago

IN AUGUST 1996, Lloyd’s List reported with excitement on the arrival of the internet at Australian ports, with the launch by Brisbane, Hobart and Geraldton ports of their own home pages on the net.

Bankers turn up the heat on LNG

Basel III looks likely to bring greater uncertainty to the LNG sector with delays in agreeing projects and perhaps restrictions on which ones go forward, reports CLAIRE WRIGHT

Chittagong breakers get reprieve until October

THE SUPREME Court in Bangladesh has granted Chittagong breakers an extension to continue importing scrap ships until early October. The judges had been asked to consider an appeal by green campaigners to overturn an earlier decision by a lower court.

Two tides are turning on piracy

Government response to piracy remains patchy and unconvincing, while the underlying problems remain, writes JOHN AC CARTNER*

In celebration of maritime boffinry

It is time to recognise the unsung heroes of marine technical innovation, writes NIKO WIJNOLST*