Shipping
Global crisis hits shipping industry
Ports operator PSA said on Tuesday a slump in container shipping
trade has hit bottom but many ports are likely to face overcapacity and
increasing competition before global volumes rebound. "I'm confident
that physical trade in terms of containers has actually bottomed and the
trend moving ahead is likely to be positive," said Kuah Boon Wee,
Southeast Asia chief executive of PSA International, which operates
ports around the world.
But Kuah, speaking at a shipping conference in Singapore, warned that
some ports in the region, including those in Indonesia, southern China,
the Straits of Malacca and North Asia, serving trans Pacific routes, are
in 'structural overcapacity'. The fall in world trade resulting from the
global financial crisis has hammered shipping companies and port
operators, forcing shippers such as Singapore's Neptune Orient Lines to
cut capacity and jobs. "Competition is likely to increase in the
short-term. The drop in ports is across the board it's endemic and it
will take time to improve," Kuah said.
"Global trade will rebound, and I think it will probably rebound with
more Asian characteristics we are going to have to rely more on
Asian-centric demand."
The Asia Pacific chief executive of Maersk Line, Jesper
Praestensgaard, a unit of A.P. Moller-Maersk , told the conference the
current recession would drive consolidation in the industry, but he did
not see it happening right now as companies focus on their own financial
health. Reuters
Call to develop shipping sector in North and East
Walter LIYANARACHCHI
With the end of the scourge of the cancerous war it's opportune to
concentrate on developing the shipping sector in the Eastern and
Northern Province, said Shipping, Aviation and Ports Committee Chairman
of the National Chamber of Commerce Sujeiva Samaraweera.
Samaraweera is also the Managing Director of Atlas Logistics Lanka (Pvt)
Ltd.
Our key objective is to draw the immediate attention of the Ports
Authorities, shipping sectors and other relevant organisations to
explore the possibilities of developing the shipping sectors in the
coastal belt of the Eastern and Northern Provinces where abundant sea
resources exist.
It is also necessary to provide infrastructure facilities including
road network, electricity and water supply.
These preliminary facilities should be in place in advance. By
providing such facilities we can promote foreign investments since
foreign investors are always concerned about the facilities, Samaraweera
said. Development in agriculture, livestock and dairy farming are
untapped business opportunities in the Eastern Province since the war,
but if we can concentrate to developing such sectors we can use the sea
for the transportation of the products to minimise conveyance expenses,
he said.
Samaraweera also said that the Committee had submitted a series of
proposals to the Ports Minister and the Ministry is in the process of
dealing with feasibility studies.
DHL picks Lanka for GPS Tracking Service
DHL Global Forwarding, the world's leading air and ocean freight
company, has chosen Sri Lanka as its Asia Pacific launch pad for two of
its latest innovations for ocean freight shipping.
DHL launched a GPS Tracking System for its LCL ocean freight
shipments out of Colombo and also unveiled its latest solution for the
Fashion and Apparel industry - Garment-on-Hangers Boxes which are now
available for LCL services.
This follows DHL's announcement in March this year of its investment
of US$8 million in Sri Lanka over three years as well as a
state-of-the-art warehouse and distribution centre by 2010.
As part of this investment, by end 2009, DHL will also launch the "DHL
Fashion and Apparel Centre for Excellence" in Colombo, a centre
comprising a core team of industry experts and responsible for
developing tailored solutions and provide consultancy services to
customers.
Country Manager, DHL Global Forwarding Lanka, Ashwani Nath said,
"We're committed to Sri Lanka and its potential as sourcing and
distribution gateway for the South Asia region. These two innovations in
Sri Lanka are specifically for LCL (Less than container Load) ocean
freight shipments, a segment the market leader expects to continue to
grow.
By introducing such market-leading solutions to Sri Lanka, customers
here will be among the first to adopt leading-edge services that will
give their businesses a further competitive advantage."
The introduction of the GPS Tracking System in Sri Lanka marks the
first time the service is introduced following a successful trial in
February 2009.
ISES from Colombo Port
The Shipping Corp. of India will operate the
India-Subcontinent-Europe-Service (ISES) in conjunction with
Mediterranean Shipping Co., effective in May.
The joint service will deploy seven vessels of around 4,300 TEUs
each, offering a fixed-day weekly frequency. The port rotation is
Colombo, Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Salalah, Port Said, Barcelona, Hamburg,
Rotterdam, Felixstowe, Port Said, Jeddah, and back to Colombo. The ISES
was originally launched by a five-member consortium, comprising
state-owned SCI, Zim Integrated Shipping Services, Yang Ming Line, MISC
Berhad and "K" Line.
While Zim decided to pull out of the group about a month ago, the
other three partners are expected to withdraw from the service in May.
Jow.com
Walter LIYANARACHCHI
The construction of the breakwater and the construction of the
Hambantota port have shown a significant progress during the last
months.
 |
|
Colombo
South breakwater dam under construction |
The placing of the core material and protection layers of first 600 m
length of the Colombo South break water have been completed up to date.
It is planned to complete 750 m length of the breakwater before the
coming South West Monsoon expecting in late May 2009.
The contractor has planned to continue the construction of the
breakwater during the SW monsoon depend the availability of calm weather
windows.
The rock transportation from load Out Point ( Small Harbour) located
at Wadduwa Kalutara has been commenced and few loads of barges have
already transported to Colombo.
The dredging of main channel and the reclamation for breakwater and
the contractor's working area is in progress satisfactorily and upto
date more than 7 million Cubic metres have been completed.
The steel pipe fabrication for the diversion of SPBM oil pipe line is
being done in Korea and excavation and rock blasting necessary to bury
the pipe line is in progress. The new pipe line will be operational in
March 2010. The construction work of the Hambantota port too is going on
apace, a Project official said.
The importance of the construction of the port within 10 nautical
miles of the world's busiest shipping lane had been identified by
several shipping magnates and oceanologists since it is located directly
at the intersection of major international sea trading routes. The
natural depth along the coastline is suited for the development of a
deep-water-port.
The most important thing in this port is the approaching to the port
does not necessitate a long dredged channel.
The strategically situated maritime gateway to India is also one
advantage to develop the trade between the two countries, the official
said.
Boost in ship building industry
In 2008, Chinese accomplished shipbuilding output was 28.81 million
deadweight tonnages, rising by 52.2% of previous year. The newly
undertook ship orders were 58.18 million deadweight tonnages, a
reduction of 40.9% of last year. Ship orders in hand were 204.6 million
deadweight tonnages, increased by 28.7% compared with 2007. According to
the Clarksons, the market shares of Chinese accomplished shipbuilding
output, newly undertook ship orders and ship orders in hand accounted
for 29.5%, 37.7% and 35.5% respectively in the world, in which Chinese
accomplished shipbuilding output and ship orders in hand kept a fast
growth for six consecutive years and led to the three indicators
standing the second place in the world.
According to the Clarkson, in 2008, the global newly undertook ship
orders were totaled at 150 million deadweight tonnages. PR inside.com
World piracy doubles in Q1 2009
Piracy incidents nearly doubled across the globe in the first quarter
of 2009 almost entirely due to an upsurge in attacks by gangs off the
Somali coast, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said on Tuesday.
The London-based watchdog recorded 102 attacks worldwide in the first
three months of 2009 compared with 53 in that period a year ago, with 61
attacks in the Gulf of Aden and off the east coast of Somalia compared
with 6 in the first quarter of 2008.
Somali pirates have made millions of dollars in ransoms hijacking
commercial vessels in the busy shipping lanes of the Gulf of Aden and
Indian Ocean, despite patrols by foreign navies off the Somali coast,
disrupting aid supplies and trade routes.
Twenty attacks were recorded off Somalia's east coast with 18 of
those in March alone, which included four hijackings. That compared with
seven incidents in the fourth quarter of 2008. The IMB said 41 incidents
were reported in the Gulf of Aden region and 5 vessels hijacked.
A total of 34 vessels were boarded, 29 ships fired upon and nine
hijacked worldwide, the IMB said. "In the majority of incidents the
attackers were heavily armed with guns or knives," the watchdog said.
"Violence against crew members continues to increase." "Given the
current state of the global economy, there are concerns that piracy may
increase. Navies and coastguards must continue to maintain their
physical presence," it said. Reuters |
