|
Shipping
MISC launches service loop
Via Colombo to India and Middle East:
MISC Berhad - Malaysia recently augmented its current Halal Express
Service with the Halal Express Service - Loop 2 (HES-2) to connect Far
East ports to India and the Middle East Gulf region, via Colombo. The
service commenced last month with an inaugural voyage starting from
Japan, with a view to meeting the growing demand for carriage of Halal
produce and products, in line with their continuous aim to improve their
service offerings to customers under the theme " Faster Transit Improved
Services". MISC Berhad - Malaysia, is the leading international shipping
line of Malaysia. The principal business of the Corporation consists of
ship-owning, ship management and other related logistics and maritime
transportation services. MISC Liner Business is focusing itself in Asia,
Oceania and Africa trades, to become one of Asia's Preferred Carriers.
As a result of its portfolio restructuring, MISC has repositioned itself
to be among the Top Three Intra - Asia Carriers by increasing market
coverage through innovative product expansion.
Director/CEO - Messrs MISC Agencies Lanka (Pvt) Ltd Faizer Hashim the
liner's local representative said "A greater volume of local imports
from Far-East ports and also transshipment cargoes to South East Indian
ports via Colombo will be discharged at Colombo.
The cargoes from Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and Thailand to
Colombo and T/S cargo to South East India via Colombo will be connected
to this service at Port Kelang or Singapore for on carriage to Colombo.
We also expect a higher volume of local exports to Nhava Sheva and Gulf
Ports and T/S cargoes from South East India via Colombo to Gulf to be
connected to this service at Colombo."
MISC Agencies Lanka (Pvt) Ltd General Manager Liner Services Capt.
Mahendra Ranatunga said. "The journey has already begun with two
services connecting Far East and Middle East Gulf via Colombo and more
services are likely to be announced in the future. MISC will continue to
leverage on the strength and experience of its liner business by
enhancing MISC participation in this sector and region."
Halal Express Service - Loop 2 will serve the following ports:
Yokohama, Nagoya, Shanghai, Xiamen, Singapore, Port Klang, Colombo,
Nhava Sheva, Jebel Ali, Dammam, Karachi, Port Klang, Singapore and back
to Yokohama.
A ceremony was held on board the vessel MV Bunga Raya Enam, in
celebration of the inaugural call at the JCT of Sri Lanka Ports
Authority (SLPA), on her inaugural west-bound voyage on October 10. To
mark the significance of this move to the SLPA, plaques were exchanged
between the Managing Director of SLPA Capt. Nihal Keppetipola and the
Master of the vessel Capt. Nam Sang Mun and the officials of Messrs.
MISC Agencies Lanka (Pvt) Ltd.
SLPA Managing Director Capt. Nihal Keppetipola said "We have
attracted several new lines and services in recent months and this trend
is a clear approbation by the liner community of the current
customer-friendly marketing orientation and pragmatic policies of SLPA/JCT,
which among many other service offerings, declared a Relief Plan for
shipping lines with a view to retaining the clientele with SLPA/JCT and
to giving them a helping hand to survive in this global economic
meltdown."
LHI won the silver award in the category of Export of Business and
Professionals Services - Large, for the second consecutive year at the
17th Annual National Chamber for Exporters (NCE) awards ceremony at the
Colombo Hilton recently.
 |
|
The lhi
team with the award |
Last year LHI won the silver award for the first time in its history
for its performance in the export of knowledge. The NCE awards ceremony
recognizes national contributions of local organizations in terms of
export and their gain to the economy's prosperity.
LHI is a leader in the export of knowledge in consultancy services in
the fields of Coastal Engineering, Water Resources and Urban Water. LHI
has a pool of specialist engineers in hydraulic engineering with local
and overseas training backed by an experienced and skilled support team.
The expertise within LHI has transformed the company from a local
organization to a company working internationally.
With the majority of its turnover being generated by overseas
projects, LHI is focused on securing more foreign projects. LHI having
worked on projects ranging from Algeria to South Korea and also in India
and the Maldives is equipped with wide experience.
LHI is currently working on India's Hoogly Estuary (Kolkata harbour)
project, which is expected to continue to 2010. The LHI is now working
on the Dikkowita fishery harbour which will be the largest fishery
harbour as well as the first dedicated deep sea harbour in the island.
LHI made a record-breaking turnover during the last financial year -
Rs. 136 million, a turnover the company experienced for the first time
in its history. "Amidst turmoil and downturn of the global financial
arena, LHI stood undefeated due to the perseverance and dedication of
all its staff members", said LHI CEO/D Malith Mendis. "We too felt the
effects of the financial turbulence at the start of the year, this is
when it was decided to strategize our marketing and pricing and add
value to our services so LHI remained competitive despite the financial
crisis", said Mendis.
LHI was granted the recertification of the ISO 9000:2001
certification. All procedures are streamlined according to the
requirements of the quality systems in the company. The company is also
engaged in many CSR projects such as Gift of Life Trust Sri Lanka,
assisting with the Sri Lanka Job Bank project and is a member of the
United Nations Global Compact.
French marines repel new pirate attack on trawlers
French marines on board two tuna trawlers in the Indian Ocean opened
fire to repel a dawn pirate attack on Tuesday, the second such incident
in a week, the ships' owner said.
Shipping firm Saupiquet said marines fired warning shots at two
pirate skiffs pursuing the trawlers, Via Avenir and Via Mistral,
travelling together some 500 nautical miles (900 kilometres) from the
Somali coast.
The company, based in France's western Brittany region, said the
launches, carrying four or five pirates, appeared to have dropped the
chase.
The two ships are part of a 10-strong French tuna fleet currently
operating in the pirate-infested waters off Somalia under the protection
of a 60-strong squad of marines.
On Saturday, the marines opened fire after a trawler came under
attack north of the Seychelles, where coastguards later captured two
pirate vessels with a total of 11 pirates on board but later released
them "for lack of proof", to the anger of tuna fishermen in the region.
It was the first time the marines had opened fire on pirates. The two
tuna trawlers attacked Tuesday were returning from a port call at Mahe,
the main island in the Seychelles archipelago and were heading back into
fishing grounds.
A western source on board a vessel in the area said the skiffs "were
hidden under a blue tarpaulin, most likely for camouflage" and when they
sighted the tuna haulers "they removed the tarpaulin and raced to catch
them".
The same source said the boats could well have taken part in
Saturday's attack as the two incidents happened in roughly the same
area.
The French anti-piracy operation was put in place at the request of
ship owners and is distinct from both the European Union and NATO
anti-piracy operations in the region.
Spanish fishing vessels operating in the same region have called for
similar protection measures but Madrid has so far refused.
Somali pirates are currently holding four foreign vessels and 111
seamen, according to environmental protection group Ecoterra
International.
There have been 174 such attacks since the start of the year, 49 of
them successful hijackings.
AFP
Network Cargo Services awarded ISO 14001 certification
Network Cargo Services (Ceylon) (Pvt) Ltd was awarded the ISO 14001
certification showing their current and future commitment to minimising
environmental impact. The ISO 14001 international standard provides a
model for streamlining environmental management and guidelines to ensure
environmental issues.
According to DNV, who carried out the certification, Network Cargo
Services is the first and only Freight Forwarder in Sri Lanka to have
obtained this certification. Network Cargo Services obtained ISO 9001
certification already back in 2004.
The environmental certification is an important milestone. The
certification is part of a lengthy and comprehensive program towards
creating a quality living environment said Manager of Network Cargo
Services Keerthi Peiris.
Network Cargo Services was established in 1995 and is an
International Freight Forwarder offering freight management and
logistics services to local and international clients.
They also undertake representation of international airlines and
project forwarding. Through a carefully selected network of
international partners they have representation in every corner of the
world. |
