Gate to Shipping World

2012-06-05T08:25:00.001+07:00

Re: NB 6,600 dwt - General Cargo/Bulk Carrier - RESALE ex China

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We can develop for sale the following New Building GC/Bulker :

NB TBN

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ABT DWT 6,600

BV CLASS

LOA 104.20M

LBP 97.5M

BREADTH MOULDED 17.20M

DEPTH MOULDED 8.50M

DESIGN DRAFT 6.60M

SPEED 12.80K

GEARED

CARGO HOLDS CAPACITY 8600M3

UNLIMITED NAVIGATION

CAN DO PROMPT DELIVERY

(W.O.G)

Please advise if of interests

2012-06-01T19:15:00.001+07:00

3,070 mts 2% molco aluminium ingots 7m = 1st lot pc ok

2nd lot = 3030 ts 24-27.6.12 - pref twd, UN piracy cls

Mesaieed, Qatar/Poliport, Turkey (n.Istanbul)

11.06.12/13.06.12

best offers pmt fiost

3 ttldays SFhinc/SSh/

Hydro Alu c/p 2,50% pus

2012-06-01T19:13:00.001+07:00

Good day

Very pleased to offer the follow:--

Ttl Qty to be loaded 576 ton = abt 8028 cbm steel structure as per p.list attached to be loaded on tow shipment

- Each shipment 288 ton = 4014 cbm

- l/d port : Adabiya –egypt / umm al qasr – Iraq

- l/d rate : 3/3 pwwd fhexeiu b.ends

- lay can : first shipment first week of September 2012 /second shipment first week of November 2012

- cargo to be loaded stackable

- com. 2.5%pus

plsd to hear

2012-05-29T08:51:00.001+07:00

(1) MV.WHALE OPEN BANGKOK 28 – 30TH APRILCALL SIGN: 3WYR, BLT 2009, FLAG: VIETNAM, P&I:WOE
DWT/DWCC/GRT/NT: 4,373.9 / 4,150/ 2,551 / 1,497
LOA/BEAM/DRAFT: 90.72 / 13.00 / 6.16
CAPACITY: 5,450CBM, 02 CRANES X 10T (SWL 4MTS)
HO/HA: 02 X 02 (21.00 X 8.00M)

LOOKING FOR CARGO TO VIETNAM

(2) MV AN BINH OPEN MYTHOI 20-25th Apr / OPEN BANGKOK 23-28th APR.

DWT: 4,747 MT, ON 6.45M S.DRAFT,

BUILT: 1981, VIETNAM FLAG, SINGLE DECK

GRT: 2,608 / NRT: 1,606 ; CLASS: VR ( Vietnam Register )

LOA: 90.3 M, BREADTH: 15.20M

HOLDS: 2 / HATCHES: 2, STEEL PONTOON HATCH COVERS

CAPACITY: Grain 5,769 M3 / Bale 5,015 M3

03 DERRICKS SWL 10 TONS ( DAA & WOG)

TRADING S.E.A

(3) M/V AN PHU 09 OPEN TAWAU 26TH APRIL 2012

DWT: 5,200 MT, ON 6.30M S.DRAFT, BUILT: 2010, VIETNAM FLAG,
SINGLE DECK, GRT: 2,998, NTR: 1860 ; CLASS: VR ( Vietnam Register )
LOA: 91.94 M, BREADTH: 15.30M ,air draft: 23.8m

HOLDS: 2 / HATCHES: 2, STEEL MACGEGOR HATCH COVERS,
CAPACITY: Grain 6,724 M3 / Bale 6058 M3, 02 CRANE 08 TONS ( ADA WOG )
Hold dimensions ( L x B X H ) : No.1 = 29.4 x 15.3 x 8.55M ; No.2 = 28.4 x 15.3 x 8.55 M
Hatches size ( L x B x H ) : No.1 = 21.0 x 10.0 x 1.5 M ; No.2 = 20.0 x 10.0 x 1.5 M

(4) MV.WHALE OPEN BANGKOK 28 – 30TH APRILCALL SIGN: 3WYR, BLT 2009, FLAG: VIETNAM, P&I:WOE
DWT/DWCC/GRT/NT: 4,373.9 / 4,150/ 2,551 / 1,497
LOA/BEAM/DRAFT: 90.72 / 13.00 / 6.16
CAPACITY: 5,450CBM, 02 CRANES X 10T (SWL 4MTS)
HO/HA: 02 X 02 (21.00 X 8.00M)

LOOKING FOR CARGO TO VIETNAM

(5) MV AN BINH OPEN MYTHOI 20-25th Apr / OPEN BANGKOK 23-28th APR.

DWT: 4,747 MT, ON 6.45M S.DRAFT,

BUILT: 1981, VIETNAM FLAG, SINGLE DECK

GRT: 2,608 / NRT: 1,606 ; CLASS: VR ( Vietnam Register )

LOA: 90.3 M, BREADTH: 15.20M

HOLDS: 2 / HATCHES: 2, STEEL PONTOON HATCH COVERS

CAPACITY: Grain 5,769 M3 / Bale 5,015 M3

03 DERRICKS SWL 10 TONS ( DAA & WOG)

TRADING S.E.A

(6) M/V AN PHU 09 OPEN TAWAU 26TH APRIL 2012

DWT: 5,200 MT, ON 6.30M S.DRAFT, BUILT: 2010, VIETNAM FLAG,
SINGLE DECK, GRT: 2,998, NTR: 1860 ; CLASS: VR ( Vietnam Register )
LOA: 91.94 M, BREADTH: 15.30M ,air draft: 23.8m

CARGO OPEN TODAY

2010-04-13T15:38:00.002+07:00

A/C JMC
-H.R COIL 5,361MT +/-5% MAX 22TON
-HOCHIMINH, VEITNAM/CALCUTA, INDIA
-CQD BENDS
-CGO IS APRIL 13RD
-LYCN: APRIL 13-20,2010
-FRT INVITE PMT LI/LO BSS 1/1
-COMM : 2.5PCT

CARGO OPEN TODAY

2010-04-05T08:58:00.003+07:00

8,650MT BGD RICE IN BAG S/F ABT 1.5 WOG

KARACHI PK/MANILA P.H

PPT/25TH APR

3,000/1,500

2.5TTL

7,000MR BGD RICE S/F ABT 1.5

KARACHI P.K/FRETOWN SIERRALEONE

PPT/ON WARD

2,000/1,500

2.5TTL

6,000-10,000MT RAW SUGAR S/F ABT 1.2 WOG

KOSICHANG THAIL/SURABAYA INDON

PPT/ON WARD

3,000/2,000

2.5TTL

6,000MT-10,000mt AGRI IN BAG S/F ABT 2.0 WOG

KOSHICHANG THAIL/SURABAYA INDON

PPT/ON WARD

1,500/1,500

2.5TTL

5,200-6,600MT AGRI IN BULK S/F ABT1.3 OR1.55 WOG

KOSICHANG OR BKK THAIL/ KUNSAN OR INCHON SKOREA

PPT / 15TH APR

3,000/1,500 OR 3,000

2.5TTL

6,500MT AGRI IN BULK S/F ABT 1.5

PANJANG INDON/INCHON SKOREA

3/13 APR

2,000/1,500

2.5TTL

6,000MT AGRI IN BULK S/F ABT 1.75 WOG

KUALA ENOCK INDON(NEAR SPORE)/KUNSAN SKOREA

17/25 APR

1,500/1,500

2.5TTL

7,000-10,000MT DAWT S/D, TWN, O.A O.K

DEL TO MAKE SPORE-F EAST RGE

DUR ABT 3 N 3 MONTHS

REDEL SPORE- FAEST RGE

1.25 ADD

cargo open today

2010-02-24T16:01:00.000+07:00

Acct SSM 6,000 - 8,000mt WBP in bulk (sf 1.75wog) Load port : Jakarta or Surabaya, Indonesia Disch port : Dammam, Saudi Arabia Load/Disch rate : 2500 / 5000 Shipment : March 2010 3.75 pct ttl iac

2009-10-20T12:09:00.000+07:00

- 3000MT FERT IN BULK 10 % MOLCO L/D PORT : BONTANG / SEAFRONT PORT, ( UPPER MARIVELES BATAAN) PHILIPINE LCAN : END OCT 2009 ( TRY VSL DATE ) CQD BENDS TTL COMM 2.5% - 11300MT - 13.000MT IRON ORE CONCENTRATE IN BLK 5 % MOLCO L/D PORT : S. KALIMANTAN - INDONESIA / TIANJIN, CHINA LCAN : 25 - 30 OCT 6000/8000MT PWWD SHINC TTL COMM 3.75 % IAC - 3000MT FERT IN BULK 10 % MOLCO L/D PORT : EAST KALIMANTAN / SEAFRONT PORT, ( UPPER MARIVELES BATAAN) PHILIPINE LCAN : END OCT 2009 ( TRY VSL DATE ) CQD BENDS TTL COMM 2.5% - 32,000MT COAL IN BULK 10 % MOLCO L/D PORT : S. KALIMANTAN / YANGPU, CHINA 27 OCT - 30 OCT 2009 6000/ 8000 PWWD SHINC TTL COMM 2.5 PCT

CARGO OPEN 090609

2009-06-10T17:05:00.000+07:00

5,000MT W ROD UNIT / 1.1-1.2MT CIGADING PORT, INDONESIA/YANGOON, MYANMAR TERM : FIBT(VSL DERRICK AVAILABLE) LAYCAN : PPT 2.5TTL ++ 6,000MT AGRI IN BULK S/F ABT 2.0 WOG HCMC VIET OR SIANOUKVILLE OR QUINHON /ULSAN OR INCHON SKOREA PPT/20 MAR CQD/CQD 2.5TL + 5,000-10,000MT AGRI IN BULK S/F ABT 1.3 WOG BKK THAIL/SURABAYA INDON 10/20 MAR CQD/CQD 2.5TTL ++ 5,500MT AGRI IN BULK S/F ABT 1.6 WOG INCHON SKOREA/HCMC VIET 11/16 MAR CQD/CQD 2.5TTL ++ 6,500MT AGRI IN BULK S/F ABT 1.75WOG ILIGAN P.H/KUNSAN KOREAN 12/20 MAR CQD/CQD 2.5TTL PLS OFFR

CARGO OPEN TODAY

2009-03-12T08:44:00.000+07:00

post templateHV FLWG FIRM 5-6,500MT AGRI IN BULK S/F ABT 2.0 WOG HCMC OR NHATRANG VIET/KUNSAN OR INCHON SKOREA PPT/28 MAR CQD/CQD 2.5TTL ++ 6,500MT AGRI IN BULK S/F ABT 1.75WOG ILIGAN P.H/KUNSAN KOREAN 14/20 MAR 1,500/1,500 2.5TTL ++ 6,300MT AGRI IN BULK S/F ABT 1.75 WOG KUALA ENOCK (NEAR SPORE) INDON/KUNSAN S KOREA 13/20 MAR 1,500/1,500 2.5TTL ++ 5,500MT AGRI IN BULK S/F ABT 1.5 WOG PANJANG INDON/INCHON SKOREA 23/30 MAR 2,000/1,700 CQD/CQD 2.5TTL ++ 6,300MT AGRI IN BULK S/F ABT 1.75 WOG ILIGAN-DAVAO RGE P.H/KUNSAN SKOREA 25/30 MAR 1,500/1,500 2.5TTL ++ 6,500MT AGRI IN BULK S/F ABT 1.5 WOG BKK THAIL/MANILA P.H 25/31 MAR CQD/CQD 2.5TTL ++ 5,500MT AGRI IN BULK S/F ABT 1.5 WOG BINTULU OR LADHAD DATU E MALAY/KUNSAN SKOREA 28 MAR/5th APR CQD/CQD 2.5TTL PLS OFFR

CARGO OPEN TODAY

2009-03-10T15:20:00.001+07:00

hv foll firm 6000 mt of bulk maize loadport kakinada or tuticorin owners option laycan 20/25 march 2009 dischport malacca loadrate / dischrate cqd try rate comm 2.5 pct + A/C STEMCOR 5000 MT 5PCT MOLCHOPT STEEL PLATES MAX 7M/15T BDL VIZAG / TAICHUNG 18/25 MAR CQD / CQD 5 PCT HERE (2.5 ADDR) + 6000/10000 MT OF AGRI PRODUCTS LOADPORT 1 ECI INTN KAKINADA OR VIZAG OR TUTICORIN DISCHPORT VIETNAM-TAIWAN-THAILAND LOADRATE 1500 MT PWWD SHEX EIU DISCHRATE 1500 MT PWWD SHEX EIU LAYCAN PROMPT OWNARDS COMM 3.75 PCT + ACCT NEW FCC 6500 MT OF BULK BENTONITE LOAPODRT KAKINADA DISCHPORT BELAWAN LOADRATE 1500 MT PWWD SHEX EIU DISCHRATE 1500 MT PWWD SHEX EIU LAYCAN 20/25TH MARCH 2009 COMM 2.5 PCT + 5000 MT OF BULK PETCOKE STW 1.3 WOG LOADPORT GOA DISCHPORT SOHAR OMAN LOADRATE 750 PER HOOK/HATCH SHEX EIU BSS 4 X 20 TONS DISCHRATE 3500 MT PWWD SHEX EIU BSS 4 X 20 TONS LAYCAN PROMPT ONWARDS BEST OFFERS COMM 2.5 PCT + 15000 mt of bulk agriproducts stw 62 wog vessel age less than 30 years loadport kandla dischport hcmc loadrate 2000 mt pwwd shex eiu dischrate 1500 mt pwwd shex eiu laycan vsl dates prompt comm 3.75 pct + - A/C CARLON SHIPPING INC - LAYCAN PPT ONWARDS - 1 TCT OF ABOUT 30 -35 DAYS WOG - 18 - 20000 CARGO OF MALAYSIAN ROUND LOGS FROM EAST MALAYSIA TO INDIA - DELIVERY: APS - REDELIVERY: DOP 1 SP INDIA INTN KANDLA - CHARTER HIRE: OWNERS BEST - VESSEL TO BE FULLY FITTED LOGGER - SUB DETAILS - SUB 24 WORKING HRS AFMT - 2.5% ADCOM + 1.25 pct exodus - END + 10-20000 MT SALT IN BULK 1 SP KANDLA, WC INDIA / SP HAIPONG OR HOCHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM 6000/1500 T PWWD SHINC LAY CAN PROMPT ONWARDS FRT INVITE OWNESRS BEST COM: 3.75% TTL IAC + 12-15000 MT SALT IN BULK (TRY LESSER QTY ALSO) LOADPORT 1 SP KANDLA, WC INDIA DISCHPORT DUMAI INDONESIA 3000/1500 T PWWD SHEX EIU LAY CAN PROMPT ONWARDS FRT INVITE OWNESRS BEST COM: 1.25% TTL IAC + Cargo - Limestone in bulk 6,000 mt, 10% moloo Laycan - pls adv Loadport - 1 sp/1 sb Salalah oman Disport - 1sp/1 sb Chennai Loadrate - 4000 mt pwwd shinc bss 2 hooks Disrate - 4000 mt pwwd shinc bss 2 hooks Adcom - 2.5% + 1.25 PCT EXODUS + 3000 T - 6000 T AGRI PRODUCT IN BULK 10PCT MOLOO/SF 1,75 WOG 1SBP BITUNG OR AMURANG - NORTH SULAWESI CHOPT 1SBP COCHIN OR TUTICORIN CHOPT PROMPT 1000 T PWWD SHEXUU BEND USD.20.00 BSS 1/1 OWN FREE D/A AT LDG PORT 3BDAYS ACOL N AFTER S/R B/L BUT ALWAYS BBB CHTRS NOM AGENT BEND WITH REASONABEL PDA IF ANY FUMIGATION OWN AGREE GIVE FREE TIME 12HRS AT LDG PORT WITHOUT ASHORE CREW S'PORE .ENGLISH LAW TO APPLY AS PERGENCON C/P 1994 3,75PCT IAC + ACCT VSSB DWT : 7,000~10,000MT FULLY FITTED LOGGER (CAN CONSIDER NON LOGGER / UNDER DECK LOADING ALSO OK) MAX 25YRS. MIN 15MT GEARS DELIVERY : 1SP S.E.ASIA / PHIL / INDON RANGE REDELIVERY : 1SP INDIA PICO LAYCAN : 3RD WEEK MARCH, 2009 1 TCT ABOUT 30/45 DAYS WOG VIA PNG WITH LOGS 2.5% ADD COMM + 1.25pct exodus + ACCT VSSB 20-25000 DWT LOGGER, MAX 30 YEARS, GEARED, MIN 20T, FULLY LOG FITTED (CAN CONSIDER NON LOGGER / UNDER DECK LOADING ALSO OK) DEL W AFRICA L/C END APRIL 2009 ONE TCT WITH AFRICAN LOGS TO INDIA, INTN. TUTICORIN OR KANDLA REDEL INDIA, DURATION ABT 50-60 DAYS WOG. ADD 2.5% + 1.25 PCT EXODUS + ACCT VSSB DWT : 7,000~10,000MT FULLY FITTED LOGGER (CAN CONSIDER NON LOGGER / UNDER DECK LOADING ALSO OK) MAX 25YRS. MIN 15MT GEARS DELIVERY : 1SP S.E.ASIA / PHIL / INDON RANGE REDELIVERY : 1SP INDIA PICO LAYCAN : 3RD WEEK APRIL, 2009 1 TCT ABOUT 30/45 DAYS WOG VIA PNG WITH LOGS 2.5% ADD COMM + 1.25pct exodus + - 4000 - 6000 MTS Yellow Maize in bulk - Tuticorin, India / Kaohsiung, Taiwan - Laycan: 5th - 15th Mar'2009 - Load / Disch 1200/1200 MTS PWWD SHEXEIU - Frt invite ows best counter on FIOST - Sub further dets - Sub Gencon C/P - TTL Commission 3.75% IAC END + - ACCT ECL - 3,000 UPTO 6,200 MT OF BULK RICE BRAN, SF ABT 1.95CBM/MT, 5 PCT MOLCHOPT QTY PER VSLS SIZE- MAY CONSIDER AS P/CGO WUBJ CHTRS APRVL (NO SAME CGO, & WITH NATURAL HOLD SEPERATION) - KOLKATA / HO CHI MINH CITY CHOPT HAIPHONG, VIET, ALWAYS 1/1 - PREFER SD WITH MIN 12t GEAR WITH MIN 2 HOLDS - 800 MT SHEX UU/ 800 MT SHEX UU, 12 HRS TT BENDS EIU - MAR 10/20, TRY A BIT EARLIER/LATER - CHTRS AGENTS BENDS SUBJ REASONBABLE PDA - 3.75PCT COM HERE - SUBJ SHPRS AND RECVRS APRVL OF VSL

HILLARY"S EXIT STRATEGY

2008-06-05T10:53:00.000+07:00

WASHINGTON - Hillary Rodham Clinton is ending her historic bid to become the first female president and will back rival Barack Obama on Saturday, capping a 17-month quest that began with the words "I'm in it to win it" with a more humble plea for party unity. ADVERTISEMENT Hours after Barack Obama sealed the nomination, Democrats coalesced around his candidacy, sending a strong signal to Clinton that it was time to bow out. The former first lady told House Democrats during a private conference call Wednesday that she will express support for Obama's candidacy and congratulate him for gathering the necessary delegates to be the party's nominee. "Senator Clinton will be hosting an event in Washington, D.C., to thank her supporters and express her support for Senator Obama and party unity. This event will be held on Saturday to accommodate more of Senator Clinton's supporters who want to attend," her communications director Howard Wolfson said. Also in the speech, Clinton will urge once-warring Democrats to focus on the general election and defeating Republican presidential candidate John McCain. The only degree of uncertainty was how. Clinton is exploring options to retain her delegates and promote her issues, including a signature call for universal health care. The announcement closed an epic five-month nominating battle pitting the first serious female candidate against the most viable black contender ever. Obama Tuesday night secured the 2,118 delegates to claim the Democratic nomination, but Clinton stopped short of acknowledging that milestone. Instead, she was defiant, insisting she was better positioned than Obama to defeat McCain in November. "What does Hillary want? What does she want?" Clinton said, hours after telling supporters she'd be open to joining Obama as his vice-presidential running mate. But by Wednesday, other Democrats made it abundantly clear they wanted something, too: a swift end to the nominating contest. Democratic Party chairman Howard Dean and the Democratic congressional leadership released a statement urging the party to rally behind Obama, and several lawmakers including Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin, Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar and Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu all endorsed their Illinois colleague. Obama also announced he had named a three-person vetting team that included Caroline Kennedy, daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy. An adviser said Clinton and her lieutenants had discussed various ways a presidential candidacy can end, including suspending the campaign to retain control of her convention delegates and sustain her visibility in an effort to promote her signature issue of health care. This adviser spoke on condition of anonymity because officials were not authorized to discuss the conference call Clinton held with her congressional supporters. Other options include freeing her delegates to back Obama and ending her candidacy unconditionally. The official stressed that neither Clinton nor her inner circle had decided specifically what course to take other than to recognize that the active state of her bid to become the nation's first female president had ended. On the telephone call with impatient congressional supporters including New York Rep. Charles Rangel, a longtime political patron, Clinton was urged to draw a close to the contentious campaign, or at least express support for Obama. Her decision to acquiesce caught many in the campaign by surprise and left the campaign scrambling to finalize the logistics and specifics behind her campaign departure. It was an inauspicious end for a candidacy that appeared indestructible when it began 17 months ago. Armed with celebrity, a prodigious fundraising Rolodex, a battle-tested campaign team and a popular two-term former president as a husband, many observers believed Clinton's victory in the Democratic nomination contest was a sure thing. But in Obama, the New York senator faced an opponent who appeared perfectly suited to the time — a charismatic newcomer who opposed the Iraq war from the beginning and who offered voters a compelling message of change. Clinton voted for the legislation that authorized military force against Iraq. After a disastrous showing in the leadoff Iowa caucuses Jan. 3, Clinton won New Hampshire's primary Jan. 8, setting off the state-by-state war of attrition with Obama that followed. Her fortunes rose and fell like a fever chart: She was up in Nevada, down in South Carolina. Then, after a roughly even finish on Super Tuesday Feb. 5, she suffered a string of unanswered losses that, almost before Clinton noticed, put Obama so far ahead in the delegate hunt that all the big-state victories she piled up couldn't close the delegate gap. By March, her options limited, Clinton adopted the persona of a tenacious fighter for the middle class, and powered successfully through primaries in states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, West Virginia and Kentucky, showing grit that earned her valuable political currency. White men, blue-collar workers, socially conservative Democrats and older women were especially receptive to her message, and her strong showing with those voters exposed Obama's vulnerabilities among those groups. Democrats whose No. 1 concern had been ending the Iraq war at the campaign's outset, started worrying more about the economy. That was a switch from Obama's strength to hers.

Lawyers strike it rich handling shipping trade's IPO launches05/06/08

2008-06-05T10:03:00.000+07:00

(NEW YORK) While some corporate law practices suffer, firms such as Morgan, Lewis & Bockius and Cravath Swaine & Moore have found a safe harbour: the shipping industry. Ship owners now pay securities lawyers US$500,000 to US$1 million or more to handle initial public offerings in the US. Cosco submits highest bid for Piraeus tender05/06/08 (ATHENS) Greece's largest port authority said on Tuesday that China's Cosco Pacific Ltd has submitted the highest bid to manage two of its container wharfs, offering a total of 4.93 billion euros (S$10.39 billion). Daewoo gets US$2.5b of orders in 2 weeks05/06/08 (HONGKONG) Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co, the world's third-largest shipyard, said it has received US$2.5 billion of orders in the past two weeks to build 10 vessels that can carry oil and commodities and drill for crude.

US Navy fires shots at SVITZER KORSAKOV pirates

2008-03-05T08:48:00.000+07:00

Shipping Times 12 Feb 2008 : Pirates' colleagues attacked by US navy warships as they attempt to re-supply hijacked tug... US Navy ships attacked gangs attempting to re-supply the captured tug SVITZER KARSOKOV off the Somalian coast yesterday. The tug was hijacked by pirates last week and has on board a British captain, Irish engineer, a Russian Chief Officer and three Russian crewmen. It is understood neither of these individuals have been harmed either in the US attack or by the pirates themselves. The tug was captured on the first of February and has been lying some 40 km off the coast of Puntland, a region of Somalia, ever since. Quite why the vessel was targeted is unclear, as she of course carries no cargo or anything of value to the pirates, but it is known for ships to be seized in this region and then a ransom demanded. As yet no details have been forthcoming from Svitzer who are asking news agencies to respect the privacy of the crew and their families as well as the sensitive nature of the incident. Svitzer say they are in contact with the vessel and that all of the crew are safe and well. The company says that the families of the crew receive support from Svitzer on a daily basis. Nato, the UK, Russia and the US are watching the situation closely. The US Navy declined to comment on the reports of the shelling yesterday however it is understood the gang attempting to supply the tug were dispersed without casualties. The vessel was on her delivery voyage after being built at a St Petersburg shipyard ( Admiralteyskiy Sudostroitelnyy Zavod ) and was making her way to her first job at Sakhalin Island, situated between North West Japan and Russia. She is one of two tugs built for Svitzer Sakhalin and the pair are the first to be built for Svitzer in Russia.

Harga Minyak Dunia menembus angka USD93 per barel

2007-10-31T10:01:00.000+07:00

Rupanya sinyalemen sementara ahli bahwa harga minyak akan menyentuh angka USD100 per barel sangat mungkin menjadi kenyataan. Melihata perkembangan terakhir harga minyak sedang berfluktuasi di sekitar USD 93 per barel. Hal ini tidak terlepas dari pengaruh hubungan Turki dan Iraq yang lagi kurang harmonis, disamping itu masih terkait dengan masalah Iran. Jika kondisi ini tetap bertahan sebagaimana yang kita lihat pagi ini, maka yang akan terpukul pertama kali adalah industri pelayaran dan transportasi pada umumnya. Tentu saja dalam waktu yang tidak terlalu lama akan terjadi kenaikan tarif atau ocean freight angkutan laut. Dan kemudian akan membawa dampak langsung pada kenaikan harga-harga komodity.

Kapal Kargo Ukuran 8000-13000 DWT Sedang Laris

2007-08-30T20:23:00.000+07:00

Kekurangan space masih dirasakan oleh pelaku bisnis transportasi laut akibat menurunnya populasi kapal yang masih layak. Volume kargo yang harus diangkut antar negara dan antar benua saat ini melebihi kapasitas kapal yang tersedia. Sementara penuhnya ship builder oleh pesanan kapal-kapal handy size, panamax dan post panamax hanya menyisakan sedikit space untuk pembangunan kapal menengah ukuran 8000-13000 DWT. Oleh karena itu kelangkaan kapal di segmen ini diprediksikan masih akan berlanjut hingga 5-6 tahun mendatang. Akibatnya tingkat charter hire rate masih akan meningkat dan bertengger di level atas selama kurun waktu tersebut.

SINGAPORE CUSTOMS SHOWED FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS IN PRO-ENTERPRISE EFFORTS

2007-08-16T10:23:00.001+07:00

Singapore Customs (SC) has been ranked 2nd out of 24 government agencies in the 2007 Pro-Enterprise Survey commissioned by the Action Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE). This is so far the best score yet since the start of the annual survey in 2004 - SC was ranked 11th in 2004 and moved up to 3rd place consecutively in 2005 and 2006. This year, SC achieved a Pro-Enterprise Index of 86.7, an improvement over last year’s 82.8. The index score was also significantly higher than the average index of 73.3 for all the 24 agencies surveyed this year. In addition, the scores for all five components making up the Pro-Enterprise Index improved from 2006 as follows: – Components Y 2006 Y 2007 Y-o-Y Change Compliance Cost 84.5 85.0 Improvement Review of Rules 81.3 85.7 Improvement Transparency 87.7 90.5 Improvement Customer Responsiveness 79.1 86.3 Improvement Pro-enterprise Orientation 81.1 86.0 Improvement The component with the greatest improvement was “Customer Responsiveness”, indicating that SC’s efforts in engaging customers to better understand their needs and expectations and to create an environment conducive to business made an impact. SC was among the top five agencies that clinched the ACE Awards for 2007 presented during the BlueSky Gala Dinner on 20 July 2007 at Sentosa Cove. Responding to the positive results, DG Teo Eng Cheong said: “I would like to congratulate everyone for achieving this award for SC. It is an honour to be part of this great team. To be able to consistently remain in the top three positions over three years says a lot about this organisation. This reflects our commitment towards our vision and mission. We are guided by our strong and clear vision to be an active and valuable partner to the trading community. Although SC is ultimately a regulatory agency responsible for the integrity of the trading system, we do not regulate mindlessly. We regulate with the aim to support Singapore as a trusted and efficient trade hub. This requires smart regulations, customer-centric procedures and good judgement of our officers. All of us play a role in this, whether you are the frontline officer facing the customers, the enforcement officer facing the offenders, or the HQ officer drawing up new policies. Every decision you make and every action you take, determine if we move a step closer to or further away from our vision. Based on the results of the surveys over the past three years, it is clear that we have moved towards our vision.” For more details, read the media release by Action Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE)

SINGAPORE CUSTOMS SHOWED FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS IN PRO-ENTERPRISE EFFORTS

2007-08-16T10:23:00.000+07:00

Singapore Customs (SC) has been ranked 2nd out of 24 government agencies in the 2007 Pro-Enterprise Survey commissioned by the Action Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE). This is so far the best score yet since the start of the annual survey in 2004 - SC was ranked 11th in 2004 and moved up to 3rd place consecutively in 2005 and 2006. This year, SC achieved a Pro-Enterprise Index of 86.7, an improvement over last year’s 82.8. The index score was also significantly higher than the average index of 73.3 for all the 24 agencies surveyed this year. In addition, the scores for all five components making up the Pro-Enterprise Index improved from 2006 as follows – Components Y 2006 Y 2007 Y-o-Y Change Compliance Cost 84.5 85.0 Improvement Review of Rules 81.3 85.7 Improvement Transparency 87.7 90.5 Improvement Customer Responsiveness 79.1 86.3 Improvement Pro-enterprise Orientation 81.1 86.0 Improvement The component with the greatest improvement was “Customer Responsiveness”, indicating that SC’s efforts in engaging customers to better understand their needs and expectations and to create an environment conducive to business made an impact. SC was among the top five agencies that clinched the ACE Awards for 2007 presented during the BlueSky Gala Dinner on 20 July 2007 at Sentosa Cove. Responding to the positive results, DG Teo Eng Cheong said: “I would like to congratulate everyone for achieving this award for SC. It is an honour to be part of this great team. To be able to consistently remain in the top three positions over three years says a lot about this organisation. This reflects our commitment towards our vision and mission. We are guided by our strong and clear vision to be an active and valuable partner to the trading community. Although SC is ultimately a regulatory agency responsible for the integrity of the trading system, we do not regulate mindlessly. We regulate with the aim to support Singapore as a trusted and efficient trade hub. This requires smart regulations, customer-centric procedures and good judgement of our officers. All of us play a role in this, whether you are the frontline officer facing the customers, the enforcement officer facing the offenders, or the HQ officer drawing up new policies. Every decision you make and every action you take, determine if we move a step closer to or further away from our vision. Based on the results of the surveys over the past three years, it is clear that we have moved towards our vision.” For more details, read the media release by Action Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE)

DJBC dan Pusdiklat BC Bentuk Tim Pengkaji Pola

2007-08-16T09:59:00.001+07:00

DJBC, Kesepakatan tersebut dibuat dalam pertemuan yang berlangsung pada 17 Januari 2007, yang ditindaklanjuti dengan ditetapkannya keputusan bersama antara Sekretaris DJBC dan Kepala Pusdiklat Bea dan Cukai dengan Nomor : 03/BC.1/2007 dan Nomor : 036/PP.5/2007 pada 31 Januari 2007 tentang Pembentukan Tim Pengkaji Pola Pendidikan dan Pelatihan Pegawai DJBC yang diketuai oleh Kapusdiklat dan Sekretaris DJBC. Tim tersebut mulai bekerja pada 26 Februari 2007 dengan 11 prioritas tugas pengkajian. (lihat box) Setelah adanya kesepakatan tersebut, DJBC bersama dengan Badan Pendidikan dan Pelatihan Keuangan (BPPK) tetap melakukan koordinasi dalam rangka pengembangan Sumber Daya Manusia (SDM) DJBC, salah satunya melalui pertemuan yang diselenggarakan di Kantor Pusat DJBC (KP-DJBC) pada 15 Juni 2007, yang dihadiri oleh Dirjen Bea dan Cukai beserta beberapa pejabat KP-DJBC, Kepala BPPK, Kapusdiklat Bea dan Cukai, Direktur Sekolah Akuntansi Negara (STAN) dan pihak lain dibawah BPPK yang terkait dengan masalah SDM (lihat WBC 392) Menurut Kepala Pusdiklat Bea dan Cukai Endang Tata, dalam kesepakatan yang dibuat pada pertemuan 17 Januari 2007 lalu, Dirjen Bea Cukai Anwar Suprijadi menyatakan, pihaknya sebagai user bersedia untuk membantu Pusdiklat Bea dan Cukai apabila dalam penyelenggaraan diklat menghadapi suatu kendala yang diakibatkan oleh keterbatasan dari BPPK. Dirjen mencontohkan keberadaan tiga tenaga pengkaji DJBC yang bisa membantu Pusdiklat Bea dan Cukai dalam berbagai hal, salah satunya adalah dalam bidang pengajaran. Selain itu, Dirjen Bea dan Cukai juga menyarankan untuk membentuk tim kecil yang segera melakukan pertemuan untuk mengkaji pola diklat. Ketika ditanya mengenai rancangan Pusdiklat Bea dan Cukai agar suatu diklat dapat mencapai suatu keberhasilan, Tata mengatakan, ada beberapa hal seperti, harus disiapkannya program diklat yang sesuai dengan kebutuhan user dalam hal ini DJBC, dan adanya koordinasi yang intensif antara DJBC dengan Pusdiklat Bea dan Cukai dalam merencanakan dan menyelenggarakan diklat dan rekrutmen siswa yang harus benar. Hal lainnya adalah, perkuliahan atau proses pembelajaran yang harus benar, penempatan yang benar setelah menyelesaikan diklat, adanya evaluasi pasca diklat, adanya feed back dari DJBC sehubungan dengan penggunaan lulusan diklat dan tersedianya sarana dan anggaran yang cukup. Diklat yang efektif Endang Tata mengatakan, maksud dari kesepakatan bersama tersebut adalah untuk mengatur kedudukan dan hubungan kerja antara DJBC dengan BPPK dalam menyelenggarakan diklat bagi pegawai DJBC. Sedangkan tujuannya adalah untuk meningkatkan koordinasi dan sinergi antara DJBC dan BPPK dalam menyelenggarakan diklat bagi pegawai DJBC yang efektif dan efisien. Ada beberapa ruang lingkup dari kesepakatan tersebut yang harus dijalankan seperti, peningkatan koordinasi dan sinergisitas antara DJBC dan BPPK dalam bentuk pertemuan secara berkala antara Sekretaris DJBC dengan Kapusdiklat Bea dan Cukai, tukar menukar informasi yang berkaitan dengan standar kompetensi jabatan pegawai, perencanaan kepegawaian, pola pembinaan dan pengembangan pegawai serta pemanfaatan lulusan diklat. Ruang lingkup lainnya adalah perencanaan, pelaksanaan dan evaluasi diklat yang meliputi pemebentukkan dan atau penentuan pola dan jenis diklat, penyusunan kurikulum sesuai dengan standar kompetensi jabatan,penyusunan modul diklat dan pembahasan current issue sebagai bahan ajar pada peserta diklat. Ruang lingkup lainnya adalah fasilitasi dan pemanfaatan sumber daya yang dimiliki oleh kedua belah pihak dalam rangka pencapaian maksud dan tujuan kesepakatan bersama. Peran Pusdiklat dan DJBC Endang Tata lebih lanjut mengatakan, Pusdiklat Bea dan Cukai berdasarkan kebijakan teknis yang ditetapkan oleh Kepala BPPK, secara bersama-sama dengan DJBC sesuai dengan keputusan bersama tadi, melakukan berbagai pengkajian seperti, pengkajian jenis-jenis diklat, pengkajian kurikulum diklat,pengkajian modul diklat, pengkajian rencana dan program diklat,pengkajian kebutuhan tenaga pegajar, pengkajian penyelenggaraan diklat, ,pengkajian evaluasi dan pengembangan diklat, pengkajian sarana dan prasarana diklat dan pengkajian anggaran penyelenggaran diklat. Sedangkan DJBC lanjut Tata berperan untuk melakukan standar penyusunan standar kompetensi jabatan pegawai,perencanaan kepegawaian, penyusunan pola pembinaan dan pengembangan pegawai dan pemanfaatan lulusan diklat. Tentang implementasi dari kesepakatan tersebut Tata kembali menjelaskan, Tim Pengkaji Pola Pendidikan dan Pelatihan Pegawai DJBC telah melakukan kajian sesuai dengan nomor urut prioritas (lihat box) dengan mengadakan pertemuan maupun rapat pengkajian yang dilakukan setiap dua kali dalam seminggu. Persiapan pun dilakukan oleh Pusdiklat Bea dan Cukai dalam bentuk penyusunan kurikulum dan modul yang disesuaikan dengan hasil kajian. Kurikulum lanjut Tata mengalami perubahan karena disesuaikan dengan kompetensi jabatan atau kebutuhan DJBC. “Perubahan kurikulum saat ini masih pada tahap pembahasan dalam tim dan belum final,”ujarnya . Dengan adanya kesepakatan bersama ini, penyelenggaraan diklat pegawai DJBC oleh Pusdiklat Bea dan Cukai menjadi lebih efektif dan efisien. Karena selama ini menurutnya, penyusunan rencanan dan program diklat, kurikulum dan modul bisa dibilang hanya dilakukan sendiri oleh Pusdiklat Bea dan Cukai. “Dengan adanya kajian bersama oleh penyelenggara diklat dan pengguna lulusan diklat, diharapkan hasilnya menjadi lebih berkualitas,”terangnya kembali. Tata kembali menerangkan, dengan adanya kesepakatan bersama tersebut diharapkan, pegawai lulusan Pusdiklat Bea dan Cukai memiliki kualifikasi yang diharapkan atau diperlukan oleh DJBC. “Diharapkan setiap pegawai DJBC menjalankan tugas pokok dan fungsi DJBC sesuai dengan ketentuan yang telah ditetapkan dan dapat mewujudkan visi dan misi DJBC,”terang Tata mengenai harapannya dengan adanya kesepakatan bersama tersebut. ZAP. ------------------ Prioritas Tugas Pengkajian oleh Tim Pengkaji Pola Pendidikan 1. Pengkajian pola koordinasi antara BPPK dan DJBC 2. Pengkajian Standar kompetensi jabatan 3. Pengkajian jenis-jenis diklat; * Teknis * Fungsional * Penyegaran * Kerjasama dengan pihak ketiga * Current issue 4. Pengkajian kurikulum diklat 5. Pengkajian modul diklat 6. Pengkajian rencana dan program diklat 7. Pengkajian kebutuhan tenaga pengajar 8. pengkajian penyelenggaraan diklat 9. pengkajian evaluasi dan pengembangan diklat 10. Pengkajian sarana dan prasarana diklat 11. pengkajian anggaran penyelenggaraan diklat * sumber; wawancara dengan Endag Tata, Kapusdiklat Bea dan Cukai.

CIMC confirms it will buy HK$1.13b stake in Enric Energy

2007-08-07T20:47:00.000+07:00

(SHANGHAI) Top global shipping container maker China International Marine Containers confirmed yesterday it had agreed to buy a stake worth HK$1.13 billion (S$219 million) in Enric Energy Equipment Holdings. The deal, if successful, would be the first purchase of a H-share firm, or Chinese company listed in Hong Kong, by an Chinese A-share company listed on a mainland bourse, the Shanghai Securities News said. China International Marine Containers (Group) - through its unit Charm Wise - reached an agreement on July 30 to buy a 42.18 per cent stake, or 190.703 million shares, in Enric Energy from Xinao Group International Investment for HK$5.92 per share, it said in a statement yesterday. The offer price represents a 27.36 per cent discount to Enric's closing price of HK$8.15 on July 30 prior to a trading suspension. Enric said late on Friday that CIMC would make a general offer for all outstanding shares it did not already own in the company for HK$1.55 billion. It said CIMC would make the general offer of HK$5.92 per share in cash for all outstanding shares it did not already own, valuing the company at HK$2.68 billion, after its purchase of a 42.18 per cent stake. CIMC would also offer HK$4.42 in cash for each outstanding share option and it would maintain the listing of the energy equipment maker on the Hong Kong stock exchange. Chinese companies, eager to expand beyond their home turf, have been targeting overseas firms to build a global footprint. But the path to expansion is often bumpy. Chinese TV maker TCL Corp, for example, bought a cellular phone businesses from RCA-brand owner Thomson and Alcatel, and China's top PC maker Lenovo Group, bought IBM's PC-making unit in 2005. China's top appliance maker Haier Group also aims to become a global brand, but suffered a setback last year when its US unit failed to win a bidding war for troubled US appliance giant Maytag. In October, TCL Multimedia Technology Holdings conceded to substantial losses due to poor business performance in Europe and said it planned to wind down the operation and lay off an undisclosed number of employees. - Reuters

Capesize rates lift Baltic Dry Index to record high

2007-08-07T20:46:00.000+07:00

(SINGAPORE) The cost of shipping coal, iron ore and other dry-bulk goods has risen to a record, boosted by gains in bigger vessels and a longer line of ships waiting to load at Australia's Newcastle, the world's biggest coal export harbour. Filling up: A coal freighter loading at the Port Waratah facility in Newcastle, Australia The Baltic Dry Index, an overall measure of commodity shipping costs on different routes and ship sizes, added 0.1 per cent to 7,007 on Aug 3, according to the London-based Baltic Exchange. It has been closing at a high since July 24. The Baltic Capesize Index, a measure of rates for the biggest type of bulk carriers on different routes around the world, rose 1.2 per cent to 9,245 on Aug 3, Baltic Exchange data showed. The number of ships waiting to load coal at Newcastle is expected to reach 55 at the end of August and 44 at the end of September, according to the Hunter Valley Coal Chain Logistics Team, which coordinates rail and port movements. There were 51 ships waiting to load the fuel yesterday morning from 49 the week before, Newcastle Port Corp said on its website. Congestion is 'a significant feature in the market absorbing probably in excess of 100 ships, mainly panamaxes and capesize vessels', says London- based Galbraith's Ltd in its weekly report. 'Capesize rates have been the star performer this week and have helped lift the Baltic Dry Index to record levels,' the tanker brokerage says in its Aug 3 report. The daily rate for a capesize carrier, which typically hauls 175,000 tonnes of goods, added US$1,505, or 1.4 per cent, to US$107,593 on average on Aug 3, data from the Baltic Exchange showed. It is the 11th day the rate surpassed US$100,000. The Baltic Capesize Index rose 5.2 per cent last week. Panamax carriers can move 70,000 tonnes of coal and other dry commodities. The daily rate to hire a panamax bulk carrier fell US$794, or 1.4 per cent, to US$57,744 on average on Aug 3, according to the Baltic Exchange. -- Bloomberg

Gulf tanker rates may drop again on vessel supply

2007-08-07T20:44:00.000+07:00

(LONDON) The cost of shipping Middle East oil to Asia, the busiest market for supertankers, may fall for a fifth consecutive week as the supply of vessels exceeds cargoes and refineries wait for crude prices to drop. The supply of very large crude carriers, or VLCCs, available within 30 days has averaged 79 in 2007, the highest in at least five years, New York-based brokerage Poten & Partners said in a report on Friday. US refineries can buy crude oil cheaper in the future than for immediate delivery, leading them to import as little as possible, Oslo-based Laurentzen & Stemoco said in a report on Friday. 'The soft trend for the crude tanker market could well continue in the third quarter,' Laurentzen & Stemoco said. Stockpiles of crude oil in the US are 'way too high', the brokerage added. Singapore Petroleum Co, the only refiner traded on the city state's stock exchange, hired the tanker Hyundai Sun at a rate of 54.5 Worldscale points, according to an report on Friday from London-based shipbroker Galbraith's Ltd. That's little changed from the London-based Baltic Exchange's price of 53.69 points for the same voyage. Rates on the voyage have fallen in 10 of the past 12 weeks and are now at a two-year low. Hyundai Sun was built in 1998 and has two layers of steel separating its cargo from the ocean. Rates for such vessels usually exceed the exchange's assessment, which also takes into account single-hull tankers as old as 20 years. Worldscale points are a percentage of a nominal rate, or flat rate, for more than 320,000 specific routes. Flat rates, quoted in US dollars a ton, are revised annually by the Worldscale Association in London to reflect changing fuel costs, port tariffs and exchange rates. At 53.69 Worldscale points, VLCC owners can earn about US$16,625 a day on a 25-day round trip from Saudi Arabia to Singapore, based on a formula by R S Platou, an Oslo-based shipbroker, and Bloomberg bunker prices. Frontline Ltd, the world's biggest VLCC operator, said on May 30 that it needs US$29,500 to break even on each of the vessels. West Texas Intermediate, the benchmark US crude, recently moved into a price structure known as backwardation in which oil futures closest to expiration are more expensive than contracts for delivery in later months. That encourages refineries to burn off existing stockpiles before they book tankers to collect fresh supplies from the Middle East and West Africa. Bookings of supertankers sailing from the Middle East to Asia account for 47 per cent of global demand for the carriers, according to New York-based McQuilling Brokerage Partners. US and Caribbean cargoes account for 14 per cent and are the world's second-busiest market for supertankers. -- Bloomberg

Asian spot freight rates rise as traders move jet fuel to US

2007-08-07T20:32:00.000+07:00

(SINGAPORE) Asian spot freight rates for intra-Asian clean tanker loadings rose yesterday as traders jumped into the market to try to move jet fuel from the region to the US West Coast. Rates for medium-ranged (MR) tankers for spot bookings on the TC4 route rose five points to W235 levels over last Thursday's Asian close and was unchanged versus Friday's Baltic Exchange settlement. 'The arbitrage for jet (fuel) looks to be open, and we should expect traders to start booking in their shipping this week,' a Singapore-based shipbroker said. Most business is expected to get done over the next three days, before Singapore takes a break on Thursday for National Day. Yesterday, shipbrokers reported that the MR tanker Sunny Express was provisionally booked to load a 30,000 tonne clean petroleum cargo on Aug 15. The loading is slated to take place in South Korea, with the discharge set for the US West Coast. 'It's hard to say, but there is a possibility that this could very well be jet, as it would seem to make no sense to be moving gasoline over now,' a shipbroker said. The US summer driving season is almost over, and the market is now focusing on winter fuel stocks. While US oil data showed that distillate stock levels rose 2.8 million barrels to 126.5 million barrels in the week ended July 27, traders and shipbrokers are eyeing the hurricane season, which enters its peak period in August. 'Last year, there weren't that many disruptions during August through October, but forecasters are saying otherwise this year,' a shipbroker said. In 2005, when Hurricane Katrina hit the US Gulf Coast, wiping out a significant portion of production capabilities, demand for clean tonnage jumped as traders looked to move products into the US. But no hurricanes hit the US last year. Tropical storms become hurricanes when their top winds reach 119 kmh. A Colorado State University team led by forecasting pioneer Bill Gray has predicted 17 Atlantic storms this year, with nine becoming hurricanes and five reaching intense strength. But last week, the team trimmed their forecast down to 15 tropical storms, with eight seen to grow to hurricane strength, including four major hurricanes. -- Reuters

Shipping industry in the midst of rough waves

2007-08-01T12:56:00.000+07:00

(The Economic Times) On February 14, 2007, Vivek Singh Bist, a 25-year-old officer with Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), had jumped off the ship ‘Desh Shanti’, off Cyprus. The victim, who had been on board for over an year, had wanted leave for appearing in an examination. But his request was rejected by his seniors. The victim’s friend Anil Kumar Jalani had filed a complaint against top officials of SCI alleging that Bist had committed suicide because of the irresponsible and callous attitude of the officials. There may be various reasons behind the suicide of Mr Bist. But the shipping industry is blaming it on the increasing shortage of manpower, which drives the Indian-flag carriers to choppy waters. The existing employees are being forced to work for additional sea-time. “ In two years, the officers’ shortage has doubled. Almost 180 shipping companies are registered under the Indian law. These companies, running almost 1,000 ships, are altogether facing a shortage of almost 950 officers,” said SS Kulkarni, secretary general of Indian National Shipowners’ Association (INSA). As many as a dozen seamen had died on board Indian vessels in 2006. Including the death toll from foreign vessels, almost 25 Indian seamen died on board various ships. In 2007, already seven seamen working on Indian-flag carriers have died on board, including the latest death reported of a 47-year-old seaman on board ‘Jaglabh’, owned by Great Eastern Shipping Company (GE Shipping). Though the authorities have claimed that it was a case of suicide, there are serious doubts about the cause of the death. At present, there are government curbs on fresh recruitment by shipowners. Foreign officials are barred from working on board Indian-flag carriers. After a series of incidents, the ministry of shipping is now considering giving a free hand to Indian companies in recruitment. If the new recruitment policy comes into effect, the domestic shipping companies can hire sea-going officers from foreign countries. As per the existing regulations, Indian flag-carriers are not allowed to employ foreign nationals on board. The ministry has asked director general of shipping to examine the proposal. This would, however, need approval from various ministries. “While talking about the suicides and torturing, we should not ignore the flip-side of the issue. The voyage of ship ends mostly when dry-docking happens. Till that time, officers and crew should work in different shifts. If a vessel does not have adequate number of crew, the cyclic procedure will come to a halt. Three years back, a mid-size vessel had an average of 22 crew members on board at a time. Now it has reduced to 15-17. Thus the existing employees will have to extend their sea-time or the companies will have to ask the service of retired people,” said a shipping company official. Meanwhile, rubbing salt into the wound, the foreign-flag vessels have increased poaching from Indian vessels by offering high salaries. The salary given to the staff in a foreign vessel is 20-30% higher than that in an Indian vessel. Like in other sectors, the professionals in shipping industry are attracted by foreign brands. At present, the number Indian officers and crew on foreign vessels is higher than those from any other country. It is a misnomer that employees in foreign vessels need not have to pay tax in India. In fact, they are filing returns at the end of the year while Indian companies deduct it from the monthly salary, said Mr Kulkarni. The dearth of officers is being felt increasingly now, with Indian tonnage growing. According to Baltic & International Maritime Council (BIMCO) survey, the global shortage of qualified officers is at around 10,000. To get over the looming crisis, some global majors are accommodating officers to the extent of allowing them to bring their families along on the voyages so that they continue to remain with their loved ones. On the policy side, Indian shipping companies are required to pay as many as 12 different taxes such as corporate income tax, service tax, fringe benefit tax, minimum alternate tax (MAT) on profit on sale of vessel, sales tax, tax on dividend declared and paid, wealth tax, Customs duty on spares and consumable, reverse service tax on services received abroad, tax on investment paid to foreign lenders, tax on seafarers’ salary and lease tax on chartered vessels. These taxes curb the freedom of the Indian-flag vessels. “To get a level-playing field to compete with global majors, the government should give tax exemptions. Interestingly, foreign vessels are enjoying tax benefits in India. The shipowners had expected a relief in the last Budget, as the shipping ministry had held detailed discussions with shipowners and submitted a report to the finance ministry. But the ministry’s recommendations have fallen on deaf ears,” said an industry source. The unreasonable tax burden also causes the shipping lines to compromise safety standards and allow ships to ply though they may not be seaworthy. Fifteen ships have sunk off India’s vast coastline over the past two months, mainly because of mechanical problems, as regulators and shipowners grapple with a shortage of skilled staff.

Marine Insurance

2007-07-31T18:29:00.000+07:00

Marine insurance falls under commercial insurance. The policy is taken to reduce business risks. It caters to small scale business organisations to large corporates. policy does not cover loss or damage due to wilful misconduct, ordinary leakage, improper packing, delay, war, strike, riot and civil commotion. Different types of Marine Insurance are available: * Marine import transit insurance * Marine export transit insurance * Marine inland transit insurance * Marine insurance claim procedure * Marine Hull Calculation of Marine Insurance Amount/Premium: Amount of premium depends on factors like nature of cargo, scope of cover, packing, mode of conveyance, distance and past claims experience. Premium can be paid on a monthly/quarterly/half-yearly/yearly basis. Marine Insurance Claim Procedure: * In case of loss/damage in transit, a monetary claim should be lodged with the carrier within the time limit to protect recovery rights * Appointment of surveyor or claim representative in agreement with the insurer to determine the nature, cause and extent of loss/damage * The surveyor informs the insurer of the approximate value of loss incurred * The claim procedure takes from one to three weeks Documents Required for Marine Insurance Claim: 1. Original Invoice & packing List - if forming part of Invoice 2. Document of declaration of consignment 3. Damage Certificate from the carrier op.cit. http://www.surfindia.com/finance/marine-insurance.html