noticias

NOTICIAS MES DE DICIEMBRE DE 2001 (NEWS)

28/12/01 IMO - International Maritime Organization announced amendments to enter into force on 1 January 2002

As part of the IMO’s continuing work to update and amend the regulatory framework surrounding international shipping, the following amendments to SOLAS and MARPOL will enter into force on 1 January 2002:

May 2000 amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974

SOLAS Chapter III, regulation 28.2 for helicopter landing areas is amended to require a helicopter landing area only for ro-ro passenger ships. The requirement for a helicopter landing area was originally meant for all passenger ships of 130 metres in length and upwards constructed on or after 1 July 1999, but in May 2000 IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) decided to amend the regulation to make this requirement applicable to ro-ro passenger ships only (constructed on or after 1 July 1999).

Regulation 28.1 of SOLAS chapter III requires all ro-ro passenger ships to be fitted with a helicopter pick-up area.

May 2000 amendments to the 1988 SOLAS Protocol

The amendments add the words “bulk carrier” under the heading “type of ship” in the form of the Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate, Cargo Ship Safety Equipment Certificate and Cargo Ship Safety Certificate given in the appendix to the Annex to the Protocol of 1988 relating to SOLAS. This means that the options for type of ships for these certificates are now given as: Bulk carrier, Oil tanker, Chemical tanker, Gas carrier, and Cargo ship other than any of the above.

April 2000 amendments to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto (MARPOL 73/78)

The amendment to Annex III (Prevention of Pollution by Harmful Substances Carried by Sea in Packaged Form) deletes tainting as a criterion for marine pollutants from the Guidelines for the identification of harmful substances in packaged form. Tainting refers to the ability of a product to be taken up by an organism and thereby affect the taste or smell of seafood making it unpalatable. A substance is defined as tainting when it has been found to taint seafood. The amendment means that products identified as being marine pollutants solely on the basis of their tainting properties will no longer be classified as marine pollutants.

For official version of amendments please refer to IMO.

27/12/01 Classification societies Bureau Veritas from France and RINA Registro Italiano Navale suspend alliance discussions

FRENCH classification society Bureau Veritas and RINA, Registro Italiano Navale of Italy, have acknowledged that discussions concerning an alliance between the two IACS members (International Association of Classification Societies) have been suspended.

Bureau Veritas and RINA had almost reached agreement on the conditions of structuring such an alliance but, in the process of concluding the legal aspects of the deal, difficulties arose concerning corporate governance and certain guarantees requested by RINA, which Bureau Veritas felt unable to accept.

Bureau Veritas was prepared to discuss an alternative structuring of the agreement, but this did not meet the strategic objectives of RINA, which therefore decided not to continue negotiations at the present time.

Bernard Anne, head of BV's marine division, said, "It was not possible to reach agreement with our Italian colleagues on the legal structure of the alliance, but we will continue to develop closer levels of co-operation on technical and commercial matters."

Nicola Squassafichi, ceo of RINA, said, "Relations between BV and RINA have been strengthened, and the work done has shown the potential for greater co-operation between the two societies on joint projects."

20/12/01 Crowley Loads and Transports Frozen Poultry from Port of Gulfport, Miss. to Cuba performing the first commercial cargo shipped in almost 40 years from USA to Cuba.

Crowley Liner Services loaded containers of frozen poultry aboard Crowley's ship Express at the Port of Gulfport, Miss., for transport to Havana, Cuba. The vessel arrived in Cuba last week end. This was the first commercial cargo shipped in almost 40 years from USA to Cuba.

This is the first shipment by Crowley for Alimport, the Cuban agency involved with purchasing food products for its country. Alimport contracted with Crowley to transport containerized frozen poultry and dry food products from the United States to Cuba in late November

Alimport, also known as Empresa Cubana Importadora de Alimentos, purchased the food from U.S. companies in hopes of providing relief for Cubans impacted by Hurricane Michelle, which caused widespread destruction as it passed over the island Nov. 4.

Because of Crowley's longstanding history of service to the Caribbean and the fact that the company was the first U.S. carrier to meet all federal requirements to ship licensed cargo to Cuba earlier this year, Alimport invited Crowley to bid on the transportation contract.

Earlier this year, Crowley became the first U.S. carrier to obtain a license from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Department of the Treasury in Washington, D.C., to provide regularly scheduled common carrier services for licensed cargo from the United States to the Republic of Cuba.

Crowley's license from the OFAC permits certain Crowley executives to travel to Cuba to make whatever arrangements are necessary to ship licensed cargo to Cuba. This includes authorization to enter into contracts with and pay fees to Cuban port authorities, agents, stevedores and similar entities provided such contracts are required in order for the Crowley to provide authorized services.

Crowley began regularly scheduled common carrier service to Cuba in April. Although no direct vessel calls have been made to date, Crowley has transported loads for customers to Mexico and then via third-party carriers to Cuba on Crowley bills of lading.

Crowley Liner Services, headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., is a subsidiary of Oakland-based Crowley Maritime Corporation, founded in 1892.

19/12/01 GoReefers the independent logistics service provider specialized in reefer logistics of perishables goods started activities in Argentina

The opening of the Argentina branch is part of the Company worldwide expansion plans. With its Head-office on the docks in Rotterdam, GoReefers was established by four reefer specialists and is building a global on-line marketplace designed to facilitate the logistics of reefer cargoes.

This enhances offering a full logistics package (amongst others shipping, cold storage and trucking) supported by e.g. on-line documentation, cargo tracking & tracing, and quality control.

GoReefers mission, is to provide the reefer industry with the most efficient and transparent eMarketplace, supported by innovative technology and strong strategic partners, being their vision to become the world’s leading independent eMarketplace for the logistics of perishables.

GoReefers is associated with the following partners: Network Chartering; Fruitline AB and Orion Shipping

Same as today exist at GoReefers South Africa branch, it is expected GoReefers Argentina to be launching its local website linked to GoReefers' main WEB site.

GoReefers in Argentina will be under the responsability of Mr Else de Jong, a reefer logistics expert with large experience in all related acivities to storage, shipping and logistics of refrigerated cargoes.

Their WEB site: http://www.goreefers.com/

17/12/01 CP Ships secures financing for their previously announced $800 million ship investment programme. In 2.000, 10% of CP Ships' volume was in the Latin American market, with services under the LYKES Lines, TMM Lines and CONTSHIP Containerlines brands.

CP Ships is in the process of closing a secured five year revolving credit facility. Citibank N.A. has underwritten US$ 250 million of the facility, which is expected to be $350 million in total. Closing of the underwritten portion of the facility is expected by the end of the year.

The facility, which has been placed with banks with extensive experience of lending to the shipping industry, will be used primarily to finance CP Ships' previously announced $800 million ship investment programme.

The investment programme, which continues as planned with deliveries of 10 new ships expected from mid-2002 to mid-2003, will replace chartered ships with more economic ships specifically designed to match the requirements of CP Ships' regional trades.

CP Ships also has in place a secured $175 million revolving credit facility which became effective on 2nd August 2001. The new facility replaces a planned $255 million private placement announced on 21st September 2001 by CP Ships' former parent, Canadian Pacific Limited.

CP Ships presence in the Latin American Market

The acquisition of Lykes Lines and Contship Containerlines in 1997 provided a platform for CP Ships' development in Latin America. This platform was expanded with the acquisition of Ivaran (now marketed under the Lykes Lines brand) in 1998 and the formation of the Americana Ships joint venture with TMM in 1999.

In 2000, 10% of CP Ships' volume was in the Latin American market, with services under the Lykes Lines, TMM Lines and Contship Containerlines brands.

12/12/01 Swisscargo and group of investors sign Memorandum of Understanding

Swisscargo Ltd., the Swissair Group's airfreight marketing company, and a group of Swiss investors led by the Zurich-based entrepreneur Branco Weiss have signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the formation of a new company which is to ensure the continuity of parts of the Swiss airfreight business formerly managed by Swisscargo.

Within the Swissair Group, Swisscargo Ltd. was responsible in 85 countries for the worldwide marketing of the airfreight capacities of Swissair, Sabena, and Crossair and generated revenues of 800 million Euro in the year 2000. Having been confronted with a considerable decline in sales already in the wake of the September 11 incidents and the groundings of the Swissair and later on the Sabena fleet, Swisscargo finally had to file for debt moratorium as a direct consequence of the insolvency of Swissair.

New business model with "New Crossair" as first customer

The now signed memorandum foresees the establishment of a new, worldwide operating General Sales and Service Agent (GSSA) organization to be commissioned by passenger airlines to manage their total airfreight businesses. Based on the respective financial investment and the trade-related logistic know-how, the investors together with the airfreight specialists of Swisscargo plan to realize a business model which is unique in its form and to thereby save a good part of the still existing jobs on a long-term basis. A precondition would be to contract the new Crossair as a first or reference customer, whereby the number of long-haul flights operated by the new Swiss airline will be of decisive importance.

According to Branco Weiss, spokesman of the group of investors, the new concept is geared to save the highest possible number of qualified jobs and thus the airfreight know-how so important for Switzerland. Further to that, the business plan foresees the establishment of a worldwide network safeguarding the exporting country's access to a new global airfreight system which expands way beyond the destinations offered by the new Swiss airline.

"Switzerland can look back on a long tradition in the field of logistics and freight transportation," says Branco Weiss. "Swiss forwarders were the ones who co-founded the worldwide forwarding industry, and even today three of the world's biggest forwarder enterprises are Swiss based. That's why we are cautiously optimistic that we will succeed in establishing in Switzerland the first global and airline-independent airfreight marketing company and operate it profitably for the mid term. For this, though, a fruitful cooperation with the new Swiss airline as well as the support by the Swiss forwarders remain preconditions."

10/12/01 Shipping Lines, Cargo Airlines and Express carriers and package delivery companies are implementing reductions on BAF and Fuel surcharges, following the decline experienced in bunker fuel prices.

Following the decline experienced as from the month of September in international bunker fuel prices, and although prices are still considered as relatively high, most shipping lines has recently reduced their BAF surcharges same as in the airline industry have been implemented reductions or complete provisional suspension of fuel surcharges on a worldwide basis.

By suspending the surcharge, transport companies are honoring the pledge it gave to customers when the surcharge was first introduced, a process, which governs the introduction and raising of the fuel surcharge as well as its reduction or complete withdrawal on the basis of a fuel price index. Fuel costs are a critical market factor and a considerable valuable cost.

For the air industry, worldwide spot prices are based on kerosene-type jet fuel as published by the Energy Information Administration of the U.S. Government, EIA and in the shipping business it is usual to consider base FO (Fuel Oil) MDO (Marine Diesel Oil) at Rotterdam spot bunker prices.

Swisscargo has decided to fully suspend the fuel surcharge on its entire route network with effect of January 1, 2002.

United Cargo, the Cargo Division of United Airlines announced that effective January 1, 2002 the fuel surcharge will be reduced from US$0.15/kg to US$0.10/kg internationally.

Lufthansa Cargo lifts fuel surcharge of 0.10 euros suspended with effect from December 20, 2001

British Airways World Cargo announced that it will remove its £0.06p/kilo [or local equivalent] fuel surcharge worldwide with effect from 23rd December 2001, subject to any local governing authority approvals.

UPS announced it will lower its current fuel surcharge (implemented in August 2000) for customers worldwide by 40 percent - from 1.25 percent to 0.75 percent -as from next Dec. 10 and will remain in place at least until Feb. 3, 2002. After Feb. 3, adjustments will take effect on the first Monday of each month and will be based on the U.S. Energy Department's On-Highway Diesel Fuel Prices.

DHL Worldwide Express, announced a one percent decrease in the company's fuel surcharge, effective December 2, 2001. This will lower its fuel surcharge to three percent.

On the maritime shipping industry also most shipping lines and conferences are reducing BAF surcharges.

07/12/01 IATA AIRLINES - OCTOBER TRAFFIC SHOWS INTENSIFIED DECLINE

A further seven point fall - to less than 63 percent - in the passenger load factor took place in October on the international scheduled services of IATA airlines. This reflected an intensified decline in traffic, as well the effect of an average 9 percent cut in capacity. The year-on -year fall of 23 percent in October passenger traffic worldwide made the cumulative change for the first 10 months of 2001 negative. If projected to end-year this will result in a fall in passenger traffic of 5 percent in 2001.

During those first ten months, total traffic (passengers plus freight) fell by more than 4 percent, against a total capacity increase of 1 percent (these figures do not appear on the summary table, below). Projected to end-year total capacity may decline by 1-2 percent, and overall traffic by 6-7 percent. North American IATA carriers on average had a 33 percent fall in passenger traffic in October; for European, Far Eastern and Central & South American carriers on average the falls ranged from 20 to 25 percent.

Source: Extracted from IATA Monthly International Statistics.

06/12/01 New Bulk Shipping Pool to offer enhanced service - Is expected to be fully operational by early 2002 and will then control some 75 ships totalling in excess of 12 million deadweight tonnes.

The Peninsular and Oriental ( P&O) Steam Navigation Company announced that Associated Bulk Carriers Limited, the capesize bulk shipping venture in which it has a 50% shareholding, is to form part of a major new pool of capesize tonnage. Apart from ABC, the pool will include ships currently owned, managed or operated by Belships, Bocimar, A P Moeller, OSG and Zodiac Maritime. The pool is expected to be fully operational by early 2002 and will then control some 75 ships totalling in excess of 12 million deadweight tonnes.

The new pool will enable a significantly enhanced service to be offered to customers. As one of the world's largest capesize operations, it will be able to keep pace with the increasing demands of the world's leading steelmakers, power generators and raw material suppliers and traders which have been consolidating. The size of the pool will give greater flexibility and reliability as well as providing for more efficient management.

The pool will be marketed under the name Cape International. The responsibilities of Cape International will be performed by Bocimar and Zodiac Maritime through their respective offices in Antwerp and London. Bocimar will be responsible for spot market negotiations, finance and pool administration. Zodiac will be responsible for customer relations, contracts of affreightment, vessel scheduling and certain spot market business. Representative offices in Singapore, Beijing and Tokyo will be responsible for Far East customer relations. The Chief Executive of Cape International will be Benoit Timmermans, Chief Executive Officer of Bocimar.

The 75 capesize vessels that will be operated by Cape International range in size from 122,000 dwt to 210,000 dwt.

The parties to the new pool are liaising with the relevant regulatory authorities to ensure compliance with competition law.

ABC controls one of the worlds largest independent fleets of Capesize bulk carriers with 22 vessels ranging in size between 100-200 DWT. It's business consists of carrying some 30 million tons annually of iron ore, coking coal and steam coal for the world's major steel producers, power generators and leading coal and iron ore shippers. Given its emphasis on flexibility, dependability and service combined with more than 30 years of Capesize operating experience, ABC enjoys the close co-operation and support of the lead players associated with the sea borne carriage of major dry cargo raw materials including the transport of grain and other feedstock.

05/12/01 Between April 7 and 10 2.002 it will be developed " ALACAT 2.002 Congress and Exhibition ", in the city of Atlanta, USA.

This will be the twenty-first (21st) Congress and the first to be held in conjunction with the "Global Logistics Week" being organized by GFB International.

This Congress, which has traditionally been one of Latin America's premier events to bring together significant participation by airlines, freight forwarding companies, freight and expedited cargo handling companies, government authorities, and the numerous suppliers to the industry, has been enhanced this year with the collaboration with GFB International.

The planned ALACAT 2002 program will provide the opportunity and direction to solve problems through advances in technology and partnerships, all to the betterment of the industry, businesses, and customers.

CONFERENCE LOCATION:

Business sessions and the exposition will take place Sunday through Wednesday at the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel, 210 Peachtree Street NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30303-1745. Several of the planned ALACAT 2002 leisure and banquet programs will be conducted outside the Westin Hotel. For these activities, scheduled transportation services will be provided by the ALACAT 2002 organizers.

Opening Day - Sunday 07 April 2002

Program Features:Media Coverage and Interviews. Welcome Reception - Attendee Registration - Opening/Ribbon Cutting.

First Program Day -

Monday 08 April 2002 Program Focus:Regulatory Issues and International Trade.

Program Features: Media Coverage and Interviews.

Attendee Registration.

Business "Roundtables."

Business Briefing by CNN Espanol.

Cargo Safety & Security.

Government Inspection Regulations

Leisure Activities:Exhibitor's Reception.