20 May 2006 issue

Headlines

13 mega carriers

13 new container ships most of them mega carriers of a 9600 teu capacity will be deployed by the CHINA SHIPPING CONTAINER LINES this year on the Far East / Europe Line. December 31 2005, "post panamax" type ships (with a capacity exceeding 4000 teu) represented 76,7% of the group’s total assets. The short term ambition for the Chinese sea carrier is to go from its 6th world rank to 3rd.

Source : Antenne 11 May 2006

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Car carriers

Vietnamese shipyards have obtained a contract for $1 bn with an Israelian company to build eight car carriers. According to the agreement signed on 9 May with Ray Car-Carriers Ltd, the State owned group VINASHIN (Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Corp.) will build eight ships each having a capacity of 4500 cars. The first car carrier is expected to be delivered in September 2008.

Source : Antenne, 12 May 2006

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Introducing AP+ in the port of Le Havre

As of May 22, all the Le Havre port operators will use AP+ for export operations. AP+ software was developed jointly by Le Havre’s Soget and Marseilles’ MGI. Port operators in Marseilles have been using it since October 2005. AP+ software, originally intended for the two largest French ports Marseilles and Le Havre, is used by all professions involved in land and port logistic operations as well as administrations staff such as customs, port authorities and professional unions. The AP+ software was created in response to governmental safety requirements in conformity with the ISPS security code, concerning the tracing of cargo in transit in ports.

Source : Antenne, 16 May 2006

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Joint European air space

The European union and ten countries and territories, seven of which are in the Balkans, have signed an agreement to create a "joint European air space" (EAEC). The agreement states that Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Iceland, Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Romania and the transitional administration mission of the United Nations in Kosovo will align their national legislation on air transport with all the community laws concerned.

Source : Antenne, 12 May 2006

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Improving cross-border railway infrastructure between Germany and Poland

Germany and Poland last week signed a declaration of intent to improve cross-border railway infrastructure for passenger and freight traffic. They will build bridges respectively near Frankfurt an der Oder And over the Neisse river further south.

Source : IFW 8 May 2006

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Digital tachograph

For road hauliers the use of digital tachograph in new trucks is compulsory as of 1 May. According to article 27 and 29 of the new European regulation 561/2006 concerning harmonization of certain social legislation terms in road transport, the digital tachograph must be installed on all new vehicles of 3.5 t or more with seats for more than 9 people. In theory 18 state members have complied with this obligation. According to the IRU (International Road Union) seven state members are not yet up to standard , namely : Hungary, Slovenia, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus and Malta.

Source : Antenne, 15 May 2006

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Seven countries miss digital tacho deadline

Seven countries missed the deadline for digital tachographs on 1 May. Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia and Slovenia are all late introducing the technical and administrative infrastructure needed to issue digital tachograph cards to drivers, companies and calibration workshops, according to the International Road transport union (IRU). Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia and Slovenia are expected to be ready by June or July, but Greece could be as late as January. The IRU said transport operators would be sanctioned and their economic activities unfairly disrupted because of inadequate preparations by governments. Ec intervention was needed to speed up the process, he added. The other EU member states met the deadline, but their national systems now had to prove themselves in practice.

Source : IFW 8 May 2006

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Rates up down under

The Australian government is increasing customs import processing charges from May 10. The move follows the government’s decision last October to increase the threshold for goods imported by non-postal systems from A$250 to A$1000 (Euros 152 to Euros 610) for each import declaration, bringing this threshold into line with that applying to postal imports. For consignments above $1000 the processing charge will increase from $30.10 to $40.20 (Euros 18.36 to Euros 24.53) per declaration for imports arriving by air or post and from Euros 49.50 to $50 (Euros 30 to Euros 30.50) per declaration for goods imported by sea.

Source : IFW 8 May 2006

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The EU renounces commercial retaliation against the USA

The EU decided to withdraw commercial retaliation measures against the USA after Congress voted on Monday 11 a law to abolish certain export tax advantages granted to American companies. Congress voted to pull out export aid provisions disapproved by the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Source : Antenne 15 May 2006

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