Asia Shipping News Nov 18, 2000
ne...@schednet.com
Saturday, November 18, 2000
SchedNet http://www.schednet.com
* Shenzhen plans US$2.4 billion spending spree
* PSA plays host to `Asia Pacific Maritime 2001' show
* SKF takes over Evox Rifa
* No bar for block trains in Montenegro
* Pacific reshuffle as ANZ prepares for southern summer
* Polar yet to cool fleet expansion drive
* British Airways takes to drink
Shenzhen plans US$2.4 billion spending spree
============================================
OVER the next five years the government of Shenzhen plans to spend
some US$2.4 billion in bringing the southern Chinese city's
infrastructure up to the same level as its neighbour Hong Kong.
The plan was unveiled as part of the preliminary scheme for the tenth
Five Year Plan which will run from 2001 to 2005, with plans for a
further $4.2 billion to be spent between 2006 and 2015.
It is expected such a boost will propel the city to the zenith of
China's transport and communication networks, with projects detailed
including highways, railways, water transport, aviation and a postal
system.
Yantian Port is to have 10 more container berths constructed over the
next five years to border a bonded warehouse.
Plans have also been laid for a further 500 kilometres of roadways for
completion by 2005.
PSA plays host to `Asia Pacific Maritime 2001' show
===================================================
PSA Exhibitions Pte Ltd, a fully-owned subsidiary of PSA Corporation
Ltd, together with Reed Exhibition Companies, will be hosting the
inaugural presentation of `Asia Pacific Maritime' - claimed by the
organisers to be the premier maritime exhibition and conference for
the region - from September 5 to September 7, 2001.
Formerly known as SingaPort, Asia Pacific Maritime showcases the
latest technologies and services in shipping, ports, communication and
navigation systems, offshore technology, shipbuilding and ship repair
and conversion.
Asia Pacific Maritime 2001 is expected to attract industry players
from some 500 companies worldwide. There will be international
participation from 12 country groups, covering Belgium, China,
Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore,
South Korea, Spain and the UK.
Henry Tan, chairman, Asia Pacific Maritime 2001 Organising Committee
and executive vice president of the PSA Corporation Ltd, said:
"Singapore aims to be a premier international maritime centre
providing the best services to shipping communities in the world. Asia
Pacific Maritime provides the best forum for the exchange of ideas and
technology, and a wealth of opportunities for industry players to
participate in this surge forward into the new economy."
SKF takes over Evox Rifa
========================
SKF Group unit, Logistics Services, has signed an agreement with the
Finnish Evox Rifa Group to take over the responsibility for handling
its logistics operations in Europe, as well as its sea and air freight
traffic between Europe and Asia.
SKF has developed efficient logistic systems to ensure the reliable
supply of its products to customers all over the world. These systems
will now be used to distribute Evox Rifa capacitors and other
components to the electronics industry. Evox has manufacturing sites
in Kalmar and Gr„nna in Sweden, Suomussalmi in Finland and Batam in
Indonesia. The agreement is initially for two years.
"The SKF Group operates central distribution hubs in Europe, North
America and Asia. We are now actively marketing this asset to third
party customers. So far we have closed a few deals and this business
will be developed further," said Phil Knights, president, SKF service
division.
No bar for block trains in Montenegro
======================================
PAN-EUROPEAN Railroad's combined transport network operator,
Intercontainer-Interfrigo (ICF), has been working block trains through
to the Montenegran port of Bar since the beginning of October.
Containers are forwarded on ICF HHCE trains
(Hans-Hungaria-Container-Express) from Bremerhaven to the hub in
Sopron on the Hungaro-Austrian border. In Sopron ICF then forms block
trains bound for Montenegro via Hungary and Serbia.
So far eleven trains have been successfully travelled to Bar, with a
journey time of six days to travel the 2,300 kilometres to
Bremerhaven.
Once unloaded, the containers are taken in block trains via Croatia
and Slovenia back to Italy where they are made available for further
use.
This solution enables consignments to be shipped by rail, relieving
roads of more than 1.1 million HGV-kilometres (equivalent to 11
full/empty block trains).
Pacific reshuffle as ANZ prepares for southern summer
=====================================================
THE number of services operated by Air New Zealand (ANZ) between the
US and certain South Pacific destinations is being increased
significantly for the airline's (southern) summer schedule.
Codeshare services have enabled Honolulu connections to be expanded,
with capacity to Auckland to be doubled from two to four flights each
week in co-operation with Star Alliance partner Air Canada, on its
Vancouver and Toronto services.
However, Air New Zealand is to stop operating its Los Angeles-Honolulu
flight and instead will offer codesharing flights with another Star
Alliance partner, United Airlines, which operates four flights a day
to LA.
This raises connections between the two cities to 10 per week from the
nine offered on its winter schedule.
The airline is to also offer expanded services between Raoratonga and
Fiji from April 1, 2001, and will also fly from both of these
destinations direct to Los Angeles.
Penny Dalton, ANZ's manager for Canada, said: "The changes to the
northern summer schedule fit with our plan to create a more efficient
network, delivering more choices to customers and putting more
capacity on our core sectors.
"We are concentrating on geographic regions where we have marked
strengths, rather than spreading our operations across the globe."
Polar yet to cool fleet expansion drive
=======================================
POLAR Air Cargo has taken delivery of a 747-400 freighter from Boeing,
and is set to receive yet another new 747-400 for its scheduled
transpacific services later in the month.
The deliveries will bring to three the number of 747-400s in Polar's
fleet. In addition to the new 747-400s, Polar is continuing to upgrade
its fleet with 747-200 freighters. The company took delivery of its
seventh B747-200 freighter on November 3 and will receive its eighth
on November 21.
"Our first 747-400 freighter was delivered last month," said Eric
Dull, Polar's president and CEO. "Both the performance of the aircraft
and the payloads that we have been able to achieve are exceeding our
expectations. We are very excited about Polar's future with these
aircraft integrated into our fleet."
The aircraft will primarily serve transpacific routes to Tokyo, Hong
Kong and Taiwan. Two more 747-400s are on order and scheduled for
delivery in 2001 and 2002. The new B747-400 aircraft are being leased
on a long-term basis from GE Capital Aviation Services.
Polar provides a critical link in the international logistics chain by
linking centres of commerce in Asia, Europe, Australia, New Zealand
and the Americas with frequent scheduled B747 freighter services. The
addition of these aircraft brings to 20 the number of Boeing 747s in
Polar's fleet.
British Airways takes to drink
==============================
BACK on November 9, over one and a half million bottles of beaujolais
nouveau took to the skies, courtesy of British Airways World Cargo.
For the third consecutive year, the airline is the world's leading
carrier of the wine, distributing nearly 1,700 tonnes to worldwide
destinations including San Francisco, Miami, Toronto, Rio de Janeiro
and Dubai.
Meanwhile, Japanese consumers top the list of beaujolais drinkers,
with 550 tonnes winging its way to Tokyo.
Since 1954, beaujolais nouveau has been subject to European
regulations which only allow shipments to leave the European Union at
2200 hrs Central European Time on the second Thursday of November.
This gives just six days for the bottles to be distributed throughout
the world in time for `Beaujolais Nouveau Day' on the third Thursday
of each November.
A competition, now dubbed `The Bojo Run', has taken shape, with wine
producers, wine sellers, freight forwarders and airlines working
around the clock to meet the challenge.
Project teams from across British Airways' network have joined forces
to plan and execute the race, which includes leasing in three
freighters to help complete the task on time.
Flight schedules and time differences will allow countries like Japan
and Australia to be the first in the world to taste the wine.
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