Primo Cup 2008 marked out as a top level vintage

The 2008 Mediterranean regatta season has opened in style with the XXIV Primo Cup – Trophée Credit Suisse.

From Ukraine to Ireland, Portugal to Greece, 205 competitors from 21 nations took part over the two weekends in the 13 classes (Dragon, Laser SB3, Platu 25, J24, Mumm 30, Smeralda 888, First 40.7, Star, Surprise, H22, Melges 24, Swan 42 and Melges 32). All faced weather conditions that were as testing on the nerves as they were on the body. More than 1000 sailors descended on the Principality of Monaco for three days of competition to be welcomed by capricious winds ranging from 5 to 20 knots, a strong chop and omnipresent sunshine. The annual rendezvous sponsored by clothing company SLAM lived up to its reputation. While the Dragons opened the ball on the first weekend with a record participation of 40 boats, including numerous Scandinavian and Ukranian teams, the second weekend was marked by a strong showing of the Bénéteau Platu 25 class (17 registered) and the internationalization of the Laser SB3, with nine nations represented. The race committee chaired by Thierry Leret kept the program going at a rhythm, which enabled participants to test new materials and train crewmembers at the start of the 2008 season.
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Two new container berths at Port of Xiamen commence operation

The expanded No 20 Berth and newly-built No 21 Berth at Xiamen's Dongdu port area have passed project completion inspection and have commenced operations as January came to a close.

The two berths are operated by the Xiamen International Trade Group Corp. The expanded No 20 berth can handle a 50,000-tonne containership, has a quay length of 355.2 metres and a water depth of 13.5 metres, costing CNY9.8 million (US$1.4 million) to build.The No 21 berth was a multi-use berth with a capacity of 20,000 tonnes. It has a quay length of 195 metres and a water depth of 13.5 metres.

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UN agency advances proposed cargo reform towards General Assembly approval

A Proposed United Nations standard shipping treaty will now do the rounds of member governments ahead of being submitted to the annual meeting of the UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) in June before it is brought to the General Assembly for approval later in the year.

If passed, reported the American Shipper, the UN treaty will likely bring amendment to national shipping laws which are passed based on previous international agreements. For example, the US Carriage of Goods at Sea Act, is based on the old Hague Rules, though other countries use a different form called the Hague-Visby rules and still others, have adopted the so-called Hamburg Rules.

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Melbourne dredging awaits okay from Labor environment-minister

The Port of Melbourne Corporation is keeping its fingers crossed that a controversial plan to dredge the shipping channel will receive approval from recently appointed Environment Minister Peter Garrett.

A spokeswoman said Mr Garrett has been locked in talks with advisers in Canberra to formulate the details for the A$1 billion (US$906.74 million) project's environmental management plan to ensure the 16 extra conditions he placed on the project will come to fruition, a report by the Melbourne Herald Sun said. The report said the delay in the dredging has cost the Port of Melbourne Corporation A$1 million so far amid calls from industry members to scrap all or part of the planned works. However, global port operator DP World, with five container terminals in Australia, is urging the project be given the green light, after its Australia managing director, Jack Williams, said further delay would leave Australia with infrastructure unable to meet international shipping needs.

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Hapag-Lloyd Restructures North Europe Service

Hapag-Lloyd has restructured its European Express Service between North Europe and Greece / Turkey facilitating a doubling of weekly departures.

Both services will be run in cooperation with MSC shipping line serving the ports of Izmir and Piraeus twice a week. Istanbul, Thessaloniki and Gemlik will be called once per week. In North Europe the ports of Felixstowe and Antwerp (both services), and Le Havre (EEX 1 only) and Sines in Portugal (EEX 2 only) will be served. From Antwerp and Le Havre, the ports of Bremerhaven, Hamburg and Liverpool will be served by a dedicated feeder service. All ships provide sufficient reefer plugs. The first departure from Bremerhaven is on February 11th, from Hamburg on February 12th.

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Euro Tariff Conversion in the Europe - Oceania trade

With effect from April 1, Maersk Line will change the tariff currency from USD to Euro on its Europe - Oceania services.

The change will apply to all shipments from Europe and North Africa for destinations in Oceania (Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific Islands). The change is due to the volatility of the USD at a time where an increasingly high proportion of the line's costs are settled in Euro. The change will not apply to cargo originating in the Middle East and South Asia for destinations in Oceania nor will it be implemented in the northbound trade from Oceania to the Middle East, South Asia, and Europe. In these corridors we will maintain USD as our tariff currency.

Sonobuoy Contract Awarded

Undersea Sensor Systems Incorp., Columbia City, Ind., is being awarded a $9,750,276 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of AN/SSQ-62E sonobuoys in support of the United States Navy Air Antisubmarine Forces in the mission functions of detection, classification, and localization of adversary submarines during peacetime and combat operations.

This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $18,923,029. Work will be performed in Columbia City, Ind., and is expected to be completed by Feb. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured through Government-wide Points of Entry, Navy Electronic Commerce On-line, and Federal Business Opportunities websites with two contractors solicited and two offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Ind., is the contracting activity (N00164-08-C-GP02).

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