Siba sets new record for livestock shipment

Siba Ships have set a new record for livestock shipment, moving 22,100 steers and heifers from Darwin, Australia to Jakarta and Panjang, Indonesia in one shipment aboard the 'Deneb Prima'.

The previous global record on the same ship was 20,900 cattle. It took 36 hours to load the cattle’s on board, weighing 8,000 tonnes and consumed 200 tonnes of feed per day on their voyage. The cattle trade to Indonesia is a vital export trade for Australia and provides a major protein source for South East Asia, says, Mauro Baizarini, chairman of Siba Ships. Siba also began a new regular service this week by shipping one of the largest ever consignments of dairy cattle from Australian shores, from Portland, Victoria, to Mexico. Siba Ships is the Italian ship owning arm of the Baizarini group which specializes in the trading and transportation of livestock. Over more than forty years, the company has transported livestock mainly from Australia to the Middle East, South East Asia and South America.
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Stybarrow to pump its first oil

First production has begun at the Stybarrow Oil Project in permit WA-32-L off Western Australia.

The production has started from the Eskdale field, with subsequent production from the Stybarrow field expected in the coming weeks. Minor production is expected in the initial stage, with a ramp-up period of several months to an expected plateau production rates of around 50,000 to 60,000 barrels of oil a day. The Stybarrow Venture floating production, storage and offloading facility will produce oil. BHP Billiton operates the Stybarrow Oil Project with a 50% working interest with Woodside holding the remaining 50%.
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UAE committed to Opec goals

The President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, addressed the closed-door session of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries at Riyadh, reiterating UAE's commitment to continue supplying oil to the international market.

Shaikh Khalifa attributed the increase in oil prices to the rising consumption, the high taxes imposed by the consumer countries, market speculations and to the fact that some producing countries have become oil importers. He emphasized for developing clean, safe and cheap alternative sources of energy. Opec's role and policy aimed at maintaining the interests of producers and consumers’ as well as maintaining stability in the world oil market was commended. UAE announced that it would contribute $150 million to back up scientific research in the field of energy, environment and climatic change. UAE's pledge was made in a closed-door session of the Heads of State of Opec member countries in Riyadh.
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Japanese whaling fleet heads for Antarctic

The Japanese whaling fleet has left southern Japan for its biggest hunt since commercial whaling was officially banned, aiming at humpback whales from Australian waters to its haul.

The factory ship Nisshin Maru and three chaser ships left after its ceremonial departure to newer levels of whaling from Shimonoseki. Humpback whales have not been legally hunted in the Antarctic since 1963 and never, since the moratorium on commercial whaling came into effect in 1986, have so many whales been earmarked for death. However, under the guise of scientific research 50 humpbacks have been added to the Japanese tally, with 50 giant fin whales, and up to 935 minkes. Tokyo's Institute of Cetacean Research disclosed that the hunt would take place in Antarctic waters south-west of Australia. Research shows that the humpbacks would mainly come from stocks that breed and migrate off the east and west coasts of Australia.
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CKYH Alliance revamps Asia-North Europe services

South Korean shipping line Hanjin Shipping, from early December, has announced restructuring of the Asia-North Europe services in partnership with other CKYH Alliance members, Coscon, “K” Line and Yang Ming.

Hanjin Shipping and the CKYH Alliance not only re-arrange port rotations but also adds two more services and deploys larger vessels ranging up to 10,000 TEU in capacity. The changes to the Asia-North Europe services are intended to raise the schedule frequencies from Asia and add more carrying capacity to meet growing demand between Asia and North Europe.
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Opec loses influence in the oil market

The third summit of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) is to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia tomorrow.

The summit comes at a critical time; against the backdrop of increasing oil prices and heightened tension in the Gulf region. Oil is likely to break the $100 per barrel mark, over the next few weeks- a price that would further increase the revenues of the producing countries but will also put extra burden on the consuming nation economies. The Opec summit will discuss the price issue and its impact on the world economy and will discover instantly that it has little power to moderate the prices in the international market. The reliable flow of oil from the Gulf region has always been the key factor for a stable oil market and a vital interest for the United States and to the whole world. The increase in oil prices is not linked to a shortage of supplies, but is the direct effect of the stand –off between Iran and the US.
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Expansion through IPO

China's shipbuilders are advancing steadily towards global expansion, with at least seven major shipping companies putting IPO plans in the pipeline.

As the Baltic Dry Index that measures dry bulk shipping rates has more than doubled over the past years, China's shipping industry is approaching an all-time high. China Shipbuilding Industry (CSIC) is one of the key players in taking this initiative. Established in July 1999, the state-owned enterprise is China's largest in design, manufacturing and trading of military and civil ships, marine engineering and marine equipment. CSIC also specializes in investment and capital management and is targeting to raise US$900 million on the Ashare market. In addition, China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), another state-owned shipbuilder also founded in 1999, is planning to list on the Hong Kong market. Jiangsu Rongsheng Heavy Industries, Sinopacific, Mingde Nantong, Yantai Raffles Shipbuilding and JES International are the other companies to consider selling equity.
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