30 Juni 2010

[300610.EN.SEA] TCC Cash Flow To Cover Costs, Positive Results Next May

THE Containership Company (TCC), the new boy on the liner block, has says it is generating the cash-flow from its single Great Dragon Service cover operating expenses and deliver positive results this year, reported Paris-based Alphaliner.
TCC said that it expects the operating profit for its first full year of operations to April 30 to be in the region of US$6.5 million to $7.5 million, said Alphaliner.

The start-up company running a shuttle from Taicang port, 60 kilometres up the Yangtze from Shanghai, near a large body of exporting customers, said its had spent $10.5 million to launch the Shanghai-LA shuttle, said the report.

A further $9.5 million has been invested in containers, which are now being sold or refinanced through sale and lease-back transactions or simple bank financing.

By early August, TCC will operate a fleet of eight vessels of between 2,500 to 3,000 TEU. The company has purchase options on four of the vessels including the 2,564-TEU Taicang Dragon, valued at $35 million against a purchase option of $29 million.

The vessel has been fixed for up three years and TCC will have an option to buy throughout the charter period.

But the Taicang Dragon is the smallest of the TCC fleet and has been withdrawn from the Great Dragon Service at the end of June as it switches from a five ship rotation to a four week rotation with faster sailing speeds as of this month.

Source : HKSG, 30.06.10.

[300610.ID.BIZ] Eksportir Minta Penjelasan Penyaluran Hasil Ekspor

JAKARTA (Bisnis.com): Kalangan eksportir meminta kejelasan dari pemerintah terkait mekanisme informasi penyaluran hasil ekspor yang menurut rencana bakal tertera dalam Pemberitahuan Ekspor Barang (PEB) yang akan disempurnakan.

Permintaan itu dikemukakan menyusul pencabutan kewajiban L/C bagi enam komoditas ekspor. Oleh karena itu, mereka meminta kejelasan itu hanya bersifat hanya berupa laporan khusus atau pemberitahuan yang tertera dalam PEB.

Direktur Eksekutif Asosiasi Pertambangan Indonesia (Indonesia Mining Association/IMA) Priyo Pribadi Soemarno mengatakan mekanisme informasi itu harus jelas apakah berupa laporan khusus ataukah pemberitahuan yang tertera dalam PEB saja.

Pada dasarnya, tambahnya, pihaknya sangat menyambut baik rencana pemerintah untuk tetap mengontrol penyaluran dana hasil ekspor melalui mekanisme lain di luar L/C karena pemerintah juga harus mengetahui kemana dana ekspor itu mengalir.

"Oleh karena itu, diperlukan suatu instrumen untuk mengontrol volume dan nilai ekspor. Tetapi harus jelas mekanismenya seperti apa? Apa laporan khusus atau apa? Kami minta kejelasan soal ini,” katanya hari ini.

Menteri Perdagangan Mari Elka Pangestu menegaskan pemerintah tetap dapat memperoleh informasi penyaluran hasil ekspor melalui Pemberitahuan Ekspor Barang yang akan disempurnakan.

Menurut Priyo, selama ini sebelum kebijakan L/C berhasil diterapkan pemerintah telah mengenakan wajib lapor bagi eksportir. Laporan ekspor itu disampaikan kepada Kementerian Perdagangan.

Untuk pelaku usaha tambang sendiri, kewajiban lapor dalam bentuk apa pun bukan merupakan suatu hal yang sulit sepanjang itu tidak memengaruhi nilai transaksi dan secara teknis tidak memberatkan pelaku ekspor.

“Jadi mau ditaruh dalam PEB sehingga harus merubah PEB pun buat kami tidak masalah. Yang penting harus ada kejelasan soal mekanisme itu,” ujarnya.(fh)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 29.06.10.

28 Juni 2010

[280610.EN.SEA] Distant Early warning Needed To Deal With Breakdown In 'CFS Bypass'


ADEQUATE warning and rapid response to breakdowns in the reverse distribution scheme called the "CFS bypass" or "milk run" are essential in dealing with factory-to-ship snags without losing time and money.
Inevitably problems occur, but the lessons learnt by Hercules Logistics and Forwarding president Ken Mei as he moved LCL consignments from several factories on single truck routes to US-bound ships through China's southern Guangdong province, provide helpful insighty to others adopting the method.

Contracted by a high-volume US retailer, Hercules's Ken Mei set himself the task of saving time and money by staging what has since become known as a "milk run" or a "CFS by pass".

That is, loading goods from several factory sources in the actual container that would board the ship.

This differs from the usual method of having each factory send a truck to a container freight station (CFS), where it is often destuffed, sorted for different consignees and then re-stuffed into a new box to be loaded on a waterfront-bound truck.

This involves the shipper paying for all of a factory's half-empty truck, the freight handling at the CFS itself, plus all the exposure to pilferage and damage such extra handling involves.

Our cost analysis model demonstrates that retailers can save 65 per cent of the pre-carriage expense in Shenzhen by adopting a milk run model instead of each supplier delivering the cargo individually by truck to the CFS.

On the face of it, the “CFS bypass” or “milk run” means a savings galore, but the technique is not without pitfalls, uncertainties and risks of extra costs, which do not nearly play as big a role in the old system.

One typical snag is that the cargo is not ready at the factory door. Sometimes it is, but its documents aren’t.

Countering this may involve collecting cargo from another factory to replace the cargo that was unable to join the “milk run” as originally planned. That means lining up another factory to do it on time.

If, for example, there is an arrangement whereby cargo from two separate factories share the same container, one may replace the other.

And if one factory’s cargo is not ready when the truck comes, or its documents aren’t up to snuff, the trucker must be prepared to turn to a third factory for cargo to keep the ball on the hop.

It is not uncommon for there to be a lack of suitable substitute cargo to fill the container and it may be necessary to scrap the route.

But all this should be known well before the truck is on the road, because the suppliers should supply the information about its inability to meet the schedule well in advance.

Once told, the onus falls on trucker to re-order his next milk run, and tell factories 14 days in advance that they must stand down, that their cargo will be rolled over until the next truck. They may even have to go cap in hand to the CFS again.

Source : TCSM, 19.06.10.

[280610.ID.SEA] Pengusaha Pelayaran Gugat SKB 3 Dirjen


Oleh: Tularji
JAKARTA (Bisnis.com): Pelaku usaha pelayaran segera mengajukan gugatan terhadap Surat Keputusan Bersama (SKB) tiga Dirjen yang menetapkan semua kegiatan bongkar muat di pelabuhan harus melibatkan koperasi tenaga kerja bongkar muat (TKBM).

Ketua Umum Dewan Pengurus Pusat Indonesian National Shipowners’ Association (INSA) Johnson W. Sutjipto mengatakan materi gugatan itu sedang disiapkan.

“Materi gugatannya sedang disiapkan. SK Tiga Dirjen itu akan kami bawa ke KPPU supaya dibatalkan,” ujarnya kepada Bisnis.com, tadi pagi.

Dia menjelaskan gugatan itu akan didaftarkan ke Komisi Pengawas Persaingan Usaha (KPPU) karena ketentuan itu telah menimbulkan monopoli di bidang tenaga kerja bongkar muat sehingga merugikan pelaku usaha. “Dalam waktu dekat akan kami daftarkan,” katanya.

SKB tiga Dirjen dimaksud ditandatangani oleh Dirjen Perhubungan Laut, Dirjen Koperasi, dan Dirjen Tenaga Kerja. Isi SKB itu intinya menetapkan untuk semua kegiatan bongkar muat harus melibatkan koperasi TKBM.

INSA sebenarnya sejak lama mendesak pemerintah segera mengubah atau meninjau kembali kebijakan yang mengatur bongkar muat di pelabuhan karena aturan tersebut dinilai semakin tidak relevan untuk diterapkan di pelabuhan di Indonesia.

Alasannya, akibat berpegang kepada SKB itu TKBM justru menghambat arus bongkar muat barang di pelabuhan.

Bahkan, telah menjadi budaya di pelabuhan bahwa penentu kelancaran bongkar muat bukanlah jadwal kapal melainkan tenaga kerja bongkar muat.

INSA mengusulkan agar regulasi tentang TKBM mempertegas larangan monopoli tenaga kerja bongkar muat dalam kegiatan itu di pelabuhan, dan sekaligus mendorong tumbuhnya perusahan bongkar muat lainnya yang lebih kompetitif.(er)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 28.06.10.

27 Juni 2010

[270610.EN.LOG] Freight Forwarder Insurance Plan To Launch At Macau Summit

Hong Kong: The first global freight protection plan for independent freight forwarders will launch at a conference taking place at the Venetian Macau on September 21-6.

Global Logistics Shield (GLS) provides cover against losses due to an individual company’s inability to pay outstanding freight charges and is insured on international markets and supported by reputable underwriters. The fund is underwritten to provide US$1 million of cover.

The plan provides improved cover for companies compared to self insured schemes which have limited funds and security. GLS is neutral and independent of any network group, association or club. The GLS Timely Freight Payment Monitoring & Alerting Scheme allows users to monitor and validate payments and issue alerts when payments are overdue.

“For many years it has been a concern of many independent forwarders that they are vulnerable to losses incurred when another forwarder is unable to pay freight charges," said Rene Bendt, GLS, Director.

"We decided to launch GLS at The Freight Summit as the event is focused on providing a neutral and open forum for the SME forwarding sector. The GLS Freight Protection Plan is available to all freight forwarders or logistics companies even if they are not members of an affiliated network.”

Source : STA-Online, 25.06.10.

[270610.ID.LHS] Anda Ibu Idola Atau Sahabat Yang Asyik?

Kompas.com - Pola asuh orangtua berperan besar dalam pembentukan karakter dan pola pikir si kecil di kemudian hari nanti. Dalam mengasuh anak, Anda tak hanya bisa jadi pendidik anak tapi juga sahabat yang asyik.

Sejak si kecil lahir, Anda pasti sudah kebanjiran nasehat dan saran menjadi ibu yang handal. Namun, keputusan tetap di tangan Anda dalam menciptakan dan mengembangkan sendiri cara perawatan dan pola asuh yang sesuai dengan kebutuhan dan kepribadian anak Anda.

Setiap ibu memiliki keunikan pola asuh masing-masing terhadap si kecil. Namun, setiap ibu pasti memiliki satu kesamaan, yakni ingin agar si kecil tumbuh dan berkembang dengan sempurna serta mengalami masa kanak-kanak yang bahagia.

"Meski pendekatannya berbeda, tapi tujuan para ibu pada umumnya sama, yakni ingin yang terbaik untuk anaknya," kata Dra.Diennayarti Tjokrosuprihartono, M.Psi, psikolog anak dari Universitas Indonesia.

Secara garis besar, ada beberapa jenis karakter ibu, yakni ibu yang ingin jadi sahabat anak, ibu yang kreatif, ibu yang menjadi idola anak, serta ibu yang jadi pelindung anak.

Ibu sahabat anak memiliki gaya asuh yang santai dan penuh kasih sayang sehingga nantinya si anak akan menjadi pribadi yang bahagia, mandiri dan terbuka.

Sementara itu ibu yang kreatif adalah yang selalu penuh dengan hal baru, hangat, spontan, merupakan teman bermain si kecil. Ibu tipe ini senang membuat suasana yang baru dan spontan sehingga anak tumbuh menjadi anak yang ceria dan senang bereksplorasi.

Karakter ibu lainnya adalah ibu yang menjadi idola anak, yakni ibu yang disiplin dan memiliki cita-cita atau terget tinggi untuk si kecil. "Biasanya ini adalah ibu-ibu yang punya aktifitas di luar rumah atau ibu yang berprestasi sehingga anak kagum," kata Dien.

Sedangkan ibu yang selalu berusaha menghadirkan rasa aman bagi si kecil termasuk dalam karakter ibu pelindung. "Biasanya ibu tipe ini selalu mencari jalan keluar untuk membantu si kecil, bahkan ia selalu mengantisipasi masalah," katanya.

Empat karakter tersebut, menurut Dien, bisa muncul dalam diri setiap ibu. "Semua tipe ini dimiliki para ibu, namun yang muncul adalah lebih dominan yang mana," katanya dalam acara peluncuran komunitas Mama Moo Teman Moo dari Walls Moo di Jakarta beberapa waktu lalu.

Cara pandang, pengetahuan, serta wawasan setiap ibu akan terus berkembang seiring dengan proses belajar menjadi orangtua. "Selalu asah kepekaan dan pilih pendekatan yang pas untuk anak," ujar Dien.

Dengan demikian, kelak Anda akan bisa menghadirkan sisi-sisi terbaik dalam diri untuk memaksimalkan seluruh aspek perkembangkan anak.

Sumber : Kompas, 14.06.10.

26 Juni 2010

[260610.EN.SEA] Former A&B, Matson Chief Wasacz Dies At 73


FUNERAL services were held for Michael Wasacz, former president and CEO of Matson Navigation Company and its parent company Alexander & Baldwin (A&B) of Honolulu, who died recently after a battle with bladder cancer. He was 73.
"He was a very good mentor to me," said Ray Donohue, 74, Matson's former chief financial officer for 21 years and who was hired by Mr Wasacz in 1980, reported the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

"He was probably one of the fairest persons that I have met in my lifetime. You always knew where Mike stood. He was very clear in his feelings and very clear in what he was expecting people to do," said Mr Donohue.

Said 47-year-old daughter Martha Wasacz: "He certainly was a man of integrity - he tried extremely hard to be fair in all his dealings whether it was in business or with the family. Being equitable and being fair was one of his primary focuses."

Mr Wasacz's career with the company ran from 1959 to 1990 and included eight years as president of Matson Navigation Company and two years as president of the A&B parent company.

A native of a small coal-mining town, Olyphant, Pennsylvania, he was the youngest of 10 children. He lost his father when he was 13, and his mother when he was 19.

After a tour in the US Army, he worked for Bankers Trust in New York, while putting himself through college at St John's University. His Matson career began in 1959 when he accepted a position as a freight clerk in the company's relatively small office at Rockefeller Centre.

In 1961, he transferred to Matson's San Francisco office, setting his objective as gaining as much knowledge as possible of all facets of company business.

"Through most of my early career I resisted being cast in any role other than that of a generalist. I was sure I could move up faster that way.

Quite often in the early days my transfers were designed to provide such balance," he said in a 1983 interview, on being named president of A&B, and moving to Honolulu. He returned to San Francisco in 1985, once again as president of Matson.

"Mike Wasacz left a lasting legacy," said today's Matson president Matt Cox. "Under his leadership, a number of key initiatives enhanced Matson's core market, our Hawaii service, including the company's Sand Island facility and Neighbor Island barges.

Equally important, he explored growth opportunities outside that market, with Matson Integrated Logistics a living testament to his vision.

Our centralised customer support centre is another example of an initiative that has differentiated Matson in its markets and distinguished the company through its emphasis on customer service."

He is survived by his wife Vera of 50 years, and three children, Mark, Martha and Maria as well as three grandchildren, Max, Sophie and Ava.

Source : HKSG, 26.06.10.

[260610.ID.LHS] Hobi Mengunyah Es Tanda Anemia ?

Kompas.com - Rasa lemah dan letih merupakan tanda umum terjadinya anemia atau kurang darah. Namun, dalam beberapa tahun terakhir ini ada tanda lain tubuh kekurangan zat besi, yakni hasrat tak terkendali untuk mengonsumsi es, atau disebut pagophagia.

Para ahli belum mengetahui dengan pasti kaitan antara keinginan mengonsumsi es dengan anemia, namun diduga es batu mampu mengatasi peradangan di mulut akibat kekurangan zat besi.

Pada kasus yang ekstrim, seseorang yang belum terdiagnosis anemia dan pagophagia seringkali didapati membawa es batu ke mana-mana. Kebiasaan "aneh" tersebut baru hilang setelah penderita mendapatkan terapi suplemen zat besi.

Sebuah penelitian menunjukkan kecanduan (cravings) es, baik dikunyah atau diminum, merupakan efek samping dari operasi penurunan berat badan.

Prosedur operasi itu antara lain mengganggu fungsi pencernaan dalam menyerap zat besi dan mineral lain. Akibatnya, sepertiga pasien operasi pengurangan bobot tubuh mengalami kekurangan zat besi dan vitamin B12.

Teori lain menyebutkan, pada orang yang menderita anemia tubuhnya cenderung lebih panas karena volume darahnya menurun. Itu sebabnya, tanpa disadari orang tersebut mencari sesuatu yang sifatnya dingin, seperti es.

Sumber : Kompas, 26.06.10.

25 Juni 2010

[250610.EN.SEA] Hanjin takes Delivery Of It's First 10,000 TEUs Vessel


Seoul: Hanjin Shipping has received its first 10,000TEU class containership today.
Named “Hanjin Korea”, unlike the company’s container vessels usually named after different cities around the world, is the first of the series of five 10,000TEU class ships ordered from Samsung Heavy Industries.

Hanjin Korea is equipped with a fuel-efficient and eco-friendly engine that can reduce both fuel consumption and CO2 emission.

According to Hanjin Shipping, the vessel will be deployed in Asia-Europe trade soon after the delivery, sometime in the beginning of July.

Eun Young Choi, Chairwoman of Hanjin Shipping, sponsoring the naming ceremony commented, “The first ship I ever named was Hanjin Seattle back in 1988. Since then and for the past 20 years I named approximately 39 ships.

However, Hanjin Korea, the first 10,000TEU class vessel is most significant for me and for the company as well. With this 10,000TEU class ship, we have accelerated the era of mega-sized vessels in the global shipping market.

We shall continue our journey as the world’s leading shipping carrier with even more efficient fleet and customer service.”

Meanwhile, the rest of the series are scheduled to be delivered by year 2011.

Source : STA-Online, 22.06.10.

[250610.ID.BIZ] Toyota Minta Maaf Ke Pemegang Saham


TOYOTA, Jepang (AP): Pemimpin Toyota Motor Corp Akio Toyoda membungkuk dalam-dalam dan meminta maaf kepada para pemegang saham hari ini terkait masalah penarikan besar-besaran produk mobil perusahaan tersebut di seluruh dunia.
Toyoda menghadapi pemegang saham untuk pertama kalinya sejak reputasi produsen otomotif Jepang itu rusak akibat krisis kualitas yang dimulai Oktober lalu.

Dalam komentarnya setelah meminta maaf, Toyoda juga mengatakan perusahaan telah meningkatkan pengawasan mutu dengan keras dan berterima kasih kepada pemegang saham atas dukungan mereka.

"Saya minta maaf sangat atas kekhawatiran yang kami sebabkan. Kami percaya bahwa tugas kami yang paling penting adalah mendapatkan kembali kepercayaan pelanggan," katanya.

Pertemuan pemegang saham tertutup bagi media, namun prosesnya dapat disaksikan melalui monitor TV di ruangan terpisah di kantor pusat Toyota.

Toyota, produsen mobil terbesar di dunia, telah bekerja untuk memperbaiki reputasinya setelah penarikan terhadap 8 juta lebih kendaraannya di seluruh dunia akibat laporan masalah percepatan dan kecacatan lainnya.

Pemerintah AS 'menampar' Toyota dengan denda sebesar US$16,4 juta atas tindakan produsen otomotif ini yang dinilai terlalu lamban dalam menarik produknya.

Diler Toyota telah memperbaiki jutaan kendaraan, namun Toyota sendiri masih menghadapi lebih dari 200 tuntutan hukum terkait dengan kecelakaan yang disebabkan oleh kendaraannya, penurunan nilai jual kembali produknya dan pelemahan harga saham perusahaan.

Meskipun masalah penarikan produk Toyota sempat menjadi kendala dalam rapat umum pemegang saham, namun pertanyaan sebagian besar pemegang saham terdengar positif dan mendukung, dan meminta Toyota bekerja lebih keras untuk memperbaiki reputasinya.(t03/er)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 24.06.10.

24 Juni 2010

[240610.EN.LOG] After The Crisis : New Demand On Logistics

Dr. Detlef Trefzger, member of Schenker's management board responsible for Contract Logistics & Supply Chain Management, says that the logistics industry faces four new realities that will have a long-term impact on supply chain management.

Addressing attendees at eyefortransport's 8th 3PL Summit in Atlanta, Dr Trefzger commented on the new demands being placed on logistics at the start of the economic upswing.

"There are excellent opportunities for the global logistics industry to benefit from these developments," said Trefzger. In his opinion, one of the new realities is the tremendous growth in new markets and emerging economies.

These regions will have - and will also demand - a more significant role in the global economy. This is expected to result in new business opportunities for the logistics industry, a case in point being the automotive sector. Many manufacturers are now moving parts of their production to these countries.

Another new reality results from the strong fluctuations in world trade, on the commodities markets and in production costs. These changes will lead to fluctuations in global freight flows and the demand for warehousing services. "The result is increasingly less time to plan logistics processes," explained Trefzger.

Permanent change is becoming the order of the day in planning, and Trefzger said that those who miss the boat by not diversifying broadly enough and not adopting a global stance will face difficulties.

Outsourcing is growing considerably. Logistics companies continually assume more of the customer's workload and the associated responsibilities. Increasing expertise is required to handle these tasks and deliver the quality and productivity levels expected. Success very much depends therefore on having qualified employees.

The strong demand for standardised logistics solutions on a global scale is the fourth market reality. "Delivering consistently high standards of service quality will be one of the fundamental requirements in contract logistics. This will apply to all standard solutions, but also increasingly to customer-specific solutions," said Trefzger.

"Yesterday's decisions are today's reality, but by tomorrow they will already be out of date. "

Actively driving change, exploiting talent and innovation; and ensuring continuity in the provision of services and quality to the customer - these are the new post-crisis requirements for logistics service providers," Trefzger concluded.
 
Source : EFT, 22.06.10.

[240610.ID.BIZ] Demi Kretek, RI Persoalkan AS Ke WTO

LONDON, KOMPAS.com — Indonesia mengajukan permohonan pembentukan panel kepada Dispute Settlement Body World Trade Organization untuk menyidangkan perkara pelarangan rokok kretek oleh Amerika Serikat.

Hal itu disampaikan Duta Besar/Deputi Wakil Tetap II Perutusan Tetap RI untuk WTO, Erwidodo, dalam pernyataan saat Sidang Dispute Settlement Body (DSB), seperti dikutip Antara di London, Kamis (24/6/2010).

Menurut dia, Indonesia menyampaikan permohonan pembentukan panel setelah berbagai upaya konsultasi gagal menghasilkan penyelesaian yang diharapkan.

"Indonesia mengajukan AS ke DSB atas diberlakukannya Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009 yang melarang produksi dan penjualan rokok beraroma, termasuk kretek, di AS," katanya.

Menurut Erwidodo, Indonesia sebelumnya telah menempuh berbagai cara, antara lain menyampaikan keberatan, berbicara dengan pejabat Kongres AS, dan melakukan sejumlah konsultasi bilateral, baik informal maupun formal, untuk menyelesaikan permasalahan ini.

Namun, hingga saat ini Indonesia tidak mendapatkan respons yang memuaskan dari AS. "Hal ini khususnya menyangkut bukti ilmiah tentang bahaya rokok kretek, terutama jika dibandingkan dengan rokok beraroma mentol yang masih diperbolehkan penjualannya di AS," ucapnya.

Indonesia menilai bahwa AS telah melakukan diskriminasi terhadap rokok kretek sehingga tidak sesuai dengan ketentuan WTO, antara lain Perjanjian GATT 1994 dan Perjanjian Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT).

Sebagaimana prosedur dalam ketentuan Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU), permohonan pembentukan panel yang pertama dapat ditolak oleh pihak yang disengketakan, dalam hal ini AS.

Indonesia akan mengajukan kembali permohonan pembentukan panel pada Sidang DSB berikutnya pada tanggal 20 Juli. Indonesia telah melakukan persiapan ke tahap persidangan dan menghadirkan pengacara yang memahami isu tersebut.

Atas dasar gugatan dan posisi yang sangat kuat, Indonesia diharapkan memiliki peluang yang besar untuk memenangi perkara ini.

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 24.06.10.

23 Juni 2010

[230610.EN.SEA] Transpacific Stabilization Agreement Sees Robust Trade Ahead


THE Transpacific Stabilisation Agreement (TSA), a 14-member quasi-shipping conference, has announced confidence in the current "modest, sustained growth", but also told shippers carriers need high rates and surcharges to cover losses sustained in the downturn.
Carriers need the peak season surcharge "to prepare for service contingencies and to meet schedule and delivery commitments, cover increased operating expenses and increased cost of capital", said the TSA statement.

But TSA also reported a 13 per cent year-on-year increase to 1.27 million FEU in Asia-US trade, citing PIERS data, while adding that the increase over 2009's poor result was still down on the record volumes of first quarter 2008.

Internal reporting by TSA carriers showed a 24.1 per cent year-on-year increase in traffic during the month of May alone to the US west coast and a 30.8 per cent increase in all-water shipments to the east and Gulf coasts via Panama.

TSA also noted that the US National Retail Federation forecasts an average 12.6 per cent year-on-year increase in import shipments for the June-October period, with individual monthly increases touching 15 per cent in June and September.

Said APL president Eng Aik Meng: "Neither shippers nor carriers were certain as to what direction the market would take coming out of the Lunar New Year. Now it appears the worst is behind us.

Despite a reduction in US job creation and retail sales in May, the pipeline of Asian exports to the US is filling rapidly and consumers are more optimistic over job security and household incomes, said Mr Eng

The TSA statement emphasised that, while headlines have focused on "peripheral issues such as European debt and US tax and regulatory developments . . . many of the underlying fundamentals in the US economy are positive: industrial production and durable goods orders are up, trade is expanding and inflation is low".

But revenue for carriers remains a concern after they lost more than US$15 billion in the downturn, said the TSA statement.

Said Hanjin CEO YM Kim: "Lines found themselves on the brink of failure last year, and it was a sobering experience. All carriers have excess capacity and new vessels on order, and that's a net positive as global trade improves. After last year, no carrier is going back to operating vessels under-utilised and at non-compensatory rates."

TSA carriers acknowledged the difficulties shippers have had going into second quarter 2010, with the lack space and container availability in Asia, as a result of the unforeseen surge in cargo volumes.

Paris-based Alphaliner reported vessel capacity of more than 37,000 TEU returning to the transpacific market over April-May, and also that idle global containership capacity is at its lowest level since December 2008.

But TSA said container availability "remains a global challenge", with demand and production having fallen off sharply during 2009. "Where worldwide container manufacturing had averaged some three million TEU annually over 2004-08, it dropped to about 350,000 units in 2009," said the TSA statement.

Said TSA administrator Brian Conrad: "A lot of the container production in China and elsewhere simply shut down last year and has been slow to ramp back up. Competition for owned and leased equipment among the major trade lanes has intensified."

TSA members are APL, "K" Line, CSCL, Maersk, CMA-CGM, Cosco, MSC, NYK, OOCL, Hanjin, Yangming, Hapag-Lloyd, Zim and Hyundai Merchant Marine.

Source : HKSG, 23.06.10.

[230610.ID.SEA] Soal Wajib TKBM, Kemenhub Siap Dievaluasi


Oleh: Tularji
JAKARTA (Bisnis.com): Kementerian Perhubungan siap duduk semeja untuk membahas penyempurnaan SK Tiga Dirjen yang menetapkan untuk semua kegiatan bongkar muat harus melibatkan koperasi tenaga kerja bongkar muat (TKBM).

Sekretaris Ditjen Perhubungan Laut Kementerian Perhubungan Bobby R. Mamahit mengatakan intansinya siap duduk semeja dengan kementerian lainnya untuk memperbaiki SK Tiga Dirjen tersebut.

Menurut dia, evaluasi implementasi SK tersebut memungkinkan dalam rangka memacu produktivitas bongkar muat. “Kami siap melakukan evaluasi karena memang SK Tiga Dirjen itu sudah cukup lama,” katanya kepada Bisnis.com hari ini.

Dia menjelaskan selain mempertimbangkan aspek kelancaran arus barang di pelabuhan, evaluasi ketentuan itu harus mempertimbangkan aspek sosial. “Ketentuan itu dibuat bukan hanya mempertimbangkan aspek kelancaran arus barang.”

Bisnis memberitakan pelaku usaha pelayaran menggugat Surat Keputusan Bersama (SKB) Tiga Dirjen yang menetapkan semua kegiatan bongkar muat di pelabuhan harus melibatkan koperasi tenaga kerja bongkar muat.

Ketua Umum Dewan Pengurus Pusat Indonesian National Shipowners’ Association (INSA) Johnson W. Sutjipto mengatakan berdasarkan hasil rapat anggota tahunan, organisasinya sepakat untuk menggugat SK 3 Dirjen tersebut.

SKB tiga Dirjen yang dimaksud adalah yang ditandatangani pejabat setingkat Dirjen di Kementerian Perhubungan, Kementerian Koperasi dan UKM dan Kementerian Tenaga Kerja dan Transmigrasi.

Isi SKB itu intinya adalah menetapkan untuk semua kegiatan bongkar muat harus melibatkan koperasi TKBM. (mrp)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 23.06.10.

22 Juni 2010

[220610.EN.SEA] K-Line Acquires Stake In Air Tiger Express Companies

K-Line has concluded a share transfer agreement with Air Tiger Express Companies (ATEC) to purchase 51% of the company.

K-Line announced in January that it had reached a basic agreement with the US-based logistics service provider to acquire an initial 26% of with an option for another 25%.

ATEC's subsidiaries are Air Tiger Express (USA), Air Tiger Express (Asia) and Shenzhen Airport ATE International Freight Co.

Source : EFT, 21.06.10.

[220610.ID.BIZ] Biaya Buruh naik, Pabrik Di Cina Pacu Otomatisasi

GUANGDONG (Bloomberg): Ketentuan upah minimum, apresiasi yuan, dan aksi mogok karyawan seperti yang terjadi di Honda Motor Co, telah mendongkrak biaya di pabrik Pearl River Delta di China, sehingga mendorong perusahaan melakukan otomatisasi di lini perakitan.

Foxconn Technology Group, perusahaan patungan antara Nissan Motor Co dan VTech Holdings Ltd di China, menyatakan telah berinvestasi pada peralatan pabrik untuk mengurangi ketergantungan terhadap buruh.

Di kawasan yang terkenal sebagai daerah berupah paling kompetitif itu, upah telah dinaikkan 17% dalam 6 bulan terakhir, demikian hasil survei Hong Kong Trade Development Council.

Pemilik pabrik di China dihadapkan pada masalah penurunan laba karena apresiasi yuan, setelah pemerintah dalam 2 tahun terakhir mematok kurs mata uang China itu.

Morgan Stanley memperkirakan biaya tenaga kerja di China yang saat ini mengontribusi 15% terhadap produk domestik bruto (PDB) akan menggelembung menjadi 30%.

Adapun Credit Suisse Group AG memperkirakan biaya upah yang lebih besar di daerah perkotaan yang akan menjadi beban perusahaan, atau sekitar US$1,5 triliun pada 2015.

“Pabrikan perlu berpikir bagaimana bisa berproduksi dengan kompetitif. Mereka perlu mulai memperkuat produktivitas sehingga berdaya saing,” kata Ian Spaulding, Managing Director INFACT Global Partners di Hong Kong.(mfm/er)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 22.06.10.

21 Juni 2010

[210610.EN.SEA] Rail Failure Prompt Boxes To Avoid JN Port For Pipavav, Mundra


CONTAINER shipping continues to divert from Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JN) near Mumbai to the northern ports of Pipavav and Mundra in Gujarat state because railways cannot remove them fast enough from the docks.
JN port operations chief SN Maharana blamed the Container Corp of India Ltd (Concor), which runs container trains between ports and inland container depots for not having enough rolling stock to move the containers out, reports Live Mint Wall Street Journal.

JN port has three container loading terminals, one run by DP World, another by the government-owned port itself, and a third operated by a consortium comprising APM Terminals and Concor.

Container congestion at JN port was blamed on trains backlogged all along the route to the inland national capital of New Delhi.

Counting storage and rail freight fees, the cost of moving goods from Mumbai to Delhi was up to US$840 per container - three times as much as getting the containers to India from Singapore, reported the New York Times.

"They don't have space," said SKS Logistics chairman SK Saha, who explained that the government-owned Indian Railways is fully booked.

Economists say India must invest heavily in transportation to achieve its stated annual GDP growth goal of 10 per cent. But highway, airway and railway development falls far short of what's needed, said the Times.

Critics say the growth has been hampered by government leaders who face touchy constituents and influential special interests in a clamorous democracy contrasted to China's undemocratic free hand to order a forced march towards economic development, said the Times.

Even though Indian law allows the railways to acquire land quickly through hearings before magistrates, the railways minister has promised landowners to negotiate individually. While popular, it stands to add years to every transport project.

Another problem is that migrant workers can travel from Mumbai to their homes in Bihar 1,050 miles away for INR500 (US$11). To subsidise this, freight is stung with the highest tariffs in the world, said the New York Times.

India charges four times what American companies charge for rail freight and twice as much as in China.

Four years ago, the government began allowing private companies to operate container trains. One of the new carriers is IndiaLinx, which buys rail cars and leases tracks, locomotives and workers from the Indian Railways.

IndiaLinx CEO Amitabha Chaudhuri said his company would carry about 95,000 containers this year, up from 55,000 last year.

The company, which is owned by Singapore's APL Logistics, has seen strong demand for refrigerated containers, which are in short supply in India.

Source : HKSG, 18.06.10.

[210610.ID.BIZ] Toyota Hentikan Produksi Pabriknya Di Cina


TOKYO--MI: Toyota Motor Corp menghentikan produksi pada pabrik utamanya di China Jumat (18/6) setelah pemogokan terjadi di industri pembuat suku cadang plastik yang menghambat pasokan, industri pembuat mobil itu mengatakan, Sabtu (19/6).
Pekerjaan telah ditangguhkan pada pertengahan hari pada Jumat di pabriknya Tianjin, dekat Beijing , yang mempunyai tiga jaringan rakitan dengan kapasitas produksi tahunan semua itu sebesar 420.000 unit kendaraan, kata wanita juru bicara Toyota Ririko Takeuchi.

Pada Jumat direncanakan membuat 600 unit mobil dengan model Corolla, Crown dan juga model RAV4, katanya.

Pabrik tersebut ditutup pada akhir pekan, dan rencana Senin ditangguhkan apakah pasokan dari pabrik pembuat suku cadang yang dilanda pemogokan karyawannya, Toyoda Gosei sudah mulai kembali berproduksi, kata Toyota.(Ant/rn/OL-01)

Sumber : Media Indonesia, 19.06.10.

20 Juni 2010

[200610.EN.SEA] Maersk Addresses Equipment Shortage Situation


With the container shipping industry entering peak season and the unexpectedly strong rebound in the demand for container shipping already seen in the market, Maersk Line expects that the increased volumes will result in an unprecedented shortage of containers, which will last through the third quarter of this year.
Following the recession at the end of 2008 and through 2009, many container shipping and container leasing companies stopped sourcing and producing equipment. Since carriers and shippers did not expect the current demand surge, the necessary equipment has not been ordered in 2010.

According to Lars Reno Jakobsen, head of Network & Product and member of Maersk Line's management board, the Asia - Europe trade is growing by 23% compared to the market's single digit expectation just six months ago.

Maersk Line has initiated production of new containers and leasing of containers, and has also re-activated laid-up container ships to assist in repositioning containers as quickly as possible, for instance from the US east coast and Latin America to Asia.

Maersk Line's recently announced Peak Season Surcharge for the Far East - Europe trade will assist the company in recovering the higher costs caused by the increased volumes and equipment shortage (e.g. port costs, extraordinary vessels deployed to reposition containers and leasing of same).

The surcharge will also ensure that Maersk can continue to offer its services in a sustainable manner.

Maersk will only apply one Peak Season Surcharge, and will not be announcing separate surcharges or rate increases in connection with the peak season.

Source : EFT, 17.06.10.

[200610.ID.BIZ] Taiwan Kian Gencar Garap Pasar Indonesia


Oleh: Sepudin Zuhri
JAKARTA (Bisnis.com): Taiwan semakin gencar memasarkan berbagai macam produk asal negara itu di Indonesia melalui program kampanye 'Taiwan Excellence' oleh Dewan Pengembangan Perdagangan Eksternal Taiwan (TAITRA) dengan menawarkan 19 merek produk informasi tekhnologi.

Kampanye dengan slogan Excellence Lifestyles tersebut bersama dengan 19 merek produk informasi komunikasi dan teknologi (ICT) seperti merek-merek Acer, Asus, BenQ, Trend Micro, Mio Technology, MSI dan D-Link.

Perwakilan Deputi Divisi Ekonomi di Kantor Dagang dan Ekonomi Taipei di Indonesia Chen Wen Bien mengatakan Taiwan Excellence menawarkan produk andalan dari negara itu dengan desain dan manufaktur kelas dunia.

"Kami sangat senang bahwa kami mampu membuat merek yang sangat baik, tersedia dan dapat dijangkau konsumen Indonesia," ujarnya saat Konferensi Pers Taiwan Excellence di Indonesia, hari ini.

Menurut dia, selama ini belum banyak konsumen yang menyadari beberapa merek yang digunakan masyarakat Indonesia merupakan produk asal Taiwan. Pihaknya merasa senang produk tersebut dapat dijangkau konsumen Indonesia.

Beberapa jenis merek tersebut seperti laptop dan netbook dari Asus, Acer dan MSI. proyektor LCD dari BenQ, 3G dan Wireless Router dari D-Link, perangkat keamanan dari Trend Micro, sistem pelacakan GPS dari Mio Technology, camcorder digital dari AIPTEK, home projector dari Optoma dan HD Media Players dari AverMedia.

Produk lainnya seperti buku cerita elektronik untuk anak-anak, alat pembaca buku digital, videophones internet serta miniatur proyektor dan netbook.

TAITRA merupakan dewan pengembangan perdagangan eksternal Taiwan sebagai organisasi promosi perdagangan nirlaba yang memberikan layanan bisnis perdagangan.

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 17.06.10.

19 Juni 2010

[190610.EN.SEA] Seaspan Receives Delivery Of 4,250 TEUer With UASC Charter


SEASPAN accepted delivery of one 4,250 TEU newbuild from Zhejiang Shipbuilding Co worth US$43 million while finalising terms of a two-year time charter for the vessel at $20,000 per day to United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) operating in six Arab states.
The vessel was purchased on existing credit facilities from the sale of $26 million of Series B non-convertible perpetual preferred shares issued to Jaccar Holdings Limited, an investor related to Zhejiang Shipbuilding
Co Ltd.

The vessel expanded its contracted fleet to 69 and is its first newbuild acquisition since late 2007, said Seaspan CEO Gerry Wang. "Concurrently, we have separately secured $26 million in new equity on favourable terms, further strengthening our capital structure."

Vancouver-based Seaspan's contracted fleet of 69 containerships consists of 51 in operation and 18 to be delivered over the next two years.

Seaspan's operating fleet of 51 vessels has an average age of four years and an average remaining charter period of seven. All 18 ships to be delivered to Seaspan are already committed to long-term time charters
averaging 12 years from delivery.

Seaspan's customer base consists of eight of the world's largest lines, including CSCL, Maersk, MOL, Hapag-Lloyd, Cosco Lines, "K" Line, CSAV, and UASC.

Source : HKSG, 07.06.10.

[190610.ID.BIZ] Pebisnis Cina Jajaki Besi Baja Banten

SERANG, KOMPAS.com - Pebisnis dari China sedang menjajaki kemungkinan investasi di bidang usaha besi baja di Provinsi Banten dengan rencana investasi sebesar 30 miliar yuan (sekitar Rp 40,2 triliun).

Bahkan pengusaha itu juga berencana membangun pabrik semen dan juga pengembangan infrastruktur. "Jika hal itu terwujud, ini akan meningkatkan lapangan kerja cukup luas dan ’multiplier effect’-nya dapat meningkatkan perekonomian Banten," kata Kepala Badan Koordinasi Penanaman Modal Daerah (BKPMD) Provinsi Banten Husni Hasan di Serang, Sabtu (19/6/2010).

Minat pengusaha China investasi di Banten itu diutarakan Wakil Gubernur Provinsi Jheziang, Jin Deshui dan rombongan yang berkunjung ke Provinsi Banten 5 Juni lalu, yang diterima Wakil Gubernur Banten HM Masduki.

Menurut Husni, walaupun masih dalam tahap penjajakan, namun pengusaha China tampaknya cenderung lebih melirik Provinsi Banten ketimbang provinsi lain. Apalagi adanya keseriusan pemerintah pusat untuk membangun Jembatan Selat Sunda (JSS).

Ternyata China telah terlebih dulu menyatakan niatnya berinvestasi di bidang infrastruktur tersebut, katanya. Keuntungan Provinsi Banten, kata Husni, selain sebagai wilayah penyangga ibukota DKI Jakarta, juga memiliki Bandara terbesar Soekarno Hatta dan pelabuhan laut internasional, ditambah pula transportasi darat yang menghubungkan Pulau Jawa dengan Pulau Sumatera.

"Jadi, Banten unggul di sektor laut, udara dan darat, dan kelebihan dari sektor transportasi inilah yang menjadikan para calon investor baik lokal maupun luar negeri cenderung lebih melirik Banten ketimbang provinsi lain," katanya.

Untuk itu Banten tidak akan menyia-nyiakan kesempatan ini, dan akan terus melakukan pertemuan lanjutan antarkedua negara dengan sekaligus mempersiapkan diri antara lain memberi berbagai kemudahan dalam perizinan serta memberi jaminan kepastian keamanan dan kenyamanan.

Ia menambahkan, kunjungan rombongan Wakil Gubernur Jheziang ke Banten beberapa minggu lalu itu merupakan pertama kali atas undangan Gubernur Banten yang disampaikan pada akhir April 2010.

Sumber : Kompas, 19.06.10.

18 Juni 2010

[180610.EN.SEA] Shipping Firms Slow To Quit Manila Docks Ahead Of Re-construction

SHIPPING lines docking at the Manila North Harbor (NH) say they are
willing, but reluctant to vacate the port to allow re-construction of a
modern cargo handling terminal, reports the Manila Business Mirror.

But the Philippine Liner Shipping Association (PLSA) said the companies
will only vacate if their eviction follows strict rules laid down by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).

"The PLSA is only a locator at NH and they [shipping lines] have no choice
but to follow PPA rules and PPA-approved MNHPI [Manila North Harbor Port Inc.] rules," said a PLSA spokesman.

PLSA only has seven members of the 44-member association, but represents
70 per cent of the domestic container movement and 95 per cent of passenger volume through the port.

The MNHPI's construction plans involve removing the World War I style
finger piers to make the port into a modern container handling facility.

MNHPI general manager Henry Rophen Virola said his company could not start construction of a terminal because container vans owned by the shipping
companies occupy half the port area.

"We have paid the PPA a fixed fee of PHP42 million (US$910,076) which
means that the entire port should be in our control," he said.

Mr Virola said that, as a result, the construction of the terminal building would be delayed as the firm still has not yet taken full control of the area.

Mr Virola said construction of Terminal 1, which will replace the old Terminal 6, will take about three years with an allocated budget of around PHP2 billion.

MNHPI chief executive Michael Romero said the company will spend PHP6
billion to PHP7 billion to convert the existing facilities over five years.

Pier 2 and 4 will become Terminal Three to handle general cargo; Pier 6, 8, 10, and 12 will become Terminal Two for containers; while Pier 14, Terminal 16, and Marine Slip Way will become Terminal One, also for containers.

North Harbor services about two million domestic passengers a year and has
an annual capacity of 1.5 million TEU annually.

Source : HKSG, 18.06.10.

[180610.ID.SEA] Priok Diharapkan Saingi Singapura

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Setelah terhambat beberapa tahun, pengembangan Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok dan sekaligus pembangunan jalan aksesTanjung
Priok, Jakarta Utara, segera dilanjutkan pada akhir tahun ini.

Pengembangan pelabuhan Tanjung Priok ini diharapkan dapat meningkatkan
kapasitas sehingga dapat menyaingi Pelabuhan Singapura. Selama ini,
Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok hanya menjadi feeder dari pelabuhan di Singpura.

Kapasitas pelabuhan itu diharapkan dapat menampung kapal-kapal berukuran
besar di atas 5.000 Twenty Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs). Sebelumnya,
kapasitas Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok hanya 4 juta TEUs, nantinya diharapkan
bisa mencapai 9,5 juta TEUs.

Demikian disampaikan Direktur Utama PT Pelabuhan Indonesia II Richard Jose Lino, dalam keterangan pers, seusai mengikuti rapat terbatas mengenai
pengembangan Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok di Istana Wapres, Jakarta, Kamis
(17/6/2010) petang tadi.

Ratas yang dipimpin Wapres Boediono dihadiri sejumlah menteri di antaranya Menteri Perhubungan Freddy Numberi dan Menteri Pekerjaan Umum Djoko Kirmanto.

"Kita harapkan, dengan pengembangan pelabuhan tersebut, kapasitas Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok meningkat dan tidak lagi menjadi pelabuhan perantara yang hanya bisa dilayari kapal-kapal kecil.

Sedangkan kapal besarnya turun di Pelabuhan Singapura, lalu dikirim ke Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok. Kalau ini bisa terwujud, biaya pengiriman akan jauh lebih murah dan nilai keekonomian pelabuhan kita semakin tinggi," ujar Lino.

Sementara , menurut Juru Bicara Wapres Boediono, yang juga Staf Khusus
Bidang Media Massa, Yopie Hidayat, untuk mewujudkan pelabuhan tersebut
dalam waktu mendatang, Wapres langsung mengordinasikan dan memutuskan
langkah-langkah agar proyek tersebut segera bisa dijalankan.

"Wapres minta agar kementerian lainnya bisa membantu agar bisa disinkronkan pelaksanaannya, termasuk analisis dampak lingkungannya," tandas Yopie.

Dikatakan Yopie, Wapres mengharapkan perluasan kapasitas pelabuhan ini
mampu menampung kapal-kapal berukuran besar, di atas 5.000 TEUs.

"Selama ini kapal besar tidak bisa masuk ke Tanjung Priok sehingga ongkos
distribusi barangnya lebih mahal. Kalau kapasitasnya meningkat, ada biaya
yang bisa ditekan," jelas Yopie.

Tiga tahap

Lebih jauh, menurut Lino, perluasan Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok akan dibagi
menjadi tiga tahap. Tahap pertama dilakukan reklamasi pantai sepanjang 1
km dengan luas lahan 96 hektare.

Dana yang dibutuhkan sekitar 350 juta dollar AS. "Apabila akhir tahun ini pemancangan, maka tahap pertama itu bisa beroperasi pada 2013," katanya.

Pembangunan tahap dua, tambahnya, akan dibangun dermaga baru sepanjang 1
km dengan reklamasi pantai seluas 60 hektare dan ditargetkan selesain pada
tahun 2015. "

Adapun tahap ketiga panjang dermaga mencapai 1,5 km dengan
kebutuhan lahan 90 hektare yang akan ditargetkan selesai pada tahun 2018,"
lanjutnya.

Dikatakan Lino, apabila seluruh proyek pengembangan ini berhasil, maka
pada tahun 2020 Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok bisa menampung arus peti kemas
hingga mencapai 9,5 juta TEUs. Saat ini, kapasitas maksimal pelabuhan
hanya 4 juta TEUs.

Terkait investasi, Lino menyatakan pada tahap awal dibutuhkan sebesar 350
juta dollar AS.

"Kami bisa memenuhinya, akan tetapi mitra strategis akan
bergabung untuk penyediaan infrastruktur dan fasilitas dermaga, kami
menyambut baik," demikian Lino.

Sumber : Kompas, 17.06.10.

17 Juni 2010

[170610.EN.SEA] A Look At Container Supply

THE global containership fleet was forecast to grow by 15 per cent in 2009, a fact that sparked fear in the hearts of shipping lines the world over.

However, by the end of the year the fleet had grown by less than six per cent. How was such a massive orderbook reduced by such a dramatic figure?

Today in The Container Shipping Manager we will take a look at how shipping lines managed to reduce the rate at which the industry's supply was growing, and also where that leaves the industry as a whole now.

For the better part of the past decade carriers were enjoying what some have referred to as the golden age in container shipping. Vessel operators were raking in huge sums of money as demand for shipping services, fuelled by a burgeoning export market out of China, grew by an average of 10 per cent per annum.

The only problem was that at times there was simply not enough capacity to handle the demand.

Thanks to massive surpluses in profits, shipping lines were able to focus less on the task of making a profit and more on how to ensure even greater profits in the future.

This led to the biggest splurge on shipping assets ever witnessed, as shipyards were inundated with calls for new vessel orders.

Part of this also included a belief that carriers could make even more money by opting for bigger vessels. The result of this was a spending spree on bigger, faster and more efficient vessels.

Due to the solid and consistent profits, which it was believed would continue at least until 2010, orders from carriers and non-operating owners were coming thick and fast.

In fact, some shipping analysts back in 2007 had warned the industry that if vessel owners did not hurry up and order more vessels for delivery in 2009 that there would be a shortage.

Source : TCSM, 17.06.10.

[170610.ID.BIZ] BP Tak bayar Dividen Selamatkan Usaha


WASHINGTON (Bloomberg): BP Plc menghentikan pembayaran dividen dan berjanji menjual aset untuk memenuhi permintaan Presiden Barack Obama membayar ganti rugi korban dan kerusakan akibat tumpahan minyak dengan total nilai US$20 miliar.
Dana itu akan dikelola badan independen yang berfungsi menyalurkan dana bagi pihak yang mengklaim kerugian akibat kerusahaan kawasan pemboran minyak yang memproduksi sekitar 60.000 barel minyak mentah per hari ke Teluk Meksiko.

"Penghentian dividen 1 tahun senilai US$10 miliar, mengurangi investasi penggilingan minyak, dan menjual ladang minyak dan gas akan cukup untuk menjamin stabilitas keuangan perusahaan," jelas Chief Financial Officer BP Byron Grote, hari ini.

"Langkah ini dilakukan untuk melindungi nilai BP dalam jangka panjang, serta meminimalkan spekulasi dan bola liar yang dapat merusak nama baik perusahaan," jelas Jason Kenney, analis ING Wholesale Banking di Edinburgh.

Kenney bahkan mengatakan kebijakan BP ini lebih besar dari pada kebutuhan, tetapi tidak akan membangkrutkan BP, karena perusahaan itu dapat melewati proses ini. Sebelum pengumuman ini, investor menetapkan risiko kegagalan kontrak konversi kredit selama 5 tahun mencapai 39%.

Nilai saham perusahaan berbasis di London itu turun 49% sejak ledakan di rig Deepwater Horizon pada 20 April dan menewaskan 11 pekerja, serta menurunkan nilai perusahaan sebesar US$74 miliar (50 miliar pound).

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 17.06.10.

16 Juni 2010

[160610.EN.SEA] CMA CGM Hikes Asia Rates Twice, Adds Peak Season Surcharges


MARSEILLES-based shipping giant CMA CGM has raised rates and surcharges on a wide range of trades - and will do it again July 1.
From June 15 the French shipping line has increased rates from the Far East to Red Sea ports by US$150 per TEU and will increase rates again July 1 by $400 per TEU.

From June 15 cargo going from the west Mediterranean to the Caribbean, though not the French West Indies and Guyana, Venezuela, Colombia, Central America and the west coast of South America, will face EUR100 (US$121.79) increase in rate all containers.

On top of that, CMA CGM has already levied a peak season surcharge - from June 15 - on cargo from Asia to the Persian Gulf and Indian subcontinent of $150 per TEU as well as an Asia-to-North America surcharge of $320 per 20-foot reefer and $450 per 40-foot reefer.

Also from June 15, Asia-Med/Black Sea cargo, though not north Africa, faces a surcharge of $200 per TEU, and from July 1, another surcharge from Asia to the Persian Gulf, India and Pakistan of $100 per TEU - and this in addition to surcharges imposed in June.

There has also been a high-cube surcharge of $200 per TEU from Asia to the Persian Gulf on June 15 and another to be charge from Asia to the Indian subcontinent from June 21.

From July 1, rates will again go up $150 from Asia to the Indian subcontinent, and from Asia to the Persian Gulf by $200 per TEU on July 1.

From July 1, Vancouver-to-Asia rates will rise $160 per TEU and $200 per FEU as well as $400 per 20-foot reefer and $500 per 40-foot reefer.

From July 1, Vancouver to the Indian subcontinent rates will rise $250 per TEU, $300 per FEU as well as $400 per 20-foot reefer and $500 per 40-foot reefer.

From July 1, from Montreal to all destinations rates will rise $250 per TEU and $350 per FEU.

Source : HKSG, 16.06.10.

[160610.ID.OTH] Presiden Membentuk KEN Dan KIN

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com — Selain Komite Ekonomi Nasional (KEN), Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono juga membentuk Komite Inovasi Nasional (KIN). KIN terbentuk berdasarkan Perpres Nomor 32 Tahun 2010.

KIN mempunyai tiga tugas. Pertama, membantu Presiden dalam rangka memperkuat sistem inovasi nasional dan mengembangkan budaya inovasi nasional.

Kedua, memberi masukan dan pertimbangan mengenai prioritas program dan rencana aksi termasuk alokasi pembiayaan dan fasilitas untuk penguatan sistem inovasi nasional yang menghasilkan produk inovatif.

Ketiga, memantau dan mengevaluasi pelaksanaan kebijakan dan program penguatan sistem inovasi nasional.

Inovasi nasional itu meliputi bidang ketahanan pangan, ketahanan energi, bioteknologi, industri manufaktur, transportasi dan industri pertahanan, teknologi pemrosesan pertanian dan pemrosesan ikan laut dalam, serta manajemen alam serta inovasi lainnya.

Susunan pengurus KIN adalah, Ketua: Prof Dr Zuhal, Wakil: Rektor IPB, Sekretaris: Freddy Permana Zen. Anggota: Sangkot Marzuki, Sahari Besari, Ninok Leksono, Umar A Jenie, Marzan A Iskandar, Idwan Suhardi, Lukman Hakim, Bustanul Arifin, Amir Sambodo, Rachmat Gobel.

(Juga ada) Ilham Habibie, Tien Muchtadi, Anton Apriantono, Arief Rahman, Jusman Syafii Djamal, Bambang Kesowo, Betty Setiastuti Alisjahbana, Tri Mumpuni Wiyato, serta Rektor UI, ITB, UGM, Unhas, Syah Kuala, Cendrawasih, Pattimura, dan Udayana. (Kontan/Hans Henricus)

Sumber : Kompas, 16.06.10.

15 Juni 2010

[150610.EN.BIZ] Strikes, Labour Unrest Spread Through China As Export Soar


STRIKES are flaring up in China with 900 workers walking of the job at the Brother sewing machine factory Xian and the Honda plant suffering another walkout, plus to Guangdong factory strikes ending with workers winning 25 per cent wage increases.

Last week truckers blocked the main road leading to Shenzhen port container terminals at Chiwan and Shekou to demand wage increases.

Elsewhere, staff at electronics producer Foxconn - which has seen a spate of suicides - are also claimed to have won big pay increases following their protest, reported London's Containerisation International.
Charles de Trenck, managing director of Hong Kong based transport consultancy Transport Trackers, said that wages were going up by as much as 50 per cent, and warned that claims that labour cost was only 10 per cent of a manufacturers' price were not accurate, adding that retail prices would inevitably rise in consequence.

Source : HKSG, 15.06.10.

[150610.ID.BIZ] Pasar CDMA: Jika Merger, Flexi-Esia Kuasai 96 Persen

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com — Rencana PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk (TLKM) melakukan penggabungan Telkom Flexi dengan PT Bakrie Telecom Tbk (BTEL) sepertinya tinggal menunggu waktu.

Selain sudah mengantongi restu dari Menteri Badan Usaha Milik Negara (BUMN), bos kedua operator seluler itu terlihat sudah ngebet untuk segera bersinergi.

Jika rencana itu benar-benar terwujud tahun ini, TLKM akan mendapat keuntungan. Sebab, menurut Direktur Utama TLKM Rinaldi Firmansyah, sinergi dua operator itu akan memangkas beban operasional sebesar 10-20 persen.

Alfiansyah, Analis Sinar Mas Securities, menduga dalam sinergi itu TLKM akan menjadi mayoritas. Selain jaringan Flexi lebih luas, jumlah pelanggannya yang mencapai 15,9 juta per 31 Maret lalu lebih banyak daripada pengguna BTEL yang baru 11 juta.

Jadi, jika merger terwujud, perusahaan hasil sinergi itu akan memiliki pelanggan sekitar 26 juta. "Mereka bisa menguasai 96 persen pangsa pasar CDMA," jelas Alfiansyah.

Kepala Riset Kim Eng Katarina Setiawan, dalam risetnya pada 9 Juni, menjelaskan rencana TLKM untuk memisahkan Flexi akan menghindarkan mereka dari isu monopoli di industri telekomunikasi. Apalagi, ada kabar bahwa Badan Regulasi Telekomunikasi Indonesia (BRTI) berencana menyamakan tarif CDMA dan GSM. Jika regulasi ini jadi diterapkan, CDMA bisa sulit berkembang, jelasnya.

Meski berpotensi memberikan keuntungan, TLKM memang harus menghitung potensi BTEL. Maklum, perusahaan ini mempunyai utang jumbo. Per 31 Maret 2010, kewajiban lancar BTEL membengkak 83,33 persen jadi Rp 2,4 triliun.

Kewajiban itu termasuk pinjaman bank senilai Rp 654,65 miliar yang jatuh tempo tahun ini. Akibat membengkaknya utang, beban bunga yang harus dibayar BTEL juga terus membesar. Di kuartal I, beban bunga pinjaman BTEL naik 86,92 persen jadi Rp 84,62 miliar.

Sahamnya layak beli

Kendati BTEL punya beban utang besar, para analis menilai saat ini TLKM memiliki finansial yang cukup untuk menopang rencana sinergi itu. Apalagi jika terjadi merger, beban utang itu tentu akan diperhitungkan oleh TLKM.

Analis Samuel Sekuritas Sonny John bilang, kebutuhan perusahaan telekomunikasi untuk menunjang ekspansi memang cukup besar. Itu sebabnya belanja modal emiten di sektor ini saban tahun terus meningkat. Makanya, Sonny menilai langkah TLKM melepas obligasi senilai Rp 3 triliun masih wajar.

Katharina menilai net gearing alias tingkat utang terhadap kas TLKM hanya 0,32 kali. Dengan tambahan obligasi Rp 3 triliun, net gearing TLKM akan naik menjadi 0,4 kali. Sampai 31 Maret, TLKM memiliki dana kas Rp 6,75 triliun.

Alfiansyah yakin bisnis TLKM akan tumbuh tinggi tahun ini. "Penetrasi bisnis telekomunikasi di Indonesia masih kecil dibandingkan negara di Asia Tenggara," tutur dia. la merekomendasikan beli terhadap saham TLKM. Target harganya Rp 10.750 per saham.

Dua analis yang lain juga menyarankan beli efek ini. Katarina meyakini TLKM masih bisa melaju ke Rp 9.100 per saham. Sedangkan Sonny menargetkan harga saham TLKM Rp 10.000 per saham. Pada perdagangan kemarin, saham TLKM ditutup di Rp 8.000 per saham. (KONTAN/Avanty Nurdiana)

Sumber : Kompas, 15.06.10.

14 Juni 2010

[140610.EN.SEA] Rickmers-Linie Starts Asia-South America USEC Service


RICKMERS-LINIE, the breakbulk, heavylift and project cargo specialist headquartered in Hamburg, has launched a new service linking North Asia with South America and the US east coast.
Four vessels, each capable of lifting 120-tonne indivisible loads and featuring stern ramps for rolling cargo, will maintain the monthly schedule. Three of the ships are 11,500 tons and one is 13,000 tons.

"Being smaller than the 30,000 deadweight tons Pearl String ships, they have the added advantage of being able to call at smaller, draught-restricted ports," the carrier said in a statement.

The four ships - Bright State, Del Sol, Fortune Epoch and Reina Rosa - are Japanese-owned and have been chartered from Eastern Car Liner Ltd (ECL), Tokyo.

Base ports covered by the Rickmers NCS service are: Moji, Kobe, Yokohama, Nagoya, Guayaquil, Cartagena, Santa Marta, Puerto Bolivar, Guanta, Port-au-Prince, Savannah, Charleston and Philadelphia.

"Rickmers sees this new service as complementing its existing Pearl String vessels which sails eastbound and primarily links Japan, China and Korea with the US Gulf on the transpacific leg of their fortnightly round-the world schedule," the statement said.

Said Rickers sales chief Gerhard Janssen: "The Pearl String ships are running full and the NCS service brings us welcome additional possibilities to serve ports on the north coast of South America and the Caribbean."

He said that until 2001 the line had been operating a monthly service between Europe and Brazil.

Since 2006, Rickmers-Linie has deployed these vessels westbound from the US to Asia. However, since October 2009, Rickmers-Linie has also utilised them eastbound from Asia to the US Gulf and east coast, with the prime focus being on serving the needs of Japanese clients.

Now Rickmers is adding regular calls in Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela, thus creating a new service to serve the requirements of the markets in Japan, Northern China and South Korea.

Source : HKSG.

[140610.ID.BIZ] Pasar Internasional Buru Tuna Indonesia

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com — Dari sekian banyak produk perikanan dari Indonesia yang dilempar ke pasar ekspor, ternyata ikan tuna tetap menjadi juara.

Produk yang terbilang mahal dan gurih itu rupanya masih menjadi incaran di sejumlah negara maju maupun di negara-negara berkembang. Bahkan, tren permintaan ikan dari negara berkembang terbilang prospektif.

Bentuk tuna yang diekspor tersebut berupa tuna beku dan pre-cooked loin tuna. Selain itu, produk ikan yang menjadi idola ekspor lainnya adalah udang beku yang ternyata masih tinggi peminatnya di pasar ekspor, juga di pasar alternatif Timur Tengah.

"Yang lainnya adalah ikan hias, cumi-cumi, lobster, bandeng, dan ikan olahan kering," kata Saut Hutagalung, Direktur Pemasaran Luar Negeri, Kementerian Kelautan dan Perikanan kepada Kontan, akhir pekan lalu.

Salah satu negara yang meminati tuna Indonesia adalah Timur Tengah. Eksportir ikan yang berniat merintis untuk ekspor ke wilayah alternatif tersebut tak bakal mengalami kendala persyaratan yang menyulitkan. Pasalnya, standar mutu ikan dari Indonesia sudah bisa menembus pasar Eropa dan AS.

"Spesifikasi produk sudah memenuhi, namun harga masih dalam pembicaraan," jelasnya. Artinya, untuk ekspor ke wilayah alternatif tersebut mesti dilakukan negosiasi harga sebelum ekspor dilakukan.

Pasar ikan di Timur Tengah mengalami kenaikan seiring dengan berkembangnya kota-kota penghasil minyak. Naiknya tingkat ekonomi negara itu memengaruhi sektor konsumsi dan juga meningkatkan aktivitas perdagangan seperti supermarket dan arus ekspor-impor oleh kapal-kapal yang datang dan pergi ke negara yang bersangkutan.

"Supermarket sudah mulai banyak dan kapal sudah banyak yang bersandar dan mereka butuh pasokan ikan," jelas Saut.

Ekspor ikan ke Timur Tengah pada triwulan pertama tahun ini sebesar 22,3 juta dollar AS, naik dari periode yang sama tahun lalu senilai 16,4 juta dollar AS. (KONTAN/Asnil Bambani Amri)

Sumber : Kompas, 14.06.10.

12 Juni 2010

[120610.EN.SEA] Euro Rights Court Notes Ukraine CR Appeal Against Asset Seizure

THE European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has acknowledged an appeal from Ukrtranscontainer (UTC) against the state of Ukraine for what it claims is an illegal seizure and use of its property and stoppage of its business at its 850,000-TEU annual capacity container terminal at Illichivsk port, south of Odessa on the Black Sea.

A possible problem in the case is that while the European Union seeks closer ties with Ukraine, the country, a former part of the Soviet Union, wants to be an EU member, it remains outside the European Union.

But the plaintiffs argue that the jurisdiction of the court applies on member states of the Council of Europe, which includes the Ukraine.

Indeed, Ukraine is scheduled to hold the presidency of the Council of Europe committee of ministers from June 30, 2011.

If the court decides to take the case, proceedings in "Ukrtranscontainer vs Ukraine" are expected to be conducted in writing based of documents provided by the parties.

The company, whose parent is Moscow-based National Container Company (NCC), the leading terminal operator in Russia, says the Constitutional Court of Ukraine has declared that the Supreme Court of Ukraine ruling was unconstitutional and that its ruling also contravened the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

The constitutional court, according to the plaintiffs, further upheld the judgment of the lower arbitration tribunal that confirmed the legitimacy of UTC's business arrangements. But the Supreme Court ruling trumps all, and because all national legal remedies have been exhausted, the company has appealed to the Strasbourg court.

The case hinges on a 2005 - 2035 deal UTC made in becoming past of a Joint Operation Agreement also signed the defendant Sea Commercial Port of Illichivsk (SCPI).

"In spite of this, since 2008 the port authority and an ex-minister of transport of Ukraine has been pursuing a plan to discredit the company and terminate the Joint Operation Agreement on the pretence of its 'inefficiency for Ukraine'," said a UTC statement.

"These efforts resulted in the verdict of the Supreme Court of Ukraine on March 11 to terminate the agreement. The SCPI seized the terminal's equipment and accepted it for secure storage," said the statement.

The plaintiff company also alleges that the seized equipment had been purchased by the investors as their contribution to the joint operation, but that the port had since been using it for their own cargo handling operations.

UTC now seeks a "fair and public hearing within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial tribunal established by law, an effective remedy before a national authority (Article 13 of the Convention), to the peaceful enjoyment of his possessions (Article 1 of Protocol 1 of the Convention).

The 28-hectare terminal with its 656.5-metre quay and a 12-metre minimum depth alongside, has a yard of 17,112-TEU capacity, 606 reefer plugs and a total annual capacity of 850,000 TEU.

Customers have included Maersk MSC, CMA CGM, "K" Line, Zim, China Shipping, Economou-CSAV Norasia, Wan Hai, PIL among others.

UTC, owned by National Container Company (NCC), is the leading container terminal operator in Russia and CIS. UTC company was founded in 2002. The group of companies First Quantum and the Transport Group Fesco own NCC on parity basis.

NCC operates First Container Terminal in St Petersburg Container Terminal NUTEP (Novorossiysk), Container Terminal Ukrtranscontainer (UTC, Illichivsk, Ukraine and Logistika-Terminal Shushary, St Petersburg off-dock container terminal and logistics centre.

Source : HKSG, 11.06.10.

[120610.ID.OTH] Tips Menelepon Sehat

KOMPAS.com — Berbicara dengan teman melalui ponsel memang mengasyikkan.

Apalagi, bagi mereka yang hobi menelepon dalam waktu yang lama. Selain menghabiskan kocek Anda, menggunakan ponsel terlalu lama juga dikhawatirkan dapat memengaruhi kesehatan akibat efek radiasi.

Berikut adalah beberapa kiat yang dapat Anda lakukan.

Batasi pemakaian ponsel hanya pada panggilan yang penting-penting dan bicaralah dengan singkat.
Ingatlah bahwa pembicaraan melalui ponsel yang terlalu lama, apalagi sampai berjam-jam, dikhawatirkan mempunyai beberapa dampak buruk terhadap kesehatan.

Namun, jika Anda memang harus melakukan panggilan yang lama, disarankan untuk memakai handsfree untuk keamanan.

Batasi penggunaan ponsel pada anak-anak.

Sebaiknya anak-anak yang masih balita diperbolehkan memakai ponsel dalam keadaan darurat saja. Mengingat mereka masih dalam tahap perkembangan. Sebab, pengaruh dari radiasi dapat berpengaruh cukup besar terhadap mereka.

Jika Anda menggunakan ponsel tanpa handsfree, tunggulah sampai panggilan benar-benar terkoneksi sebelum menaruh ponsel di telinga untuk melakukan pembicaraan. Hal ini bertujuan untuk mengurangi radiasi ponsel semaksimal mungkin.

Sebaiknya Anda tidak menggunakan ponsel di ruangan yang tertutup bahan logam atau baja, seperti di dalam mobil. Sebab, dalam ruangan seperti ini, ponsel harus bekerja keras menstabilkan koneksi sehingga radiasi meninggi.

Selain itu, ada kemungkinan radiasi memantul kembali ke pengguna di ruangan yang didominasi bahan baja.

Selain itu, sebaiknya Anda hindari menggunakan ponsel ketika kekuatan sinyalnya hanya satu bar (batang) atau kurang. Sebab, dalam kondisi seperti itu, ponsel harus bekerja keras untuk menstabilkan koneksi sehingga radiasi bertambah besar.

Selamat menelepon sehat.

Sumber: Kompas Klasika, 01.05.10.

11 Juni 2010

[110610.EN.LOG] Euro Rights Court Notes Ukraine CT Appeal Against Asset Seizure


THE European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has acknowledged an appeal from Ukrtranscontainer (UTC) against the state of Ukraine for what it claims is an illegal seizure and use of its property and stoppage of its business at its 850,000-TEU annual capacity container terminal at Illichivsk port, south of Odessa on the Black Sea.
A possible problem in the case is that while the European Union seeks closer ties with Ukraine, the country, a former part of the Soviet Union, wants to be an EU member, it remains outside the European Union.

But the plaintiffs argue that the jurisdiction of the court applies on member states of the Council of Europe, which includes the Ukraine.

Indeed, Ukraine is scheduled to hold the presidency of the Council of Europe committee of ministers from June 30, 2011.

If the court decides to take the case, proceedings in "Ukrtranscontainer vs Ukraine" are expected to be conducted in writing based of documents provided by the parties.

The company, whose parent is Moscow-based National Container Company (NCC), the leading terminal operator in Russia, says the Constitutional Court of Ukraine has declared that the Supreme Court of Ukraine ruling was unconstitutional and that its ruling also contravened the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

The constitutional court, according to the plaintiffs, further upheld the judgment of the lower arbitration tribunal that confirmed the legitimacy of UTC's business arrangements.

But the Supreme Court ruling trumps all, and because all national legal remedies have been exhausted, the company has appealed to the Strasbourg court.

The case hinges on a 2005 - 2035 deal UTC made in becoming past of a Joint Operation Agreement also signed the defendant Sea Commercial Port of Illichivsk (SCPI).

"In spite of this, since 2008 the port authority and an ex-minister of transport of Ukraine has been pursuing a plan to discredit the company and terminate the Joint Operation Agreement on the pretence of its 'inefficiency for Ukraine'," said a UTC statement.

"These efforts resulted in the verdict of the Supreme Court of Ukraine on March 11 to terminate the agreement. The SCPI seized the terminal's equipment and accepted it for secure storage," said the statement.

The plaintiff company also alleges that the seized equipment had been purchased by the investors as their contribution to the joint operation, but that the port had since been using it for their own cargo handling operations.

UTC now seeks a "fair and public hearing within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial tribunal established by law, an effective remedy before a national authority (Article 13 of the Convention), to the peaceful enjoyment of his possessions (Article 1 of Protocol 1 of the Convention).

The 28-hectare terminal with its 656.5-metre quay and a 12-metre minimum depth alongside, has a yard of 17,112-TEU capacity, 606 reefer plugs and a total annual capacity of 850,000 TEU.

Customers have included Maersk MSC, CMA CGM, "K" Line, Zim, China Shipping, Economou-CSAV Norasia, Wan Hai, PIL among others.

UTC, owned by National Container Company (NCC), is the leading container terminal operator in Russia and CIS. UTC company was founded in 2002.

The group of companies First Quantum and the Transport Group Fesco own NCC on parity basis.

NCC operates First Container Terminal in St Petersburg Container Terminal NUTEP (Novorossiysk), Container Terminal Ukrtranscontainer (UTC, Illichivsk, Ukraine and Logistika-Terminal Shushary, St Petersburg off-dock container terminal and logistics centre.

Source : HKSG, 11.06.10.

[110610.ID.AIR] Maskapai Garuda Menuju Era Baru

KOMPAS.com - Rabu (2/6/2010) tepat pukul 08.00 waktu setempat atau pukul 13.00 WIB, pesawat Airbus 330-200 milik Garuda Indonesia dengan nomor penerbangan GA 88 yang diterbangkan Kapten Samad mendarat di Bandar Udara Schiphol, Amsterdam, Belanda.

Sebanyak 215 penumpang dalam pesawat itu pun secara spontan langsung memberikan tepuk tangan berkali-kali.

Bahkan, begitu pesawat tersebut hendak merapat ke garbarata, langsung disambut dengan semprotan air empat mobil pemadam kebakaran dari sisi kiri dan kanan badan pesawat.

”Inilah model penyambutan terhadap pesawat yang baru masuk di bandara. Hari ini Garuda mendapatkan perlakuan istimewa di Bandara Schiphol,” kata Ari Sapari, pilot yang menerbangkan pesawat Garuda itu dari Jakarta menuju Dubai, Uni Emirat Arab.

Pernyataan Ari Sapari sungguh benar. Saat kami keluar dari pesawat, di pintu terminal bandara sudah menunggu Menteri Transportasi Belanda Camiel Erlings, CFO Schiphol Group Pieter Verboom, dan CEO KLM (maskapai Belanda) Peter Hatman.

Duta Besar Belanda untuk Indonesia Nicolas Vandam dan Duta Besar Uni Eropa untuk Indonesia Julian Wilson juga ikut terbang bersama Garuda dari Jakarta.

”Kami merasa sangat terhormat di mana Garuda telah menunjuk Bandara Schiphol menjadi bandara pertama yang menandai terhubungnya kembali koneksi Garuda ke Eropa.

Kami sangat senang dengan penerbangan kembali Garuda rute Jakarta-Amsterdam pergi pulang. Layanan baru ini akan memberikan kesempatan bagi para penumpang untuk melakukan sambungan penerbangan ke kota-kota lain di Eropa melalui Bandara Schiphol,” tegas CFO Schiphol Group Pieter Verboom.

Verboom juga meyakini, dibukanya kembali penerbangan Garuda ke Amsterdam memberikan kemudahan sambungan penerbangan yang lebih baik bagi penumpang yang ingin terbang antara Asia dan Eropa.

Di samping itu, Jakarta bisa menjadi salah satu pintu alternatif bagi masyarakat Eropa yang ingin ke Asia Tenggara dan Australia.

”Kami yakin rute ini akan memperkuat hubungan antara Indonesia dan Belanda, baik untuk keperluan bisnis maupun perjalanan wisata,” ujar Verboom.

Hal serupa juga dikemukakan Menteri Transportasi Belanda Camiel Erlings. ”Kita harus bangun dan mempererat hubungan dalam menghadapi tantangan masa depan.

Kita harus bersinergi untuk memberikan pelayanan terbaik bagi masyarakat. Jadi, penerbangan kembali Garuda ke Amsterdam adalah sebuah kehormatan, dan mari kita saling bersinergi,” kata Erlings.

Menteri Kebudayaan dan Pariwisata Jero Wacik meyakini langkah Garuda ini akan membangkitkan lagi industri pariwisata di Indonesia.

”Dengan penerbangan kembali Garuda dari Jakarta ke Amsterdam, saya yakin wisatawan dari Eropa ke Indonesia pada tahun 2010 bakal mencapai satu juta orang,” katanya. Selama ini rata-rata 700.000 orang per tahun.

Pasar Eropa

Pesawat Garuda yang melayani rute Amsterdam terbang setiap hari dari Jakarta sejak 1 Juni 2010 menggunakan Airbus 330-200 berkapasitas 222 kursi, terdiri dari 36 kursi eksekutif dan 186 kursi ekonomi. Pesawat itu terlebih dahulu menyinggahi Bandara Dubai untuk mengisi bahan bakar (avtur).

Pesawat ini juga dilengkapi dengan LCD layar sentuh di semua kursi pada semua kelas yang memberikan pilihan 25 film, 250 track audio, dan 25 video permainan. Semua itu sebagai salah satu upaya memberikan kenyamanan bagi penumpang selama dalam penerbangan.

Amsterdam merupakan kota pertama yang dilayani Garuda di Eropa. Rencananya, pada 2011 akan disusul penerbangan ke Paris, Frankfurt, London, dan Roma. Keempat rute itu dibuka setelah pesawat Boeing 777 milik Garuda yang diharapkan siap pada awal 2011.

”Kami menginginkan Garuda terbang langsung dari Jakarta atau Bali menuju ke kota-kota di Eropa. Rencana tersebut bisa terwujudkan setelah pesawat Boeing 777 dioperasikan, sebab pesawat ini bisa terbang selama 15 jam tanpa henti.

Kami menargetkan pada tahun 2011 Garuda terbang lagi ke Paris, London, Frankfurt, dan Roma,” jelas Direktur Utama Garuda Indonesia Emirsyah Satar.

Eropa diyakini akan memainkan peran penting dalam strategi pengembangan Garuda selama lima tahun ke depan dalam jaringan penerbangan internasional.

”Membangun posisi yang kuat di Amsterdam dan kota lainnya di Eropa menjadi hal utama dalam memenuhi target pertumbuhan Garuda lima tahun ke depan,” ujarnya.

Amsterdam sesungguhnya rute lama Garuda. Rute ini ditutup pada tahun 2004 akibat kondisi keuangan Garuda yang terus merugi. Lalu diperparah lagi dengan keputusan Komisi Transportasi Uni Eropa yang melarang semua maskapai Indonesia terbang ke 27 negara anggota Uni Eropa.

Larangan itu dicabut tahun 2009 setelah Garuda Indonesia melakukan berbagai perbaikan pelayanan, seperti usia pesawat yang dioperasikan yang kini rata-rata di bawah 8 tahun dari sebelumnya 14 tahun, ketepatan waktu berangkat dan tiba, kemudahan pembelian tiket, pelayanan di atas pesawat, dan lainnya.

Sebagai pengakuan atas peningkatan kualitas pelayanan itu, Garuda mendapatkan berbagai penghargaan internasional, seperti sertifikat maskapai dengan peringkat pelayanan bintang empat dari Skytrax London.

Penghargaan lain adalah World’s Most Improved Airline dari Skytrax Word Airline. Penghargaan ini diberikan setelah dilakukan survei terhadap 18 juta penumpang internasional.

”Kami telah melakukan investasi yang besar dalam mengembangkan budaya pelayanan, yakni Garuda Indonesia Experience yang menggabungkan keramahtamahan Indonesia yang hangat dan bersahabat dengan kualitas pelayanan dan kenyamanan.

Semua ini akan terus dibenahi sebab kami ingin Garuda pun kelak menjadi maskapai berbintang lima,” kata Direktur Layanan Niaga Garuda Agus Priyanto.

Kini Garuda telah berada di gerbang era baru. Jika tidak ada rintangan, paling lambat pada kuartal keempat 2010 maskapai ini akan menjadi perusahaan terbuka dengan melepaskan sekitar 30 persen saham ke publik.

Dana yang bakal didapatkan sebesar 300 juta dollar AS (sekitar Rp 3 triliun) untuk pengembangan bisnis. Selain itu, Garuda akan menjadi perusahaan yang lebih transparan dan efisien, serta bebas dari campur tangan kelompok kepentingan.

Itu sebabnya manajemen Garuda pun telah membuat sejumlah target yang ingin diraih pada tahun 2014. Saat itu jumlah pesawat akan menjadi 116 unit yang mengangkut 27,3 juta penumpang dibanding tahun 2009 yang hanya 69 unit dengan 10,3 juta penumpang.

Pendapatan perusahaan pun naik menjadi Rp 53,7 triliun dengan keuntungan Rp 3,7 triliun dibanding tahun 2009 yang penghasilannya hanya Rp 18,1 triliun dengan keuntungan Rp 669 miliar.

Semoga semua ini berjalan sesuai rencana sehingga kelak Garuda benar-benar jadi satu dari sedikit maskapai di dunia yang berbintang lima. (JANNES EUDES WAWA dari Amsterdam, Belanda)

Sumber : Kompas, 11.06.10.