31 Maret 2011

[310311.EN.SEA] Asia-Europe Rates To Drop Below US$1,000 Per TEU, Lowest Since 2009

FREIGHT rates between Shanghai and North Europe have continued to fall 5.3 per cent to US$1,019 per TEU as of March 18 from $1,076 the previous week, and rates from Shanghai to Mediterranean ports decreased 3.9 per cent to $1,001 from $1,042, according to the China Containerised Freight Index (CCFI) report.

Meanwhile the spot index from Shanghai to Europe dropped to $992 per TEU at the week of March 25, down $27 per TEU from last week. Since the Shanghai-Europe spot index increased $59 per TEU on December 31, it has fallen 29 per cent.

This downward trend indicates that the Asia-Europe rates have shrunk to the lowest point since March 2009, reported Newark's Journal of Commerce. Forwarders have quoted rates of ocean carriers as low as $800 per TEU for Shanghai-UK services, reported London's International Freighting Weekly.

Container derivatives trader GFI said: "There is still no news of any capacity adjustments by carriers on the Asia-Europe trade lane, which is making it extremely unlikely that the proposed general rate increases will be implemented [on 1 April].

"Speaking to a number of industry participants, the general view is that, despite an increase in bunker adjustment factors (BAFs) in April, the decrease in base freight rates will cancel out any upside caused by BAFs."

Another derivatives broker, FIS, added: "Rates on Europe routes remain in freefall, with most services ex-China reported to be loading to only 85-98 per cent utilisation.

"Extra pressure has been placed on these services this week, with a dramatic reduction in Japanese export cargo creating even greater space availability on vessels," he said.

FIS noted that both shippers and forwarders tend to ignore the proposed rate increases that come into effect in April, and "carriers will need to remain disciplined if they wish to secure any kind of sustained increase."

Source : HKSG, 30.03.11.

[310311.ID.SEA] Indonesia : Operator Terminal Agar Segera Menjadi BUP

JAKARTA: Kementerian Perhubungan (Kemenhub) meminta agar operator terminal, perusahaan pelayaran atau perusahaan bongkar muat yang berminat ikut tender di utara Kalibaru agar segera membentuk badan usaha pelabuhanan.

Suwandi Saputro, Direktur Kepelabuhanan Ditjen Perhubungan Laut Kemenhub, menegaskan tanpa status itu perusahaan tidak akan bisa mengikuti tender sebagai investor di kawasan utara Kalibaru.

Suwandi Saputro mengatakan jadwal tender investor untuk kawasan utara Kalibaru belum berubah. Tender itu akan dibuka secepatnya atau paling lambat Mei 2011. “Peserta tender pasti BUP dengan ketentuan berlaku atas pendirian badan itu,” katanya.

Hal itu ditegaskan menyusul saat ini pengelola Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok, yaitu PT Pelabuhan Indonesia II (Pelindo II), telah menggandeng mitra perusahaan bongkar muat (PBM) untuk menjadi operator terminal.

“Banyak PBM mitra kerja kita yang akan berinvestasi tahun ini,” kata Direktur Utama PT Pelindo II R.J. Lino.
 
Menurut dia, perusahaan PBM yang menjadi mitra kerjasama dengan PT Pelindo II diharuskan berinvestasi peralatan paling lambat 1 tahun.

PT  Pelindo  II Cabang Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok sendiri sudah mengumumkan 16 perusahaan bongkar muat (PBM) siap menjadi pelaksana kegiatan usaha dalam rangka kelancaran pengoperasian terminal Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok.
 
Ke-16 PBM tersebut adalah PT Dwipa Hasta Utama Duta, PT Kaluku Maritima Utama, PT Sarana Ultra layanan Cargo, PT Srikreasi Unggul Persada, PT Daisy Mutiara Samudera, PT Escorindo Stevedoring, PT Hampalan Jala Segara, PT Andalan Tama, PT Adipurusa, PT Mahardi Sarana Tama, PT Mitra Karunia, Samudera, PT Olah Jasa Andal, PT Sarana Bandar Nasional, PT Tangguh Samudera Jaya, PT Mitra Sentosa Abadi, dan PT Prima Nur Panurjwan.
 (arh)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 30.03.11 (catatan : maaf juga 30/03/11 ngga sempat meng-kliping, masih ruepoooot).

29 Maret 2011

[290311.EN.SEA] Security Contractors Market Armed Guard Services to Shipowners

GRAY Page and Protection Vessels International (PI V) is urging shipowners to consider deploying armed guards, saying the "response should be robustly proportional to the threat" by pirates in the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea.

"It is time for shipping to emerge from its comfort zone and face up to the facts and realities of the threat posed by Somali pirates," said Gray Page managing director James Wilkes, according to Tanker Operator.

Dom Mee, the founder and operations director from Protection Vessels International (PVI), said his company is responding to the "growing demand from the shipping industry to stem the rise in piracy" by providing an armed escort for vessels transiting through established shipping lanes.

"Indeed there is palpable relief from masters and crew to have PVI staff on board during a transit. We employ high calibre individuals from a British military background and use established rules of engagement based upon deterrence and self-defence," he said at a joint company presentation.

Mr Wilkes said his company believes the deployment of armed guards on merchant ships is a "rational and reasonable response" to the threat posed by pirates. "We believe that fewer vessels would be attacked and hijacked if they employed professional armed guarding services," he said.

Said PVI's Mr Mee: "Until a land-based solution is implemented, piracy will continue to flourish leaving shipowners and operators little choice but adopt more robust form of deterrence."

Source : HKSG.

[290311.ID.BIZ] Produksi Baja Global Naik 8,8%

JAKARTA: Peningkatan produksi baja yang mencapai 8,8% pada Februari diyakini tidak akan berpengaruh pada harga komoditas tersebut yang diperkirakan terus meningkat hingga level 23% sepanjang semester I/2011.

World Steel Association dalam laporannya menyebutkan dari total 64 negara produsen, produksi baja secara keseluruhan mencapai 117 juta ton pada Februari. Volume produksi tersebut relative lebih rendah jika dibandingkan dengan periode bulan sebelumnya yang sempat berada di level 127 juta ton.

Namun, dibandingkan antara periode yang sama tahun lalu, tingkat produksi tersebut lebih tinggi 8,8%. Pada periode tersebut produksi baja global mencapai 107 juta ton.

Produksi baja China mencapai 54,3 juta ton atau naik 9,7% dibandingkan dengan Februari 2010. Kenaikan produksi juga dialami Jepang, yaitu naik 5,7% menjadi 8,9 juta ton, sedangkan produksi baja Korea Selatan naik 25,7% menjadi 5 juta ton.

Di Eropa, Jerman memproduksi 3,7 juta ton atau naik 7,9%, Italia naik 4,9% menjadi 2,3 juta ton, dan Spanyol 1,4 juta ton atau naik 6,4%.

Adapun, produksi Turki mencapai 2,5 juta ton atau melonjak 35,5% dibandingkan dengan periode yang sama 2010. Amerika Serikat memproduksi 6,6 juta ton dan lebih tinggi 5,6% dibandingkan dengan Februari tahun lalu.

Pertumbuhan dua digit juga dialami oleh Brasil yang memproduksi baja 2,7 juta ton atau 11,4% lebih tinggi dari tahun lalu.

Utilisasi pabrik baja yang beroperasi di 64 negara produsen rata-rata mencapai 82% atau naik tipis dibandingkan dengan Januari 2011 yang hanya 80,9%. Dibandingkan dengan periode yang sama tahun lalu, tingkat utilisasi tersebut juga lebih tinggi 2,7%.

Sebelumnya muncul kekhawatiran pasar terkait dengan kemungkinan kenaikan harga baja dunia menyusul tingginya harga minyak dan rusaknya infrastruktur transportasi batu bara di Australia.

Kondisi ini dikhawatirkan berpengaruh pada utilisasi industri baja internasional. Australia merupakan pemasok 2/3 kebutuhan batu bara kokas (cocking coal) yang merupakan 50% dalam proses pembuatan baja.(hl)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 29.03.11.

28 Maret 2011

[280311.EN.SEA] Pirates In League With Al-Qaeda, Treat Them As Terrorists: Asia Shippers

THE Asian Shippers' Council (ASC) has proposed using standard anti-terrorist measures against Somalia pirates because they "must be" in league with al-Qaeda units in the region."

"We should focus our effort in determining the most effective way to remove the pirate leaders from their strongholds, located along the coast of Somalia, in Caluula, Eyl, Hobyo and Harardhere," said an ASC statement, which is an amended version of draft the Singapore-based group inadvertently sent to the press.

Therefore it suggested governments in the region treat the pirates in the same manner as terrorists and should empower their navies to "take appropriate measures to defeat the pirates."

"Ransoms demanded have surged from US$3 million in 2007 to US$74 million in 2009. While some pirates have lost their lives and others have been charged in court and imprisoned, many more are living the good life," said the ASC's slightly toned-down paper.

"As the Chinese proverb says: 'Kill the chicken to scare the monkeys'. By making examples of some through decisive action, we can deter many more from taking to a life of piracy, thereby crippling the network," it said.

"Pirates are criminals who operate outside the law. They have endangered the lives of seafarers, jeopardised the livelihoods of shipowners and impaired international trade," said the re-written statement, as it did in the draft version.

But gone from the re-write were statements calling for predator drone strikes against pirates in their home village bases, or having naval forces deal with the ones they catch as they "deemed appropriate".

But the ASC still proposed "zeroing in on pirate hideouts". Naval officers should have the authority to detain the suspected ship and its crew, and take necessary measures, the final version said.

Third, the council proposes international community should work more closely to "uncover the piracy trail by pulling resources together and sharing information."

But "unless international navies capture men undertaking an act of piracy, there is a very limited legal basis on which to prosecute," said the British Ministry of Defence. EU and NATO naval forces captured and then released an estimated 700 suspected pirates in the first six months of 2010.

According to the International Maritime Bureau, 49 ships were captured and 1,016 seafarers taken hostage in 2010. So far, 28 vessels and 587 hostages are still detained off Somalia.

Hostages are being held for up to 120 days and some have been killed. So, piracy not only costs billion of dollars, it causes serious human security problems for seafarers and their families.

Source : HKSG, 28.03.11.

[280311.ID.SEA] JSS Ancam Keberadaan Feri Merak—Bakauheni

JAKARTA: Pembangunan Jembatan Selat Sunda (JSS) dikhawatirkan dapat mematikan keberadaan 33 bisnis kapal penyeberangan atau kapal feri di Pelabuhan Merak—Bakauheni seperti halnya yang terjadi pada pembangunan jembatan Suramadu.

Dirjen Perhubungan Darat Kementerian Perhubungan Suryo Alimuso memperkirakan sebagian besar transportasi darat akan menggunakan JSS ketika menyeberangi dua Merak—Bakauheni.

“Masih ada 33 kapal yang harus dipindahkan, ini perlu kepastian jangan sampai terjadi seperti di selat Madura yang mematikan usaha jasa feri,” katanya di hadapan Komisi V DPR RI, hari ini.

Oleh karena itu, dia meminta pemerintah untuk melindungi kelangsungan usaha jasa kapal feri tersebut. Hal tersebut, lanjutnya, sebagai salah satu cara untuk meminimalisiri dampak negatif proyek yang diprediksi akan menjadi jembatan antar pulau terpanjang di Indonesia ini apalagi waktu pengerjaannya diperkirakan masih 13 tahun lagi.

“Proyek JSS ini masih membutuhkan waktu lebih dari 10 tahun lagi sehingga masih ada waktu untuk mengantisipanya.”

Kementerian PU saat ini terus mengkaji dengan melakukan studi kelayakan dan basic desihg pembangunan jembatan sepanjang 28 km tersebut. Berdasarkan analisa kasar, indikasi biaya konstruksi JSS menelan biaya Rp 100 triliun (tanpa KA) s/d Rp 150 triliun (dengan KA). (sut)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 28.03.11.

27 Maret 2011

[270311.ID.BIZ] Indonesia To Build Eight LNG Receiving Terminals

Jakarta: Indonesia's state oil firm Pertamina and state power firm PLN announced Thursday that they plan to build eight mini LNG receiving terminals in eastern Indonesia. The terminals will have a total capacity of 1.4m tonnes a year.

“I expect the projects will secure gas supply for PLN's operations in eastern Indonesia and will be part of a more integrated gas business for PLN's interests,” said Karen Agustiawan, Pertamina's chief executive.

The two companies will carry out pre-feasibility studies for the projects and the first phase of building for four terminals may start by the end of 2012. All the eight terminals are expected to come onstream by 2015. Indonesia is the world's third largest exporter of LNG, after Qatar and Malaysia.

Source : STA, 25.03.11.

[270311.ID.BIZ] Korsel Incar 2 Proyek Kereta Senilai US$20 Miliar

JAKARTA: Korea Selatan mengincar dua proyek raksasa perkeretaapian nasional yang masih menganggur yakni Kereta Api (KA) Bandara Soekarno-Hatta dan KA Jakarta—Surabaya dengan nilai proyek diperkirakan menembus US$20 miliar.

Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI), sebuah lembaga khusus menangani perkeretaapian di Korea Selatan menandatangani MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) dengan Kadin untuk mempercepat dua proyek angkutan massal itu.

Dengan MoU itu, Kadin Indonesia dan KRRI akan terlibat dalam proyek transportasi massal yang menghubungkan kota Jakarta dengan Bandara Soekarno Hatta di Banten dan proyek KA Jakarta—Surabaya.

Selain itu, KRRI bersama Kadin akan membantu mengembangkan perkeretaapian nasional dengan menyusun strategi dan perencanaan untuk jaringan perkeretaapian secara komprehensif.

Ketua Komite Tetap Hubungan Antar Lembaga Kamar Dagang dan Industri (Kadin) Indonesia Biben Akbar mengatakan percepatan pembangunan angkutan massal di kota-kota besar Indonesia sangat diperlukan.

Dia meyakini, realisasi konsep transportasi massal dapat memacu pertumbuhan lapangan kerja di kota-kota besar serta memacu pertumbuhan ekonomi Indonesia. “Ini dapat menjadi solusi bagi kebutuhan kita terhadap transportasi massal,” katanya, pekan lalu.

Presiden KRRI Sung Kyou Choi mengatakan selain Jakarta dan Surabaya, pihaknya juga berminat menggarap kota lainnya.  “Kami berminat merencanakan jaringan kereta api Indonesia. Tidak hanya Jakarta atau Surabaya saja, kota lainnya juga,” katanya.

Dia menjelaskan selain merencanakan strategi pengembangan kereta api, pihaknya berminat mengimplementasikan teknologi yang sudah dikembangkan di Korea Selatan untuk membantu mendorong akselerasi pertumbuhan ekonomi.

Business Advisor Asia Economic Community KRRI Park Sung-Chur menjelaskan proyek pembangunan jalur KA Bandara Jakarta—Soekarno Hatta dan KA Jakarta—Surabaya diperkirakan menelan dana sebesar US$20 miliar.

Pihaknya akan mengkoordinasikan kebutuhan pendanaan tersebut melalui dukungan pemerintah Korea Selatan dan Asia Economic Community Foundation yang fokus pada penyaluran dan implementasi teknologi.

“Kami melihat pengembangan KA di di Indonesia bisa memungkinkan untuk mengeluarkan biaya yang seefektif mungkin sehingga strategy railway ini bisa terealisasi dengan cepat,” ujar Park.

Sejauh ini, katanya, KRRI sudah melakukan koordinasi dengan Kadin Indonesia dan BKPM untuk merealisasikan proyek raksasa itu. “Jika semuanya lancar dan visible, kami segera melakukan pendekatan dengan pihak pemerintah terkait,” tambah Park.

Transfer teknologi

Biben menjelaskan masuknya KRRI dalam proyek KA Bandara dan KA Jakarta—Surabaya akan memungkinkan terjadinya transfer teknologi sehingga sektor transportasi massal di Indonesia ke depan bisa memanfaatkan model teknologi yang dikembangkan Korea.

KRRI kini terlibat dalam proyek teknologi kereta api penumpang, bahkan secara khusus ikut dengan proyek yakni rel kecepatan tinggi Korea, Urban transit kereta ringan, dan program memiringkan Kereta Express untuk mempercepat jalur konvensional di Korsel.

Saat ini, proses pembangunan proyek KA Bandara Soekarno-Hatta, Jakarta, kembali dari awal lagi menyusul studi kelayakan yang baru dilakukan oleh PT Sarana Multi Infrastruktur.

Perseroan tersebut  berkolaborasi dengan Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) dan Kementerian Perhubungan di proyek angkutan massal rute Manggarai—Bandara Soekarno-Hatta itu.

Dirut PT Sarana Multi Infrastruktur Emma Sri Martini mengatakan feasibility study  akan dilakukan meskipun hingga kini belum diketahui akan akan selesai. “Kami akan membantu supaya kerja sama JICA dan Kemenhub optimal,” jelas-nya baru-baru ini.

Selain itu, tender konstruksi juga belum bisa dipastikan kapan akan digelar kendati diharapkan tahun ini. Dia juga belum bisa memastikan apakah nilai proyek KA Bandara masih sama dengan yang ditetapkan sebelumnya, yaitu sebesar Rpl0 triliun.

Kemenhub sebetulnya telah menetapkan rute yang ingin digunakan, yaitu menggunakan rel melayang di rute Manggarai-bandara melalui Angke-Pluit, sehingga biaya investasi membengkak dari Rp4,6 triliun menjadi Rpl0 triliun.

Adapun, perusahaan yang telah lolos tender prakualifikasi sebelumnya adalah PT Railink, China Harbour (China), dan Mitsui (Jepang).

Kementerian Perhubungan sendiri sebelumnya menegaskan akan fokus untuk mengembangkan jaringan KA dari Tangerang menuju Bandara Soekarno—Hatta sejauh 7 KM dengan target operasi pada 2013. (ln)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 27.03.11.

26 Maret 2011

[260311.EN.SEA] Drewry: Mega-ship Craze Risks Lay-ups In Any Rate War

THERE is uncertainty over how shipping lines will manage to cascade bigger ships into North America trades, according to London's Drewry Maritime Research paper, "Unmasking Freight Rates".

"In the best case scenario (ie, better capacity management and cascading, less emphasis on market share, more on profitability, and fewer ships orders) we can see carriers being able to maintain load factors at levels that should deliver solid if unspectacular profits over the next few years," said Simon Heaney, one of the authors, according to American Shipper. "In the worst case, we think carriers will be forced into more lay-ups."

Asked about what impact Maersk Line's recent order of 18,000-TEU ships may have on rival container shipping lines, Mr Heaney said: "Logic and the order book are not always in sync. It is unlikely we will see the same deluge as seen in 2006-2007, mainly because financing is tougher to come by and the KG market is much shallower and somewhat humbled.

"That said, ego plays a big role in container shipping and there is every chance that having seen what Maersk has done with its 18,000-TEU order, some rivals will feel compelled to react.

"As 2011 progresses there has been more momentum with orders placed in the big ship sizes: Seaspan, Hamburg Sud and now OOCL. The primary incentive from the carrier perspective is to have ever lower slot costs, but the combined effect on the supply/demand balance at the individual trade route level - given that these ships cannot be deployed on too many routes - could be very different at the time they are deployed. We see this momentum as an increasing threat, especially with more outsiders entering the fray with readily available funds," he said.

Mr Heaney said that central to the report, which looks at prospects over five year, is an attempt to discover how capacity affects rates, chiefly the impact of supply and demand on rates.

"Basic supply/demand economics is the major driver of freight rates," he said. "Our historical analysis shows that the closeness of the relationship varies depending on the time period and trade lane examined and that other factors such as sentiment, new entrants into markets, predatory pricing and future expectation of overcapacity among other modifiers can all have a big influence on prices."

Mr Heaney said there is a floor at which point carriers will remove tonnage in order to boost utilisation and rates. For the westbound Asia-Europe trade, Drewry estimates this minimum to be in the mid-60 per cent range.

Commenting on carriers' earning capabilities in the coming years, Mr Heaney said: "We believe future carrier profitability will be put at risk by repeating the market share grabbing antics that nearly bankrupted some of them in 2009. This is a very real threat as anecdotally we hear that carriers are agreeing to very low freight rate deals in order to tie in volume this year on services where utilisation factors are falling."

Source : HKSG,  26.03.11.

[260311.ID.BIZ] BBG : Bisnis Utama Tetap Transportasi

Presiden Direktur Blue Bird Group Purnomo Prawiro (kiri) dan Kepala Detasemen Perlindungan Kedutaan Besar Amerika di Indonesia Scott M Bernat (kanan) saat penyerahan "Certificate of Commendation" untuk Blue Bird Group pada Sabtu (26/3/2011) di Kantor Blue Bird, Mampang Prapatan, Jakarta. Sertifikat tersebut merekomendasikan semua warga AS, khususnya pejabat Departemen Pertahanan AS selalu menggunakan angkutan Blue Bird Group selama melakukan kunjungan maupun bertugas ke Indonesia.

KOMPAS.com — Tatkala menjadi perusahaan publik pada 2013, Blue Bird Group menempatkan bisnis utama tetap transportasi. Presiden Direktur Blue Bird Group Purnomo Prawiro mengatakan hal itu pada Sabtu (26/3/2011). "Sektor bisnis yang kami kembangkan juga adalah logistik dan teknologi informasi," kata Purnomo.

Dalam kesempatan kegiatan rutin pemberian penghargaan bagi pengemudi taksi teladan dan pengemudi taksi yang mengembalikan barang penumpang, perusahaan berlogo burung terbang itu juga mendapat Certificate of Commendation dari pihak Kedutaan Besar Amerika Serikat. 

Penghargaan tersebut berkenaan dengan upaya Blue Bird menjaga keamanan dan keselamatan para penumpangnya. "Kami merekomendasikan warga AS, khususnya para pejabat di lingkungan Departemen Pertahanan AS, untuk menggunakan Blue Bird Group," kata Kepala Detasemen Perlindungan Kedutaan Besar Amerika Scott M Bernat.

Lebih lanjut, Purnomo menjelaskan, sebagai bagian dari realisasi menjadi perusahaan publik tersebut, sampai dengan akhir 2011, pihaknya akan menambah 2.400 unit mobil taksi baru di seluruh Indonesia. Dari jumlah itu, 1.500 unit merupakan porsi untuk wilayah Jabodetabek. Sementara sisanya untuk empat kota, yakni Surabaya, Medan, Palembang, dan Bali.

Selain kota-kota di atas, perusahaan yang genap berusia 39 tahun pada 1 Mei 2011 memiliki unit usaha taksi meter di Yogyakarta, Bandung, Lombok,  dan Manado. "Kami mendapat ajakan untuk membantu penyelenggaraan SEA Games XXVI di Palembang, November tahun ini," kata Purnomo.

Sampai kini, Blue Bird Group menaungi lebih dari 20.000 unit armada dari berbagai jenis. Jumlah tenaga kerja yang terserap hingga sekarang lebih dari 30.000 orang.

Sumber : Kompas, 26.03.11.

25 Maret 2011

[250311.EN.SEA] Asia Shippers Council Withdraws Harsh Anti-pirate Draft, Promises Re-write

SINGAPORE's Asian Shippers Council (ASC) has advocated surgical strikes using predator drones against Somalia pirate villages and giving naval forces a freer hand in dealing with pirates they catch.

"By killing a few monkeys, we may be able to teach the chickens and cripple the network," was one of the document's more blood curdling conclusions.

But no sooner was the statement issued to the press, then the ASC ordered a recall, saying to media: "It has come to our attention that the Asian Shippers' Council's draft statement on Somalia piracy was inadvertently circulated to the press. We would like to recall that as it is a draft statement, which requires further refinement.

"The ASC is in the process of finalising its position. It should be completed tomorrow. Once submitted to the International Chamber of Commerce, a copy will be circulated to the media. Please accept our apology for all inconvenience caused," said the ASC secretariat.

The "draft" was widely publicised and stands as the fiercest statement coming from the shipping community on piracy, which has become increasingly impatient with the impotence of naval forces and the growing unwillingness to put pirates on trial, resulting in many being released.

Three weeks ago, Norwegian tanker owner Jacob Stolt-Nielsen declared in a newspaper commentary, in which he wrote that pirates should have their ships sunk and be drowned at sea.

"Perhaps, I was a bit tough in the commentary, but I'm telling it like it is," he said, after being blasted for his views by the Norwegian foreign minister. "But the way to solve the pirate problem is to sink the pirates and their ships."

The ASC draft was just as harsh. "Pirates are operating out of mainly four Somali port towns, Caluula, Eyl, Hobyo and Harardhere," it said. "We believe there is a case for selective targeting of these towns using predators to take out pirate leaders, just as they would for terrorists' leaders in Pakistan and Afghanistan."

The draft said pirates should be treated as terrorists, though whether they to be shot on sight on suspicion remained unclear.

Said the draft: "They should empower the navies to take whatever measures they deem appropriate to defeat the pirates. Naval officers should have the authority to detain the ship and its crew, and take whatever measures necessary, if they have strong reasons to believe that a ship is being used as a mother ship. Standard operating procedures can be drawn up to prevent any abuse of this authority.

"Until today, many navies have been constrained to act. Even when the pirates are captured, most are released as many countries are reluctant to detain them, much less prosecute them. According to reports, EU and NATO naval forces captured and then released an estimated 700 pirates in the first six months of 2010," the draft said.

Source : HKSG.

[250311.ID.SEA] PAL Indonesia Serahkan Kapal LPD

JAKARTA: PT PAL Indonesia (Persero) hari ini dijadwalkan melakukan serah terima kapal landing platform dock 125 meter (LPD 125 meter) Hull no.W000240 kapal yang keempat pesanan Kementerian Pertahanan.

Dalam keterangan tertulis dari Humas PT PAL yang diterima Bisnis, serah terima akan dilakukan hari ini di dermaga divisi Rekayasa Umum PAL Indonesia, dan diserahkan terlebih dahulu kepada Daewoo International Corporation sebagai main contractor dan dari Daewoo kepada Kementerian Pertahanan lalu selanjutanya kepada TNI-AL untuk dioperasikan.

Acara serah terima juga akan dilanjutjan dengan peresmian KRI dan pelantikan komandan KRI Banda Aceh 593.

Sebelumnya, kapal telah menjalani uji coba layar (sea trial) dan kemudian dilakukan commodore inspection, uji coba yang disaksikan langsung tim penerima kapal dari TNI-AL dan Kemhan. Di mana kapal mampu mencapai kecepatan 15,2 knots atau di atas target kontrak 15,0 knot.

Total kapal LPD 125 meter yang dipesan Kemhan adalah empat kapal di mana dua kapal dibangun di Korea Selatan (Daewoo sebagai kontraktor utama) dan dua kapal dibangun di PT PAL Indonesia. (faa)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 21.03.11.

24 Maret 2011

[240311.EN.SEA] Cosco Pacific Doubles Profit In FY2010

It is riding on increase in world trade as global economies recover

(SINGAPORE) Cosco Pacific Ltd, Asia's third-largest container terminal operator, more than doubled profit last year as world trade rebounded from the global recession.

Net income climbed to US$361.3 million from US$172.5 million a year earlier, the Hong Kong- based company said in a statement to the city's stock exchange yesterday. That was in line with the US$358.4 million average of 17 analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Sales rose 28 per cent to US$446.5 million.

The company's terminals handled 19 per cent more containers than a year earlier as Chinese exporters boosted shipments of car parts, furniture and clothes to the US and Europe. 

Inbound container shipments at major US ports may also rise 9 per cent in the first half of this year, according to the Washington-based National Retail Federation.

'The global trade and container transportation sector will be able to sustain its growth momentum' this year, Cosco Pacific said. That will provide a 'favourable environment' for its terminals and other businesses, it said.

The company, controlled by China Cosco Holdings Co, moved 48.5 million 20-foot boxes last year, according to the statement. It owns or has stakes in more than 20 terminal operators, predominantly in China and Hong Kong.

The terminal operator dropped 1.9 per cent to HK$14.58 at the midday trading break in Hong Kong before the earnings announcement. The company has advanced 7.7 per cent this year, the fifth-best performance in the Hang Seng Index, which has dropped 0.9 per cent.

Cosco Pacific, which also has a container leasing unit and a stake in box-maker China International Marine Containers (Group) Co, proposed a final dividend of 2.5 US cents. The company sold its stake in Cosco Logistics Co to its parent in 2009.

Singapore-based PSA International Pte, the world's second-largest container port operator, on March 4 said that 2010 net income rose 21 per cent to $1.18 billion.

First-ranked Hutchison Port Holdings Ltd is scheduled to announce earnings next week alongside its parent, Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa Ltd.

Source : BT - Bloomberg, 24.03.11.

[240311.ID,BIZ] Indonesia : Porsi Terbesar Masih UMKM

KOMPAS.com - Sampai dengan akhir 2011, porsi terbesar pembiayaan Bank Syariah Bukopin masih untuk Usaha Mikro, Kecil, dan  Menengah (UMKM). "Dari penambahan modal tahun ini, 70 persennya untuk pembiayaan UMKM," kata Direktur Utama Bank Syariah  Bukopin Riyanto pada Kamis (24/3/2011) di Jakarta.

Dalam Rapat Umum Pemegang Saham Tahunan (RUPST) dan Rapat Umum Pemegang Saham Luar Biasa (RUPSLB), Kamis ini, Bank  Syariah Bukopin mengumumkan penambahan posisi modalnya sebesar Rp 100 miliar. Selain pembiayaan UMKM tersebut, alokasi  untuk penguatan jaringan gerai (outlet), teknologi informasi, serta sumber daya insani (SDI) juga berasal dari dana  sebesar itu. "Kami berharap, eksekusi penambahan modal pada bulan ini," kata Riyanto.

Lebih lanjut, Riyanto menjelaskan, tidak ada perubahan struktur kepemilikan saham perseroan lantaran penambahan modal  ini. Pasalnya, pemegang saham yang ada (existing stakeholder) yang bakal menyerap saham penambahan tersebut.

Menurut catatan yang terkumpul, sampai kini, ada enam pemegang saham Bank Syariah Bukopin yakni PT Bank Bukopin Tbk (65,4  persen), PT Jamsostek (9 persen), PT Bakrie Capital Investment (9 persen), Mega Capital (9 persen), Mitra Usaha Sarana (9  persen), dan Muhammadiyah (3 persen).

Pada bagian lain, terang Riyanto, pihaknya akan mematok Rasio Kecukupan Modal (CAR) Bank Syariah Bukopin terkait  penambahan modal di posisi 16,3 persen. "Sebelumnya, CAR kami 11,5 persen," katanya.

Sementara itu, sampai dengan akhir 2010, Bank Syariah Bukopin membukukan kenaikan laba sebesar 1.131,63 persen atau pada  posisi Rp 10,23 miliar. Pada 2009, perolehan laba cuma Rp 831 juta.
Selanjutnya, pembiayaan hingga 2010 berada di posisi Rp 1,61 triliun. Angka ini naik sebesar 25,94 persen dari satu tahun sebelumnya di posisi Rp 1,28 triliun.

Sumber : Kompas, 24.03.11.

23 Maret 2011

[230311.EN.SEA] CMA CGM Sells 13,830-TEUers To Lender In 'Refinancing' Deal

FRENCH container shipping line CMA CGM is selling two 13,830-TEU vessels last year for a sum of US$171 million each to Ship Finance International Limited (SFIL) in what appears to be a re-financing deal.

The ships come with 15-year time charters for CMA CGM to continue operating the ships, and include purchase options for the carrier during the charter period, starting from 2014.

The acquisition of the two ships by SFIL "appears to be a refinancing exercise rather than a market sale," said Alphaliner, which noted that the sales price is close to the price of the vessels when they were ordered in July 2007 and about 25 per cent higher than current newbuilding prices.

"The purchase price includes a subordinated seller's credit of $55 million per vessel and will be financed through a French tax lease structure, with SFIL's investment limited to $25 million per vessel and secured by junior mortgages," the report said.

The ships are part of series of eight identical vessels built by South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo that were originally scheduled for delivery by the end of last year. However, financial difficulties arising from the global financial crisis in 2008-09 forced CMA CGM to delay the deliveries.

So far five of the eight ships have been delivered, with the last three slated for delivery next year. The first five ships in the sister series are being used to operate the CMA CGM-Maersk FAL 5/AE-8 service.

Source : HKSG, 23.03.11.

[230311.ID.SEA] Proyek Pelabuhan Kalibaru Ditender Terbuka

JAKARTA:  Kementerian Perhubungan membantah akan menyerahkan pembangunan pelabuhan di utara Kalibaru kepada Pelindo II tanpa melalui mekanisme tender terbuka. Suwandi Saputro, Direktur Kepelabuhan Ditjen Perhubungan Laut Kemenhub mengatakan Otoritas Pelabuhan (OP) terus mempersiapkan rencana tender investor pembangunan di utara Kalibaru itu.

Menurut dia, kawasan utara Kalibaru tersebut bukan area yang selama ini sudah diusahakan oleh Pelindo II sehingga memungkinkan perseroan itu membangun pelabuhan di atasnya tanpa mengikuti tender terbuka.

Kalibaru, katanya, merupakan kawasan yang penguasaannya ada di tangan pemerintah.

“Menhub akan mengeluarkan master plan [rencana induk] pelabuhan di Teluk Jakarta dan sekitarnya, bukan restu untuk Pelindo membangun pelabuhan di Kalibaru,” katanya hari ini.

Sebelumnya, Lino mengaku optimistis dapat memulai pembangunan pelabuhan di kawasan tersebut dengan dana sebesar Rp8,8 triliun pada Mei 2011 karena Menhub memberikan sinyal akan mengeluarkan restu pada awal bulan depan.

Setelah izin itu keluar, katanya, perseroannya langsung mempersiapkan Amdal yang sekarang terpaksa ditunda akibat persinggungan kewenangan. “Dana sudah tersedia, pembangunan bisa dimulai dengan cepat,” ujarnya. (sut)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 23.03.11.

22 Maret 2011

[220311.EN.SEA] Hamburg Sud Expands Transatlantic West Coast Americas Service

GERMANY's Hamburg Sud and Chile's Compania Chilena de Navegacion Interoceanica (CCNI) have expanded their joint transatlantic Panama-North America west coast service from north Europe.

The WAMS service has been linking the North American west coast and the Central American west coast, including Mexico, with Cartagena in Colombia since the beginning of 2010, said a company statement.

The expanded service now includes Hamburg and other ports in northern Europe. In 2010, Hamburg's container traffic with North and Central America increased 16 per cent year on year.

The expanded service will use 10 ships of 1,700 TEU each. Hamburg Sud will contribute eight and CCNI two.

The 70-day rotation is Hamburg, Le Havre, Cartagena, Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle, Vancouver, Oakland, Long Beach, Manzanillo, Lazaro Cardenas, Puerto Quetzal, Cartagena, Tangier, Rotterdam, Tilbury and back to Hamburg.

At the end of a one-month journey, the Cap Palmeston was the first ship in the expanded North America West Coast (WAMS) service operated by Hamburg Sud to reach Hamburg.

The vessel was handled and cleared at the HHLA Container Terminal Burchardkai. The journey through the Panama Canal and on to Europe covered a distance of about 10,000 nautical miles.

On the occasion of the arrival of the first ship, the 1,700-TEU Cap Palmerston, in the new service at Hamburg, Port Captain Jorg Pollmann presented the master Mario Pamute, with an admiralty plaque with the coat of arms of the Port of Hamburg.

Representatives of Hamburg Sud and the Port of Hamburg Marketing were also on board to welcome the new service.

"By including Hamburg in the expanded WAMS service, Hamburg Sud can now offer a fast, direct connection with comprehensive port coverage between northern Europe and the US west coast. 

Moreover, the inclusion of the two hub ports of Tangier and Cartagena provides outstanding connections to the Caribbean Basin, the east and west coasts of South America and the eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent," said Hamburg Sud's Uwe Gaede, regional director of marketing and sales.

Source : HKSG, 22.03.11.

[220311.ID.SEA] Tanjung Perak Dinilai Mesti Bebas Monopoli

SIDOARJO: Gubernur Jawa Timur Soekarwo mendesak otoritas pelabuhan di Tanjung Perak Surabaya untuk dapat menciptakan proses usaha yang nyaman dan tidak ada praktek monopoli.

"Pelabuhan Tg. Perak merupakan infrastruktur penting bagi Jatim dan Kawasan Timur Indonesia. Pelabuhan ini skalanya juga untuk ekspor-impor komoditas sehingga suasana usaha yang nyaman dan pro-bisnis mesti tercipta termasuk menghindari terjadinya praktek anti monopoli," kata Soekarwo

kepada Bisnis, di Pusat Perdagangan Agribisnis (Puspa Agro), Jemundo, Kabupaten Sidoarjo, hari ini.

Soekarwo menjelaskan karena pentingnya posisi Pelabuhan Tanjung Perak itu bagi perdagangan Jatim dan KTI maka hambatan usaha mesti dihapuskan.

"Praktek monopoli sebisa mungkin harus dihapuskan agar perdagangan Jatim bisa lebih efisien dan tidak high cost. Ini penting karena Jatim merupakan basis industri pengolahan terbesar maka dukungan layanan biaya murah di Tg. Perak menjadi keniscayaan," tegasnya.

Disisi lain, Soekarwo menunjukkan rasa keprihatinannya terkait adanya polemik terkait regulasi yang dikeluarkan PT Pelabuhan Indonesia III tentang proses bongkar muat barang di Pelabuhan Tanjung Perak Surabaya.

"Pemprov sudah mendengar adanya keresahaan dikalangan PBM [perusahaan bongkar muat] terkait regulasi Pelindo III itu yang dinilai diskriminatif. Untuk itu sebaiknya regulasi itu dapat direvisi, ingat jangan sampai ada hambatan usaha atau polemik yang berkepanjangan karena dunia internasional akan memantau," ujarnya.(api)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 22.03.11.

21 Maret 2011

[210311.EN.SEA] US State Department To 'Seriously Reassess' Piracy Policy

THE US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, has called for a "serious reassessment" of policy after the recent escalation of violence from pirates off Somalia, according to Kurt Amend, the State Department's principal deputy assistant secretary for political and military affairs.

His comments before a congressional hearing were prompted by the killing of four US citizens aboard a yacht by Somali pirates, reports the American Shipper. "Our goal is to develop a recalibrated strategy that once implemented will enhance the safety and security of Americans on the high seas," he told the transportation and infrastructure subcommittee on Coast Guard and maritime transportation.

Mr Amend was cited as saying an important new goal of the US government is to cut off the flow of money to pirate leaders given that it now costs on average US$4 million to secure the release of a vessel and its crew from pirates' clutches.

The US aims to achieve this goal by establishing a fifth working group in the 60-nation Contact Group on Somali piracy that would enable the US treasury and justice departments, the intelligence community and international partners to share information and potentially deny pirate chiefs the ability to benefit from their ransom proceeds through "forensic methods," said Mr Amend.

He said the US State Department would finalise its new strategy soon for cracking down on piracy. The report said the range of options would: continue policies to discourage nations and private parties from paying ransoms; stress self-protection measures by the shipping industry; seek prosecution of pirates in national courts; solicit contributions of military forces and basing rights to defend against pirates; and promote financial contributions to an international trust fund to defray expenses of countries in the region willing to prosecute and lock up pirates.

"We firmly believe that the US must intensify counter-piracy intelligence efforts," Mr Amend was quoted as saying. "We need to elevate the priority of collection, analysis and exploitation of human and signals intelligence related to piracy operations, financial flows and logistical support both inside and outside Somalia. And we need to find ways to share piracy-related intelligence with law enforcement organisations both domestic and international."

Source : HKSG, 21.03.11.

[210311.ID.SEA] Pemerintah Perlu Bentuk Badan Percepatan Transportasi

JAKARTA: Masyarakat Transportasi Indonesia (MTI) mengatakan fokus pemerintah terhadap transportasi berbasis rel akan mampu mendongkrak pertumbuhan ekonomi nasional untuk itu harus dibentuk badan khusus yang lebih berkonsentrasi pada program percepatan pembangunan perkeretaapian.
 
"Percepatan pembangunan rel ganda di semua lintas sudah mutlak dilakukan. Selain itu, pembangunan transportasi berbasis rel sudah seharusnya dilakukan untuk membantu pertumbuhan ekonomi di Tanah Air," kata Djoko Setijowarno, ketua Forum Transportasi Perkeretaapian, Masyarakat Transportasi Indonesia dalam acara diskusi dengan wartawan di Jakarta, akhir pekan.

Dia menambahkan dewasa ini dengan jumlah penduduk perkotaan sudah mencapai di atas 1 juta jiwa dan populasi kendaraan bermotor di atas 1 juta unit dengan persentase 70% sepeda motor, dan 30% kendaraan pribadi, akan berkontribusi bagi sektor transportasi kota.

Menurut Djoko, untuk mempercepat pembangunan perkeretaapian, ditjen perkeretaapian dapat membentuk badan khusus tersendiri yang lebih mengkonsentrasikan pada program percepatan. Sementara, ditjen perkeretaapian selaku regulator lebih menyibukkan dan berkontribusi untuk menyiapkan perangkat regulasi untuk menunjang program percepatan.

Dia menambahkan akses-akses jalan rel menuju pelabuhan sebagai penunjang perekonomian dapat segera dibuka kembali. Sejumlah akses jalan rel ke pelabuhan yang sekarang dimatikan, antara lain ke Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok, Pelabuhan Cirebon, Pelabuhan Pekalongan, dan Pelabuhan Tanjung Emas. 

"Pelabuhan sebagai pintu gerbang perekonomian, kurangnya akses jalan rel ke pelabuhan menyebabkan kontribusi sektor transportasi pada perekonomian nasional sangat kecil," kata Djoko. (Alp)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 20.03.11.

20 Maret 2011

[200311.EN.SEA] Horizon Gets Lenders To Relent, But For 2.5pc More Interest

HEAVILY fined Horizon Lines, America's biggest carrier, got a break from lenders, who waived rights in an expected default by easing the terms of their lending agreements after the disgraced company pleaded guilty to price-fixing in the Puerto Rican trade.

Facing a US$45 million fine, Horizon is seeking to refinance long-term debt and persuaded lenders to waive default rights brought about by the unprovisioned expense of the fine.

Federal sentencing guidelines called for a fine of $336 million to $672 million, based on Horizon's estimated $1.4 billion in Puerto Rico freight revenue from 2002 to 2008, reports Newark's Journal of Commerce. 

Horizon also faces suits from rivals Sea Star and Crowley Maritime, which seek compensation for civil antitrust lawsuits from shippers claiming losses from the price-fixing.

Prosecutors said the fine was "the most Horizon could afford to pay without substantially jeopardising its continued viability and its ability to pay restitution".

The lenders' new terms call for Horizon to pay 2.5 per cent more interest on its senior credit facility, which as of December 26, stood at an adjustable rate of 3.29 per cent for a revolver loan and 6.02 per cent for a term loan. 

The agreement also includes reductions from $50 million to $20 million in Horizon's letter of credit commitment and from $20 million to $5 million.

"We very much appreciate the support of our lender group and recognise that the amended credit agreement is a vote of confidence in the future of our company," said Horizon chief financial officer Michael Avara.

Stephen Fraser, who replaces retiring Chuck Raymond as president and CEO this week, said: "We are confident that these discussions will result in a financially stronger company that is better positioned for the long term," he said.

Source : HKSG, 14.03.11.

[200311.ID.SEA] Indonesia : Aturan Baru untuk Azas Cabotage

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Untuk mencegah penghentian operasi pengeboran minyak lepas pantai akibat masalah azas cabotage, pemerintah akan membuat sebuah aturan yang berfungsi sebagai penjembatan antara undang-undang pelayaran dengan kebutuhan pelaku usaha di bidang pengeboran minyak. 

Aturan ini akan ditetapkan dalam sebuah peraturan pemerintah yang memberikan pengecualian pada drilling rig atau fasilitas eksploitasi minyak lepas pantai sebagai alat yang tidak terkena azas cabotage.


"Azas cabotage itu dengan sendirinya menyebabkan adanya ketidakpastian bagi pelaku usaha pengeboran minyak lepas pantai. Adanya aturan itu membuat pelaku usaha berhenti menyewa drilling rig. Kalau mereka berhenti menyewa rig , maka tidak ada lagi produksi," ujar Menteri Keuangan Agus Darmawan Wintarto Martowardojo

Sebelumnya, Agus memperkirakan target produksi minyak mentah siap jual (lifting) tahun 2011 yakni 970.000 barrel per hari sulit dicapai. Bahkan untuk mencapai 950.000 barrel per hari pun akan sulit. Beberapa masalahnya adalah adanya asas cabotage dan produksi Blok Cepu yang tidak maksimal.

"Lifting terus menurun. Pada Januari 2011, realisasi lifting adalah 777.000 barrel per hari, jauh dari target. Kami memperkirakan, sepanjang tahun 2011, target lifting hanya maksimal sebesar 950.000 barrel per hari," ujarnya.

Per 2 Maret 2011, harga minyak di pasar Amerika Serikat pada Rabu menapak di posisi 102,23 dollar AS per barrel. Ini adalah kenaikan harga minyak di atas 100 dollar AS per barrel sejak September 2008. Kenaikan ini didorong oleh kekhawatiran akan terhentinya pasokan minyak dari Libya yang sedang dilanda perang saudara. Kenaikan harga minyak itu mendorong kenaikan harga bensin di Amerika Serikat sekitar 20 persen.

 Sumber : Kompas, 19.03.11.

19 Maret 2011

[190311.EN.SEA] IMO Clean Ballast Rules Compliance Will Be 'very costly': P&I Club

BALLAST water treatment will be "very costly", said insurers of the UK P&I Club as they outlined liability faced by shipowners if the UN's International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments comes to pass - which they assume it will.

What's more insurers warn that uncertainties make a choice of a suitable ballast water treatment system "extremely" difficult. "There are not enough installation facilities to cope with the work and a first-come, first-served system would not favour indecisive owners," said the statement from the group.

The UN convention would come into force a year after 30 states, representing 35 per cent of the world's tonnage, ratify the measure. So far 27 countries representing 25 per cent has signed on.

Ballast water's risk of introducing invasive alien species is said to have damaged fisheries. Without question, fears on this score have resulted in the expenditure of millions of dollars keeping water intakes clear of invasive alien species, say insurers.

If ratified, the convention would allow port state control officers to board ships to check on valid certificates, inspect the ballast water record book and take ballast water samples. Failures to satisfy inspectors can result in departure delays of vessels.

Once ratified, details for compliance and the sanctions are set out by P&I Club Legal Briefing. Sanctions are established under the law of the flag state for the ship concerned and these sanctions will be applicable wherever the violation occurs.

Source : HKSG.

[190311.ID.BIZ] Ace Hardware Tambah 5 Gerai Baru

JAKARTA: PT Ace Hardware Indonesia Tbk (ACES) menambah lima gerai baru di lima kota untuk memperluas jaring pemasarannya mulai Juni tahun ini.

Tjipto Darmadji, Komisaris PT Ace Hardware Indonesia, mengatakan kelima kota itu antara lain Surabaya, Makassar, Manado dan Solo.

"Juni mendatang kami buka di sebuah mal di Surabaya dan Juli buka cabang ke dua di Makassar.  Masih di bulan yang sama gerai baru di Menado beroperasi. Pada Agustus gerai baru di Jakarta bertambah di Bona Indah dan Oktober buka di Paragon, Solo," kata hari ini.

Tjiptono menjelaskan perusahaannya menargetkan tiap tahun membuka lima hingga tujuh gerai baru di berbagai kota besar di Indonesia hingga memiliki sedikitnya ada 100 gerai di Indonesia.

Saat ini, dia memaparkan jumlah gerai Ace Hardware yang ada di Indonesia sebanyak 46 unit dan pada Oktober mendatang akan menjadi 51 gerai dengan total luas lahan mencapai 28 hektar di berbagai kota.

Di dukung oleh 6000 karyawan dan menjual sedkitnya 60.000 item produk impor maupun lokal, Tjiptono mengatakan pihaknya bangga sebagai peritel produk rumah tangga dan lifestyle ini karena perusahaan sepenuhnya dikelola oleh generasi muda.

"Artinya SDM Indonesia jika diberikan kepercayaan dan bimbingan hasilnya mengagumkan. Sebagai bagian dari pemilik jaringan usaha ini saya hanya pesan mereka harus memilih produk dengan kualitas terbaik untuk dijual pada masyarakat," tambah dia.

Meski mengusung brand asing, dia menegaskan konsumen Indonesia bukan lagi brand minded. Kualitas produklah yang mereka cari sehingga akhirnya menjadi pelanggan repeater dan membuat toko semakin luas jaringannya di berbagai kota di Indonesia.

"Sebagai tempat solusi belanja kebutuhan rumah tangga dan produk lifestyle, kini ada 6000 kategori produk yang kami tawarkan dan ranking teratas penjualan masih untuk kategori houseware, otomotif dan barang elektrik," ujar dia. (hwi)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 19.03.11.

17 Maret 2011

[170311.EN.SEA] Shippers' Calls For Anti-Trust Laws 'Emotional' And Outmoded: TSA

Shippers' cries for US anti-trust laws is "emotional" and resulted from fear during the 2009 global downturn, says the Transpacific Stabilisation Agreement (TSA), the chief target of shipper protest.

TSA executive administrator Brian Conrad said the removal of shipping conferences would remove the shipper/carrier debate and their collective aim for "predictability", according to London's Containerisation International.

"Shippers and carriers are trying to work more closely together, with the TSA's shipper and carrier boards, and they can only do this and talk because the anti-trust immunity is in place. If it was taken away, there could be no single body through which these talks could take place," he added.

The sentiment was echoed in the keynote address by Hong Kong's Orient Overseas International Ltd (OOIL) chief executive, CC Tung, at the Journal of Commerce's Trans-Pacific Maritime conference in Long Beach.

Mr Tung spoke of the EU shipping cartel ban creating a "vacuum" of information in the container industry at a time when transparency is needed, with government intervention when necessary.

"This is short-sighted and threatens the stability of business and is proven to increase market instability," he said. "There needs to be a free flow of information."
Source : HKSG, 14.03.11.

[170311.ID.BIZ] Jalur KA Semarang-Surabaya Ditawarkan Ke Investor

JAKARTA: Pemerintah  menawarkan  investor swasta  membangun jaringan kereta api ruas  Semarang-Surabaya sepanjang  301 kilometer senilai Rp4,51 triliun.

Wakil Menteri Perhubungan Bambang Susantono mengatakan ruas Semarang-Surabaya sangat strategis dalam mendukung aktivitas  angkutan penumpang dan barang, seiring terus meningkatnya perdagangan di dua kawasan itu.

“Pengembangan jaringan kereta api oleh swasta tersebut bukan hanya dibuka pada  ruas Semarang-Surabaya, juga untuk ruas Bandung jalur Selatan sampai  Purwokerto,” kata Bambang  usai membuka Seminar Nasional Pengembangan Perkeretaapian Banten hari ini.

Dia  mengaku optimis, ruas itu akan merangsang para investor swasta karena dari segi pasar, jumlah penumpang cukup tinggi. “Jalur itu juga sangat menguntungkan bagi pemerintah, karena dapat mengurangi beban jalan, terutama untuk angkutan barang,” katanya.

Sayangnya, Wamen belum menjelaskan secara rinci jumlah penumpang dan barang yang bisa diangkut dalam satu tahun untuk ruas Semarang-Surabaya. Padahal, investasi di sektor angkutan massal kereta api tesebut sangat padat modal termasuk harus membiayai rel (track) yang per kilo meternya sekitar Rp15 miliar.

Nilai investasi itu belum termasuk biaya pembangunan elektrifikasi, pembangunan stasiun, pembelian lokomotif, dan kereta api yang akan digunakan mengangkut penumpang dan barang. (sut)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 17.03.11.

16 Maret 2011

[160311.EN.SEA] Container Shipping The Most Affected By Quake

Port closures to cost Japan more than US$3.4b a day in lost seaborne trade

(TOKYO) Japanese ports handling as much as 7 per cent of the country's industrial output sustained major damage from last week's earthquake, disrupting global supply chains and causing billions of dollars in losses, industry officials said.

Japan has begun assessing the damage to port infrastructure, vital to receiving aid, commodities and goods for rebuilding areas devastated by the 8.9 magnitude quake and tsunami that are likely to have killed more than 10,000 people.

The box shipping industry was seen as the most affected by the disaster as the destroyed ports handled containerised cargo for Hitachi Ltd, Daikin Industries and dozens of other companies.

'The short-term impact on economic activity could be greater than after the Kobe earthquake,' said Jiyun Konomi, Tokyo-based analyst with Nomura Securities, referring to the 1995 disaster which killed 6,000 people.

'Following the Kobe earthquake . . . activity did not return to pre-earthquake levels within three months for freight transportation.'

Tokyo and all ports south of Japan's capital were operating normally after briefly shutting down operations following Friday's disaster, while the rest of the country's ports were being assessed for damage, a shipowner and port official said.

'Ports south of Tokyo are all operational, ports north of Tokyo are still under evaluation,' said a shipowner based in Tokyo.

The closure of the ports was expected to cost Japan more than US$3.4 billion in lost seaborne trade each day, according to shipping trade publication Lloyd's List Intelligence. Maritime trade in the world's No 3 economy totalled US$1.5 trillion last year.

The north-east coast ports of Hachinohe, Sendai, Ishinomaki and Onahama were so severely damaged by Friday's disaster that they were not expected to return to operation for months, if not years. The ports were medium-sized facilities that handled mostly containers, but also some fuel products and dry bulk goods.

'These ports will need a lot of time until they can be fully restored,' said Tetsuya Hasegawa, operation manager at Heisei Shipping Agencies in Tokyo.

Japan's ninth-largest container port, Kashima, and the smaller port of Hitachinaka sustained milder damage and both could be back in operation within weeks, he said.

The tsunami also destroyed dozens of vessels, including three of Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha's panamax ships.

The disaster was expected to delay oil shipments and cause major port congestion.
'Our channels indicate that crude currently en route to Japan will likely be discharged in India or elsewhere in Asia, with the refined products carried on to Japan once ports reopen,' said Michael Webber, analyst at Wells Fargo Securities.

Low-sulfur crude shipments from Indonesia and Sudan may rise as Japan imports oil to burn in power plants after shutting nuclear reactors following the quake.

Electricity producers turned to low-sulfur crudes to burn in generators as an alternative after Tokyo Electric Power Co shut the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa facility, the world's largest at 8,200 megawatts, for 21 months after a 2007 earthquake.

'The loss of the power plant had a massive impact on Japanese demand for heavy-sweet Duri and lighter direct-burning grades such as Minas and Nile Blend,' JBC Energy consultants said in their weekly Asian report.

The earthquake and tsunami last week may also lead to a 'prolonged' closure of nuclear reactors that will prompt more natural gas imports, according to analysts at Societe Generale.
'This tragedy could also lead to a setback for the world's nuclear renaissance (except perhaps in China), leaving gas as the fuel of 'no choice' in OECD countries, where voters might decide against the nuclear option,' Thierry Bros, a senior analyst at Paris-based Societe Generale, said in a note yesterday.

Japan is the biggest user of liquefied natural gas. The nations may bid against each other for cargoes of LNG to meet heating and power demand.

Grains shipments, however, were not yet affected following the quake.

'Of Japan's some dozen major ports where bulk carriers or tankers can dock, only two are damaged,' said Nobuyuki Chino, president of Unipac Grain. -- Reuters, Bloomberg.

Source : Business Times, 15.03.11.