31 Oktober 2011

[311011.EN.SEA] SAMI Picks Independent Assessor For Maritime Security Companies

The UK-based Security Association for the Maritime Industry (SAMI) has selected Britain's National Security Inspectorate (NSI) as its independent assessor of maritime security companies.

SAMI's accreditation programme has three stages: due diligence of the company's commercial standing, practices and supporting documentation; an office verification of the administrative, logistical and operational procedures to ensure that maritime security operations are conducted to a professional standard; and checks of deployed teams to ensure that company procedures are being followed.

Accreditations will begin in early November and the process is expected to take four to six months depending upon the size of the company.

SAMI's membership is made up of over 60 maritime security providers from across the globe. It has the backing of Marshall Islands flag State, and has support from international shipping organisations and maritime insurance and legal sectors.

Source : HKSG.

[311011.ID.SEA] Buruh Mogok, Operator Bongkar Muat Perlu Investasi Peralatan

JAKARTA: The National Maritime Institut mendesak operator bongkar muat melakukan investasi pengadaan alat guna memacu produktivitas kerja sebagai antisipasi pemogokan.

Usulan itu disampaikan terkait dengan aksi mogok yang dilakukan operator crane, angkutan pelabuhan dan buruh di Pelabuhan Panjang, Provinsi Lampung sejak Jumat (28 Okt) hingga berita ini turun masih berlangsung.

Direktur lembaga itu, Siswanto Rusdi, mengatakan investasi peralatan bongkar muat merupakan keharusan mengingat operator dituntut melakukan percepatan arus barang dan peningkatan produktivitas.

Dia menyayangkan terjadinya aksi mogok karena tidak memberikan solusi bagi perbaikan layanan. Namun,  PT Pelindo II perlu menggandeng operator tersebut  agar usaha PBM yang selama ini telah berjasa pada kegiatan bongkar muat di pelabuhan tidak mati.

Situasi antara PBM dan Operator Pelabuhan saat ini memang dilematis. "Kalau PBM mau tetap berbisnis, perlu investasi alat sehingga setara kemampuannya dengan Pelindo," katanya, Sabtu (29 Okt) sore.

Seperti diketahui, operator crane, angkutan pelabuhan dan buruh  melakukan aksi mogok operasi di Pelabuhan Panjang, Provinsi Lampung sejak Jumat.

Mogok dilakukan sebagai bentuk protes atas rencana operasional peralatan bongkar muat jenis gantry jip crane pada dermaga yang melayani bongkar muat barang curah kering.

PT Pelindo II (Persero) memasang sedikitnya 4 peralatan bongkar muat jenis Gantry Jip Crane di Pelabuhan Panjang. Alat tersebut dipasang dalam rangka meningkatkan produktivitas bongkar muat.

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 29.10.11.

30 Oktober 2011

[301011.EN.SEA] What Is The True Value of Daily Maersk For Shippers?

FOR far too long container shipping lines have competed with each other on price, largely because there was little else they offered customers that truly differentiated them from the next shipping line.

This focus on price has led to numerous rate wars over the years, which in turn has resulted in significant financial losses for the carriers, the worst of which came in 2009.

After 2009 there has been much talk of learning from the mistakes made that led to the container shipping downturn, but very little action has been taken to truly change the way the industry operates.

At least that was the case before Maersk Line’s recent call for change in the sector through its New Normal manifesto, which called for the focus to be placed on service rather than price. And it is has followed this talk up with action, with the launch of the highly publicized Daily Maersk service, which commenced this week.

In recent weeks we have looked at what the carrier has to say about its new product, and we have looked at some of the queries and misconceptions that industry insiders have concerning the service, but today we will begin to hear from potential customers about what they think of the new service… 

Most shippers and forwarders are openly applauding the initiative. The Container Shipping Manager has been speaking with these potential Daily Maersk customers to find out what they truly believe the value of the service to be, if any, for their supply chains. 

Recently we had the opportunity to speak with a senior global purchasing manager with one of Europe’s larger shippers to hear his thoughts on what Daily Maersk means to him.

"I think it’s a good product. I believe it is a good step forward because currently all bookings are based on a vessel and a departure day. Now you just place your order based on an arrival date. So I believe it is a good step forward and I would love to see it expanded to include other trades,” he said.

The true value, as this purchasing manager sees it, is that Daily Maersk’s scheduling will suit many exporters whose production schedule is continuous.

Source : CSM, 26.10.11.

[301011.ID.BIZ] Tren Pertemuan Di Atas Kereta Wisata Meningkat

JAKARTA: Tren pelaku usaha untuk mengadakan pertemuan di atas kereta wisata terus meningkat dan kini mencapai 20 kali perjalanan dari sebelumnya yang hanya berkisar 15 perjalanan setiap bulan.

Bambang Sulistyo, Direktur Operasional PT Kereta Api Pariwata, mengungkapkan sejak beroperasi tahun lalu, anak perusahaan PT Kereta Api Indonesia ini mengoperasikan tiga gerbong kereta  wisata masing-masing kereta Toraja, Bali dan kereta Nusantara dengan interior berbeda-beda.

Menurut dia, kecendrungan pelaku usaha terutama dari korporasi, BUMN dan masyarakat papan atas untuk mengadakan pertemuan di atas kereta api berjalan terus naik.

Selain efisien, rapat di dalam. Kereta juga efektif karena sebelum kereta sampai di tujuan sudah bisa mendapatkan hasil dan kesimpulan. "Oleh karena itu untuk kegiatan insentif perusahaan maka kini banyak yang memanfaatkan kereta api. Tujuan favorit adalah Cirebon dan Yogyakarta," ujarnya hari ini.

Selanjutnya, kata dia, ketika tiba di tempat tujuan para peserta tinggal melakukan kegiatan bersama yang bersifat rekreatif sehingga kegiatan unik ini makin digemari masyarakat. "Pada tahun depan kami sudah mendapatkan pesanan-pesanan yang masuk sehingga kami optimistis bisnis pertemuan di atas kereta api makin menjadi pilihan," tuturnya.

Bahkan kereta khusus dengan pelayanan hotel berbintang ini diminati perusahaan untuk peluncuran produk-produk baru dengan rute-rute tertentu di Pulau Jawa. "Bulan depan kami mendapat pesanan dari sebuah perusahaan korporasi untuk peluncuran produk dari stasiun Gambir, Jakarta ke Kerawang, pergi dan pulang. Jadwal dan lokomotif khusus tidak digandeng kereta eksekutif reguler," ungkapnya.

Sejak beroperasi tahun lalu, kereta api ini melayani rute Jakarta ke Bandung, Cirebon, Pekalongan, Semarang, Purwokerto, Yogyakarta, Solo, Surabaya dan Malang. Menurut dia, kereta api pariwisata ini keberangkatan maupun kepulangannya mengikuti jadwal kereta eksekutif reguler yang sudah ada. Namun, lanjut dia, perusahaan dapat melayani permintaan akan jadwal dan lokomotif khusus yang tidak mengganggu kegiatan lalu lintas kereta api reguler.

Selain lengkap dengan fasilitas pertemuan, perusahaan juga menyertakan tekhnisi dan  trip leader khusus di tiap gerbong di kereta untuk menjamin kegiatan dapat berjalan lancar. "Selain mengoperasikan kereta wisata, kami juga menawarkan paket wisata di dalam dan di luar negri dengan brand Indorel Tour," ungkap Bambang.

Menghadapi peningkatan permintaan, Bambang mengatakan panjang rangkaian kereta api  maksimal 12 gerbong. Jika rangkaian KA reguler juga sudah tinggi, kereta api pariwisata tidak bisa ikut menggandeng. "Sejauh ini kendala itu belum ada jadi kami memang harus mengatur tingkat perjalanan yang ideal agar pemeliharaan dan pelayanan kereta pariwisata tetap prima," katanya.

Tarif sewa kereta wisata ke berbagai kota tujuan berkisar Rp10 juta per gerbong dan termahal ke Banyuwangi sebesar Rp 27.500.000 sekali jalan.(mmh)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 14.10.11.

29 Oktober 2011

[291011.EN.SEA] Horizon Line Slashes Trans-Pacific FSX and Working To Minimise Disruptions to Customers

HORIZON Lines says it will discontinue its Five Star Express (FSX) trans-Pacific container shipping service between the U.S. West Coast, Guam and China and is implementing an orderly transition plan starting from the end of October to mitigate any supply chain disruptions for its customers.

The company said the last voyage of the FSX service from China is scheduled to depart Shanghai on 2 November 2011 adding that the discontinuation of the FSX Guam and China services will have no impact on the company's domestic ocean services in Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico.

Horizon Lines will also suspend ocean services to Guam and surrounding islands effective with the last sailing from the U.S. West Coast on 10 November.

"This has been a very difficult decision in light of the tremendous contributions from our associates, and our organized labor and vendor partners, who have worked so hard to make the FSX service a success," said Stephen H. Fraser, president and CEO. "Our decision to exit this highly volatile market will allow Horizon to focus on our core domestic ocean shipping services, and provide the opportunity to produce a more profitable and stable financial performance over time."

The company expects to cease all operations related to the FSX service during the fourth quarter and does not expect to have significant continuing involvement in the operations after the termination. Therefore, the company will classify the FSX service as discontinued operations and as a result, expects to record a pretax restructuring charge of between US$105 million and US$110 million in fiscal fourth quarter 2011. 

The charge includes estimated costs to return excess rolling stock equipment, facility closures, severance, and vessel charter expense, net of estimated sub-charter income. Losses associated with the FSX service produced a negative adjusted EBITDA impact of approximately US$43.7 million for the nine months ended 25 September, with additional losses expected through the end of the year.

Horizon Lines launched the FSX service in December 2010, following expiration of a long-term space charter agreement with Maersk Line. Since early in the year, the FSX service met volume and vessel utilization expectations, winning cargo from customers attracted to the schedule reliability, rapid ocean transit and seamless intermodal rail links to inland U.S. cities. 

However, the Shanghai Container Freight Index cites eastbound freight rates from China to the United States have fallen more than 37 per cent in the past 12 months, from US$2,400 per 40-foot container in October 2010 to approximately US$1,500 in October this year, the lowest level since the worldwide recession of 2008-2009. At the same time, the average price of bunker fuel has climbed more than 40 per cent since the launch of the service.

"We do not expect any measurable improvements in fuel prices, the freight-rate environment or in this tradelane for the foreseeable future," said Brian Taylor, executive vice president and chief operating officer. "Growing capacity continues to outpace demand and the forecast for 2012 calls for more of the same."

In Guam, the expected growth in cargo driven by infrastructure improvements associated with the military redeployment from Okinawa has been further delayed due to the budget crises in Japan and the U.S., as well as revised Japanese priorities in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami earlier this year. This has made the Guam trade no longer financially viable for Horizon Lines, without an eastbound return voyage from China.

"Given current market conditions and foreseeable future expectations, discontinuing the FSX service is the appropriate decision for the company," said Mr Taylor. "It will allow us to focus all of our resources on serving customers in the very solid domestic ocean markets in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

Source : HKSG, 28.10.11.