13 November 2009

[EN-SEA] "COSCO" CEO Calls On U.S To End Protectionist Tariff Barriers

COSCO chief executive Wei Jiafu has called on the US government to remove the 35 per cent tariff on Chinese light truck tyre imports because it is "not a sensible way to resolve trade disputes."

Speaking at the recent National Press Club in Washington, DC, Capt Wei said China is not interested in dumping tyres on the US market and gained market share "fairly" because of the quality and low price of its tyres.

He added that the tariff is a form of protectionism that eventually will hurt American consumers. The US government, reported American Shipper, imposed the tariff to curb losses in "the domestic tyre manufacturing sector that coincided with a tripling of low-cost Chinese imports since 2004.

In his capacity as chairman of the China Association of Trade in Services (CATIS), which has sent a delegation to visit several cities in the US to promote Sino-US service trade, Capt Wei called for CATIS and counterpart organisations in the US to work together to remove trade barriers to enable service companies to operate freely in other countries and support a "fair, transparent and non-discriminatory multilateral trading system," he said.

With regard to the state of the world economy, Capt Wei is said to have expressed confidence that the global recession had hit bottom and the world economy is beginning to recover "thanks to emergency government spending in China, the United States and Europe," the report said.

Source : HKSG, 30.10.09.

[ID-BIZ] Empat Koridor Jadi Prioritas Pengembangan KEK

Oleh : Agust Supriadi

JAKARTA (bisnis.com): Pemerintah memprioritaskan pengembangan Kawasan Ekonomi Khusus (KEK) di empat koridor utama dengan melibatkan swasta dalam pembangunan infrastrukturnya.

Menko Perekonomian Hatta Rajasa menuturkan berdasarkan hasil pemetaan awal, ada empat koridor utama yang akan menjadi prioritas pengembangan KEK karena melihat potensi alam pendukungnya yakni Pantai Utara Jawa, Pantai Timur Sumatera, Sulawesi, dan Kalimantan.

"Ada empat koridor berdasarkan potensi alamnya. Pantura berbasiskan pada industri manufaktur, palm oil di Pantai Timur Sumatera, dan dua koridor lainnya Kalimantan dan Sulawesi berdasarkan kekayaan alam di daerah tersebut," papar dia ketika berdiskusi dengan Forum Wartawan Keuangan dan Moneter hari ini.

Menurutnya, ada 19 program kerja dan 53 rencana aksi yang menjadi fokus pemerintah dalam 100 hari masa kerjanya. Salah satunya adalah pengembangan klaster industri berbasis sumber daya alam dengan mempercepat penerbitan peraturan pemerintah mengenai KEK.

"Makanya dalam 100 hari akan ada PP (tentang KEK) untuk menetapkan kriteria di mana KEK bisa atau tidak kita kembangkan dengan melihat berbagai aspek," jelasnya.

Dia mengungkapkan muatan dari PP tersebut a.l. merinci kriteria daerah yang bisa menjadi KEK dan skema kerjasama pemerintah dan swasta (Public Private Partnership) guna mewujudkannya.

Pasalnya, lebih dari 20 daerah telah diusulkan untuk dijadikan KEK, tetapi belum ada yang dikabulkan karena harus mempertibangkan berbagai aspek pendukung di daerah tersebut, seperti ketersedian dari sumber daya alam dan daya dukung infrastruktur.

Dia berharap pembangunan KEK tersebut dapat menjadi pusat pertumbuhan ekonomi yang bisa mendorong kegiatan ekonomi di dalam dan di luar wilayah tersebut. (tw)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 13.11.09.

12 November 2009

[EN-SEA] "The New World Alliance" (TNWA) Announces Transatlantic Service Changes

Tokyo: "The New World Alliance" (TNWA) carriers -APL, Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) and Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) today announced revised capacity and service plans for the Transatlantic trade.

TNWA and Maersk Line share vessel space in the Transatlantic trade. The carriers have determined that market conditions require capacity reductions and service rationalization in certain deployments.

Enhancements on other routes will ensure continued service reliability and rapid transit times for shippers. The changes are detailed below.

ATN/TA3- Maersk Line loop
* Currently APL and HMM use space on this loop.
* From December 2009 the ATN/TA3 service between the US East Coast (USEC) and Europe will be suspended.

APX/TA1-TNWA loop
* The USEC-Europe segment of the APX/TA1 will include additional calls at Antwerp and Le Havre.
* The revised port rotation for this segment will be: Manzanillo-Miami-Jacksonville-Savannah-Charleston-New York-Antwerp-Bremerhaven-Felixstowe-Rotterdam-Le Havre-New York-Norfolk-Charleston-Manzanillo-Los Angeles-Oakland.
* Maersk Line will continue to participate in this loop as a slot charterer.

ATS/TA2- Maersk Line loop
* The ATS/TA2 rotation will include additional calls at New York, Savannah and Miami. An additional ship will be added to make this a six-vessel loop.
* The revised rotation will be Houston-Mobile-Norfolk-Rotterdam-Felixstowe-Bremerhaven-New York-Charleston-Savannah-Miami-Houston
* Currently, APL, HMM, and MOL charter slots in this deployment. After this service change, APL and HMM will continue to charter slots.

The changes will reduce existing capacity of the TNWA and Maersk deployments in the Transatlantic by around one-third, while assuring continued reliable high quality service. The changes will be implemented after appropriate regulatory filings.

Source : STA-Online, 21.10.09.

[ID-SEA] Pelayaran Nasional Yakin Penuhi Kebutuhan Kapal

Oleh : Tularji

JAKARTA (bisnis.com): Pelayaran nasional menyatakan optimistis mampu memenuhi kebutuhan kapal berbendera Merah Putih untuk angkutan migas di dalam negeri menyusul implementasi roadmap asas cabotage (Distribusi komoditas di dalam negeri wajib dilakukan kapal Merah Putih).

Ketua Indonesian National Shipowners Association (INSA) Johnson W.Sutjipto mengatakan implementasi asas cabotage di sektor angkutan migas akan berakhir pada 1 Januari 2011.

"Pelayaran nasional telah mengalihkan kapalnya ke Merah Putih untuk angkutan migas," katanya kepada bisnis.com hari ini.

Dia menjelaskan implementasi angkutan migas dalam negeri dengan berbendera Merah Putih tinggal menunggu upaya PT Pertamina merampungkan proses pergantian bendera kapal dari asing ke dalam negeri.

Menurut dia, pelayaran nasional yang memperoleh kontrak kerjasama angkutan migas dan PT Pertamina telah berkomitmen untuk mengganti armadanya dengan kapal Merah Putih paling lambat akhir Desember 2009.

Pertamina mengoperasikan 160 kapal untuk distribusi BBM dan gas ke berbagai daerah di Indonesia. Dari jumlah itu, 35 kapal milik sendiri dan 130 armada dengan 47 kapal berbendera asing yang disewa.

BUMN itu berencana mengalihkan penyewaan 47 kapal asing ke dalam negeri untuk memenuhi roadmap asas cabotage (angkutan komoditas di dalam negeri wajib dilakukan oleh kapal berbendera Indonesia) paling lambat pada 1 Januari 2010.

Hingga Agustus lalu, Pertamina telah menyelesaikan proses perpanjangan kontrak sewa untuk 20 kapal asing ke dalam negeri, sedangkan 17 unit lainnya masih dalam proses tender dan 10 armada masih menunggu kontrak sewa berakhir. (tw)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 10.11.09.

11 November 2009

[EN-SEA] Boxes Pile Up at Cosco Pacific's Strike-plagued Greek CT

AN extended dock strike against Hong Kong's Cosco Pacific terminal at Piraeus, Greece, has resulted in a pile up of thousands of shipping containers and 4,500 TEU that cannot be discharged.

The union told dockers to stay off the job at the country's biggest port for another 48 hours to add pressure on the recently elected leftist national government to put in job security clauses in Cosco's 35-year concession deal.

The three container berths have been brought to a standstill as boxes pile up ready for shipment, reports Newark's Journal of Commerce. The strike has sparked fears of consumer good shortages as Christmas approaches, especially if the on-again off again strikes continue.

The socialist government said it would fulfil its pre-election promise to re-negotiate the Cosco Pacific deal with to the aim of to winning job security provisions.

But at the same time Shipping Minister Louka Katseli said she could not cancel the contract, but instead pledged to work for job security assurances from the company.

Cosco Pacific, the world's fifth largest container terminal operator, will pay US$5 billion for 35-year deal and invest $350 million to upgrade facilities.

The company plans to boost the terminal's capacity to 3.7 million TEU a year and make it a distribution hub for southeast Europe.

Source : HKSG, 11.11.09.

[ID-BIZ] Inilah Instruksi Presiden Kepada 5 Wakil Menteri

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com — Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono meminta wakil menteri dan para menteri bekerja sungguh-sungguh, terutama pada waktu 100 hari ini karena masa 100 hari ini sangat penting untuk meletakkan dasar-dasar bagi pelaksanaan program pembangunan lima tahun mendatang.

Presiden menyampaikan hal itu saat memberikan sambutan seusai melantik lima wakil menteri dan Kepala BKPN di Istana Negara, Jakarta, Rabu (11/11). Dalam acara tersebut hadir Wakil Presiden Boediono beserta sejumlah pimpinan lembaga tinggi dan menteri.

Lima wakil menteri yang dilantik hari ini adalah Wakil Menteri Perindustrian Alex Retra Ubun, Wakil Menteri Perdagangan Mahendra Siregar, Wakil Menteri Pertanian Bayu Krisnamurti, Wakil Menteri Perhubungan Bambang Sutantono, dan Wakil Menteri Pekerjaan Umum Hermanto Dardak.

"Kita bertekad lima tahun mendatang melakukan sesuatu yang lebih baik, dengan tekad mencapai sasaran pembangunan yang lebih baik. Kita sendiri sudah menetapkan program 100 hari dan lima tahun mendatang untuk Kabinet Indonesia Bersatu II. Oleh sebab itu, 100 hari pertama ini sangat penting.

Sebab, kita menetapkan landasan pembangunan dengan antara lain mengacu pada 15 program prioritas," tutur Presiden. Dalam kesempatan itu, Presiden memberikan instruksi kepada Kepala BKPM dan lima wakil menteri.

Kepada Kepala BKPM, Presiden mengharapkan peningkatan investasi untuk memacu pertumbuhan tujuh persen atau lebih pada 2014.

"Lakukan agar bisa tercapai dana investasi rata-rata setahun Rp 2.000 triliun untuk mencapai pertumbuhan 7 persen," kata Presiden.

Kepada Wakil Menteri Pertanian, Presiden menginstruksikan untuk mencapai swasembada di bidang produksi dan komoditas pertanian, seperti jagung, gula, kedelai, dan daging sapi.

Adapun kepada Wakil Menteri Perindustrian, diharapkan pada lima tahun mendatang sudah dilakukan revitalisasi dan modernisasi pabrik pupuk, gula, dan manufaktur lainnya.

Selanjutnya, terhadap Wakil Menteri Perdagangan selain mengaktifkan perdagangan dalam negeri dan antarpulau Presiden juga mengingatkan agar terus aktif di berbagai organisasi dunia, mulai dari ASEAN hingga dengan G20.

Sementara, untuk Wakil Menteri Pekerjaan Umum, Presiden mengakui tugasnya sangat berat karena harus melakukan pembangunan infrastruktur mulai dari transportasi, energi, bahkan infrastruktur pertanian.

Terakhir, kepada Wakil Menteri Perhubungan, Presiden mengingatkan sebelum tercapainya keterhubungan antara Indonesia dan negara-negara ASEAN dan lainnya Indonesia harus memiliki keterhubungan dalam negeri, termasuk juga antarpulau.

"Tingkatkan sektor transportasi antarpulau untuk menghubungkan terjalinnya perdagangan," ujar Presiden.

Sumber : Kompas, 11.11.09 (editor: mbonk).

10 November 2009

[EN-SEA] What Carriers Can Learn From ANZDL's Success Story

IN it's heyday, "Australia New Zealand Direct Line" (ANZDL), was one of the most profitable and successful companies in the shipping industry.

Originally the company operated under the name "Australia New Zealand Container Line" (ANZCL) before its acquisition by Delmas in 1988 where the company paid just US$2.2 million for it.

As a testament to its highly regarded reputation within the industry for consistent premium level customer service, Delmas sold the company to CP Ships for an estimated $120 million in 1999.

Today, we look back and learn how the company emerged from obscurity in the late 1980's to become one of the most respected and profitable in the industry.

Within the ANZDL story there are also several key lessons that today's carrier can learn from, particularly in the present volatile operating environment.

Always profit-minded, ANZDL focused on providing premium level customer service on a consistent basis in a bid to stand out from the pack.

ANZDL's service-driven and people-oriented outlook gave it the highest profit margins in the industry, an approach that may provide pointers for today's carriers in how to attain profitability year-in, year-out.

In a recent interview with former senior vice president and member of the co-founding team, Robert A Beilin, it was easy to understand why the company worked so well and why it is so fondly remembered.

It’s senior management wanted to create a people inclusive business that would result in delivering high quality customer service every time. This was the key principle behind the company’s success.

"ANZDL always wanted to be the best, the highest quality provider and the most profitable shipping company in the business," said Mr Beilin, now chief business development officer at China Merchant Holdings.

In outlining the company’s philosophy, Mr Beilin explained that the ANZDL vision focused on three components - giving customers the best service every time, developing organisational values, and encouraging a unique style of organisational behaviour.

"A company's got to have a strong notion of itself, so we wanted to create strong values for our employees. And then we wanted to demonstrate what behavioural ethics we wanted," he said.

Source : HKSG, 31.10.09