[310111.EN.SEA] Carriers Tell FMC Of Impact Of 2008 EU Conference Ban

AFTER two years of the European ban on conferences, the assessment of carriers differed, but overall agreed that it led to greater rate volatility, costs and supply chain instability, but final judgement would have to be withheld because global downturn masked its true impact.

These preliminary opinions have been gathered by the US Federal Maritime Commission in the course of its investigation and determination of the fate of the current antitrust immunity still enjoyed by carriers shipping to and from the United States.

Maersk, among 16 respondents to the FMC request for opinion, was the most sanguine, saying the European Union ban in 2008, had produced little advantage to carriers or shippers.

But Maersk allowed it would be "easier to conduct an international liner shipping business if there were more common rules" - citing the proposed UN cargo liability treaty, or Rotterdam Rules, as a good example, according to American Shipper. NYK also said there has been no clear impact that can be identified since 2008.

Singapore's APL said the global downturn "masked whatever separate impact the revocation of the block exemption may have had," so it was not possible to "draw any meaningful conclusions about short- and medium-term impacts of the change in EU law.

" Hapag-Lloyd agreed, saying a more accurate assessment of the impact could only be made when the industry operated under normal economic conditions absent in the last two years, ruling out 2010 as a start because it had been an extraordinary year of recovery.

Hapag-Lloyd pointed to a resulting "rate volatility over the past two years than the major non-EU trades. We believe this relates at least in part to the stabilising influence that comes from carriers being able to share market information and discuss general rate trends and establish voluntary rate guidelines."

Evergreen, famous for operating outside the conference structure, agreed: "The increasing volatility of shipping market made it harder for small-size carrier to survive the market downturn", adding that "the abolition increased the volatility of shipping markets, which affected the stability of supply chains".

Said Yang Ming: "We are no longer able to benchmark the conference tariff and surcharges, and have to handle public relations and other issues independently. We have, at our expense and detriment, assigned a dedicated team to ensure EU compliance, develop trade intelligence, ensure tariff maintenance, develop and provide employee education. Overall, there have been more constraints in daily business activities and the cost of doing business has increased."

The Japanese Shipowners Association, the least sanguine, said antitrust immunity is "indispensable for the healthy development of the international shipping industry, as well as the whole international trading industry. The immunity system is the international regulatory norm, as it is permitted in virtually all major trading nations around the world.

" The association also said supported the decision by Singapore to extend immunity through the end of 2015 without any significant change. 

Source : HKSG, 31.01.11.

[310111.ID.LOG] Apindo: Kegiatan Logistik Belum Tersikronisasi

Kegiatan logistik di Indonesia berjalan sendiri-sendiri antara moda transportasi yang satu dengan yang lain.

Ketua Umum Apindo Sofjan Wanandi mengatakan hal serupa juga terjadi antara perusahaan logistik dengan pemerintah.

“Antara perkapalan dengan kereta api, begitupun dengantrucking dan pelabuhan, jadi inilah yang membuat biaya logistik jadi mahal,”ujarnya kepadaBisnis usai pelantikan Dewan Pengurus Nasional Apindo siang tadi.

Sofjan mengatakan yang paling menjadi kendala logistik Indonesia saat ini adalah masalah integrasi moda transportasi dan konektivitas antar wilayah. Karena itu, dia menambahkan pemerintah perlu mempercepat proses pengesahan cetak biru logistik tersebut.

“Jadi sekarang sedang disiapkan aturan-aturan, tapi pemerintah kita lama sekali membuat peratura-peraturan untuk mempercepat ini dan bagaimana memotong bottleneck dan mencari terobosan untuk masalah ini,” tuturnya.

Sofjan mengharapkan finalisasi cetak biru logistik bisa selesai pada akhir tahun ini. Kata dia, saat ini pihaknya tinggal menunggu finalisasi dari Menko Perekonomian, karena dari asosiasi pengusaha sudah menyerahkan rancangan cetak biru tersebut. (sut)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 31.01.11.

[300111.EN.BIZ] Infrastructure Levels Fall Behind South America's Growth

INFRASTRUCTURE development in South America has failed to keep pace with the continent's rapid economic growth, according to a report from the UK's Transport Intelligence. 

With huge events such as the Olympics and World Cup planned in the next few years massive challenges - and opportunities - exist.

China has become a major player, said a report summary. "In fact, the country recently surpassed the United States as Brazil's top trading partner, the second largest trade partner with Argentina and Peru and third largest partner with Venezuela. For the first half of 2010, South American exports to China increased 44 per cent," it said.

But congestion at airports and sea ports, lack of roads and antiquated railways retard growth and stand to become a major problem when Brazil holds the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016, said Transport Intelligence.

Numerous infrastructure projects are underway with many funded by local government, international organisations and foreign countries.

"China, for example, has poured billions of dollars into the region to finance projects such as expanding ports, road and rail networks and building new airports. Financing these projects has enabled China to gain their much needed South America exports quicker to fuel their expanding economy whilst at the same time extending its influence," said the summary.

As South America's economies continue to expand, global logistics providers have entered the region to take advantage of this growth. Offering services such as warehousing, distribution and transportation and freight management services, these providers primarily provide services to international manufacturers who have located facilities in South America, it said.

Source : HKSG, 20.01.11.

[300111.ID.BIZ] RI-India Sepakati Kerja Sama Industri Pupuk

JAKARTA: Pemerintah Indonesia dan Kementerian Pupuk dan Kimia India menandatangani nota kesepahaman kerja sama pengembangan industri pupuk di Tanah Air.

Dalam nota kesepahaman tersebut, kedua belah pihak sepakat untuk saling mendorong investasi yang dinilai menguntungkan di sektor pupuk, sesuai dengan studi kelayakan teknis dan ekonomi secara langsung atau melalui lembaga yang telah ditentukan.

Menteri Perindustrian M.S. Hidayat mengatakan setelah penandatangan nota kesepahaman (MoU) itu, kedua pihak akan menunjuk satu lembaga atau perusahaan di sektor pupuk. Tugasnya melaksanakan proses negosiasi untuk merealisasikan kerjasama yang telah disepakati.

“Kedua belah pihak akan menunjuk lembaga atau perusahaan yang akan melakukan proses negosiasi untuk merealisasikan kerja sama itu berdasarkan hukum dan perundang-undangan yang berlaku di kedua negara,” kata Hidayat dalam siaran pers yagn diterima Bisnis kemarin malam.

Penandatanganan kerja sama antara Indonesia dan India dilakukan kemarin, disaksikan oleh Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono dan Menperin. Selain kerja sama itu, kementerian juga menandatangani MoU bersama Trimex Sands Pvt Ltd untuk pengembangan kawasan industri pemanfaatan sumber daya mineral berat.

Indonesia dan India sepakat untuk melaksanakan studi kelayakan yang menyeluruh terhadap rencana pembangunan pabrik urea di Indonesia.

Jika studi kelayakan rampung, proses kerja sama akan dilanjutkan dengan penandatanganan kesepakatan tentang persyaratan pembangunan pabrik pupuk urea. 

Kesepakatan ini meliputi kesanggupan India menyerap produksi urea dari perusahaan Indonesia dengan harga yang layak.(hl)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 26.01.11.

[290111.EN.SEA] Supply Side Fears Lead Carriers Back To Market Share Focus In 2011

SUPPLY and demand forecasts are now coming in thick and fast for 2011. And while actual growth, particularly on the demand side will be difficult to project this year, fears over surplus supply in the market are creeping into carrier thinking again, and market share unfortunately appears to be a focal point for the lines once again.  Despite the strong recovery in demand in the first three quarters of last year, figures for the fourth quarter reveal a significant slowdown, with vessel utilisation levels dipping slightly.  Average utilisation on the main trade lanes fell from 95-100 per cent between May and August 2010, when shippers were confronted with capacity constraints between the Far East and the west, to a projected 80-85 per cent in December, which although not bad, is evidently enough to make some carriers nervous. Growth rates slowed significantly in December. Shanghai, the world’s largest port, recorded a mild growth of 3.2 per cent, and Singapore, the second largest port, only 3.8 per cent in their latest monthly reports.  In October, Alphaliner estimated that the idle fleet would increase to 700,000 TEU as carriers were expected to lay capacity up in order to balance to forever see-sawing supply and demand situation.  However, as of January 2011, the idle capacity figure barely reached half of this estimate, with carriers seemingly unwilling to layup capacity in the winter months, thus resulting in a capacity surplus.  This is a scary development for the market, given that the most logical explanation for the carriers to act this way is that market share is again dominating the thinking of the shipping lines.  Further to this, carriers on the Asia-Europe trade announced they would delay their New Year rate increases of between US$250-$300 per TEU until March, as well as their proposed peak season surcharges of $320/400/450 per TEU, FEU and 40-foot high cube boxes, which were due to take effect on January 1.  Freight rates between Shanghai and north Europe dropped to $1,381 per TEU on January 7 from $1,401 the previous week, according to the Shanghai Containerised Freight Index (SCFI). Source : CSM, 18.01.11.

[290111.ID.OTH] Efek Buruk Kecanduan Pornografi

VIVAnews – Di dunia kesehatan, menonton film atau gambar porno dikenal dapat membantu meningkatkan kualitas hubungan seksual yang telah menurun. Tapi jangan berlebihan apalagi sampai kecanduan. Pria yang kecanduan, dalam jangka panjang, rentan mendapat masalah seksual.

Studi menunjukkan pria yang memanjakan diri dengan rangsangan visual seperti pornografi, rentan terkena gangguan yang disebut Sexual Attention Deficit Disorder (SADD). Dalam jangka panjang, penderitanya akan sulit memiliki hubungan seksual yang sehat dengan pasangannya. Sebab, stimulus seks hanya dapat dipicu melalui gambar visual atau grafis, bukan wanita sebenarnya.

Pakar kesehatan seksual, Dr Rajan Bhonsle, menjelaskan dampak pornografi dan sejenisnya terhadap hubungan dewasa. SADD dapat ditelusuri dari beberapa sebab utama.

Bentuk eksplisit seperti pornografi, pedofilia, voyeurisme, aktivitas seks lebih dari dua orang dan aktivitas menyimpang lain menimbulkan ketidakpekaan saat bercinta. Dalam jangka panjang, mereka akan sulit merasakan kenikmatan dengan aktivitas seks normal. Sehingga, mereka cenderung merasakan seks menyimpang sebagai kebutuhan agar menjaga rangsangan seks tetap tinggi.

Seperti dikutip Times of India, aktivitas seksual dengan rangsangan gambar atau video porno membuat seseorang sulit bila dirangsang pasangan. Ini pula yang menimbulkan permasalahan dalam pernikahan dalam waktu lama.

Penyebab umum lain SADD adalah hubungan seksual dengan banyak pasangan sebelum menikah. Karena terbiasa dengan banyak pasangan sulit meletupkan gairah seks hanya pada satu pasangan.

Pria kecanduan seks biasanya telah memiliki gambaran tentang bagaimana wanita seharusnya. Dan, pasangan yang tidak sesuai harapannya mungkin menimbulkan kekecewaan yang berpengaruh pada gairah seks. Komunikasi intens akan membantunya lepas dari masalah ini.

Berbeda dari kecanduan umumnya, mengobati kecanduan seksual sangat rumit dan butuh waktu lama. Ada baiknya menjauhkan anak dan remaja dari pornografi sejak dini.

Menurut Bhonsle, ada beberapa cara untuk menanganinya:

- Hilangkan pornografi

Saat gairah memuncak, lebih baik mengenang memori dan sejarah erotis Anda ketimbang sambil melihat gambar atau video porno.

- Dekat dengan pasangan

Saling berbagi fantasi seks dan tak malu bereksperimen membuat gairah fisik dan seksual tetap terjaga.

Sumber : VIVAnews, 28.01.11.

[280111.EN.SEA] Maersk Chief : Environment Biggest Challenge Line Faces

NILS ANDERSEN, CEO of shipping giant AP Moller-Maersk, says the environment is the biggest challenge the company faces, he told London's Daily Mail in an extended interview.

"We're working intensely on environmental matters, which we expect over time to be more important to the world and, hopefully, also to our customers," he told the newspaper that focuses on the women's market. 

Recent studies have revealed that shipping is environmentally dirtier than previously thought, said the newspaper. The UN claims the industry is responsible for 4.5 per cent of global carbon emissions. So Maersk is redesigning containerships and making them a further 25 per cent environmentally clean and efficient by 2020.

The new green ships will have redesigned hulls and will be painted with high-tech paint to reduce drag in the water, though they will be fatter and slower. New navigation systems will direct them to the areas of least winds and waves.

It is significant that Mr Andersen is putting his new green ships on what he regards as the most important new areas of business in shipping. The main traffic is between the US and west Europe and Asia, but the areas of most potential are Africa and Latin America.

The former's lack of good ports also gives the company the potential for more business - building ports.

The 52-year-old former head of Carlsberg - he says he still misses the free beer - has transformed the group's fortunes after three years in charge and turned it into Denmark's most profitable company.

The company, he said, has cut layers of management and given the various businesses the power to make more decisions autonomously.

In doing so he has removed GBP1.3 billion (US$2.02 billion) in costs out of Maersk Line operations, the largest unit in the conglomerate.

"Originally the group management structure was made out of countries, regions and head office. The regions were very powerful and heavily staffed. What we did for all practical purposes was to eliminate the regions. This brought us closer to customers and made decision-making easier," Mr Andersen said.

Source : HKSG, 20.01.11

[280111.ID.AIR] LCNC Tertarik Akuisisi Mandala

JAKARTA: PT LCNC diketahui berminat menanamkan modal di Mandala, maskapai yang setop operasi per 13 Januari 2011.

Dirjen Perhubungan Udara Kementerian Perhubungan Herry Bakti Singayuda Gumay mengatakan PT LCNC merupakan perusahaan yang pemegang sahamnya terdiri dari asing dan lokal.

“Perusahaan itu diantaranya bergerak di bisnis lessor atau penyewaan pesawat. Mereka pasti punya banyak pesawat, dan kemungkinan bisa memenuhi ketentuan yang harus dipatuhi Mandala pada 2012, yakni mengoperasikan 5 unit pesawat dan memiliki 5 unit pesawat,” jelasnya hari ini.

PT LCNC pada awal tahun ini juga diketahui mengajukan permohonan surat izin usaha penerbangan (SIUP) berjadwal ke Ditjen Perhubungan Udara Kementerian Perhubungan.

“Yang saya tahu, ada dua perusahaan yang tertarik karena sempat ke membahas Mandala di Kemenhub. Selain PT LCNC, perusahaan lainnya adalah Manunggal Group,” jelas Herry.

Dia mengatakan PT LCNC sudah diakui sebagai perusahaan lokal sehingga tidak ada batasan kepemilikan saham di Mandala.

Head of Corporate Communication Mandala Nurmaria Sarosa sebelumnya mengatakan pihaknya baru akan mengumumkan secara resmi investor baru pada minggu pertama atau kedua Februari. (sut)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 28.01.11.

[270111.EN.SEA] The Containership Company Shanghai Mulls Index Rate Tie Up

CONTAINER carrier start-up The Containership Company (TCC) is discussing the possibility with customers of directly linking freight rates to something like the Shanghai Containerised Freight Index to avoid carrier-shipper friction and contractual defaults. 

In talks with customers, "there has been a very positive response", said TCC marketing chief Lars Jensen, whose recently created container shipping lines runs a simple shuttle service from Taicang, 60 miles up the Yangtze from Shanghai, to Los Angeles.

"We are confident this will take off. It could be a major step in stopping carriers and shippers reneging on contracts. We need to get to the point where both carriers and shippers agree that an index such as the SCFI [Shanghai Containerised Freight Index] accurately tracks the market," Mr Jensen said.

TCC says it has already started talking to customers about using index-linked container contracts (ILCCs), which would see prices linked to an index like the SCFI.

This will, said Mr Jensen, stop carriers cancelling contracts if market prices increase, and shippers doing the same if they fall. Carriers and shippers wish to avoid situations when rates increase above the contract price and carriers refuse to move containers because they can get a better rate on the spot market, or have to put on surcharges to increase rates.

Other shipping lines are exploring solutions to the conundrum, reports London's International Freighting Weekly. Maersk recently told IFW it was mulling accepting financial penalties in its Asia-Europe contracts if it was unable to deliver the service it has promised.

Source : HKSG, 20.01.11.

[270111.ID.LAN] KA Peti Kemas Beroperasi Juni

Oleh Raydion Subiantoro

CIKARANG: Kereta api angkutan peti kemas rute pelabuhan darat (dry port) Cikarang-Stasiun Pasoso, Tanjung Priok, diharapkan bisa beroperasi secara penuh mulai Juni tahun ini. Wakil Menteri Perhubungan Bambang Susantono mengatakan pengoperasian kereta tersebut sangat penting, diantaranya untuk meringankan beban jalan, selain tentunya memperlancar arus logistik dari kawasan industri Cikarang ke Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok.

“Saya targetkan agar PT Kereta Api Logistik dan pengelola Cikarang Dry Port supaya paling lambat Juni sudah ada angkutan peti kemas melalui kereta api,” ujarnya saat kunjungan ke Cikarang Dry Port, siang ini.

Di tempat yang sama, Direktur Cikarang Dry Port Noor Yusuf mengatakan saat ini pihaknya tengah membangun emplasemen KA, dan diharapkan sudah selesai April.

“Dengan emplasemen itu, peti kemas bisa diangkut dengan mudah ke kereta. Kemudian, kereta akan memanfaatkan jalur eksisting untuk menuju Stasiun Pasoso,” paparnya.

Wamenhub menuturkan kehadiran dry port di Cikarang cukup penting karena pabrik-pabrik di kawasan ini sebanyak 60% produksi untuk diekspor.

“Dry port akan mempermudah proses ekspor itu, karena ketika peti kemas sampai Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok akan langsung dimuat di kapal. Pengurusan surat-surat seperti Bea dan Cukai, dan lainnya, sudah dibereskan di dry port,” jelas Wamenhub. (sut)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 27.01.11.

[260111.EN.SEA] Maritime Piracy Costs Global Community Up To $12 Billion a Year

At the end of 2010, around 500 seafarers from more than eighteen countries were being held hostage by pirates. During the same year, around $238 million was paid in ransoms to Somali pirates.  Piracy doesn't only affect the world's largest trade transport industry; it actually costs the global community a lot more than just ransoms and stolen cargo. Sharon Gillreports ...

Despite piracy on the high seas being one of the world's oldest crimes, the maritime industry has failed to figure out a way to deal with it.

According to the Oceans Beyond Piracy (OBP) project, contemporary international reactions to piracy follow similar lines to early international law, which declared it the duty of states and their navies to deal with pirates.

But, despite more than thirty countries (including the US) contributing to the navies patrolling the trade lanes around the Horn of Africa, pirates operating in the waters off the coast of Somalia are still doing a roaring trade.

Although the navies' presence managed to reduce the rate of successful hijackings, the pirates doubled the number of attacks and expanded their playground, so the actual number of successful hijackings increased.

Furthermore, hijacked vessels are reportedly being used as "mother ships". This not only enables the pirates to expand their operating area, but also gives them some degree of protection since a naval vessel would hesitate to fire on pirates aboard a ship full of crude oil.

OBP says that, between 2004-2009, only 15% of global piracy attacks occurred off the coast of Somalia. But in 2009, Somali pirates were responsible for 53% of reported attacks around the world, including 47 hijacked vessels and 867 seafarers held hostage. 

The cost

• Ransoms: Over the past five years, Somali pirates' ransom demands have increased from an average of $150,000 in 2005 to $5.4 million in 2010. The largest known ransom payment was for the South Korean oil tanker, Samho Dream, for which a record $9.5 million was paid in November 2010. Somali pirates' income for the whole year 2010 was around $238 million.

• Insurance: Insurance cover includes war risk, kidnap and ransom (K&R), cargo, and hull. The most significant increase in premiums has been in war risk and K&R. With the Gulf of Aden classified as a war risk area by Lloyds Market Association (LMA) Joint War Committee in May 2008, it is therefore subject to these specific insurance pre­miums. OBP estimates that the total excess costs of insurance due to Somali piracy are between $460 million and $3.2 billion per year.

• Naval forces: The cost of naval operations off the coast of Somalia is around $2 billion a year.

• Prosecutions: More than 750 Somali piracy suspects have either been tried or await trial in more than eleven countries. Working on an average cost of prosecution, OBP estimates that the cost of piracy trials and imprisonment in 2010 was around $31 million.

• Anti-piracy organisations: A number of intergovernmental organisations dedicated to working towards a solution for maritime piracy have a total budget of around $24.5 million.

• Re-routing ships: "Low and slow" vessels, which are prime targets for pirates, are often re-routed to avoid risk zones. The excess cost of re-routing these ships is estimated to be between $2.4 billion and $3 billion per year.

• Protection: Deterrent and security equipment costs ship owners between $363 million and $2.5 billion per year.

Total direct costs of piracy in 2010 is thus estimated to be between $7 billion and $12 billion.

But there are secondary costs as well: 

• Piracy costs Egypt about $642 million a year in lost revenue from Suez Canal fees, as ships are re-routed to avoid the Gulf of Aden.

• The trade impact of piracy costs Kenya and Yemen around $414 million and $150 million a year respectively.

• Losses to Nigeria's oil and fishing industries cost the country around $42 million a year.

• Losses to its fishing and tourism industries cost the Seychelles around $6 million a year.

Total secondary costs to regional economies:  $1.25 billion a year.

And we haven't even started trying to quantify "loss of use" and "loss of man-hours" while ships and their crew are held hostage, often for a few months, while shipowners and pirates negotiate a price for their release.

The One Earth Future Foundation says that the scourge of piracy will continue to increase because there is no effective international system to deal with the problem.

Which is why the Foundation established the Oceans Beyond Piracy project, which is attempting to develop a robust and global system to manage piracy through collaboration with stakeholders from industry and governments. 

[Sources:  One Earth Future Foundation, Oceans Beyond Piracy] 20.01.11

[260111.ID.SEA] DPR Minta Masukan Soal Revisi UU Pelayaran

JAKARTA: Komisi V DPR meminta masukan kepada pegiat dan pelaku usaha pelayaran terkait revisi UU No.17/2008 tentang Pelayaran menyusul diajukannya RUU Pelayaran oleh Presiden ke DPR.

Masukan tersebut dilakukan melalui rapat dengar pendapat (RDP) yang digelar sore ini. Hadir antara lain Koordinator INCAFO (Indonesian Cabotage Advocation Forum) Idris Sikumbang, Ketua Umum INSA (Indonesian National Shipowners' Association) Johnson W. Sutjipto, Ketua Harian Mappel (Masyarakat Pemerhati Pelayaran, pelabuhan dan Lingkungan Maritim) Elly Sudibjo, dan Sekjen Iperindo (Industri Dok dan Perkapalan serta Lepas Pantai Indonesia) Wing Wirjawan.

Ketua INCAFO Fakultas Teknik UI Agus Mulyo dalam RDP itu mengatakan selama lima tahun terakhir pelaksanaan asas cabotage telah berdampak terhadap pertumbuhan perekonomian nasional.

Dia menjelaskan selama lima tahun terakhir, ruang muat kapal berbendera Indonesia meningkat dari 114 juta ton di 2005 naik menjadi 203 juta ton di 2010, sedangkan total investasi mencapai 25 miliar.

Menurut dia, INCAFO memperkirakan ada sekitar Rp114 triliun arus devisa negara yang berhasil diselamatkan dari kebijakan ini. "Selain itu, program ini mampu membuka lapangan kerja baru," katanya sore ini.

Pada kesempatan itu, INCAFO mengeluarkan deklarasi atas nama kedaulatan negara dan Merah Putih pasti bisa yang menegaskan menolak revisi atas UU No. 17 tahun 2008 tentang Pelayaran. (sut)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 26.01.11.

[250111.EN.AIR] Low-Cost Infrastructure Key To Vietnam's 'Bright' Future: IATA

THE future of Vietnamese aviation is "bright" as long as it creates cost-effective airports, navigation services, and employs standard technology, said International Air Transport Association (IATA) chief.

By 2014, Vietnam is projected to be the world's third fastest growing market for international passengers and freight, and the second fastest for domestic passengers, said IATA director-general and CEO Giovanni Bisignani. 
"But it is a future that cannot be taken for granted. Vietnamese aviation must be built and supported by sound policies that take into account that this is a dynamic industry where change is the only constant," he said at a meeting with the Vietnam Airlines, the Southern Airport Corporation and Vietnam's air navigation supplier (VATM).

To meet traffic expansion in the region VATM must make ADS-B and performance-based navigation (PBN) a priority.

ADS-B allows aircraft to fly more efficiently using satellite based navigation systems while PBN uses the equipment on board aircraft to improve landings.

Mr Bisignani applauded the country's three-year discount scheme to provide relief to major airports introduced in April 2010, but added more is needed to reduce costs for users of its airports and airspace.

Source : HKSG, 24.01.11

[250111.ID.SEA] PPA Tunggu Rencana Bisnis Djakarta Lloyd

JAKARTA: Menjelang akhir tahun, PT Perusahaan Pengelola Aset (PPA) masih menunggu penjelasan rencana bisnis PT Djakarta Lloyd untuk membantu penyelesaian utang perusahaan BUMN tersebut.

Sekretaris Perusahaan PPA Renny O Rorong mengatakan presentasi rencana bisnis DL dibutuhkan untuk mengetahui kebutuhan dana untuk penyehatan perusahaan BUMN tersebut.

Namun hingga saat ini Djakarta Lloyd belum juga memenuhi permintaan PPA untuk mempresentasikan rencana bisnis perseroan. 

Dia mengatakan dari rencana bisnis, akan tergambar kondisi perusahaan saat ini dan kebutuhan dana untuk pengembangan bisnis perseroan serta melihat komposisi utang yang sebenarnya.

“Mereka [Djakarta Lloyd] masih belum presentasi rencana bisnisnya, jadi kami juga belum bisa memutuskan berapa dana yang harus diberikan. Hingga saat ini kami terus mengkaji permasalahan itu,” ungkapnya hari ini.

Dia mengatakan untuk menyehatkan suatu perusahaan memang merupakan tanggung jawab PPA, namun hal itu juga harus didukung oleh perusahaan yang bersangkutan.

Berdasarkan catatan Bisnis, PPA diharapkan dapat membantu Djakarta Lloyd dalam menyelesaikan utang senilai US$3,3 juta atau sekitar Rp29,3 miliar kepada Australian National Line (ANL). 

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 21.12.10.

[240111.ID.BIZ] Ekspor Sumut Didominasi CPO

MEDAN: Sekitar 60% ekspor Sumatra Utara pada 2010 didominasi oleh minyak sawit mentah (crude palm oil/CPO) dan karet yang masuk ke India, Jepang, Amerika Serikat, dan Singapura.

Pimpinan Bank Indonesia Cabang Medan dan Aceh Nasser Asrof mengakui sampai posisi November 2010 dua komoditas utama dari Sumut mendominasi ekspor ke luar negeri.

“Dari sisi nilai ekspor CPO dan karer mencapai 60% dan sisanya disumbang oleh komoditas lain seperti kopi, furniture, dan barang industri lainnya,” ujarnya di Medan hari ini.

Menurut dia, sampai November 2010 nilai ekspor CPO dari Sumut mencapai US$3,1 miliar dan karet mencapai US$1,56 miliar dari total nilai ekspor Sumut pada periode sama mencapai US$7,73 miliar.

Kalau dilihat dari negara tujuan ekspor, kata dia, India, Jepang, Amerika Serikat, dan Singapura masih mendominasi terutama minyak sawit dan karet.

Dia mengusulkan agar eksportir dari daerah ini mencari pasar baru terutama untuk komoditas minyak sawit mentah dan karet. “Saya melihat pasar China sangat atraktif, sehingga minyak sawit dan karet asal Sumut mampu bersaing dengan produk sejenis dari negara lain,” tuturnya.

Demikian juga pasar Timur Tengah, paparnya, sangat menjanjikan karena selama ini minyak sawit mentah dikuasai negara Jiran Malaysia ke kawasan tersebut.

Sementara itu, Ketua Gabungan Pengusaha Eksportir Indonesia (GPEI) Sumut Khairul Mahalli membenarkan Sumut sampai kewalahan untuk memenuhi permintaan karet dari luar negeri walaupun harganya sudah mencapai US$5 per kilogram.

“Walaupun harga karet alam tinggi, namun Sumut tidak mampu memasok permintaan dari negara lain yang jumlahnya relatif besar,” tuturnya.

Kontrak yang sudah diteken pada 2010 lalu, kata dia, banyak yang tidak terpenuhi, sehingga ekspor 2011 diperkirakan jauh lebih baik dibandingkan dengan 2010. “Kami optimis kontrak tahun 2010 yang masih tertunda bisa dipenuhi pada 2011,” tuturnya.

Persoalannya, kata dia, kondisi pelabuhan Belawan yang sudah lama dikeluhkan para eksportir terutama peralatan dan waktu tunggu kapal belum dapat diasasi sampai saat ini.

“Kami meminta Pelindo I Medan secepatnya membenahi BICT [Belawan Internastional Terminal), sehingga komoditas dari daerah ini semakin kompetitif,” tuturnya.(api)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 24.01.11.

[230111.EN.SEA] Four-day French Port Strike Underway, Hapag-Lloyd Avoid France

A FOUR-DAY strike is underway until Monday at Marseilles-Fos, Le Havre, Brest, Montoir and Dunkirk as French dockers protest late retirement laws and privatising port reforms, which has crane drivers transferring from the public to the private sector. 

Hapag-Lloyd has cancelled calls at Le Havre and Marseille-Fos. "As a consequence of the strikes decided by port workers and crane drivers, our vessels will omit their calls at Fos and Le Havre until further notice.

"The situation is beyond carrier control and all containers that have entered the terminals, as of 14 January, will be subject to all existing charges as per tariff conditions or local terminal charges. This includes, but is not limited to, demurrage and storage," said a Hapag-Lloyd statement.

Hapag-Lloyd said customers could withdraw containers from Marseilles-Fos and Le Havre terminals, but at their own risk and cost and would result in a EUR180 (US$241) double-handling charge per container.

London's Containerisation International reported that the CGT union has promised; Continuance of possible strike action without warning, continuance of a ban on overtime and exceptional shifts, continuance of a one hour strike by each worker per day or shift, continuance of work to rule, a 24-hour strike by all dock workers from 0600 hrs on Friday January 21, a 24-hour strike by state-employed port workers from 0600 hrs on Saturday January 22, a 24-hour strike by all dock workers from 0600 hours on Sunday January 23 and a 24-hour strike by all public sector port workers from 0600 hrs on Monday January 24.

Source : HKSG, 20.01.11

[230111.ID.BIZ] Industri Plastik Minta PMK 241 Segera Direvisi

JAKARTA: Industri plastik nasional mendesak pemerintah segera merevisi Peraturan Menkeu No.241/PMK. 011/2010 yang menetapkan bea masuk propilena dan etilena sebesar 5% karena bisa mendongkrak harga produk hilir hingga 10%.

Sekretaris Jenderal Asosiasi Industri Aromatik, Olefin & Plastik Indonesia (INAPlas) Fajar A.D. Budiyono mengatakan PMK tentang Penetapan Sistem Klasifikasi Barang dan Pembebanan Tarif Bea Masuk atas Barang Impor itu mengenakan bea masuk bahan baku plastik dengan pos tarif 2901.21.00.00 untuk etilena dan 2901.22.00.00 untuk propilena sebesar 5%.

Menurut dia, pengenaan bea masuk itu akan mendorong harga produk hilir naik hingga 10% karena kedua bahan baku itu mempengaruhi harga produk antara, seperti polyvinyl chloride (PVC), poliester, polistirena, dan polyethylene terephthalate (PET) yang banyak digunakan untuk kemasan plastik.

“Kami sudah berjuang terus untuk menekan harga. Dampak bea masuk itu, paling sedikit harga bahan baku naik 5% dan untuk produk akhirnya berpotensi naik 10%,” katanya hari ini.

Fajar mengatakan bahan baku propilena dan etilena banyak yang diimpor dari negara-negara yang belum menandatanganai kesepakatan perdagangan bebas. Propilena dan etilena saat ini hampir seluruhnya diimpor dari Timur Tengah.

Selain itu, lanjutnya, bea masuk mesin dan suku cadang yang masuk dalam pos tarif 87.44 akan menekan investasi karena mesin plastik umumnya masih diperoleh dari Eropa, terutama Jerman dan Italia. “Investasi mesin akan merosot karena harus diselesaikan perhitungan terlebih dahulu.”

Pada 2009, investasi mesin plastik kemasan di Indonesia mencapai 179,2 juta euro. Impor dari Jerman tercatat 46% dari total impor mesin, Italia 20%, dan Jepang 10%., sementara impor mesin dari China dan Taiwan masing-masing hanya 7% dan 3%. (hl)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 23.01.11.

[220111.EN.BIZ] China's GDP Grows 10.3pc In 2010, Exceeding Expectations

CHINA's economy grew 10.3 per cent in 2010, exceeding analysts' expectations, but posting slower GDP growth in the fourth quarter at 9.8 per cent.

Inflation fell in December as Beijing moved to rein in prices. The 2010 figure, up from a revised 9.2 per cent GDP increase in 2009. The 2009 figure put China ahead of Japan and just behind the US in ranking of the world's largest economies.

China's consumer price index rose 4.6 per cent year on year in December compared with 5.1 per cent in November, the fastest growth in more than two years, reported Agence France-Presse. 

The index rose 3.3 per cent for all of 2010 - exceeding the government's full-year target of three per cent because of rising food prices.

There was a 15.7 per cent increase in China-wide factory output in 2010. Urban fixed asset investment, a measure of government spending on infrastructure, rose 24.5 per cent over the 12 months - slower than in the previous year, but retail sales were up 18.4 per cent.

Source : HKSG, 20.01.11.