[280211.EN.SEA] Container Shipping Volumes To Rise 10pc in 2011: SeaAxis

PARIS based SeaAxis, the container leasing arm of Axis Intermodal UK, forecasts that demand for container shipping services will rise more than 10 per cent this year on the back of a recovery in the global economy led by the strength of emerging nations. 

On the other hand, its quarterly report on box shipping also predicts that overall freight rates will fall by another 10 per cent in the second quarter, reports Newark's Journal of Commerce. The biggest threat to the ocean liner industry is overcapacity, which "will peak soon before diminishing later this year as trade volume rises," the report said.

"The highest risks facing the container shipping industry at this time, in order of importance, are: acceleration of redeployment of vessel capacity, increase in fuel costs, increase in container prices, commodity price surge and regional political instability, said SeaAxis vice president Philippe Hoehlinger.

But he remained optimistic. "The underlying fundamentals for container shipping remain largely favourable in the mid-term with the forging of global supply chains, the rise in merchandise trade and the emergence of BRIC countries still creating demand for the future."

Source : HKSG.

[280211.ID.BIZ] BASF Tumbuh Tertinggi Di Asia Pasifik

LUDWIGSHAFEN, Jerman :  Penjualan perusahaan kimia global BASF SE di kawasan Asia Pasifik sepanjang tahun lalu mencatat pertumbuhan tertinggi  dibandingkan dengan pertumbuhan penjualan  yag dicapai oleh kawasan lainnya yaitu mencapai 46% dengan nilai 11,6 miliar euro, khususnya didorong oleh bisnis kimia.

Chairman of the Board of Executive Director BASF SE Jurgen Hambrecht  mengemukakan pertumbuhan penjualan terjadi pada semua segmen bisnis yang digarap oleh perusahan manufaktur itu, khususnya dari segmen bisnis kimia.

"Pendapatan operasi BASF dari kawasan tersebut  mencatat rekor dengan nilai 1,3 miliar euro atau meningkat sebesar 768 juta euro dibandingkan dengan pencapaian tahun lalu,” ujarnya dalam konferensi pers tahunan BASF di Ludwigshafen, Jerman, hari ini.

Dia meyakini Asia Pasifik akan semakin memberikan kontribusi yang stabil bagi bisnis BASF secara global.

Secara keseluruhan, penjualan BASF masih didominasi oleh penjualan dari kawasan Eropa yang mencapai 35,2 miliar euro, atau tumbuh sebesar 16%. 

Penjualan dari bisnis kimia dari kawasan Eropa mencapai 19,4 miliar euro. Bila dibandingkan dengan 2009, pencapaian ini meningkat sebesar 32,2%. (trd)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 24.02.11 (maaf, edisi tgl 27/02 ngga terbit, repot Bro’).

[260211.EN.AIR] ESC Tells Shippers Be More Active In Handling Air Cargo Services

A recent survey conducted by the European Shippers' Council (ESC) has found that while most shippers are happy with the service they receive from their air freight forwarders and logistics services providers, a "sizeable" majority feel that the industry could do more. 

"Among the areas for improvement indicated by the shippers surveyed was the need to be more proactive, and to better understand the shippers' business and supply chain in order to find the best logistical solutions. However, the survey, also suggested few shippers were prepared to be more proactively engaged in the management themselves," an ESC statement said.

It quoted the chairman of the ESC's Air Transport Council, Ramiro Dias, as saying in a report by Air Cargo World: "I expect the freight forwarder to be very proactive in looking for solutions and improvements to the way we do things for our clients; therefore, they need to know the businesses we work in and for," he said.

"Shippers must be prepared to be equally proactive with the freight service providers: two heads thinking and working together to make the supply chain more efficient and effective is likely to be better than one."

Said ESC secretary general, Nicolette van der Jagt: "The ESC has long been of the opinion that service quality and efficiency are best improved when the shipper is proactively engaged with the service providers in the chain.

Outsourcing of air freight procurement and management activities is a fact of life and yields considerable benefits for the shipper, but it could be unwise for a company to remove from its organisation all knowledge and expertise in this area. 

The shipper needs to know what is happening, how the industry works, what drives it and affects it, and ultimately what influences the performance of the service," she said. 

Source : HKSG, 22.02.11.

[260211.ID.BIZ] Lotte Group Siap Investasi US$6 Miliar Di Indonesia

JAKARTA: Lotte Group, Korea Selatan siap berinvestasi di berbagai sektor, seperti petrokimia, properti, dan ritel senilai total US$6 miliar dalam 4 tahun mendatang.

Lotte Group merupakan perusahaan bisnis terkemuka yang bergerak di sektor pembuatan permen,minuman, hotel, makanan cepat saji, ritel, jasa keuangan, bahan kimia berat, elektronika, IT, konstruksi, penerbitan, dan hiburan.

Menteri Perindustrian M.S. Hidayat mengatakan Lotte memang akan mengembangkan bisnis ritel dengan merek dagang Lotte Mart yang sudah ada di Indonesia. Namun, katanya, perusahaan Korea Selatan tersebut juga berniat merambah ke sektor lain, terutama petrokimia dan properti.

“Selain mengembangkan ritel, Lotte juga mau ekspansi ke beberapa sektor bisnis lainnya yang juga merupaka bisnis yang dikelola dalam grup seperti petrokimia, properti yaitu central business districts [CBD]. Yang paling penting itu investasi mereka dibidang petrokimia kira-kira sampai US$5 miliar, ini yang akan kami dukung,” terangnya hari ini.

Sementara itu, Kepala Badan Koordinasi penanaman Modal (BKPM) Gita wirjawan mengatakan dalam pertemuan antara Lotte dan pemerintah diungkapkan rencana perusahaan yang akan agresif mengembangkan pasar ritel dengan menambah sedikitnya 60 gerai hingga tahun 2015.

Pembanguan 60 ritel Lotte Mart ini, lanjut Gita, akan dilakukan di seluruh Indonesia. Seperti diketahui saat ini gerai lottemart di Indonesia baru mencapai 19 gerai Wholesale dan 2 gerai hypermarket.

Chairman Lotte Group Korea Dong Bin Shin mengatakan peluang bisnis di Indonesia yang besar membuat pperusahaan bermaksud ekspansi usaha lebih jauh lagi di Tanah Air. “Kami akan mengembangkan bisnis hypermart, petrokimia, dan kafetaria." (hl) 

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 22.02.11.

[250211.EN.SEA] 2010: Year Of The Mega Ship As New Deliveries Break Records

THE number of containerships above 7,500 TEU delivered this year reached 61 units, a total not seen since 2006, yet surpassing that record year in tonnage delivery as 29 of the ships in 2010 were 10,000 TEU or more while only two were in 2006.

China Shipping Container Line (CSCL) will receive its first 14,000 TEU ship, with six units planned for delivery in 2011 starting from January and two more units due in 2012. CSCL could launch a new Europe string before the end of the year, potentially with another partner carrier, reported Paris-based Alphaliner.

Total capacity of the very large containerships hit 657,000 TEU, or 48 per cent of the total 1.38 million TEU delivered in 2010, and that an even larger number of mega boxships - 76 - are to be delivered next year and 49 of them will be in the 10,000 TEU or more range, totalling 860,000 TEU, or 63 per cent of the 1.38 million TEU to be delivered in 2011.

Most of the mega ships in 2010 have been assigned to Asia-Europe routes, while most of the remaining units have joined FE-US routes. Very large ship deliveries in 2011 are sufficient for carriers to mount four or five high capacity Asia-Europe loops and five Asia-US strings.

MSC took 19 units, providing the bulk of the 370,000 TEU gained in total capacity this year, as the MSC operated fleet grew from 1.49 million TEU in January 2010 to 1.86 million TEU at the end of the year. MSC has narrowed the gap between itself and top-placed Maersk, which saw a much smaller increase of 110,000 TEU in capacity operated from 2.04 million TEU in January to 2.15 million currently.

A large number of the big ship deliveries in 2011 were deferred from 2010, with most of them due to be delivered from January to May, coinciding with the launch of new services in the spring.

In 2011, CMA CGM is expected to receive the highest number of large ships with 16 units to be delivered. Eight will be more than 10,000 TEU and its deliveries will likely lead to the introduction of a new Asia-Europe string in May, said Alphaliner.

Maersk Line has nine 13,000 TEU vessels expected between January and June, which are also likely to be deployed on a new Asia-Europe string, said the Paris agency. They will be joined by CKYH who has already planned for the launch of its new NE-6 FE-Europe string and AWE-6 FE-USEC string in April, largely with Hanjin tonnage.

But Evergreen, APL, Hyundai and MOL remain aloof from the megaship trend in 2011 and will most likely not launch any new services next year. There will also be significant cascading of 5,000-8,000 TEU ships, expected to be redeployed on Middle East and South American routes.

SINGAPORE's Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) says it has financing for 12 containerships with lenders offering of US$926 million, or 78 per cent of the $1.2 billion needed, NOL said in a filing to the Singapore Exchange.

The rest will come from an earlier bond issue and internal sources, reported Lloyd's List. NOL said financing "will be customary for ship acquisition financing".

Ten 10 ships will be in the 8,400-TEU range while two will be 10,700 TEU and delivered between 2012 and 2014 from Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering.

Source : HKSG.

[250211.ID.SEA] JICT Tambah Alat Bongkar Muat Peti Kemas

JAKARTA: PT Jakarta International Container Terminal (JICT) menambah 12 unit peralatan bongkar muat jenis rubber tyred gantry crane (RTGC) guna menambah kapasitas penanganan peti kemas di terminal tersebut.

Dirut JICT Helman Sembiring mengatakan dengan penambahan itu saat ini JICT mengoperasikan 74 unit alat sejenis di terminal peti kemas terbesar di Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok tersebut.

"Kami sangat senang dengan kedatangan 12 RTGC ini. Ini merupakan bagian berkelanjutan dari program investasi JICT," ujarnya saat menerima secara resmi kedatangan alat tersebut di dermaga JICT hari ini.

Hadir pada kesempatan itu, Wakil Menteri Perhubungan Bambang Susantono, Kepala Otoritas Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok Sahat, Dirut Pelindo II RJ Lino dan perwakilan dari seluruh asosiasi penyedia dan pengguna jasa di pelabuhan Tanjung Priok.

Alat tersebut, kata dia, dibuat di China dan merupakan RTGC ramah lingkungan yang menggunakan sistem hibrida yang bisa menghemat energi hingga 50% dibandingkan dengan RTGC tipe yang sama.

Dia mengatakan peralatan tersebut mampu melakukan kegiatan bongkar muat hingga enam tingkat sehingga bisa menambah kapasitas penanganan peti kemas 500.000 Teus per tahun.

"RTGC ini juga dilengkapi tehnologi mutakhir, yakni position determination system yang berfungsi menentukan posisi kontener secara tepat," paparnya.

Dia mengatakan peralatan baru tersebut akan melayani 10 blok baru di lapangan penumpukan sebagai bagian dari proyek perluasan terminal.

Hingga saat ini, JICT telah berinvestasi lebih dari US$200 juta untuk meningkatkan kapasitas dan kinerja terminal. "JICT juga akan menambah 20 truk di tahun mendatang," ujarnya.

Dia mengatakan pada 2012 akan diterapkan sistem gate otomatis dengan menyediakan 20 gerbang baru sebagai akses lalu lintas angkutan peti kemas dari dan ke terminal.

Sistem tersebut, lanjutnya, akan mempercepat arus peti kemas di pelabuhan dan memastikan kelancaran operasional terminal. Ini merupakan adopsi sistem gerbang modern yang telah terbukti dalam jaringan Hutchison Port Holdings.

"Sehingga nanti tidak ada lagi petugas di pintu gerbang. Dan auto gate ini beroperasi 24 jam," tuturnya. (arh)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 23.02.11.

[240211.EN.SEA] Intra-Asia Trade: A Double Edged Sword For Carriers (part 2)

THE Intra-Asia trade today is the biggest trade in the world, surpassing even the transpacific and Asia-Europe trades, which carriers rely so heavily on for their profits year after year.  And while it may be the world’s biggest trade, we also found in part one of our series on the Intra-Asia trade that we started last week that it is perhaps the most volatile and unpredictable trade out there.  Last week in The Container Shipping Manager we looked at the movement in freight rates on the Intra-Asia trade compared with other trades and found that rates vary far more on the trade than others.  Today we will take our study a little further and look at operating cost versus revenue on the trade to see the potential for profit by looking at one existing service on the Northeast Asia to Southeast Asia trade… As in previous studies, operational expenses will be represented by time charter rates and bunker costs, while revenue will be based on the spot market rate on the southbound leg of the trade from Shanghai to Singapore, which is where most of the money is earned on this particular service. As such, we will also focus on the operating cost of the southbound leg only.  In the below table we can see the parameters of our service today, which has the following port rotation:  Ulsan – Busan – Kwangyang – Shanghai – Hong Kong – Port Kelang – Singapore – Pasir Gudang – Hong Kong – Ulsan In our next table we can see the time charter rates and bunker price throughout the course of 2010, which gives us an idea of the operating costs and fluctuations in the market the operators have been up against.

Source : CSM, 05.01.11.

[240211.ID.BIZ] BASF Rampungkan Akuisisi Cognis

 LUDWIGSHAFEN, Jerman: BASF, raksasa manufaktur asal Jerman, merampungkan proses akuisisi Cognis, produsen nutrisi, senilai 3,1 miliar euro guna memperkuat posisinya di bisnis pharma excipients.

Proses akuisisi yang tuntas pada akhir tahun lalu itu mencakup fasilitas produksi Cignis di Eropa, Asia, Amerika Utara dan Amerika Selatan, termasuk perusahaan Cognis yang berlokasi di Cimanggis, Bogor.

Dewan direksi BASF yang dipimpin oleh Jurgen Hambrecht bersama Michael Heinz, Manajer Integrasi BASF yang juga CEO Cognis yang baru, telah menggelar pertemuan dengan 1.500 karyawan Cognis di kantor pusatnya di Dusseldorf, Jerman, baru-baru ini.

BASF merupakan perusahaan kimia terbesar di dunia yang memproduksi bahan kimia, plastik dan performance products. Perusahaan ini juga menghasilkan produk pertanian, kimia khusus, serta minyak dan gas. Di seluruh dunia, Cognis memiliki sekitar 5.500 karyawan.

"Kami akan membentuk tim terbaik dan mendorong pertumbuhan yang menguntungkan bagi Cognis," kata Hambrecht dalam siaran pers yang diterima  Bisnis” pada acara Asia Media Tour BASF di Ludwigshafen, Jerman, hari ini.

BASF merencanakan aksi korporasi itu pada pertengahan tahun lalu dengan nilai akuisisi saham mencapai 700 juta euro. Proses akuisisi itu mencakup utang yang menjadi kewajiban Cognis dan kewajiban pensiun karyawannya, sehingga total nilai transaksi itu mencapai 3,1 miliar euro.

Dengan akuisisi tersebut, BASF menjadi perusahaan terkemuka di bisnis produk bahan kimia untuk keperluan sehari-hari. Langkah itu semakin memperkuat posisi BASF sebagai produsen produk rumah tangga bernilai tambah, termasuk di bisnis nutrisi dan pharma excipients.

Melalui aksi korporasi itu, BASF akan mampu menawarkan produk dan jasanya secara lebih lengkap untuk unit monomer khusus dalam divisi petrokimia. Akusisi tersebut sekaligus memperluas portofolio BASF dengan kemampuan memproduksi produk berbasis bahan baku yang dapat diperbaharui.(hl)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 23.02.11.

[230211.EN.SEA] Intra-Asia Trade: A Double Edged Sword For Carriers (part 1)

THE Intra-Asia trade, despite being the largest trade in the world today, still seems to receive far less attention than the long-haul Asia-Europe and transpacific trades.  In fact there is still a sense of mystery surrounding the Intra-Asia trade, given the fact that many still disagree on such simple fundamental definitions of the trade such as its geographical boundaries, with some carriers and analysts including India and the Middle East as part of the trade.  For the purpose of our study we do not include that region as such.  To illustrate the difficult in understanding the Intra-Asia market we need only look at a recent study on the trade conducted by Alphaliner, which puts trade volumes for the region at 14 million TEU for 2010.  However, this is not an accurate representation the trade’s total business this year as this calculation is based on IADA (Intra-Asia Discussion Agreement) statistics, whose members only comprise 60 per cent of the trade in terms of capacity deployment.  According to one analyst that we spoke to, based on the IADA numbers, total trade volumes should be in excess of 23 million TEU. But even then, an answer as to the actual size of the market is not that simple, he added. "One must also take into account the fact that carrier management have a habit of being overly cautious when they submit their numbers to IADA, which is due to a number of reasons.  "But the result of this is that the IADA figures for trade volumes is likely under estimated,” he said.  One of the reasons for this, the analyst explained, is perhaps to avoid being accused or targeted by other members if they are perceived to have gained in market share.  As a result, liner management on the trade tend to discount their total volumes by roughly 10 to 20 per cent, he said.

Source “ CSM, 28.12.10.

[230211.ID.SEA] Alur Masuk Pelabuhan Pontianak Masih Terganggu

JAKARTA: Administrator Pelabuhan (Adpel) Pontianak masih mengupayakan evakuasi kapal KMP Rahmatiah bermuatan 700 ton semen yang karam di alur pelayaran Muara Jungkat, Pontianak, Kalimantan Barat. 

Kasi Gamad Kantor Adpel Pontianak Adi Ismail mengatakan proses evakuasi terus dilakukan. "Tadi malam kami coba apungkan kembali, tapi gagal karena muatannya masih banyak," katanya siang ini.

Dia menjelaskan pihaknya akan membongkar muatan kapal berupa semen supaya kapal tersebut bisa diapungkan dan ditarik ke tepi. "Sekarang posisinya menghalangi alur pelayaran."

Tercatat masih belasan kapal dengan draf di atas empat meter ke atas yang  kini masih tertahan di alur pelayaran Muara Jungkat, Pontianak menyusul kandasnya KMP Rahmatiah bermuatan 700 ton semen.

Kapal-kapal tersebut tidak bisa masuk ke pelabuhan sampai proses evakuasi rampung. Sebagian kapal membawa kontainer dan satu kapal penumpang.

Operator kapal meminta Kemenhub membantu evakuasi kapal general kargo KM Rahmatiah Sentosa bermuatan 700 ton semen yang karam di alur pelayaran muara Jungkat, Pontianak, Kalimantan Barat sejak Kamis, dua pekan lalu. 

Kapal tersebut karam dalam perjalanan menuju Pelabuhan Pontianak setelah sebelumnya bertabrakan dengan kapal general kargo lainnya sehingga kini puluhan kapal tertahan tidak bisa masuk pelabuhan sampai proses evakuasi rampung.

Kamis dua pekan lalu, kapal general kargo berukuran 300 GT (gross tonnage) dengan nama KMP Wewah yang akan keluar dari Pelabuhan Pontianak bertabrakan dengan KM Rahmatiah Sentosa yang akan masuk pelabuhan. 

Keduanya bertabrakan di alur pelayaran Bui No. 5 Muara Jungkat, Kalimantan Barat akibat kondisi alur yang dangkal. Akibatnya kegiatan bongkar muat kontainer terganggu. Bahkan kini sepi karena banyak kapal- yang tertahan di alur Muara Jungkat. (sut)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 22.02.11.

[220211.EN.SEA] South African Trucks Back On The Road As Strike Ends

SOUTH AFRICAN truckers were returning to work after a deal was struck between unions and management, reported London's Containerisation International.

The Road Freight Employers Association (RFEA) and the South African Transport and Allied Workers' Union (SATAWU) agreed to a nine per cent annual pay increase and the use of fewer labour brokers and consultants.

The union had started out with demands that labour brokers be banned entirely and for a 20 per cent pay increase, while employers kicked off with a 7.5 per cent pay offer.

The other three unions involved, the Professional Transport Workers' Union, the Transport Allied Workers' Union of South Africa and the Motor Transport Workers' Union (MTWU) had already accepted terms.

Source : HKSG, 22.02.11.

[220211.ID.BIZ] Saat China Jenuh, RI Harus Siap

”Melompatlah ke laut” adalah ungkapan terkenal almarhum Presiden Deng Xiaoping untuk mendorong kapitalisme di China. Hamparan karpet merah bagi investor, antusiasme China perantauan, termasuk asal Indonesia, dan penyediaan infrastruktur berkualitas dunia mengubah drastis perekonomian China.

Partai Komunis pintar memanfaatkan mata rantai bisnis global. Hal ini menjadikan China bagian utama jaringan produksi global yang bergerak 24 jam sehari seperti ban berjalan.

Sikap tak kompromi terhadap gangguan stabilitas serta toleransi nol terhadap aksi sektarian dan segregasi wilayah menjadikan China negara terstabil di dunia. Hal ini diperkuat sikap kukuh dan kemandirian pemerintah menyikapi guncangan dan destabilisasi eksternal. China tak mudah gugup terhadap gertakan Amerika Serikat yang sering mirip musang berwajah domba.

Racikan kebijakan ekonomi, birokrasi energik, dan kesediaan tenaga kerja murah turut menyulap China dari sarang kemiskinan menjadi pasar bagi produk state of the art yang menjadi buah bibir pengusaha global.

Dari penghasil barang, kini China menjadi konsumen dunia berkat rata-rata pertumbuhan ekonomi di atas 10 persen per tahun selama 31 tahun terakhir. ”Kami kini menjadi negara seperti Jepang pada dekade 1980-an,” kata Prof Dr Yan Jianmiao, Dekan Jurusan Ekonomi Internasional Universitas Zhejiang, Hangzhou.

Namun, tidak ada pertumbuhan abadi, tak ada aktivitas ekonomi yang tak jenuh. China tak akan terus bisa menyedot investasi dunia. Buldoser ekonomi, sadar atau tidak, memunculkan terlalu banyak derita. Ada polusi di sungai, udara, dan tanah yang pernah mengorbankan warga satu desa akibat limbah merkuri.

Ada penyerobotan lahan tanpa ganti rugi memadai dan eksploitasi buruh yang bekerja 24 jam dalam tiga ronde di ruangan tak sehat. Hal ini melahirkan aktivis hak asasi manusia seperti Chen Guangcheng, seorang pengacara buta yang siap mati untuk menyadarkan Partai Komunis. 

”Jangan menutup mata terhadap isu seperti ini jika Anda ke China,” kata Jack Lebon, eksekutif di perusahaan Belgia yang sudah 20 tahun bermukim di Beijing.

Saat bergegas

Hal itu mulai menyadarkan pemerintah tentang konsekuensi negatif model pembangunan bermotokan ”pertumbuhan, apa pun biayanya” (growth at all cost). ”Repelita ke-12 periode 2011-2015 akan mengubah strategi pembangunan ekonomi,” kata Prof Yan yang turut merencanakan pembangunan.

Ketimpangan wilayah serta kesenjangan antara kaya dan miskin adalah ancaman sosial politik baru yang muncul dari sukses ekonomi. "Princeling", julukan bagi birokrat dan kroni serta keluarga yang mendadak kaya karena menerima suap dari investor, menjadi isu mencuat.

Dalam repelita berikut, upah dan jaminan sosial buruh diperketat. Pengusaha tak lagi dapat memecat buruh seenaknya. China sudah memberi tahu pengusaha tentang kemungkinan kenaikan biaya produksi.

China tak lagi menjadi surga footloose industry, seperti tekstil dan sepatu atau pabrik berbiaya murah, seperti dulu. ”Upah tenaga kerja lulusan SMA Rp 3 juta-Rp 5 juta,” kata Ratna Laksana, Direktur Resources Global Professionals.

Pemerintah China berusaha mengompensasi dengan memasuki industri berteknologi tinggi yang bernilai tambah lebih besar. Industri otomotif yang juga memasok alat pertanian berkembang, begitu juga telekomunikasi. China membuat pesawat terbang, mengirim orang ke luar angkasa, serta maju dalam teknologi nuklir dan rekayasa genetika untuk pertanian dan kedokteran.

Lepas dari perang kurs antara AS dan China, kurs yuan lebih rendah 40 persen dari nilai seharusnya. Kurs yuan kini 6,57 per dollar AS. Berdasarkan riset Columbia University, New York, jika kurs menjadi sekitar 4 yuan per dollar AS, hal itu akan membuat biaya produksi dan berbisnis di China jauh lebih mahal daripada sekarang.

Stephen Joske, Direktur China Forecasting Service, 

The Economist Intelligence Unit, bahkan tak ragu mengatakan, ekonomi China menanam bom waktu. ”Akan meledak, hanya saja kini belum terbayangkan,” kata Joske.

Misalnya, ada pemakaian dana luar biasa untuk membangun apartemen menjelang Olimpiade Beijing 2008. Pasokan apartemen yang butuh penyerapan 25 tahun dibangun dalam dua tahun. Muncul kekhawatiran terjadi krisis kredit perumahan seperti di AS pada 2008.

Indonesia mungkin sasaran investor berikutnya. ”Namun, pemerintah Anda memang harus bergerak,” kata Joske. Inilah keadaan yang harus diantisipasi Indonesia, prospek baru yang semestinya membuat pemerintah mempersiapkan infrastruktur, kestabilan sosial politik, dan kepastian hukum bisnis. Masih tetap mau tidur?

Sumber : Kompas, 18.02.11.

[200211.EN.SEA] Rates Wobble As Robust Forecasts Clash With Low Utilisation

CARRIERS plan to launch new transpacific services charging higher rates from April based on optimistic growth forecasts for in 2011, reports maritime analyst Alphaliner.

But at the same time, utilisation has dropped to below 90 per cent since October to an overall 89 per cent in January against 96 per cent in the same month of 2010. Shippers say extra capacity afloat should keep rates down.

Big Transpacific Stabilisation Agreement (TSA) carriers report reduced load factors of 88 per cent to the US west coast and 95 per cent to the east coast. Alphaliner attributes this slack utilisation to a 25 per cent year-on-year increase in capacity deployed on the transpacific in January and February.

The situation will continue to worsen with an estimated 14 per cent annual capacity increase expected, said Alphaliner in line with more than 140 newbuildings to be delivered this year.

While shippers question the need for higher rates, transpacific carriers claim that rate hikes planned for this year are justified by growing cargo demand.

"Advance bookings and market data suggest a return to robust trade flows by late spring and early summer, with a possibility that vessel space and equipment will be tight at times leading into the peak season," said the TSA.

Representing leading carriers operating on Asia-US trades, the TSA is confident cargo demand will improve in 2011 as the US economy recovers and this growth would absorb new capacity entering the market, reports London's Containerisation International.

TSA says the Far East-US cargo volume increased 15.8 per cent year on year in January due to earlier Chinese New Year in the first week of February. This led to a positive transpacific trade volume forecast with a growth of seven to eight per cent this year, following the increase of more than 15 per cent in 2010.

This optimism is supported by London shipping consultants, Clarkson, whose analysts expect a 9.7 per cent increase in container demand in 2011.

Source : HKSG, 15.02.11.

[200211.ID.OTH] Faktor Tersembunyi Pemicu Gangguan Jantung

VIVAnews - Selain faktor genetik dan gaya hidup tak sehat, ada sejumlah faktor tersembunyi yang meningkatkan risiko terkena masalah jantung.

Ketahui apa saja masalah tersebut. Bicarakan dengan dokter jika Anda mengalami lima gangguan di bawah ini, seperti dilansir dari Prevention.

1. Masalah kulit

Jika Anda memiliki penyakit kulit seperti psoriasis, bersisik, kulit merah, bisa memicu peradangan di dalam tubuh. Sehingga memiliki penyakit kronis ini dapat meningkatkan kemungkinan penyakit jantung hampir sama seperti pada perokok.

2. Kurang tidur

Anda termasuk orang yang hanya tidur tiga hingga empat jam sehari? Tidur hanya lima jam sehari atau kurang berisiko terkena penyakit jantung lebih besar dan jauh lebih berbahaya, bahkan pada orang sehat.

3. Masalah gusi

Seseorang yang mengalami infeksi bakteri kronis pada gusi periodental, hampir dua kali lebih mungkin untuk mengalami serangan jantung fatal.

4. Komplikasi kehamilan

Mengalami preeclampsia (tekanan darah tinggi dan kandungan protein yang tinggi pada urin) saat hamil berisiko dua kali lebih besar mengalami serangan jantung di kemudian hari, dan juga risiko diabetes kehamilan hingga 70 persen.

5. Stres di tempat kerja

Wanita dengan tuntutan pekerjaan tinggi tapi sulit mengontrolnya berisiko 40 persen lebih tinggi mengalami serangan jantung dan stroke. Hal ini jika dibandingkan dengan mereka yang memiliki pekerjaan dengan tingkat stres yang rendah. (sj)

Sumber : VIVAnews, 18.02.11.

[190211.EN.SEA] Asia-Europe Supply Surplus To Be Short-lived, But Concerns Grow For Intra-Asia

OVERSUPPLY on the Asia-Europe trade is likely to be short-lived, according to industry sources, but fears for a supply and demand imbalance on the Intra-Asia trade are rising. Chinese-based shipping lines, China Cosco and China Shipping Container Lines (CSCL) management appear to be unconcerned with the possibility of excess capacity operating on the Asia-Europe trade this year, judging by comments made to UBS Securities.  According to a recent report by UBS analyst, Richard Wei, Cosco management believe that through the collective efforts of a number of shipping lines operating on the trade, that load factors will remain above 90 per cent this year, even with the expected influx of mega vessels. The positive outlook is shared by CSCL.  "Management think the large vessel delivery will only be a temporary concern to AE [Asia-Europe] rates because of cascading effects. By end 2011 when AE is gradually dominated by large vessels, the route will have [a] high entry barrier to small operators, and close cooperation will reduce rate volatility,” the article said.  But this cascading of capacity may see an intensification of competition in trades like the Intra-Asia trade, where a lot of vessels may be sent into, given the low entry barrier and continuing growth in that market, the carrier’s management said.  Looking at the wider container shipping market, RBC Capital Markets is less optimistic, arguing that supply will outpace shipping demand this year, thus forcing greater downward pressure on rates across all trades, which are already in decline.  However, the figures cited by RBC Capital are not overly alarming, and at least on the surface, give little indication as to whether ongoing rate drops should be expected this year.  Alphaliner has projected that the container carrying fleet will grow by 8.7 per cent this year, while demand will grow at less than eight per cent.

Source : CSM, 28.01.11.

[190211.ID.LOG] Pengusaha Logistik Desak Perbaikan TPK Gede Bage

JAKARTA: Asosiasi Logistik dan Forwarder Indonesia (ALFI) meminta pemerintah untuk segera membenahi fasilitas dry port di Terminal Peti Kemas Bandung (TPKB) Gede Bage guna memperlancar arus barang ke Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok.

Sekjen ALFI Siti Ariyanti Adisoediro mengatakan pihaknya telah berdiskusi dengan Divisi Litbang Kementerian Perhubungan, Kementerian Pekerjaan Umum, PT KAI, dan perwakilan TPKB Gede Bage untuk menemukan solusi dalam mengatasi inefisiensi arus barang Gede Bage-Tanjung Priok.

“Kemarin [17 Februari] kita sudah diskusi untuk dapat menentukan langkah-langkah guna mempercepat arus barang dari TPKB Gede Bage ke Tanjung Priok,” ujar Ariyanti kepada Bisnis hari ini.

Menurut Ariyanti volume barang yang melalui TPKB Gede Bage terus merosot sejak tersedianya Tol Cipularang yang menghubungkan Jakarta-Bandung. Kata dia, perlu ada langkah-langkah yang dilakukan pemerintah untuk dapat menghidupkan kembali TPKB Gede Bage.

“Masalah utamanya adalah adanya missing link antara Stasiun Pasoso dengan Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok, sehingga barang harus diangkut dua kali [double handling] dan menyebabkan inefisiensi proses logistik,” paparnya.

Ariyanti menjelaskan dalam diskusi tersebut seluruh pihak telah menyetujui adanya pembangunan infrastruktur untuk kereta api antara Stasiun Pasoso sampai Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok agar tidak lagi terjadi double handling.

Menurut Ariyanti, pemerintah harus sadar bahwa Tol Cipularang tidak selamanya bisa mengakomodasi arus barang, karena itu TPKB Gede Bage yang memang sudah memiliki fasilitas dry port yang mumpuni perlu dikembangkan dengan optimal.

“Jadi kita minta supaya TPKB Gede Bage dapat didukung oleh infrastruktur barang yang memadai, supaya proses logistik ke Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok bisa lebih efektif,” ujarnya. (arh)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 18.02.11.

[180211.EN.AIR] IATA: UK Policies 'Will Destroy Legacy' Of British Aviation

THE International Air Transport Association (IATA) has UK aviation policy and called on the British government to transform air transport competitiveness through tax cuts, regulatory reform and bring an end to crippling climate change taxes.

IATA director general Giovanni Bisignani blasted Britain's "punitive policy" on climate change carbon emissions, particularly its Air Passenger Duty now weighing down the industry with GBP2.7 billion (US$4.3 billion) in taxes.

"Any industry can only take so many knocks before the damage is permanent. The government's policy pillars of excessive taxes, inefficient airport regulation and limiting growth will destroy the UK's proud aviation legacy," he said.

Speaking to the Aviation Club in London, Mr Bisignani noted that aviation supports 1.5 million British jobs along with US$76 billion in economic activity.

The World Economic Forum's Travel and Tourism Competitiveness report ranks the UK last out of 133 countries for cost competitiveness, 129th on fuel prices, and 121st on ticket taxes and airport charges, he noted.

"While the global industry was cutting costs and improving efficiencies, the regulator allowed BAA a 50 per cent increase for Heathrow charges. He was even more generous for 2008-2013, with an 86 per cent increase," he said.

On capacity, Mr Bisignani said: "With the decision to abandon plans for a third runway, London Heathrow is becoming a secondary hub. Heathrow has two runways limiting growth compared to other major European hubs with greater runway capacity: Amsterdam has five while Paris, Madrid and soon Frankfurt will have four.

"If building 2,000 metres of runway takes decades, building or upgrading 650 kilometres of rail will take lifetimes. And it will probably take more money than the Chancellor of the Exchequer could write a check for", he said.

On climate change, he said: "This is potty. For an industry that generates nearly $600 billion in revenues the margins are pathetic. The 2.7 per cent margin that airlines earned last year does not even cover the cost of capital, which is around seven to eight per cent. And the margin will shrink to 1.5 per cent this year."

Mr Bisignani called for an immediate end to the unjustified burden of Air Passenger Duty and for the UK and Europe to cooperate on a global framework for economic measures coordinated through ICAO. 

Source : HKSG, 14.02.11.

[180211.ID.SEA] Pelindo III Pacu Produktivitas

JAKARTA: PT Pelabuhan Indonesia III (Persero) memacu produktivitas bongkar muat dengan meningkatkan investasi pengadaan peralatan maupun pembangunan terminal baru dalam rangka memperbesar kapasitas pelabuhan.

Buktinya, selama 2010, nilai investasi PT Pelindo III  untuk memacu produktivitas bongkar muat dan meningkatkan kapasitas pelabuhan melonjak 56,6% dari Rp461,2 miliar pada 2009 menjadi Rp722,6 miliar.

Jarwo Surjanto, Direktur Utama PT Pelindo III mengatakan lonjakan investasi selama 2010 tersebut terjadi karena perseroanya fokus kepada upaya peningkatakan pelayanan, percepatan arus barang dan produktivitas bongkar muat.

Menurut dia, dengan investasi sebesar itu, hasilnya cukup menjanjikan karena laba perseroan tumbuh positif dibandingkan dengan 2009. “Laba tumbuh sekitar 7% dibandingkan 2009,” katanya, hari ini.

Dia menambahkan kinerja PT Pelindo III selama 2010 tumbuh positif. Arus kunjungan kapal di lingkungan perseroan pelat merah itu mencapai 229,6 juta gross tonnage (GT) atau naik dibandingkan tahun sebelumnya sebanyak 210,5 juta GT.

Sementara arus peti kemas juga meningkat dari 2,9 juta TEUs pada 2009 menjadi 3,2 juta TEUs di 2010. “Adapun arus barang melonjak dari 110,9 juta ton menjadi 114,9 juta ton,” tegasnya.

Di sisi lain, kinerja keuangan perseroan juga tumbuh positif. Pada 2009, pendapatan tercatat sebanyak Rp2,51 triliun, naik menjadi Rp2,76 triliun di 2010. Sedangkan laba bersih tahun 2010 tercatat sebesar Rp519 miliar. (sut)

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 17.02.11 (Catatan: maaf, kemarin ngga terbit karena antar tamu Komut dan Diopsar keluar kota, thanks).

[160211.EN.SEA] Arm Ships Against Pirates, But Only With Professionals: Expert

A BRITISH security contractor, who wrote "SAS Handbook" has co-authored a report for GAC Protective Solutions, on how to fight Somali pirates, which concludes that the best way is to rely on firms like his own Hereford-based security company, AKE Ltd.

"There needs to be a clear understanding of what constitutes appropriate weaponry that will provide deterrence, and where deterrence fails be capable of neutralising a determined attack," said AKE chief executive Andrew Kain, a former member of the Britain's Special Air Service Regiment.

Mr Kain, whose firm's headquarters is near the main SAS barracks in Hereford, England, near the Welch border, says not to be too impressed with the Somali pirates main armament, the AK-47 and the RPG, but at the same time warns against a do-it-yourself approach in fighting pirates.

"The chances of anyone firing from a moving skiff and hitting what they are aiming for, is very low. A hit with even an RPG7, to do any serious damage, would have to be luckiest shot in the world, and would certainly not be the result of deliberate aimed shot at a specific point on the vessel," he said.

"The RPG7 is a rocket propelled grenade, with very limited capability and effect. The AK47 is a superb close quarter battle weapon, ideal for insurgents, pirates and many others, because of its simplicity and functionality. However, it is a very inaccurate weapon, with little penetration capability," he said.

"Where weapons are deployed, it is absolutely critical that those employed to operate them have the appropriate skills and experience and are also current in weapon use. This requires a category of weapons that can be described as 'specialist'. Pistols, shotguns and single shot rifles are not capable of providing a deterrent. Neither are they capable of effectively stopping a determined armed attack," he said.

Mr Kain also said it was important that the weapons look impressive and be highly visible to pirates, but warned that such choices belonged to experts.

"We can testify to the difficulties experienced by most professional soldiers in achieving hits over 100, 200 and 300 metres, when firing from a stable ground platform against a stationary target. The difficulty increases when there is movement at both ends at which accuracy is replaced by luck," said Mr Kain.

"To achieve and maintain control, the industry needs to institutionalise a better understanding of the actual risks confronting it. It must also have the means to communicate this knowledge to individual ship's masters, officers and crews, so that all can, and do, understand the actual risks and how to mitigate them," Mr Kain said.

Source : HKSG, 14.02.11.