[311215.EN.SEA] Beijing Approves China Merchants Group Acquisition of Sinotrans & CSC Holdings

CHINA has approved another strategic restructuring of two state-owned shipping-related conglomerates, the second such move this month in its effort to assist the shipping industry reeling from slowing global trade and overcapacity.

China Merchants group was given the go-ahead to acquire Sinotrans & CSC by the State Council, China's cabinet, State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (Sasac), according to media reports.

In a statement Sasac said: "Sinotrans & CSC will be wholly merged into China Merchants Group and it will no longer be directly supervised by Sasac".

"The reorganisation aims to achieve economies of scale and synergies, in particular in the areas of logistics, energy and bulk shipping, property development, ports and marine and off-shore engineering between the two groups, to speed up the development of an internationally competitive leading enterprise," logistics provider Sinotrans Ltd. said in a filing to the Hong Kong Exchange.

The two holding companies had combined sales of more than CNY 160 billion (US$25 billion) in 2013, according to their websites and data compiled by Bloomberg, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Sinotrans & CSC's business includes freight forwarding - by water, land and air - and dry-bulk, oil-tanker and container shipping. While China Merchants Group focuses on ports, toll roads and oil and gas shipping, it also has major finance and real estate businesses.

China Merchants Group's total assets at the end of last year exceeded CNY 600 billion (US$92.4) billion), six times that of Sinotrans & CSC, the SCMP reported.

Earlier this month, China also approved the takeover of China Shipping Container Lines (CSCL) by COSCO Container Lines, creating the world's fourth-largest shipper after the tie-up.

Source : HKSG.

[311215.ID.BIZ] Arus Barang: Bukan Eranya Logistik

Bisnis.com, JAKARTA -- Perlambatan ekonomi global berdampak secara nasional menjadi faktor utama yang melemahkan logistik dalam negeri. Arus barang secara drastis turut terseret oleh lemahnya perekonomian.

Data dari Asosiasi Logistik dan Forwarder Indonesia (ALFI) mencatat penurunan kegiatan logistik secara keseluruhan sebanyak 30% ditambah dengan biaya logistik domestik di Indonesia sangat tinggi mencapai 29%-30% dari Produk domestik bruto (PDB). Sebaliknya, data yang dikeluarkan oleh Bank Dunia menyatakan biaya logistik nasional sebesar 24,6% dari PDB.

Konsep tol laut yang diwacanakan sejak akhir 2014 tampaknya belum bisa dirasakan oleh pelaku logistik. Sejumlah regulasi juga belum mendukung aktivitas pergerakan barang bahkan melalui angkutan udara.

Jeratan agen pemeriksa kargo di bandara oleh swasta terus diprotes oleh perusahaan kurir. Walau begitu, ALFI mencatat pengangkutan logistik melalui angkutan udara mengalami kenaikan 2%-3%.

Kenaikan pengiriman barang meng-gunakan angkutan udara lebih dipicu arus perdagangan dalam jaringan (daring) yang makin populer di Indonesia. Bahkan, Asosiasi Logistik Indonesia (ALI) pertumbuhan e-commerce itu di luar Pulau Jawa telah mencapai 110%.

Sebaliknya, Asosiasi Perusahaan Jasa Pengiriman Ekspres, Pos dan Logistik Indonesia (Asperindo) masih pesimistis penurunan biaya logistik terjadi pada 2015. Seperti diketahui, pemerintah menargetkan menurunkan biaya logistik menjadi 19% dari PDB bisa dimulai pada tahun ini sehingga pada 2019 ongkos logistik hanya 16% dari PDB.

Ketua DPP ALFI Yukki N Hanafi menilai masih banyak yang belum dikerjakan secara maksimal oleh pemerintah. Paket deregulasi yang digelontorkan pemerintah belum menyentuh bagian implementasi sehingga tak dirasakan dampaknya oleh pelaku usaha logistik. Yang paling ditunggu tentu saja kehadiran kawasan berikat atau pusat logistik.

Suku bunga bank yang masih tinggi, imbuhnya, malahan tidak mendukung perbaikan arus logistik. “Bagaimana kita mau bersaing kalau kita masih saja yang tertinggi kalau melihat inflasi yang rendah sebetulnya ada momentum kita menurukan suku bunga,” katanya.

BELUM BERDAMPAK

Sementara itu, Supply Chain Indonesia (SCI) mencatatkan selama 2015 pembangunan infrastruktur belum berdampak pada peningkatan keseimbangan penggunaan moda transportasi.

Pengangkutan barang masih banyak didominasi oleh transportasi jalan. Padahal, masih terjadi beberapa kasus keamanan dan keselamatan dalam proses pengiriman barang melalui angkutan darat, seperti perampokan truk.

Pada 2015, pemerintah mulai berupaya meningkatkan efisiensi dan efek-tivitas pengangkutan barang dengan melakukan kajian terhadap pelayaran rute pendek atau short sea shipping.

Pelayaran rute pendek itu resmi dibuka oleh Menteri Perhubungan Ignasius Jonan diawali dengan rute Lampung-Surabaya (pp) diawali dengan satu unit kapal milik PT Atosim Lampung Pelayaran.

“Apresiasi juga perlu diberikan kepada beberapa perusahaan swasta yang terus berupaya mengembangkan fasilitas- fasilitas logistik,” ucap Setijadi, Chairman Supply Chain Indonesia (SCI).

Selain itu, implementasi Sistem Logistik Nasional yang tertuang dalam Peraturan Presiden (Perpres) No. 26/2012, menurutnya, belum efektif yang dapat dilihat dari tingkat pencapaian target Sislognas tahap I periode 2011-2015 yang rendah.

Implementasi Sislognas terkendala oleh tingkatan hukum berbentuk perpres sehingga kurang efektif dan tidak adanya lembaga permanen dalam perbaikan dan pengembangan sektor logistik.

Terakhir, pelaku logistik menuntut pemerintah untuk buka-bukaan menelanjangi komponen biaya logistik pada rangkaian rantai pasok.

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 31.12.15.

[301215.EN.SEA] US West Coast Ports Not Ready For ULCVs: Drewry

INDUSTRY analyst Drewry says US West Coast ports are not ready to handle ultra large container vessels (ULCVs) following the arrival last week of the 18,000-TEU CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin, which called at the Port of Los Angeles.

The vessel is the largest containership to call in the US and will join the Asia-US West Coast 'Pearl River Express' service, part of the CMA CGM's Ocean Three network, which usually operates with 11,400 TEU ships.

Although it is not known yet whether the ship's call at the Port of Los Angeles is just a trial-run, the analyst pointed out that the same vessel is expected to call at the Port of Long Beach in February 2016.

Drewry claimed that while the story is largely "a public relations exercise", it is significant since the ULCVs have until now only been viable in the Asia-Europe route and an additional deployment option would give shipping lines increased operational flexibility.

According to the analyst, West Coast ports have much work to do to improve productivity before being in the position to see ULCVs call on "anything other than an ad-hoc basis", the Container Management reported.

The analyst added that the current vessel upsizing trend in the Asia-United States West Coast (USWC) route will continue to grow as shipping lines like Maersk Line and China Shipping Container Lines Co., Ltd (CSCL) ordered 14,000 TEU vessels for this trade and the existing "cascade of similar ships from Asia-Europe will also increase the average.

In its latest weekly market analysis, Drewry said: "In truth, the arrival of one 18,000 TEU ship, which may not even be full, won't meaningfully test the West Coast terminals' ability to deal with such ships, but at the very least it raises the question of what the USWC ports need to do to get there."

"Bigger ships demand faster container handling speed and operational productivity. However, while overall berth productivity does increase with ship size, it does not increase directly in line," the analyst added.

"This is because the length of ULCVs has not increased in proportion with their TEU intake (they have got wider, deeper and stacked higher instead) meaning the number of gantry cranes deployed per vessel cannot be increased in direct proportion to ship sizes."

The analyst said that despite solutions such as terminal automation and turning ports into 24/7 operations would certainly help to improve productivity, their implementation would demand more flexibility from the unionised dockers, something that it claimed "seems a long way off".

According to Drewry, letting too many mega-ships call at the USWC ports before they are fully ready would be likely to worsen productivity and could add days to the load and discharge time at terminals.

As the analyst added, this would undermine the USWC ports' competitiveness compared to the United States East Coast (USEC) ports, which are soon likely to enjoy the benefits of the Panama Canal's expansion that is expected to almost triple the maximum size of vessels being able to call there.

Source : HKSG.

[301215.ID.BIZ] Larangan Operasi Truk Rugikan Perusahaan Logistik

JAKARTA. Keluarnya Surat Edaran Nomor 48 Tahun 2015 tertanggal 25 Desember terkait larangan beroperasinya kendaraan angkutan barang mulai 30 Desember 2015 sampai 3 Januari 2016 mulai menuai protes perusahaan logistik. Mereka mengaku keberatan atas aturan yang diterapkan tanpa sosialisasi. Aturan yang tiba-tiba ini diklaim akan meningkatkan beban operasional perusahaan.

“Kami ini di logistik kan harus mengejar target tutup tahun yang jumlah justru lebih banyak dari biasanya,” ungkap Kyatmaja Lookman, Managing Director PT Lookmandjdja Logistik kepada KONTAN, Sabtu (26/12) kemarin.

Mau tidak mau dengan aturan ini, perusahaan harus menghentikan proses pengiriman pada tanggal 30 Desember nanti. Padahal sejak beberapa bulan sebelumnya perusahaan sudah merencanakan untuk melakukan pengiriman pada tanggal demi mengantisipasi hari libur pada 31 Desember.

Dalam hitung-hitungan Kyatmaja waktu pengiriman yang semakin singkat ini bakal meningkatkan beban pengiriman 30% lebih tinggi dari perkiraan awal. Namun Kyatmaja masih belum bisa memperkirakan berapa persisnya kerugian tersebut. Kata dia, sudah pasti biaya penyimpanan akan meningkat.

“Kalau semula diperkirakan bisa diselesaikan dalam 7 hari, tapi sekarang kami hanya punya waktu 4 hari, sudah pasti bebannya akan membengkak,” tandasnya.

Menurutnya larangan operasi truk barang ini baru pertama kalinya diterapkan pada saat liburan Natal dan Tahun Baru. Selama ini larangan truk hanya diterapkan pada saat Lebaran saja. Kata dia, khusus untuk mengantisipasi Lebaran saja, biasanya perusahaan sudah membuat perencanaan sejak 2 bulan sebelumnya.

Asal tau saja, surat edaran no 48 tahun 2015 itu muncul setelah terjadi kemacetan cukup parah menuju Jawa Tengah dan Jawa Barat pada 23 Desember lalu. Demi mengantisipasi arus balik, pemerintah pun menghentikan pengoperasian angkutan barang. Truk yang masih boleh melintas khusus berisi sembako dan bahan bakar minyak.

Sumber : Kontan, 29.12.15.

[291215.EN.SEA] CP Disappointed With NS Response, Will Review 'Strategic Alternatives'

THE Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) said it was disappointed in the executive and board of the Norfolk Southern Railway (NS), saying they did not consider the best interests of the shareholders when they rejected CP's merger proposals, and that now CP would "review strategic alternatives" without saying what they were.

Norfolk Southern rejected Canadian Pacific Railway revised bid, reiterating that it was "grossly inadequate" and created "substantial regulatory risks and uncertainties".

CP said it remained confident that a CP-NS combination would secure regulatory approval as a seamless coast-to-coast single-haul service benefits shippers, the industry and the public, and would generate tremendous shareholder value.

"It is apparent that neither the executive leadership at NS nor its board of directors are willing to sit down in an open and constructive dialogue about this transformational opportunity and that the interests of the NS board are not aligned with the best interests of NS shareholders. Therefore CP will review its strategic alternatives," said CP.

Source : HKSG.

[291215.ID.BIZ] Foxconn Berniat Akuisisi Sharp Senilai US$ 2,5 M

TOKYO. Jelang akhir tahun, kabar mengejutkan datang dari Jepang. Kyodo News melaporkan perusahaan Taiwan Hon Hai Precision Industry atau yang lebih dikenal dengan nama Foxconn akan mengakuisisi Sharp Corp.

Nilai aksi korporasi tersebut ditaksir mencapai ¥ 300 miliar atau setara dengan US$ 2,5 miliar. Jumlah tersebut sekitar 50% di atas nilai pasar Sharp saat ini.

Kabar itu langsung membuat harga saham produsen elektronik asal Jepang itu pun melonjak 8,2%. Kemarin, harga saham Sharp dibuka di level ¥ 119 per saham. Sementara, saham Hon Hai turun sedikit di awal perdagangan.

Mengutip CNBC, Hon Hai mengajukan proposal untuk merombak manajemen Sharp termasuk pengunduran diri Presiden Sharp, Kozo Takahashi. Selain itu, Hon Hai juga bersedia mengambil alih utang Sharp. Per September 2015, total kewajiban Sharp mencapai ¥ 760 miliar.

Sejak lama Hon Hai kepincut dengan Sharp. Ketua Hon Hai, Terry Gou berulang kali mengungkap keinginan berinvestasi di perusahaan elektronik tersebut.

Pada tahun 2012, Sharp mempertimbangkan menjual 9,9% saham kepada Hon Hai. Meski kesepakatan itu batal, Gou mengatakan kepada media setempat bahwa ia masih ingin meminang Sharp di tahun 2014 lalu.

Sementara itu, Sharp sedang bekerja keras mengumpulkan dana setelah diselamatkan oleh bank-bank lokal di bulan Mei 2015 untuk kedua kalinya dalam tiga tahun terakhir. Persaingan dengan perusahaan China menggerus bisnis liquid cyrstal display (LCD) Sharp.

Sharp yang bermarkas besar di Osaka telah menderita kerugian selama empat tahun dalam tujuh tahun terakhir. Laba Sharp dalam setahun yang berakhir Maret 2015 hanya ¥ 10 miliar. Realisasi ini jauh di bawah perkiraan sebelumnya yakni ¥ 80 miliar.

Awal bulan ini, sejumlah media Jepang memberitakan Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ), sebuah lembaga dana pemerintah berencana membelah divisi LCD Sharp dan menggabungkan dengan Japan Display Inc.

Sejumlah analis melihat penggabungan tersebut berdampak negatif dalam jangka panjang. "Mereka memiliki beberapa tumpang tindih yang harus dirampingkan," ujar Yasuo Nakane, analis Senior Mizuho Securities seperti dikutip Japan Times.

Sumber : Kontan, 29.12.15.

[281215.EN.BIZ] FESCO's Box Volume and Consolidated Revenue Fall In First Nine Months

ONE of Russia's largest privately owned transportation and logistics company FESCO Transportation Group reported that consolidated revenue in the first nine months of the year decreased 35.6 per cent to US$543.5 million compared to the same period in 2014.

Consolidated EBITDA fell by 32.7 per cent from $131.5 million to $88.5 million, while the group's EBITDA margin increased by 0.7 per cent to 16.3 per cent, according to St Petersburg's PortNews.

The Group's total container throughput in nine-month period decreased by 32 per cent from the same period last year to 259,200 TEU in line with negative market trends. During the same period, general cargo volumes fell 14 per cent to 1.5 million tonnes.

The port division's revenue decreased 36.7 per cent year on year to $89 million on the back of weakening volumes. EBITDA declined 28.8 to $48.2 million while EBITDA margin improved six percentage points to 54.2 per cent due to cost-cutting initiatives.

Rail container transportation by Transgarant and Russkaya Troyka decreased by 11.4 per cent over the first nine months of last year to 209, 600 TEU in 9M2015. Rail Division's revenue in the nine-month period amounted to $81.8 million a decrease of 34.9 per cent year on year due to the effect of currency devaluation.

Source : HKSG.

[281215.ID.OTH] Besok, Gedung Baru KPK Siap Diresmikan

Kabar24.com, JAKARTA -- Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi tak hanya memiliki pemimpin baru. Lembaga antirasuah pun segera menempati gedung baru yang berlokasi tak jauh dari gedung lama di Jalan Rasuna Said C-1.

"Besok (29/11/2015) gedung KPK baru akan dibuka. Soft launching besok jam 9 pagi," ujar Plh Kabiro Humas KPK, Yuyuk Andriati, Senin (28/12/2015).

Peresmian gedung baru yang berlokasi di HR Rasuna Said Kav C-22 ini akan dihadiri para mantan presiden, beberapa menteri, mantan pimpinan KPK dan pegiat antikorupsi.

Namun, Yuyuk masih belum merinci siapa saja mantan presiden dan menteri yang akan hadir dalam soft launching tersebut.

Presiden Joko Widodo juga dijadwalkan hadir dalam peresmian gedung KPK baru.

"RI-1 sampai saat ini masih dijadwalkan hadir," ujar Yuyuk.

Gedung baru KPK berlantai 16 ini direncanakan sejak lama. Gedung 8 lantai yang ditempati KPK saat ini tidak mencukupi untuk menampung pegawai KPK yang sekarang berjumlah sekitar 1.000 orang, peralatan kantor, hingga dokumen-dokumen.

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 28.12.15.

[271215.EN.BIZ] Panama Canal Expansion 96pc Complete, Transit Trials Begin in April

THE Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has announced that the expansion of the waterway is 96 per cent complete.

"We are very close - only four per cent remains to complete the project," said ACP CEO and Administrator Jorge Quijano.

"An expansion of the Panama Canal has never been done and we should all feel very good about where we are today," he said.

The next step is installing the lock reinforcements to be completed next month to be followed by a testing period.

In April, transit trial tests with a chartered vessel in the Atlantic locks will occur following discussions with general contractor GUPC.

The date for the expansion's inauguration will be then be selected, expected to be in the second quarter after which the commercial opening date will be set.

The ACP is building the expanded canal for the long haul, and quality and testing are critical. The ACP will continue to provide updates on the project as more progress and information is made available.

The Panama Canal is run by an autonomous agency of the Government of Panama in charge of managing, operating and maintaining the Panama Canal.

The operation of the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) is based on its organic law and the regulations approved by its Board of Directors. For more information, please refer to the ACP's website: http://www.pancanal.com or follow us on Twitter @thepanamacanal.

Source : HKSG.

[271215.ID.BIZ] Dirjen Hubdat Mundur Karena Macet, Ini Kata KADIN

JAKARTA. Wakil Ketua Umum KADIN Bidang Perhubungan Carmelita Hartoto mengapresiasi langkah Direktur Jenderal Perhubungan Darat Djoko Sasono (foto) yang mengundurkan diri dari jabatannya setelah kemacetan parah yang terjadi sejak Rabu (23/12) malam.

Padahal, menurut Carmelita dalam keterangan tertulis di Jakarta, Sabtu (26/12), kemacetan tersebut tidak sepenuhnya menjadi tanggung jawab Kementerian Perhubungan.

"Kalau melihat secara fair, ini bukan hanya tanggung jawab Kementerian Perhubungan, ada pihak-pihak lain yang secara bersama-sama bertanggung jawab. Akan tetapi, Dirjen Darat mengambil tanggung jawab, ini patut kita apresiasi," katanya.

Carmelita mengatakan bahwa secara historis arus transportasi pada masa libur Natal dan Tahun Baru tidak semasif angkutan Lebaran.

"Ini yang mungkin membuat Kementerian Perhubungan dan Korlantas tidak melakukan kebijakan seperti masa Lebaran karena memang biasanya tidak padat. Kalau Natal dan tahun baru, umumnya ramai di Bandara," katanya.

Namun, kata dia, kondisi tahun ini berbeda. Libur Natal tanggal 25 Desember jatuh pada hari Jumat, ditambah lagi didahului libur Maulid Nabi pada tanggal 24 Desember.

"Orang cukup ambil cuti empat hari, dia bisa libur 11 hari. Ini yang membuat membeludak sebab semua orang ingin liburan. Jadilah kondisi seperti yang kemarin," ujarnya.

Oleh karena itu, Carmelita mengapresiasi langkah Kemenhub menerbitkan larangan truk beroperasi pada masa pergantian tahun.

"Memang beberapa pihak menilai masa larangannya terlalu panjang. Namun, kami melihat ini langkah antisipatif dari pemerintah agar kejadian seperti kemarin bisa diminimalkan," katanya.

Logikanya, lanjut dia, seberapa banyak kendaraan yang keluar dari Jabodetabek pada tengah pekan lalu, akan kembali sama banyaknya pada tahun baru.

"Jadi, kami mendukung. Namun, pengusaha berharap pada tahun depan pemerintah lebih antisipatif sehingga larangan dikeluarkan jauh-jauh hari. Jadi, pengusaha juga bisa membuat perencanaan bisnis," katanya.

Sumber : Kontan, 26.12.15.

[261215.EN.BIZ] US Trade Office Warns Alibaba To Stop Selling Fakes From Online Platforms

THE US trade office is demanding that Alibaba Group Holding Ltd step up efforts to prevent the sale of pirated and counterfeit goods on its online platforms.

The US Trade Representative refrained from putting two Alibaba sites - the business-to-business website Alibaba.com and its hugely popular Taobao Marketplace - back on its annual "notorious markets" blacklist.

But the office said it encourages the company to fully cooperate with all copyright and trademark holders to address ongoing complaints, reported Reuters.

Since Alibaba.com was removed from the piracy blacklist in 2011 and Taobao in 2012, the Chinese e-commerce giant has worked towards enforcing anti-counterfeit procedures, but the trade office said it is unclear what effect these measures are having.

"Despite these new procedures, USTR is increasingly concerned by rights holders' reports that Alibaba Group's enforcement programme is too slow, difficult to use, and lacks transparency", the trade office said, referring to complaints from trademark holders that sell merchandise on the site.

Source : HKSG.

[261215.ID.BIZ] SCG Chemicals Tambah Kapasitas 30,7 % Tahun Depan

JAKARTA. Salah satu anak usaha Siam Cement Group (SCG) yang bergerak di industri petrokimia, yakni SCG Chemicals mulai memantapkan bisnisnya di Indonesia dengan menambah kapasitas produksi tahun depan.

Nantapong Chantrakul, Country Director SCG Indonesia mengatakan, kapasitas produksi akan dinaikkan menjadi 1,3 juta ton pertahun. Kapasitas ini meningkat 30,7% dari kapasitas yang ada sekarang yang sebesar 900.000 ton pertahun.

Sayangnya, ia enggan merinci lebih jauh mengenai biaya yang dikeluarkan buat peningkatan kapasitas ini. Selain Indonesia, SCG Chemical juga memiliki pabrik di Vietnam dan negara asalnya Thailand.

Menurut Nantapong, sejauh ini permintaan pasar untuk produk kimia sekitar 2,5 juta ton pertahun. Sementara perusahaan baru bisa memenuhi 50%, sisanya masih harus diimpor.

di Indonesia, SCG Chemical memiliki tiga plant produksi, yakni di Gresik, Banten, dan Tuban. Pabrik Gresik memiliki total produksi PVC Resin sebesar 120.000 ton pertahun, dan pabrik Tuban memiliki total produksi 1, 8 juta ton naptha, paraxylene, dan benzene pertahun.

Sedangkan pabrik di Banten memiliki total produksi 2,056 juta ton ethylene, propylene, HDPE/LLDPE, PP, dan SM.

Mengacu pada laporan keuangan perusahaan, sejauh ini penjualan perusahaan untuk kimia adalah 203.539 juta Baht atau setara dengan Rp 79 miliar (1 bath= Rp 388). perusahaan mencatatkan laba tahun ini sebesar 2.690 juta Baht atau senilai Rp 1.045 miliar, menurun 76% dari tahun sebelumnya.

Penyusutan laba disebabkan oleh menurunnya siklus dalam industri petrokimia dan perlambatan ekonomi global. Namun perusahaan optimistis sampai tahun depan industri kimia akan terus tumbuh.

Sumber : Kontan, 23.12.15.

[251215.EN.BIZ] Amazon Said To Be Leasing 20 Boeing Jets To Rival Erstwhile Supplier UPS

JUST a few weeks after Amazon purchased thousands of truck trailers to transport goods across the US, announcing "Amazon Prime Air" (drone delivery) and rolling out the "Amazon Flex" delivery system in 10 metro areas this year, the online retail giant appears to be in talks to lease 20 Boeing 767 aircraft for its own air-cargo business.

"It is becoming increasingly clear that Amazon plans to flesh out its own delivery system independent of UPS, and we expect this system to make significant strides in 2016," observed online financial portal, Seeking Alpha.

"UPS will lose Amazon business at some point in time, and we believe that a large portion of this loss will happen in 2016.

"The threat of Amazon becoming a direct competitor with UPS for e-commerce delivery is a possibility considering Amazon's path with AWS (Amazon Web Services)."

The analysts believe that on account of Amazon going head to head with UPS, the traditional package delivery market in the US is prime for disruption sooner than initially expected.

By leasing the jets, the company intends to build own its cargo operation, while reducing its dependency on carriers such as United Parcel Service and FedEx, said the report.

Amazon has reportedly approached several cargo-aircraft lessors, a senior aircraft-leasing company executive with knowledge about Amazon's plan, told the Seattle Times.

The company had also held talks with Air Transport Service Group (ATSG), Atlas Air and Kalitta Air. A source in the cargo industry has said that Amazon intends to kick off its air cargo operation by the end of January 2016.

"I believe they are serious about looking at this. They are not going to hang about," said the leasing executive.

Amazon could also deliver for other companies, and compete with UPS and FedEx, said one analyst. Other retailers could store their products in Amazon warehouses, allowing Amazon to manage delivery and distribution.

This is turn would help Amazon to keep the cargo planes loaded, even after the massive spike in sales once the holiday sales season passes.

Source : HKSG.

[251215.ID.BIZ] Layani Tiket Kereta Api, Tokopedia Beri Diskon 50%

JAKARTA. Situs jual beli online Tokopedia.com baru saja melengkapi layanan dengan melakukan pembuka penjualan tiket moda transportasi kereta api.

Bekerja sama dengan PT Kereta Api Indonesia layanan ini resmi dimulai pada hari ini (Senin 21/12).

“Sebagai bentuk dukungan, kami akan menggelar promo di langkah awal kerja sama,” ujar Melissa Siska Juminto, Vice President Tokopedia dalam keterangan tertulisnya, Senin (21/12).

Nantinya konsumen yang melakukan pembelian tiket kereta api di Tokopedia akan mendapatkan potongan harga sebesar 50% dan khusus bagi pemegang kartu kredit ANZ diskon yang diberikan bisa berlipat yaitu 50%+50%.

Kata Melissa, promo tersebut akan dilangsungkannya sampai 31 Desember mendatang.

“Promo ini sekaligus bertujuan untuk mengedukasi pasar. Kami ingin masyarakat mengenal jalur alternatif yang lebih mudah untuk membeli tiket kereta api, yaitu melalui Tokopedia,” paparnya.

Tak hanya tiket kereta api, rencananya tahun 2016 nanti pihaknya akan terus melakukan pengembangan yang bisa dinikmati oleh masyarakat.

Namun, ia masih belum bersedia membocorkan apa yang akan dirilisnya.

Menurutnya Tokopedia pasti akan selalu berinovasi dari waktu ke waktu.

Sumber : Kontan, 21.12.15.

[241215.EN.BIZ] DC Illinois Democrats Against Canadian Pacific-Norfolk Southern Merger

ILLINOIS Senator Dick Durban, and fellow Democrats of the state delegation to the US Congress have written a letter to the Surface Transportation Board (STB) urging careful review of the "negative impact' of a merger of the Canadian Pacific (CP) and Norfolk Southern (NS) railways.

To which Canadian Pacific CEO Hunter Harrison replied, first chiding the lawmakers for not coming to him before going to the media, and then iteming their apparent misconceptions of the proposed take-over.

But first, Sen Durbin and his Illinois congressional delegation's concerns, addressed to STB chairman Daniel Elliott.

"First, we urge the STB to carefully consider the potential negative impact of the proposal with respect to building a more efficient freight network in Chicago," the lawmakers said.

"If new routes are planned, it is critical that STB carefully and transparently examine the effect on communities along those new routes. Second, the STB should consider the economic impact on shipping in Illinois and the United States," the letter said.

"Will the merger take business away from Illinois and the United States by diverting business to Canada? Third, CP is targeting US$1.8 billion of 'synergies' that would be achieved through headcount, locomotive fleet, a lower tax rate, and operations rationalisation.

"We urge the STB to review and comprehensively examine the economic effects of such a consolidation on local industries and jobs in the Chicago region. If CP is proposing to cut costs on the backs of Illinois workers, the STB has a responsibility to disclose details of such a proposal," the letter said.

"During the Stub’s review process, it is critical that the STB ensure the independence of the two railroads. We have deep concern over public comments made by the CEO of CP, expressing his intent to immediately assume control of NS during the tendency of the STB's review process as a "voting trust."

"It is directly contrary to the prohibition on 'unlawful control' set forth in the STB's regulations and enshrined in federal law," the letter said.

Not so, said Mr Harrison, the Canadian Pacific CEO. "Let me first clarify what is contemplated. CP contemplates that the CP operating entities would be placed in an irrevocable voting trust under an independent trustee," he told the politicians.

"I would sever ties with CP and be hired as CEO at the newly acquired NS. Pending regulatory approval of the combination," he said.

"CP and NS would continue to operate as independent carriers and vigorous competitors. Neither I nor the CP holding company would exercise any control over the carrier in trust," he wrote.

"At NS, my sole objective would be to make NS a stronger, more efficient, and more competitive railroad, consistent with my record at IC [Illinois Central], CN [Canadian National] and CP. What we are proposing is not new.

"It is similar to the CN-IC transaction, where I resigned my position at IC which was put in trust, and moved to CN to begin making operational improvements prior to regulatory approval.

"We understand your concerns regarding jobs. Be assured that our intent is that reductions in headcount would be achieved through attrition. As demonstrated at the Illinois Central, the Canadian National and CP, our model seeks to realise greater efficiencies and create a more competitive carrier on a sustainable basis; it is not a 'cut to the bone' approach," he said.

Source : HKSG.

[241215.ID.BIZ] Pabrik Toshiba Indonesia Dijual ¥ 3 M ke Skyworth

TOKYO. Pabrik Toshiba di Indonesia ternyata dijual ke perusahaan Hong Kong Skyworth senilai ¥ 3 miliar (atau sekitar US$ 24, juta/ Rp 337,67 miliar).

Demikian diungkapkan President CEO Toshiba Corporation dalam jumpa persnya, Senin sore (21/12) di Tokyo, Jepang.

Hal itu merupakan bagian dari restrukturisasi perusahaan elektronik yang mengalami kerugiaan ratusan miliar yen.

Sekitar 7.800 karyawan Toshiba baik dalam dan luar Jepang akan direstrukturisasi, sehingga total senilai ¥ 550 miliar per Maret 2016 dapat terselamatkan. Jumlah tersebut merupakan nilai terbesar dalam sejarah Toshiba Corporation.

Salah satu upaya tersebut juga dengan menjual pabrik televisi dan mesin cuci Toshiba di Indonesia kepada perusahaan Hongkong Skyworth dengan nilai ¥ 3 miliar.

Selain itu, perusahaan masih mencari pembeli untuk bisnis healthcare (perawatan kesehatan).

Di kantor pusat Toshiba sendiri, 1.000 karyawannya akan segera direstrukturisasi. Tahun ini saja pengurangan jumlah karyawan sekitar 10.600 orang.

Selain itu Toshiba juga akan menjual kantornya di dalam negeri Jepang yang ada di kota Ome.

"Kerugian operasi perusahaan per Maret 2016 diperkirakan akan mencapai ¥ 340 miliar," ungkap Musashi Muromachi, President dan CEO Toshiba Corporation.

Perusahaan ini memprediksi akan membukukan kerugian rekor mencapai ¥ 500 miliar yen atau setara dengan US$ 4 miliar pada tahun fiskal ini.

Sejumlah analis menyebutkan, Tosiba harus memangkas ruang lingkup bisnis mereka untuk kembali meraup keuntungan. Berdasarkan prediksi analis, laba bersih Toshiba diperkirakan sekitar 56,6 miliar yen dalam 12 bulan yang berakhir Maret 2016. Tahun sebelumnya, Toshiba membukukan kerugian senilai 37,8 miliar yen. (Richard Susilo dari Tokyo).

Sumber : Kontan, 22.12.15.

[231215.EN.BIZ] Drewry: Further Carrier Mergers May Do No Good, But Is There Any Choice?

DESPITE the current wave of mergers, London's Drewry Maritime Research doubts much good will come of further consolidation because it would only lead to the sector's massive overcapacity falling into fewer hands.

Yet with 55 per cent of the market in the hands of five top carriers this poses an existential threat to the numerous yet much smaller surviving carriers, now left with little option but respond with further consolidation.

But such tendencies are countered by subdued valuations, making such options less appealing, said Drewry.

The union of CMA CGM and APL, and the expected Cosco-CSCL merger help the newly expanded liner companies close the gap on Maersk Line and Mediterranean Shipping Co at the top of the rankings.

This is will mean that the top five largest carriers will control 55 per cent of the world's container fleet.

In the case of CMA CGM's takeover of NOL, Drewry said that while both parties can claim some victory in the valuation of the sale, there are signs that the deal is merely a one-off.

CMA CGM will purchase NOL for US$2.4 billion, or 96 per cent of the book value of the company's shareholders' equity of $2.5 billion, while NOL's shareholders will secure a 49 per cent premium on the share value before the company announced it was engaged in sale talks in July.

This book price is low in comparison with the two major deals concluded a decade ago for P&O Nedlloyd and CP Ships, but is on the high side when set against the current industry average of 80 per cent, said Drewry.

"Nonetheless, selling below book value is hardly likely to encourage other owners to rush to sell and neither have NOL's peers seen any significant uplift in their share valuation, something that usually occurs when further M&A in a sector is anticipated," said Drewry.

Drewry highlighted that in 2005 the book price multiples were much higher as those deals followed several years of record profits for carriers.

Source : HKSG.

[231215.ID.BIZ] Kontainer Menginap Lebih Dari 3 Hari Akan Didenda

JAKARTA. Tanpa dihadiri Direktur Utama Pelindo II, rapat kabinet terbatas memutuskan akan memberikan denda bagi kontainer yang menginap lebih dari tiga malam di pelabuhan. Selama ini, tarif sewa menyimpan kontainer di area pelabuhan cukup rendah, yaitu Rp 28.500 per hari.

Usai rapat kabinet terbatas, Menko bidang Maritim Rizal Ramli mengatakan Menteri BUMN telah menyetujui untuk memperketat penyimpanan kontainer. Yaitu, dengan memberikan denda bagi setiap kontainer yang menginap lebih dari tiga hari di pelabuhan.

Rizal sendiri mengusulkan denda yang diberikan sebesar Rp 5 juta per hari. Namun, jika di bawah tiga hari pemerintah akan menggratiskan. Selama ini rencana aturan ini tidak disetujui pihak Pelindo II. Namun, keputusan itu akhirnya diambil alih oleh Menteri BUMN.

Sementara berapa besaran denda pastinya akan ditetapkan nanti oleh Menteri BUMN. "Habis diperiksa, boleh disimpan gratis dalam tiga hari," kata Rizal, Selasa (22/12) di Istana Negara, Jakarta.

Prinsipnya, denda yang diberikan harus tinggi. Supaya pemilik kontainer tidak menginapkan berlama-lama di pelabuhan. Mereka selama ini memilih menyimpan kontainer di pelabuhan dengan alasan biayanya jauh lebih murah dibandingkan jika menyimpan di luar pelabuhan.

Dengan kebijakan ini, Rizal yakin waktu tunggu barang di pelabuhan atau dwelling time akan berkurang satu hari. Saat ini dwelling time rata-rata masih 4,39 hari.

Sumber : Kontan, 22.12.15.

[221215.EN.BIZ] China Southern, Xiamen Airlines to Buy US$10 Billion in Boeing Planes

CHINA Southern Airlines and its unit, Xiamen Airlines, have agreed to buy US$10 billion in Boeing aircraft, said a filing on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, Reuters reported.

China Southern, the country's largest airline by fleet size, has agreed to purchase 50 B737MAX and 30 B737 Next Generation aircraft, while Xiamen Airlines has agreed to buy 30 B737 MAX planes.

The total value of the deals is CNY65.07 billion (US$10.04 billion), according to the stock exchange filings. Boeing, in a separate statement, valued China Southern's 80-plane order at $8.38 billion.

The deal comes less than three months after China President Xi Jinping visited Boeing's widebody commercial aircraft factory during his state visit to the United States.

Boeing announced orders and commitments for 300 Boeing aircraft during Xi's visit, as well a partnership with Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (Comac) to open a China completion centre for the delivery of Boeing 737 aircraft.

Source : HKSG.

[221215.ID.BIZ] IMF: Ekonomi Iran Akan Menderita Hingga Sanksi Dicabut

Bisnis.com, WASHINGTON - Ekonomi Iran akan terus menderita sampai sanksi internasional dicabut dan negara ini mampu secara signifikan meningkatkan ekspor minyaknya, Dana Moneter Internasional (IMF) mengatakan, Senin (22/12/2015).

"Penurunan tajam harga minyak dunia, neraca keuangan perusahaan dan bank yang ketat, serta penundaan konsumsi dan keputusan investasi menjelang pencabutan sanksi ekonomi, telah secara signifikan memperlambat aktivitas ekonomi sejak kuartal keempat 2014/15," kata IMF dalam ulasan tahunannya.

Akibatnya, pertumbuhan ekonomi riil diperkirakan mendekati nol (-0,5% hingga 0,5%) untuk 2015-16. Inflasi diperkirakan akan tetap dekat 14% hingga akhir tahun.

"Prospek untuk 2016/17 lebih cerah, karena pencabutan sanksi ekonomi. Produksi minyak yang lebih tinggi, biaya lebih rendah untuk transaksi perdagangan dan keuangan, serta dikembalikannya akses ke aset-aset di luar negeri, diperkirakan akan mengangkat PDB riil ke sekitar 4,0%-5,5% tahun depan," kata IMF.

IMF mendesak Iran untuk melakukan kebijakan moneter dan fiskal yang hati-hati sebagai cara untuk menjaga inflasi di bawah 10%.

IMF juga memuji pengumuman oleh pemerintah Iran bahwa pihaknya akan menyatukan pasar valuta asing dan menghapus pembatasan valuta asing serta beberapa praktek mata uang.

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 22.12.15.

[211215.EN.BIZ] IATA Misses Its Annual Target For Electronic Air Waybill Penetration

THE estimated penetration of the electronic air waybill (e-AWB) this year was not likely to rise above a disappointing 40 per cent, despite the acceleration of companies jumping on the e-AWB bandwagon, conceded the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

This was well short of the 2015 target of 45 per cent, said IATA. "Nonetheless, IATA has set a new global e-AWB penetration target of 56 per cent by the end of 2016, citing steady growth in the past 12 months," the group's statement.

IATA said the number of airlines, forwarders, and major-airports where e-AWB penetration exceeds 50 per cent penetration has doubled, reported Atlanta area Air Cargo World.

The importance of making this transition to paperless e-AWBs easier for forwarders to adopt is essential, IATA said. Growing numbers of airlines are committing to the concept of the single process, meaning air carriers will be responsible for ensuring that each shipment destination accepts e-AWBs.

Source : HKSG.

[211215.ID.BIZ] KAI dan AP I Siap Wujudkan Kereta Bandara

JAKARTA. PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) dan PT Angkasa Pura I (AP I) baru saja menyepakati kerja sama untuk menyelenggarakan moda transportasi kereta bandara.

Dalam nota kesepahaman yang ditanda tangani Sabtu (19/12) kemarin, kedua perusahaan pelat merah menyepakati untuk bekerja sama membuka akses kereta api di 4 bandara yang dikelola oleh PT Angkasa Pura I.

“Nantinya aka nada kereta api yang masuk ke bandara,” ujar Edi Sukmoro, Presiden Direktur PT Kereta Api Indonesia kepada KONTAN, Minggu (20/12).

Adapun 4 bandara milik PT AP I yang akan dikembangkan dilalui kereta pelabuhan adalah empat bandara yang dikelola Angkasa Pura I, yaitu Bandara Juanda Surabaya, Bandara Sultan Hasanuddin Makassar, Bandara Adi Sumarmo Solo, dan Bandara Baru Yogyakarta di Kulonprogo.

Diantara keempatnya, Edi memperkirakan yang paling cepat terwujud adalah proyek kereta bandara di Surabaya.

Dalam hitung-hitungannya jika proyek tram di kota Surabaya bisa beroperasi pada 2019, maka proyek kereta bandara juga bisa beroperasi pada saat yang bersamaan. Menurutnya proyek kereta bandara di Juanda menyesuaikan proyek tram di kota pahlawan tersebut.

Sementara itu bagi PT AP I sendiri, kerja sama dengan PT KAI ini memang sengaja dilakukan untuk memudahkan akses penumpang menuju bandara.

Sulistyo Wimbo Harjito, Direktur Utama PT AP I mengatakan penandatanganan MoU ini juga sebagai bentuk keseriusan Angkasa Pura I dalam memberikan pelayanan prima kepada para pelanggannya.

"Diharapkan dengan kesepakatan ini maka masyarakat, terutama pengguna jasa bandara, akan semakin mudah dalam melakukan perpindahan antarmoda transportasi,” tutupnya.

Sumber : Kontan, 21.12.15.