[210415.EN.SEA] Intra-Asia's Value and Volume Booms As Rising Middle Class Demand Grows

THE appearance of larger vessels in intra-Asia trade lanes has prompted expectations of significant growth in that market's cargo value and volume, reports London's Loadstar.

First it noted that Thai feeder operator Regional Container Lines (RCL) has deployed larger vessels on its Singapore-Manila (RMN) and Singapore-Ho Chi Minh (RHS) services, upsizing vessels from 1,600 TEU to 2,000 TEU and 1,080 TEU to 1,600 TEU.

And later this month, RCL will also launch a direct service between Thailand and Myanmar, said the report.

Despite slower growth in 2014, the intra-Asia market is still fastest-growing trade route worldwide, with recent estimates from Maersk Line's intra-Asia subsidiary, MCC Transport, placing volumes at 30 million TEU a year.

With feedering and cabotage, that figure could be as high as 35 million TEU, according to MCC, and represent 22 per cent of the entire global container trade.

What strikes RCL vice president Charlie Chu is that the growth of the middle class in Asia as a driver of demand.

"We see higher-value, finished cargo being shipped within Asia as the middle class continues to grow - thereby there is more use of 40ft high-cubed versus 20ft containers," he said.

"We are seeing greater competition in intra-Asia from the global carriers as it now has the biggest trade volumes in the world at a high level [of freight rates]," said Mr Chu.

Other new or upgraded services include those recently announced by "K" Line, APL, Evergreen, Pacific International Lines (PIL), Hanjin Shipping and OOCL.

"K" Line launched a service between China and south east Asia, while Singapore's APL will add a new call at Jubail, Saudi Arabia, to its West Asia Express (WAX) service.

Meanwhile Taiwan's Evergreen has upgraded its intra-Asia offering by launching a Taiwan, Shenzhen-Shekou to Malacca Strait service (TSS), as well as a dedicated Taiwan-Hong Kong loop (THK).

Singapore's PIL made its intentions clear by taking a major shareholding in Mariana Express Lines, which specialises in shipments to Hawaii and the Pacific islands, said Loadstar.

Come April 27, PIL will join "K" Line and Hanjin to launch the weekly China Straits Express. The service will link ports in China, Thailand and Vietnam with four 2,500 TEU vessels.

Last month, Hong Kong's OOCL introduced the Central PRC/South East Asia Service (CSS), loop to enhance its portfolio in the intra-Asia market. The CSS will provide direct connections between central Chinese ports, Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore, Jakarta and Laem Chabang.

Another development is escalating ship sizes that has resulted in cascading postpanamaxes into intra-Asia networks.

"Mega alliances and vessels will create opportunities for us to combine shipper-owned container (SOC) and carrier-owned container (COC) loadings on the same service, allowing us to string up longer and more frequent port-to-port services that meet the combined needs of SOC and COC customers," said Mr Chu.

On the impact of vessel upsizing and mega alliances on Asia's port productivity, Mr Chu pointed out some potential limitations.

"Draft, terminal productivity and congestion issues may limit upsizing and enjoy lowest unit cost per TEU on a number of intra-Asia corridors.

"Terminals are becoming increasingly congested in Asia, with securing a preferred berth an issue at times. In some countries, there is also limited investment in some facilities, with politics and finances being issues," he said.

Source : HKSG, 21.04.15 / Illustration : Bignews.big.

[210415.ID.BIZ] Teknologi Akan Ubah Wajah Bisnis Dunia

Bisnis.com, JAKARTA – Penggunaan teknologi, khususnya software, mobile, dan ecommerce diprediksi akan mengubah wajah bisnis di dunia pada masa yang akan datang. Sementara itu, pasar Asia menjadi sangat menarik bagi para produsen dunia karena penggunaan media social yang sangat tinggi.

Chief Executive Officer Asia-Pasifik Dentsu Aegi Network Nick Waters mengatakan, media social dan mobile akan akan memiliki peran yang besar bagi perekonomian dunia. Dari perspektif konsumen, sambung Waters, saat ini pelanggan mobile  memiliki jumlah yang lebih besar dibanding jumlah populasi manusia.

Kawasan Asean, sambungnya, memiliki peluang ekonomi yang paling menggairahkan yang tampak pada 10 – 15 tahun terakhir. Saat ekonomi China melambat, para  produsen langsung mengalihkan perhatian mereka ke  Asean.

“Prediksinya Asean akan terus berkembang. Rumah tangga di Asean dengan  jumlah penghasilan yang cukup besar akan berlipat ganda dalam lima tahun ke depan,” ujar Waters.

Filipina menjadi negara yang menghabiskan waktu di media social lebih banyak dari negara lain. Sementara Jakarta menjadi ibukota pengguna twitter Dunia. Bandung pun menempati posisi 10 besar kota dengan pengguna Twitter terbesar.

“Ada tren baru di media social, mobile, dan ecommerce, di mana keterlibatan brand semakin mendekat. Harga smartphone pun semakin murah melalui manufaktur india dan china. Selain itu produsen domestik mempermurah tarif operator, kita butuh semakin banyak kompetitor agar tarifnya semakin murah.”

Waters menyebutkan, dengan situasi yang berkembang saat ini memunculkan peluang yang sangat besar yang merangsang kewirausahaan dan menciptakan lapangan pekerjaan.

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 21.04.15

[200415.EN.SEA] Drewry Expects No Relief From Oversupply of Containership Tonnage in 2015

EXCESS growth in tonnage supply in 2015 is in store for container shipping as the more deliveries are expected with no let up in sight, says Drewry Maritime Research.

The delivery of over 60 mega ships in 2015 in the 15,000-TEU range is expected to cause problems for trade route managers - made worse by a slow growth in the global economy, said the London research house.

Some 40 ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs) have been ordered since January with orders coming from CMA CGM as well as OOCL's record-breaking order of six 21,000-TEU ships, reports the UK's Port Technology.

This does not include any provision for Maersk and Cosco orders yet to be finalised. Drewry believes that new orders for ULCVs of at least 18,000 TEU are pushing back the date when supply and demand are expected to meet.

"The industry paid a heavy price for the huge ordering it undertook in 2006/07 and it seems that four years after Maersk spent US$3.8 billion on its Triple Es, history is repeating with many joining or are about to join this now not so exclusive club," said Drewry box analyst Neil Dekker.

"The one difference this time around is that the operational agreements should mean that not all top 20 lines will make this big step," he said.

"The decision by Maersk and MSC to downgrade the average size of ships on one of their European strings to the east coast of South America from 9,000 TEU to 5,500 TEU may not seem particularly important in the grand scheme of things.

"But all ocean carriers have argued that deploying new and big ships across every trade route is strategically critical. This is the first sign that on routes where trade growth is weak, the lower slot cost per unit argument is simply not enough because freight rates dive to well below sub-economic levels," Mr Dekker said.

Source : HKSG.

[200415.ID.OTH] KBRI Yaman Luluh Lantak Dihantam Misil Scud

Bisnis.com, JAKARTA-- Kedutaan Besar RI (KBRI) di Sanaa, Yaman, terkena bom yang mengakibatkan dua orang staf KBRI luka ringan.

Demikian keterangan Kepala Sub Direktorat Repatriasi dan Bantuan Sosial Kementerian Luar Negeri RI Aji Surya seperti dikutip Antara, Senin (20/4/2015).

"Bom itu mengakibatkan dua korban luka ringan, sementara beberapa staff KBRI lainnya menyelamatkan diri di kediaman Duta Besar RI di Sanaa," ujarnya.

Dia menambahkan bom tersebut menghancurkan 90% dari Gedung KBRI.

Reuters melaporkan, Senin (20/4//2015) penyebabnya hancurnya Gedung KBRI diduga karena terkena imbas serangan udara yang ditujukan pada basis misil Scud di gunung Faj Attan, Sanaa.

Serangan udara itu menimbulkan ledakan sangat besar di sekitar lokasi, sehingga sejumlah rumah dan kantor kedutaan rusak parah. Di dekat distrik Hadda, terdapat istana kepresidenan dan sejumlah kedutaan, termasuk kedutaan besar Indonesia.

Foto yang dimiliki Reuters menunjukkan, asap hitam membubung tinggi udara tak lama setelah serangan terjadi. Warga sekitar bernama Adel Mansour mengatakan, ini adalah ledakan terbesar yang dia lihat selama serangan dari Arab Saudi dan koalisi terjadi tiga pekan terakhir.

Arab Saudi sudah memimpin aliansi Arab Sunni untuk menyerang kalangan Syiah Houthi yang loyal kepada mantan presiden Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 20.04.15.

[190415.EN.SEA] GESTAŞ Ferry "Gokceada 1" Went Aground with 198 Passengers Onboard

Ferry liner between Kabatepe Port at Gallipoli Peninsula and Kuzulimanı Port at the Nort of Gokceada Island went aground with 198 pax onboard and 11 crew.

Çanakkale Gökçeada district with car and passenger ferry between Port Kabatepe, ran aground near Kuzulimanı harbour, in the North East of Gokceada island. Name of the ferry is also Gokceada 1. The ferry has went aground for an "unknown" reason, officials said. Accident took place at 16:09 hrs, on 19 April 2015 (Today)

Canakkale Governor Ahmet Cinar, said in a statement, "Reason for grounding is not clear. There is no hurt, does not seem to be a problem at the moment. There are passengers and vehicles onboard, a tug is proceeding to the accident site from Canakkale. Tug will tow the ferry into the port"

198 passengers on board, was reportedly found 209 people, including 11 crew.

Tug named "Kurtarma 7" belonging to Turkish Coastal Safety Administration, reportedly proceeding to the area.

UPDATE: All passengers reportedly rescued by Monday morning. It was reported that the number of passengers onboard were 188. All 188 passengers were rescued after 14 difficult hours onboard grounded vessels. Some of the cars in the ferry's car deck crashed doe to heavy roll. In evacuating the passengers, Kiyi Emniyeti 9 fast rescue boat, Kurtarma 7 tugboat and one coast guard boat has been used. 

Some of the passengers had nervous breakdown because they were reportedly left without information by the ferry operator GESTAŞ. Experts said that 14 hours were risky for the passengers because the ship was very close to the rocky shore and could sink in the meantime. It was unknown why the passengers were not evacuated before when the accident just happened.

Source : SN-TR, 19.04.15.

[190415.ID.BIZ] Wah, Tarif Angkutan Darat Bisa Lebih Mahal

Bisnis.com, JAKARTA - Menteri Perhubungan Ignasius Jonan menilai para operator angkutan berbasis jalan raya melakukan perang tarif sehingga mengabaikan kelengkapan kendaraan yang berkaitan dengan keselamatan transportasi.

Karena itu, pihaknya berencana melakukan pengetatan tarif sehingga para operator bisa menyisihkan budjet guna menunjang kelengkapan keselamatan transportasi darat berbasis jalan raya.

“Sekarang ini angkutan banting-bantingan tarif sehingga lampu satu mati tidak apa-apa, ban gundul setengah tidak apa-apa. Kami akan tegakkan itu,” paparnya, Jumat (19/4/2015).

Dia mengatakan jika Kementerian Perhubungan melakukan pengetatan aturan maka para operator angkutan harus melaksanakan ketentuan sesuai peraturan yang berlaku. Jika aturan diketatkan, maka menurutnya sebagai konsekuensi tarif angkutan tidak bisa terlalu murah.

“Kalau mau murah tapi pelayanan naik, tentu sulit. Logikanya agar dari tarif itu, bisa disisihkan anggaran untuk menambah fasilitas yang berhubungan dengan aspek keselamatan. Bisa ban, bisa lampu dan semacamnya,” ujarnya.

Menurut Jonan, Kemenhub bisa melakukan penegakkan aturan di bidang keselamatan transportasi darat berbasis jalan raya paling lambat 2017 mendatang setelah pengujian keur kendaraan, operasional jembatan timbang serta terminal diambil alih oleh pemerintah pusat.

Sumber : Bisnis Indonesia, 19.04.15 / Kredit Foto : MetroTV.

[180415.EN.BIZ] Dane Wins First World Crane Championship Organised by Hiab

THE first ever World Crane Championships held at the Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham has been won by Johnny Jensen from Denmark, who took away a prize of EUR25,000 (US$26,940) for his winning time of two minutes 18 seconds.

To win Mr Jensen had to manoeuvre a crane manufactured by Cargotec unit Hiab, the X-HiPro 192, through a series of obstacles. The aim of the competition was to beat a time set by one of the company’s crane professionals on a challenging course, which included toppling water-filled drums with a load whilst keeping the crane below a crossbar.

Said Haib vice president Carl Gustaf Goransson: "The enthusiasm for the World Crane Championships has been tremendous, with people flying in from all over world, and a staggering amount of interest from the media and spectators."

He said that the success of this event means that the company is committed to holding it annually, and the next competition will be staged in Germany at the IAA Exhibition.

Source : SN – TR, 18.04.15.