What's happening in Europe
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Given impasse with Russia, Hamburg looks to its hinterland to revive Hanseatic glory |
HAMBURG's seemingly inevitable ascent into tonnage heaven, certainly to European pre-eminence, appears to have stalled as its current box volumes show disappointing results. Such news has dampened dreams of restoring the glory of the Hanseatic League when Hamburg dominated trade for 400 years - even once controlled three acres of London, rather like Hong Kong, where German traders could live under their own law.
But don't talk Hamburg down, warns Senator Frank Horch when the disappointing port figures were released. "Anybody familiar with the port business will realise that the Port of Hamburg's success cannot be measured solely in TEU. Its success is composed of many elements."
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Born again Panama Canal presents reefer opportunities with a European focus |
RAPID development of containerships with reefer plugs has been so pronounced that the expansion of the Panama Canal now heralds a new era of deploying economies of scale to ship vast quantities of perishables to the right place at the right price.
- And that's Europe.
With the increase in European consumption of these goods, the reefer trade is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years, writes Argelis Moreno De Ducreux, the Panama Canal Authority's vice president for planning and development. Europe is key, she writes in Fort Lauderdale's Maritime Executive. The Panama Canal expansion will bring new opportunities to this market segment, offering the capacity necessary to respond to this growth, which will boost the trade in refrigerated products.
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Billions in extra low sulphur compliance costs loom for shipping by 2020 |
SHIPOWNERS and bunker suppliers at the Platts European Bunker Fuel conference in Rotterdam have voiced concern at vast compliance costs involved with new stringent sulphur regulations, and called for more clarity on what the impact would be on prices of imported consumer goods.
"While the total costs of 2015 [ECA (emissions control area) zone] requirements were around US$500 million, the 2020 requirements could add an annual cost in the order of $5 billion to $30 billion for the container shipping industry," said Maersk Oil Trading development manager Dea Forchhammer, citing recent OECD figures.
While not opposed to the global 0.5 per cent sulphur cap, Maersk is concerned that other shipping lines would baulk at these costs, and avoid compliance by using cheaper, higher sulphur fuel to undercut them on freight rates, she said.
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France is afflicted with discontent, but are unions strong enough to keep the mood dark |
FRENCH President Francois Hollande faces the most serious public unrest since he came to office four years ago. Whatever remedial action he devises, volcanic fissures erupt like molten lava destroying whatever peace his latest compromise has achieved.
We have seen the country's refineries on strike and fuel shortages spread throughout the land. Protesters have blockaded refineries and fuel depots, causing shortages and long lines at petrol stations. Air traffic controllers and electrical workers have joined in. And the turmoil has exacerbated a labour dispute already underway at the national railroad.
But keeping the mood of France dark and angry is becoming an increasingly difficult task for unions. Even though they still play a key role in negotiating labour contracts, unions have never been weaker.
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We've heard the dreaded 'P' word enough in the past to be beyond this |
GLOBALISATION has long since proven its worth, opening up new markets, and bringing efficiencies that make everyone better off, writes economist Peter Hall in his weekly Export Development Canada newsletter. It's why political leaders have made huge investments in trade deals, investment protection agreements, double taxation treaties and endless discussions to safeguard what has been put into place. Then, one or two things go wrong, and we lose it: globalisation comes under attack as the obvious villain, and we retreat into protectionism, or at least into its vile rhetoric. Is it happening all over again?
Mr Hall made these remarks against a background of rising American rhetoric about getting jobs back from China and Mexico.
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2016
June
- U.S. Trade
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2016
May
- Intra
Asia Trade
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2016
April
- Mediterranean & Africa Trade
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2016
March
- China Trade
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