Archive

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE BRITISH Maritime Law Association has called on European Union legislators to be careful when framing any possible directive on environmental liability, to make sure that its regulations do not clash with existing international conventions on sea pollution.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
EAST Asian shipping companies are expected to receive a boost from the ratification by China of the Bangkok Agreement, making one of Asia’s oldest trade accords the world’s largest in terms of market potential.

With China joining the arrangement – which is based on shared trade preferences – it becomes the largest regional trade arrangement, opening up a market with a combined population of more than 2.5 billion, said the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, (ESCAP).…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
A GROUP of Spanish shipping lines have failed in their legal bid to overturn conditions imposed by their national government, for the right to ply routes from the mainland to island destinations. The European Court of Justice has ruled that Madrid acted legally by refusing to allow a market free-for-all in Spanish waters.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
SHIPPING companies will be able to source information about European Union research projects focusing on the computerisation of maritime transport systems, via a new Internet site. Managed by Brussels’ SWAN project, the site includes information on maritime research, technology and development projects funded by the European Commission’s Information Society Technologies Programme (IST).…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
A MEMORANDUM of Understanding has been signed between the European Commission, Greece, Macedonia, Yugoslavia, Croatia, Slovenia and Austria on speeding up work to create a reliable road and rail corridor, linking Thessalonika with Salzburg, linking the Balkans and the Aegean to western Europe.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
LOYOLA de Palacio, vice-president of the European Commission warmly welcomed today’s (Thursday) IMO agreement and confirmed that the 15 EU member states would implement their right to deny single-hull oil tanker access to their ports from 2015.

Mrs Loyola de Palacio, also European Commissioner for transport and energy, said that the EU had led the fight against marine oil pollution and was proud of its role in securing an international agreement which would make the seas safer and reduce the risk of oil spill catastrophes.…

BY KATE REW
BOSTON port has hit back strongly against figures which apparently confirm that since 1998, it has lagged behind Portland, Maine, as New England’s number one port. In the last fiscal year, Portland handled 23.5 million tonnes of cargo and has become the number one port by volume in New England, with Boston trailing at 13.3 million.…

KEITH NUTHALL
DIPLOMATS at the World Trade Organisation are about to begin a detailed examination of proposals to liberalise the global tourism market, as part of an ongoing round of negotiations on services.

Launched last year, its aim is a series of deals between member countries, which could remove restrictions on travel companies and tourism professionals working abroad.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission has approved the payment of state aid worth DKK 471 million, (Euro 63.7m), to the state-owned bus company Combus, which has been in financial difficulties. Brussels said that the state aid would help the take-over of the company by Arriva and the resulting restructuring.…

KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission has proposed that Belgium be allowed to reduce its excise duty on low-sulphur diesel, (less than 50 ppm), and unleaded petrol, in a bid to encourage the use of cleaner fuels.…