The Strategist – Page 6

  • News

    An eye on rival trade pacts

    2013-09-18T00:00:00Z

    The inter-Asia container trades are booming – notably in South East Asia and in the north.

  • Has ICTSI unwittingly wandered on to a battleground at Batumi? Credit: Barry Kent
    News

    ICTSI stuck in the middle

    2013-08-08T11:27:00Z

    Is it energy politics, gateway politics, is it following the lead of hardened business practice deployed in the Russian energy sector or simply the actions of a new port director?

  • It's time to talk in Africa
    News

    Open the door to dialogue

    2013-06-26T15:32:00Z

    Not for the first time a landlocked country in Africa is attempting to have a say in a remote port operation which functions as a major gateway for its import and export trade.

  • Discounting tariffs should be treated with caution
    News

    Look out for tariff landmines

    2013-04-24T10:30:00Z

    Which way to jump – discount or no discount on port tariffs? The question is not as straightforward as it might seem.

  • News

    Wising up to Dockwise's real worth

    2013-04-24T10:21:00Z

    Boskalis, the world’s largest dredging and marine services company, has secured its objective of acquiring Dockwise which operates the world’s largest heavy lift ships.

  • News

    Playing concessioning soccer in Africa

    2013-04-24T10:21:00Z

    The political ''football'' of privatised port operations in Mombasa is being kicked around again.

  • Where there is a will there is a way
    News

    Aim for evolution not revolution

    2013-02-07T13:15:00Z

    Re-engineering the role of a terminal after the departure of its principal client is no easy job. All the more so, when the terminal competed in a niche context in the competitive arena of Mediterranean container transhipment operations.

  • Making money count in Africa. Credit:Slashme
    News

    Locking in funds Africa-style

    2013-01-02T10:00:00Z

    In August 2012 the Kenyan government opened a tender for the design and construction of the first three berths at the new port of Lamu, to be financed by the annual sale of 13bn shillings ($154.4m) of infrastructure bonds over five years.

  • Container lines need to take responsibility for their troubles. Credit: Louis Vest
    News

    Shipping lines need greater discipline

    2012-11-15T20:55:00Z

    Give a big hand to the Boston Consulting group which has recently published a report that fairly and squarely lays many of the container shipping industry’s woes at its own door.

  • Private involvement is now very welcome in Central and West African ports. Credit: Slashme
    News

    Private sector finally welcome in Africa

    2012-10-18T15:49:00Z

    The acceptance of private sector participation in ports in Africa is gaining traction, and not before time. At least that''s what a meeting of port minds in Nigeria would have us believe.

  • Someone needs to shine a light on Izmir's overestimated port capacity needs. Credit: Tambako
    News

    The bigger picture is important

    2012-09-13T16:43:00Z

    “We can avoid reality but we cannot avoid the consequences of reality.” A famous saying that has more than a little relevance for any company that is approaching an investment in new port capacity without taking the step of independently validating the demand for such capacity via a comprehensive market ...

  • There's a hub war in Poland
    News

    The jury's still out on Poland

    2012-07-19T12:14:00Z

    At the end of March, Hapag Lloyd announced that the G6 Asia-Europe Loop 3 service would not call at the port of Gdansk, Poland.

  • The outlook is bleak for European port projects
    News

    The black cloud over mature Europe

    2012-06-06T10:00:00Z

    With Europe plainly in the doldrums there is a commensurate degree of lack of interest in new port projects. Certainly in the mature markets of Europe there is a widespread recognition that there are diminished prospects for achieving a sensible return on investment at least over the first seven to ...

  • PANYNJ is running into problems on bridge raising and terminal operator relations. Credit: Mordy Steinfield
    News

    Bridges to mend and to build

    2012-05-16T10:00:00Z

    The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey appears to have hit a difficult patch in its trading life.

  • Any port finance, wherever it comes from, should be welcomed in these troubled times
    News

    Welcome the investment outsiders

    2012-02-29T10:00:00Z

    Is the entrance of pension funds, infrastructure funds, private equity funds and other non-core investors into the international port investment arena a good thing? Of course it is.

  • Iranian sanctions and Nigerian turmoil could further disrupt oil markets. Credit: www.dragonoil.com
    News

    A oily mess by anyone's standards

    2012-02-22T10:00:00Z

    The latest monthly report from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries forecasts 2012 demand as 88.9m barrels per day (bpd), up slightly on a previous estimate of 88.87m bpd.

  • The opening of Maasvlakte 2 will have a significant competitive impact, according to Netherlands-based Policy Research Corp
    News

    European capacity question resurfaces

    2011-12-14T10:00:00Z

    In sharp contrast to the fears just a few years back that north European ports were heading for a capacity crunch, today’s concern is that there will be too much capacity flooding onto the market too soon.

  • There is growing scope for celebratory industry award events
    News

    The winner will now take the stage...

    2011-11-23T10:00:00Z

    Is the burgeoning prominence of TV shows such as the X Factor symptomatic of the fact that nowadays there is growing scope for industry award events?

  • Ports need to tread carefully to avoid co-operation in commercial areas
    News

    Treading a fine line on co-operation

    2011-10-05T10:00:00Z

    “Co-operation” is today a sensitive word in the European port business. Against a background of European anti-trust officials raiding several of the world’s largest shipping lines to investigate possible collusion, port and terminal companies now have to tread very carefully on co-operation.

  • India has potential, but you need deep pockets and an awful lot of patience
    News

    Deep pockets and a lot of patience

    2011-09-15T10:00:00Z

    Remember that base line rule in port planning, supply of new capacity must take place in advance of demand?