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Bahrain Terminal receives first ship
The new Bahrain Gateway container terminal at Khalifa Bin Salman Port marked its opening with its first call by a container ship, the 2,500-TEU APL Dalian. The terminal, operated by APM Terminals, has 5,906 feet of berth and a draft alongside of 49 feet. The migration of operations from the old terminal of Mina Salman to the new terminal started April 1. The old terminal will cease operations as a commercial port on May 1.
Fedex to trim fleet
FedEx has announced plans to permanently remove 10 Airbus A310s and four Boeing MD10s from service by May 31, as part of a plan to reduce capacity amid the economic downturn. The courier company, which expects to take delivery of newer, more fuel-efficient aircrafts in fiscal year 2010, recently laid off 1,000 salaried employees as part of a $1bn cost-reduction plan that it announced last month.
Khorfakkan achieves 220 moves per hour
Gulftainer has announced that its Khorfakkan Container Terminal achieved productivity figures of 220 moves per hour on the recent call of the United Arab Shipping Company's 'Mayssan'. This new record-score on a UASC-vessel took place on Berth No.5, where KCT took delivery of two new gantry cranes a couple of weeks ago, bringing the total number at the terminal to 16, the company said.
UAE to reward safe motorists
The UAE says it will give cash rewards to safe drivers to encourage road safety. Under the campaign known as 'The Caltex Roadstar Contest', motorists who are observed driving safely will receive a Dhs750 reward. The campaign will issue a total of Dhs60,000 in rewards and will run until April 15 in the UAE emirates of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Fujairah.
Dubai RTA to tighten minibus licensing
Ali Abdullah Jassim, the director of licensing at the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), has said that transport chiefs are considering more stringent licensing requirements for minibus drivers after a string of serious accidents. 'Among the things being considered is the introduction of a 'certificate of professional competence',' Jassim said. This certificate, according to Jassim, will be required for 'any driver who intends to take up driving as a profession, especially if the vehicle is designed for transporting people.'
Integrated Logistics to focus on Dubai
Tee Tuan Sem, CEO of Malaysian Integrated Logistics Bhd said that his company will focus on its Dubai warehouse construction project and diversify into oil and gas, chemical storage business and cold room to mitigate the impact of the global economic crisis. The warehouse construction in Dubai began in Q4 2008 and is slated for completion by mid-2010 and will start operation in the first quarter of 2011.
Al Ain rail network blueprint unveiled
Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council (UPC) has announced the Plan Al Ain 2030, which features a layered public transport network for Al Ain with a high-speed rail link to Abu Dhabi and Dubai and a surface tram and bus network to connect key areas of the city, in addition to the creation of five new major roads leading to the Central Business District of Al Ain. Falah Al Ahbabi, General Manager of the UPC said the metro network is expected to be in place in the next five to seven years.
CMA CGM profits fall 87%
Rodolphe Saade, Chief Executive VP of French carrier CMA CGM has said that profits have dropped by almost 87%, to $124m in 2008 from $966m in 2007 as freight rates plummeted on all of its major trade lanes. 'We managed to remain profitable in 2008, although it was obviously not as successful as 2007, which was an exceptional year,' Saade said. '2009 will be a more difficult year, but the company is taking every step to reduce costs, and we have a massive programme in place to recuperate the lost revenue.'
Agility ups Saudi presence
Agility has said that it has opened a 40,000 square metre warehouse offering over 50,000 pallet locations, located in Riyadh, to serve regional customers from industries such as dairy products, retail, medical systems and telecommunication, as well as international markets including Europe, the Far East and the Americas. 'Agility has grown on a worldwide scale and now has a family of over 34,000 employees. We are operating in over 120 countries through 550 offices, we are acquiring new companies and signing joint ventures, and we are poised to emerge as the biggest brand in the global logistics industry,' said Tarek Sultan, Chairman and Managing Director of Agility.
Saudi Binladin, Thales to sign rail deal
French defence group Thales and construction firm Saudi Binladin Group are to sign contracts today on a $533m deal to build Saudi Arabia's ambitious North-South Railway, government and company officials said. The two companies have been chosen to build signalling and security systems for the main 1,800-km section of the $2.8bn project.
Dubai to have women-only buses
From April 10, Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority will run a fleet of seven buses exclusively for women, with the number of allocated buses to increase according to demand. The route serviced will run from Deira to Satwa and cover hubs such as Karama and the Trade Centre.
Abu Dhabi to have 500 extra buses
Abu Dhabi is to have an extra 500 buses by the end of 2009, bringing the total up to 770 according to the Department of Transport. The department plans to have 1,360 buses in operation by 2010, at a cost of Dhs1.8m each.
Stolt tankers posts Q1 loss of $2.5m
Chemical tanker specialist Stolt Tankers reported an operating loss of $2.5m for the first quarter this year versus operating profit of $27.5m for the previous quarter. Niels G Stolt-Nielsen, CEO of its Oslo-listed parent Stolt Nielsen said that results 'reflect the panic in the global credit markets that we saw late last year. As producers, traders and consumers stopped ordering products, global industrial production plunged'.
FedEx confirms 1,000 job cuts
FedEx Corporation spokesman Jesse Bunn has confirmed that the company has axed 1,000 jobs of 'salaried exempt' professionals and managers worldwide, including 500 in its US-based headquarters. Bunn described the decision as 'very difficult' and cited the worsening 'bad global condition'. The latest job cuts came after The Business Journal reported that FedEx said its Q3 profits fell 75%.
Dubai taxi fare to be Dhs10 minimum
Dubai's taxi fare will now cost a minimum of Dhs10, following recent complaints from drivers concerning short trips. The new fare structure is implemented on April 1 with the minimum starting fare of Dhs4, but if the meter reads less than Dhs10, passengers would have to pay Dhs10.
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