By EDU H. LOPEZ
March 18, 2010, 2:07pm

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/248318/evergreen-china-shipping-start-new-...

Evergreen Line and China Shipping will start a new intra-Asia service linking China with the Philippines and Thailand.

The new service represents a continued partnership with Taiwan-based Evergreen and China’s two state-owned lines -- China Shipping and COSCO Container Lines -- since relations between Taipei and Beijing started improving in 2008.

Meanwhile, Evergreen Line has launched its environmental excellence website (http://www.evergreen-line.com/enviro).

The new site highlights the company's role since its founding in 1968 as environmentally, socially, economically and commercially responsible and viable.

Evergreen Group's Vice Group Chairman Bronson Hsieh, who is also Chairman of Evergreen Marine Corporation, said: "We recognize the obligation to conduct affairs as a constructive corporate member of society and have established an occupational Safety, Quality and Environmental Protection Management System for our cargo ships (Container Carriers) and our shore-based personnel."

By Doris Dumlao
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 19:38:00 03/19/2010

Filed Under: Fishing, Joint Ventures, Economy and Business and Finance

http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20100319-259670/RP-NZ...

MANILA, Philippines--After taking over a majority stake in New Zealand’s second largest smoked salmon processor Prime Foods NZ Ltd., canned fish exporter Alliance Tuna International Inc. has set up a new venture to likewise process and export smoked salmon from the Philippines.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange Friday, Alliance Tuna said it had entered into a joint venture with Prime Foods to establish a new subsidiary to serve as importer and processor of smoked salmon.

The new subsidiary, named Big Glory Bay Salmon and Seafood Co. Inc. (BGB), will have its salmon processing facilities in General Santos City, near Alliance’s tuna operations. Once construction of the facilities starts next month, the capital will be increased to P47 million.

The new unit had been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Board of Investments as a new export producer of smoked salmon and its by-products. The venture is expected to start operations in the last quarter of this year.

Chinese fishermen freed after Cameroon kidnap
By REUTERS
Published: Mar 18, 2010 19:29 Updated: Mar 18, 2010 19:41
http://arabnews.com/world/article31753.ece

YAOUNDE: Kidnappers released seven Chinese fishermen hijacked last week in their boat off the coast of Cameroon, a Chinese embassy official said on Thursday.

The official, who requested anonymity, said the crew were released on Wednesday evening but gave no further details.

Their vessel, one of many Chinese fishing boats in West African waters, was hijacked last week by a group calling itself the "Africa Marine Commando,” the latest in a series of attacks on shipping in the Gulf of Guinea.

The group, which has no known history of attacks in waters off the disputed Bakassi peninsula, had demanded a cash ransom, though it was unclear if one was paid.

A Cameroonian foreign ministry official said earlier in the week that government policy is never to pay a ransom. Chinese and Cameroonian authorities had been negotiating for the release of the hostages.

While West African pirates have not attracted the same international attention as their East African counterparts, maritime analysts say they pose an increasing risk in a region with weak surveillance and rich in oil.

8 workers hurt in picket line violence
By DJ Yap
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 15:28:00 03/19/2010
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20100319-259648/8-w...

MANILA, Philippines – At least eight striking workers of a bakeshop on Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong were hurt in a skirmish at the picket line with pro-management employees and guards Friday morning.

The confrontation occurred at about 10:30 a.m. in front of Goldilocks’ cake and food plant when about 100 members of the “loyalist” union, Buklod, allegedly attempted to break up the strike of the Bukluran ng Independenteng Samahan na Itinatag sa Goldilocks (Bisig).

The confrontation started when a delivery truck coming from Ideal Street maneuvered as if to enter the gate, followed by the pro-management workers. But they were blocked by the strikers in the middle of the street.

“We were asking them to leave since we're all workers who want the same thing. But one of the guards threw sand at us. That's when the skirmish started,” Bisig president Joel Lachica said.

The two camps hurled rocks, sand and broken pieces of hollow blocks at each other on the boulevard facing Ideal Street, stalling traffic for 30 minutes. The fighting ended when anti-riot police officers stepped in between them.

Ship oversupply to weigh on freight rates
FRIDAY MARCH 19, 2010 PHILIPPINES
http://www.malaya.com.ph/03192010/ship1.html

LONDON - The worst is over for the shipping industry but the seaborne sector will continue to face oversupply problems which will put pressure on freight rates this year, Moody’s Investors Services said on Thursday.

Global turmoil hit all areas of shipping hard last year, reversing years of boom and healthy freight earnings.

Marco Vetulli, senior credit officer with Moody’s, told Reuters the general outlook for the industry was stable, adding the sector would stabilise at a "low level" this year.

"We think the worst is over," he said in an interview.

"Oversupply is a factor -- that is a problem for all the main shipping sectors and will have an impact on the freight rate environment which will remain fragile during the year."

Vetulli said with major forecasters expecting the world economy to grow by 3.4 to 3.5 percent this year in gross domestic product (GDP) terms and strong estimated GDP growth for China and India at around 9.3 and 7 percent respectively, it created a positive environment for the dry bulk shipping sector.

Friday, March 19, 2010
Vessels strike called off: Committee asked to report on workers' pay structure by April
Staff Correspondent
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=130716

Water transport workers called off strike last night following a tripartite meeting among the government, water vessels' owners and workers.

The four-hour long meeting that started around 8:15 pm was held at the residence of Labour Minister Mosharraf Hossain. Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan was also present.

The meeting asked the 16-member committee which was formed earlier to submit a report, including a wage structure for the workers in accordance with the government pay scale, by April 30 after reviewing 22-point demands of the workers.

President of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport (Passenger Carriers) Owners' Association Mahbub Uddin, General Secretary of workers' association Noujan Shramik Federation Ashikul Alam Chowdhury, among others, were present at the meeting.

About 1.5 lakh transport workers went on the strike on Tuesday to press home 22-point charter of demands for, among others, a new pay scale that was supposed to be announced in January last year.

GMANews.TV - Friday, March 19

http://ph.news.yahoo.com/gma/20100318/tph-30-of-new-grads-may-be-jobless...

As much as three out of ten college graduates looking for work may end up being jobless if the government remains unable to create sufficient jobs, according to a non-government research agency.

In a release sent Thursday, independent think tank IBON Foundation said around 848,000 new and old graduates may be looking for work after this year’s graduation, but only about 256,000 openings may be available to them.

The figure was based on the government’s Labor Force Survey (LFS) in April last year, but IBON said the number of jobs may still be the same this year in the worst-case scenario of the economy being able to generate the same number of jobs.

The figure provided by IBON also does not include graduates who do find jobs but will probably take whatever work is available even if these are not related to their college degrees.

Previous estimates show that three out of five college graduates immediately join the labor force.

With the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) estimating some 542,000 college graduates this year, IBON said an additional 325,000 degree-holding job-seekers will join the labor market.

Water transport strike enters third day
Thu, Mar 18th, 2010 11:43 am BdST
http://www.bdnews24.com/details.php?id=156105&cid=2

Dhaka, Mar 18 (bdnews24.com) – The water transport strike continued for the third day on Thursday, causing enormous sufferings to thousands of passengers.

The Water Transport Workers Federation imposed the strike from Monday midnight to press for their 22-point demands including the formulation of a minimum wage, a proper salary structure and issuance of appointment letters.

The Sadarghat terminal was almost empty Thursday morning. Police were deployed in the area.

The Cargo Vessels Owners Association on Wednesday urged launch workers to end their strike and sit down for discussions to stem losses of crores of takas.

But the federation members vowed to continue their programme until their demands were met.

bdnews24.com/corr/su/am/1139h