U.S./MEDITERRANEAN CONFERENCE TO DISBAND IN NEW YEAR

U.S./MEDITERRANEAN CONFERENCE TO DISBAND IN NEW YEAR    The United States Atlantic and Gulf Ports/Eastern Mediterranean and North Africa Freight Conference will be terminated in January.
   The small conference, whose member carriers have been P&O Nedlloyd, Turkon Line and Waterman Steamship Co., is the latest conference to disappear following the enactment of the U.S. Ocean Shipping Reform Act in 1999.
   This development follows the formation of the new Eastern Mediterranean Discussion Agreement which is currently pending approval from the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission. The expected member carriers of the Eastern Mediterranean Discussion Agreement are China Ocean Shipping Co., Maersk Sealand, Mediterranean Shipping Co., P&O Nedlloyd, Turkon and Zim Israel Navigation.