Coal shipping rates rise on port congestion in Australia, Brazil

Coal shipping rates rise on port congestion in Australia, Brazil The cost of shipping coal, iron ore and other dry bulk commodities rose to a record for an eighth day as port congestion in Brazil and Australia kept vessels in those countries' ports idle, Bloomberg reported Thursday.
   'Bulk freight rates have risen 47 percent this year to a record on increasing demand for raw materials from China, the world's biggest consumer of iron ore and coal,' the story said. 'That contributed to port congestion in Australia as terminals became unable to handle the volume of goods sold for export.'
   The Bloomberg report said that 70 vessels were left to wait at Newcastle, the world's largest coal export terminal, for the week of May 7.
   'Congestion problems in Australia are slowly improving,' Ralph Leszczynski, research manager at Genoa, Italy-based Banchero Costa and Co SpA, told Bloomberg. 'There are reportedly now increasing problems at Brazilian export ports.'
Horizon Lines signs safety agreement with OSHA, ILA
   Horizon Lines Thursday signed a Maritime Industry Safety Partnership Agreement with the International Longshoremen's Association Local 1575 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
   The Charlotte, N.C.-based Jones Act carrier was the first U.S. steamship line and marine terminal operator to sign an OSHA Strategic Partnership in 2002, and officials said the new agreement will make history by working with OSHA to focus on the safety of its labor force.
   Horizon Lines signed the agreement at a ceremony in the offices of the ILA local attended by Patricia K. Clark, OSHA regional administrator; Jose Carpena, OSHA Puerto Rico area director; Fernando Bonilla, Puerto Rico Secretary of State and port authority director; Joe Alvarez, Occupational Development and Human Resources Council for Puerto Rico; Myrna V'lez, PROSHA auxiliary secretary; and Capt. Raymond J. Perry, U.S. Coast Guard Deputy Sector San Juan.
   In a strategic partnership, OSHA enters into an extended, voluntary, cooperative relationship with employers, employees, employee representatives and trade associations to encourage and assist with efforts to eliminate serious safety and health hazards and strive to obtain a high level of worker safety.
   'The people of Horizon Lines are proud of this achievement,' said Gabriel Serra, Horizon vice president and general manager. 'Our management team will continue working with union leaders to ensure that every worker returns home at the end of the day healthy and safe–the same way that they came to work.'