Singapore-based Container Terminal Operator #1 in 2010

PSA is the world’s busiest container terminal operator in 2010, beating Hutchison Port Holdings to first place, according to new research.

Drewry Maritime Research’s Global Container Terminal Operators’ annual report revealed that PSA, the busiest container operator so far this year, handled a total 51.3 million teu in 2010 – 9.4% of total world throughput.

Hutchison came second after handling 36 million teu, or 6.6% of total global throughput, DP World was third, with 32 million teu, and APM Terminals fourth, with 31 million teu.

In total, the top 10 terminal operators accounted for 40% of world throughput in 2010, or 219 million teu.

The Top 10 container terminal operators according to Drewry's Survey:
1.PSA (51.3 million TEU)
2. Hutchison Port Holdings (36 million TEU)
3. DP World (32.6 million TEU)
4. APM Terminals (31.6 million TEU)
5. Shanghai International Ports Group (19.5 million TEU)
6. Cosco (13.6 million TEU)
7. MSC (9.9 million TEU)
8. China Merchants (8.9 million TEU)
9. Ports America (8.1 million TEU)
10.Modern Terminals (8.0 million TEU)

Drewry said that one of the most surprising findings from the report was the strength of the regional players.

Neil Davidson, Drewry’s Senior Advisor, Ports, said: “We have decided to add a new analysis of the industry to this year’s report, giving a broader perspective than just focusing on those operators that we class as ‘global’.

“There are many other significant terminal operators around the world, a number of which have international ambitions.

“This new league table puts them into perspective and highlights the sheer scale of ‘local’ operators such as Shanghai International Ports Group (SIPG), China Merchants and Modern Terminals.”

Of the local operators mentioned by Davidson, SIPG ranked fifth overall (19.5 million teu), China Merchants eighth (8.9 million teu) and Modern Terminals tenth (8 million teu).

(Source:IFW and Drewry)

Read More......

Maersk will have containership of 18,000 TEUs

(Source: Cargosystems)

After many months speculation, Maersk Line has signed a contract for 10 of the world’s largest container ships, with an option to buy another 20.

The Danish shipping line said the 18,000teu capacity ships, built by Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), will be the most efficient container vessels.

At 400 metres long, 59 metres wide and 73 metres tall, the Triple-E will be the largest vessel of any type known to be in operation.

However, the dimensions of the new ships will mean that many major container ports will be able to accommodate them without major adjustments to existing infrastructure.

Many key terminals in Europe, Asia and the Americas already have sufficient a draught and there has been an increase in sales of high capacity STS gantry cranes with longer waterside outreach in recent years.

With each ship costing US$190 million, the confirmed order is worth $1.9bn. If the options for a further 20 ships are exercised, the value of the deal would be $5.7bn, making it the largest container ship contract ever.

Maersk said that it has today paid a 10% down payment on the 10-ship order and will pay four 10% down payments in all, with a final payment of 60%. The shipping line confirmed that financing had been arranged, but it did not explain details of the finance arrangements.

With deliveries from DSME shipyard scheduled from 2013 to 2015, the giant container vessels will be known as Triple-E.

Maersk Line said that the ships were based on “economy of scale, energy efficiency” and being “environmentally improved” – hence "Triple-E".

With capacity to carry 18,000teu, the Triple-E will be 16 % larger (2,500teu) than the Emma Maersk.

Maersk Line explained that it is buying the ships to position itself to profit from an anticipated 5-8 % growth in the Asia-Europe trade through to 2015, and to maintain its leading market share in the trade.

As well as setting a new benchmark for size, Maersk said the new ships will help it achieve its goals at the lowest possible cost, while producing the lowest possible amount of CO2 emissions.

The vessels promise an impressive 50% less CO2 per container moved than the industry average on the Asia–Europe trade and 20% less than the Emma Maersk. Maersk also claimed that the Triple-E would consume 35% less fuel per container than the 13,100teu vessels being delivered to other container shipping lines in the next few years.

“One of the biggest challenges we face in the world today is how to meet the growing needs of a growing population and while minimising the impact that is going to have on our planet,” said Eivind Kolding, Maersk Line CEO.

“International trade will continue to play a key role in the development of the global economy; but, for the health of the planet, we must continue to reduce our CO2 emissions.”

“It is not only a top priority for us, but also for our customers, who depend on us in their supply chain, and also for a growing number of consumers who base their purchasing decisions on this type of information,” he added.

(Source: Cargosystems)

Read More......

Apple versus Microsoft. who will win the competition?

By Peter Burrows | Businessweek

The entire personal computer industry is gearing up for Microsoft's (MSFT) Oct. 22 release of Windows 7, by most accounts the best version of its operating system in years. Yet Apple (AAPL), Microsoft's nearest competitor, is quietly planning to capitalize on the launch, too. "It presents a very good opportunity for us," says Philip W. Schiller, Apple's senior vice-president for marketing.

The Cupertino (Calif.) company sees Windows 7 as its best chance in years to win over longtime PC users. Millions of PC owners are expected to head to stores over the next year to replace their aging machines. The surge is expected to be unusually large because Microsoft's last operating system, Vista, was so poorly reviewed that many people simply stuck with machines running the eight-year-old Windows XP system.

In the coming weeks, Apple is expected to hit those computer buyers with advertising aimed at luring them to its Macs. It will likely make the case that Macs are less susceptible to viruses and are best suited to its popular iPods and iPhones. And look for it to poke fun at Microsoft for making XP owners go through an arduous process to upgrade to Windows 7—one that includes backing up all their files to an external drive, reformatting their PC, and then reinstalling all of their old programs, assuming they still have the CDs. "Any user that reads all those steps is probably going to freak out. If you have to go through all that, why not just buy a Mac?" says Schiller.

No question, Microsoft and partners such as Hewlett-Packard (HP), Dell (DELL), and Acer will benefit from the Windows 7 debut. PC makers will be rolling out a raft of eye-catching new models—from $300 netbooks to sleek desktop computers with touch-sensitive screens. Microsoft downplays the hassles of upgrading to the new operating system and says most people are going to buy new PCs anyway, which means they won't install the software themselves. "For the vast majority of people that get Windows 7, most will move to new hardware," says Parri Munsell, Microsoft's director for consumer product management.

PC makers are likely to benefit from their machines being much cheaper than Apple's, especially given the soft economy. The average price of a Windows PC is $537, compared with $1,434 for a Mac, says analyst Stephen Baker of researcher PC Data. "I just don't think you're going to have a huge influx of people who have perfectly good XP machines deciding they need to buy an all-new Mac," he says.

Schiller won't say if Apple is planning to cut prices, which would certainly attract a flock of new buyers. He points out that the company already has programs for helping PC users switch; people who pay $99 a year for its One to One training program can bring their PCs to an Apple Store and have all their files transferred.

Schiller says the success of Apple's operating system is indicative of the changing fortunes in the tech industry. While less than 20% of Windows users have moved to the three-year-old Vista, more than 70% of Mac users have upgraded to the Apple operating system introduced at about the same time. He has similar hopes for Apple's four-month-old Snow Leopard OS. Says Schiller: "I expect Snow Leopard will have an amazing upgrade rate, and Windows 7 won't."

That's Apple—calm, cool, and confident that the tech world is marching in its direction. "We've been through these transitions before, and no matter how you look at it—it's still Windows," says Schiller. "When all is said and done, the Mac picks up share a bit at a time."

Burrows is a senior writer for BusinessWeek, based in Silicon Valley.

Read More......

America's Best Young Entrepreneurs 2009

By Nick Leiber | Businessweek

Who is more likely to start a business: A college student or a worker with a few decades of experience? Yep, you guessed it: the experienced worker.

It turns out it's boomers, not twentysomethings, who start the most businesses in the U.S. Over the past decade or so, the highest rate of entrepreneurial activity belongs to the 55-64 age group. The 20-34 age bracket, by contrast, had the lowest rate. That's according to a recent report by Dane Stangler, a senior analyst with the Kauffman Foundation, based on data collected from 1996 to 2007. It echoes research by entrepreneur-turned-academic Vivek Wadhwa, who found that twice as many tech entrepreneurs create ventures in their 50s as do those in their early 20s.

So not only are these entrepreneurs navigating the toughest economy many of us have ever lived through, they're also vastly outnumbered by older, more experienced competitors, who usually have more contacts and capital. That's even more reason to continue to give young entrepreneurs the encouragement, respect, and awe that they've received since becoming cultural icons during the dot-com boom.

Stangler says he's not suggesting young people aren't entrepreneurial or won't be. "The cachet of large, established companies has taken a hit. Job tenure has been falling for a long time. Employment is not going to recover in the very near future. People across all age groups are going to take the future into their own hands."

Dorm Room Beginnings

Brian Ruby, 25, is just one entrepreneur who is following through on Stangler's prediction. He founded molecular imaging equipment maker Carbon Nanoprobes in 2003 in his Columbia University dorm room and has since raised about $4 million from institutional and private investors. After six years doing research, Carbon Nanoprobes is now transitioning to equipment sales, and Ruby expects about $1 million in revenue in 2010. The nine-person company based in Pike Malvern, Pa., sells its equipment to universities, semiconductor firms, and material sciences companies.

Husband-and-wife team Eric Koger, 25, and Susan Koger, 24, launched indie clothing e-tailer ModCloth in 2002, near the end of their freshman year at Carnegie Mellon University. They've managed to raise a little over $3 million from angels such as StubHub co-founder Jeff Fluhr and venture capital firms First Round Capital and Maples Investments. Eric says the 104-employee, Pittsburgh-based company is profitable, with around $1 million in monthly sales, and forecasts more than $15 million total in 2009.

Logan Green, 25, and John Zimmer, 25, started Zimride in 2007 to allow carpoolers to connect online. Its 35 clients are mostly colleges but include corporate customers such as Cigna and Wal-Mart. Universities pay about $10,000 per year to use the platform, although pricing varies. Zimmer says the Palo Alto (Calif.) firm, with six employees, expects revenue of $400,000 this year and is now profitable.

Record Numbers

These are just a few of our finalists defying the odds. To assemble the group, as in previous years, we asked BusinessWeek readers to nominate candidates aged 25 and under who were running their own companies that showed potential for growth. Given the severity of the recession, we were pleased to receive a record number of nominations this year—more than 600. After the call for nominations ended in mid-August, our staff sifted through the nominees looking for the most impressive.

Not surprisingly, the majority were Web-based businesses, where barriers to entry continue to fall. There were a smattering of more traditional companies, including an aircraft seller, a specialty mushroom grower, and a machinery lubricant vendor. Compared with last year, more women were nominated, more businesses were profitable, and more had secured equity capital.

You can flip through this slide show for profiles of each of the 25 finalists, then vote for the business you feel holds the most promise. We'll announce the top vote-getters on Nov. 9. Then check out our slide show on where last year's finalists are now. For more elements of the special report, including a feature on selling to universities and a video interview with a standout alum, visit the related items box at upper right side of this overview.

--------------------------------
Leiber is Small Business editor for BusinessWeek.com
Source: Businessweek Read More......

World's Best Companies 2009

By: E. Deprez of Businessweek

Any athlete will tell you that the time to train is in dismal weather, not on perfect, sun-drenched days. If you want to excel at the best of times, it seems, you need to be prepared for the worst.

Companies are little different. So as the economic outlook brightens, those that have worked hard to survive the tough times of the past year are best prepared to seize new opportunities. It is these enterprises that have risen to the top of the World's Best Companies/Global Top 40 list, compiled for BusinessWeek by management consulting firm A.T. Kearney.

What are some traits of the World's Best Companies? A commitment to innovation, diversified portfolios, aggressive expansion, strong leadership, and a clear vision for the future. "In an environment of continuous disruptive change, companies that have rigorous strategic planning initiatives that allow them to see over the horizon…are far more likely to win than those that make it up as they go along," says Paul Laudicina, chairman of A.T. Kearney.

To create the list, A.T. Kearney examined the 2,500 largest publicly listed companies in the world. Kearney's team singled out those with a minimum of $10 billion in sales in 2008, at least 25% of which came from outside the company's home region. It then ranked the companies on their sales growth and value creation—the rise of market capitalization after subtracting any increase in capital—over the past five years. This year, the list expanded to 40 companies from the 25 Kearney ranked in the past.

Thriving Industries

The top 40 come from 18 countries and industries ranging from chemicals and contracting to software and shipbuilding. But three groups stand out. There are six technology and telecommunications enterprises that have tapped into continuing demand for mobile-phone service and new digital hardware and services. The eight heavy-industry and engineering outfits performed well as infrastructure spending started to bounce back. Finally, companies in sectors tied to the commodities boom of recent years have in many cases continued to prosper, though their ranks have been thinned considerably.

Japanese electronics maker Nintendo (7974.T) claims the No. 1 spot this year. Its sales have risen 36% annually over the past five years, while its value growth averaged 38%. Despite the hard times of the past year, Nintendo's continued emphasis on innovation has helped the company develop must-haves such as the DS handheld game machine and the Wii console, which outsold rival offerings from Sony (SNE) and Microsoft (MSFT).

Nintendo's strategy is emblematic of the tech companies on the list. Like Nintendo, American technology giants Google (GOOG) (No. 2), Apple (AAPL) (No. 3), and Amazon.com (AMZN) (No. 17) have continued to invest heavily in innovation, commanding large market share with new products even as consumer spending and confidence have declined sharply. Telecom companies MTN (No. 7) and América Móvil (AMX) (No. 18) have profited handsomely by expanding into developing markets in Africa and Latin America.

Though they seem to lie at the other end of the business spectrum, engineering companies have enjoyed a similarly strong run. Initial dents following the recession-driven building bust have been patched up by government-financed infrastructure projects worldwide. Komatsu (6301.T) (No. 25) has consolidated its focus on construction and mining equipment. Doosan Heavy Industries (No. 4) has diversified by adding desalination plants to its business of building power stations for utilities. Similarly, Hyundai Heavy Industries (No. 5) has branched out beyond shipbuilding into construction machinery and solar power.

Fewer Commodities Companies

Commodities plays have fared less well. In 2008 three-fifths of the World's Best Companies were in energy and metals due to high commodities prices. This year, only a quarter are. Last year's leader, steel giant ArcelorMittal (MT), and four Russian energy, metals, and mining companies have vanished from the list. That said, 11 commodities companies remain. Australia's BHP Billiton (BHP), for example, the world's largest diversified miner, brought in more than $63 billion in revenue in 2008 and gained six spots, to No. 10, this year.

It's not all about industry. Charismatic chiefs—sometimes bordering on autocratic—can also be key to earning a place on the Global Top 40. Apple, for instance, has long prospered under the steady hand of Steve Jobs. With Jobs now back in the driver's seat after taking a leave of absence due to illness this year, expect Apple to continue to thrive. At Spanish textile and retail giant Inditex (No. 9), the owner of Zara stores, founder Amancio Ortega Gaona continues to implement his vision of fast fashion.

In Mexico, billionaire Carlos Slim has made América Móvil into the world's fourth largest cellular carrier, with more than 190 million subscribers. Klaus-Michael Kuehne has headed Kuehne + Nagel (KNIN.VX) (No. 23) for four decades and built it into a leader in global logistics services, helping preserve profits through targeted cost cuts as trade volumes plummeted over the past year. "Driven by an idea, [these leaders] have taken time building their companies…with the patience required to see their efforts come to fruition," says Norbert Jorek, partner at A.T. Kearney and principle author of the study.

From Exxon to World Fuel

Size, meanwhile, doesn't matter as much as some might think. Only four companies with market caps of greater than $100 billion made the top 40: BHP Billiton, French utility GDF Suez (GSZ.PA) (No. 6), Spanish phone carrier Telefónica (TEF) (No. 32), and oil giant ExxonMobil (XOM) (No. 38). Indeed, some of the most successful enterprises are relatively small. Miami-based World Fuel Services (INT), which markets marine, aviation, and land fuel products in 23 countries, is the smallest on the list with a market cap of $1.1 billion, but comes in at No. 13. German construction company Bilfinger Berger (GBFG.DE) (No. 33) had a market cap of $1.7 billion but has won impressive contracts such as the world's longest rail tunnel, a 30-mile-plus link under the Alps straddling the French-Italian border.

In the developing world, South Africa put in a strong showing with three companies in the Global Top 40. MTN, one of the pioneers in bringing mobile service to emerging markets, has proven that poor countries can be lucrative markets. Nigeria is its largest with some 28 million subscribers, and the company continues to expand in the Middle East. "Driven by a large entrepreneurial spirit, MTN had the will and appetite to take on that risk and the ability to turn risk into success," says Dobek Pater, partner at Africa Analysis, a consulting firm for tech companies in developing markets. And conglomerate Bidvest Group (No. 37) has placed an emphasis on food service but also has holdings in logistics and retailing. Both are examples of emerging-market companies poised to become global players: Bidvest has made acquisitions around the world, including in Australia and Central Europe, and MTN is currently in talks with India's Bharti Airtel (BRTI.BO) over a $24 billion merger.

This year's ranking of the World's Best Companies shows that even when stock markets are down, smart companies can be on the way up. A.T. Kearney Chairman Laudicina sees two important factors that are most likely to drive global economic performance in coming years: leveraging technology and innovation to enhance productivity, and demographic shifts such as graying populations. "Those companies who understand them best—and I think you see many of them on this list," will prosper, he says. "Those that don't are likely to be outside the bakery window looking in."

Deprez is a reporter for BusinessWeek. Read More......

Is Google's Wave Released to Compete with Yahoo!'s Facebook?

Google is releasing "Google Wave" that is an online tool for real-time communication and collaboration which is in some aspect similar to Yahoo!'s Facebook that now is ranked as the second biggest website by Alexa after Google in terms of number of visitors.

Google Wave is designed to be both a conversation and a document where people can discuss and work together using richly formatted text, photos, videos, maps, and more.

What is a wave?


Google in their Wave page explains that:

• A wave is equal parts conversation and document. People can communicate and work together with richly formatted text, photos, videos, maps, and more.
• A wave is shared. Any participant can reply anywhere in the message, edit the content and add participants at any point in the process. Then playback lets anyone rewind the wave to see who said what and when.
• A wave is live. With live transmission as you type, participants on a wave can have faster conversations, see edits and interact with extensions in real-time.

Acoording to Kharif of Businessweek, Google is combining instant messaging, e-mail, and real-time collaboration in Wave which is an early form of so-called real-time communication designed to make it easier for people to work together or interact socially over the Internet. Google started letting developers tinker with Wave at midyear and then introduced the tool on a trial basis to about 100,000 invited users starting on Sept. 30. Invitations were such a hot commodity that they were being sold on eBay (EBAY). For Google the hope is that Wave, once it's more widely available, will replace competing communications services such as e-mail, instant messaging, and possibly even social networks such as Facebook. Read More......