New Delhi, Sept 29: Dubai World has announced the appointments of Jamal Majid Bin Thaniah as group chief executive officer (CEO), and Maryam Sharaf as group chief operating officer (COO). The company has not specified a date for assuming these positions.

               “Both the posts are newly created as part of initiatives to streamline the group’s overall business operations in view of the global financial crisis, and to usher in a new economic era.” a statement from the group said. It said Mr Bin Thaniah is currently executive  vice chairman of DP  World and group CEO of Ports and Free Zone World, and has headed an internal management task force that reviewed the business plans of group companies. In line with this decision, group companies will report directly to the group CEO. In his new capacity as group CEO, Mr Bin Thaniah will work closely with the chairman and the Board of Directors to oversee on-going business restructuring measures,execute investment strategy and be responsible for managing the holding company’s business. Maryam Sharaf, presently the group’s chief financial officer, in her new position will be responsible for the group’s overall investment and operational management, including that of Dubai World’s shared services such as IT. Human Resources, Legal Affairs, Palm Utilities and Imadaad. She will retain her role as group CFO until a replacement is appointed.

                       Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, chairman, Dubai World, said: “I am pleased to announce the appointment of some of the most efficient and experienced leaders in Dubai World to these key positions. These officials have in their roles because of their outstanding skills and I am confident that their expertise will add value to the growth of Dubai World. Separately, Abdul Wahid A1 Ulama has been anmed the new vice chairman of Retail Business, Dubai World. In addition, Hamza Mustafa will join Istihmar world from Nakheel as managing director, Real Estate.

                 New Delhi, Sept 29: 3i Group Plc, the London based private-equity invesdia business and co-head of 3i Asia. “India is amazingly short  on port capacity.” He declined to identify the potential targets. 3i has placed a combined $211 million in Krishnapatnam port Co and Mundra Port & Special Economic Zone to tap capacity in a nation where traffic is forecast by the govt to almost double to 1 billion tonnes by March 2012. As much as 95 Pc of the South Asian nation’s global trade is routed by sea and the ports reuire $20 billion in the next five years, according to the Planning Commission. 3i invested $50 million in Mundra before the largest non-state-run cargo terminal sold shares in an IPO in November 2007. The Port had a 46 pc growth in revenus in the year ended Mar 31 and a profit margin of 36 pc.

                 “The potential of huge returns is what is attracting investments in the port and infrastructure sector,” said D.H. pai Panandiker, president of RPG Foundation. “Investors are looking for opportunities that will gain from the expected turnaround in the trade next year with the global economic recovery. “In February this year 3i Put $161 million in Krishnapatnam. The port, still being built on a 12-km quay in Andhra Pradesh, will be among India’s largest, Ahuja said.”The growth is quite steady and is almost predictable,” he said. “We’ve done two ports and our experience in both has been very good. ” Separately, Ahuja said 3i will make its next investment in a company that may be in the power, airports or roads business. “We believe there are serious shortages. Capital can be deployed and returns made, ” he said.

                 CHENNAI, Sept. 28 MR A. Sakthivel, President of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (Fieo), has called for increased emphasis on export of agricultural products.

                   Fruits, vegetables, animal and animal products, medicinal plants, organic and exotic products should corner 5 per cent of the global agri trade by 2015, he told a seminar.

                   Mr Sakthivel reiterated the need for logistics support in this respect like cold storage, refrigerated vans and post-harvast treatment facility to achieve this target.

                   In his keynote address, Mr Jyotiraditya Scindia Minister of State for Commerce, observed that enormous untapped potential needed to be harnessed to increase agricultural exports and the country should prioritise its strategy to make India the ‘food hub’ of the world.

                  He also suggested that public-private partnership (PPP) model was the key to agricultural exports by tying up with total logistics chain from farm to the port.

                   The Minister of State for Agriculture, Prof. K.V. Thomas, said that the world was a single market and if India did not compete, some other country would do so.

                  He lamented that agri exports did not keep pace with overall exports due to concerns about food safety.

                   Mr Ajay Sahai, Director-General of Fieo, said there was a need for a comprehensive strategy for end-to-end development of agriculture, involving all stakeholders.

                       MUMBAI, Sept. 28 THE Ministry of Food Processing has set a target of 150 per cent growth in export of processed food products over five years, raising the country’s share to 5per cent in the global market.

                      According to the Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda), exports of food products, including fresh and processed fruits and vegetables, livestock products, cereals, etc. registered a robust growth of 24 per cent in rupee terms (Rs 39,461 crore) and 10 per cent in dollar terms ($ 8.67 billion) in 2008-09.

                 The trend shows that exports are likely to increase by at least another Rs 60,000 crore by 2014-15, Apeda projected.

                       But, to maintain the growth tempo, an investment of Rs 100,000 crore will be required during the period. But investors have not been too forthcoming, especially in projects such as mega food park, Mr Ashok Sinha, Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, said here.

                       NEW DELHI, Sept. 28 THE Union government is considering extending duty-free imports of white/refined sugar from November till May or June 2010, The Union Food and Agriculture Minister, Mr Sharad Pawar, indicated here.

                      After exporting 5 million tonnes last year, a similar quantity was imported in the sugar year ending September 30 after farmers switched on to more profitable wheat and rice, and the cane crop contracted this year following the deficient monsoon.

                     Trade sources said sugar stocks had dipped to 4.2 million tonnes at the end of August, just about enough to last up to early November.

                         KOZHIKODE, Sept, 28 ment has received the detailed feasibility  report  (DFR) for  the development  of Beypore port, near here, into an all-weather facility, that has been prepared by the Consulting Engineers Pvt. Ltd.

                       If approved by the state government, it will prepare a detailed project report (DPR) on how to go about implementing the proposal.

                      The port is proposed to be developed on public-private partnership (PPP) basis.

               NEW DELHI, Sept. 28 EXPORTS, which have been collapsing by 30 per cent for several months till July, have now decelerated to a modest 19.7 per cent in August, the Union Commerce and Industry Minister, Mr Anand Sharma, revealed here.

              He said the improvement in industrial production, as revealed in the latest data with fast-moving consumer goods and pharmaceuticals, would have a positive effect on exports.

                 Exports, which have been falling since October last year following the global meltdown, had yielded $ 16 billion in August 2008.

                Mr Sharma pointed out that the pace of decline in the exports was slowing Exports were down by 28 per cent in July this year at $ 13.06 billion.

                Cumulatively, exports in the four months ended July fell by 34 per  cent to $ 49.6 billion, compared with $ 75.2 billion in the same period last year.

                The Minister, however, expressed concern over the continuing protectionist measures adopted by some countries.

                NAVI MUMBAI, Sept. 28 GATEWAY Terminals India (GTI) has once again bettered its own productivity record. The latest is an amazing 213 moves per hour, which was achieved on the vessel m.v. wan Hai 502 of the CIX service.

            These achievements, according to a release, are the result of the ongoing efforts by GTI to offer its customers, efficient, competent and safe operations, leading faster and, in the process, reducing costs for the customer.

            The records continue to motivate the GTI team  to strive even harder in pursuit of operational excellence, the release emphasises.

           Commented a delighted Mr Arvind Bhatnagar, CEO of GTI, “The most significant aspect about this performance was the excellent teamwork  and dedication shown by the entire staff to  achieve this benchmark.”

                             New Delhi, Sept 24: Hanjin Shipping is commencing new services covering the Far East, India and the Middle East from the beginning of November.

                            The carrier said in a statement that both its new Far East India Express (FIX) and Far East Middle East Express (FMX) services will replace its existing Far East India Middle East (FIM) service. The new FIX service will deploy five 2,500-TEU ships with two from Hanjin and the other three from partners KMTC and STX. The port rotation for the FIX service is: Qingdao, Busan, Kwangyang, Shanghai, Ningbo, Yantian, Singapore, Nhava Sheva, Penang, Singapore and back to Qingdao.

                             The FIX service “has been set up to cover the growing demand in India boosted by the Comprehen sive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Korea and India back in August,” Hanjin said. As for the Far East Middle East Express (FMX) service, designed to target the Middle East, it will be co-operated by Hanjin, STX and Sinokor where partner carriers will deploy six 4,000-TEU ships.

                         Hanjin will provide four will STX and Sinokor will Provide one each. The port rotation for the FMX service is: Qingdao, Ulsan, Busan, Kwangyang, Shanghai, Ningho, Kaohsiung, Shenzhen (Shekou), Singapore, Bandar Abbas, Jebel Ali, Khor Fakkan, Karachi, Singapore and back of Qingdao.

                                New Delhi, Sept 24: Even while memories of the latest berth productivity record are still afresh, Gateway Terminals India P. Ltd (GTI) bettered her last record by performing an azazing 213 moves per hour. This was achieved on the vessel m.v. Wan Hai 502 (SCIX Service).

                                  These achievements display the ongoing efforts by GTI to offer its customers, efficient, competent and safe operations resulting in vessels turning around faster thus generating customer savings. These records continue to motivate the GTI team to strive even harder in pursuit of operational excellence. Delighted by this accomplishment Mr. Arvind Bhatnagar, CEO, GTI said, “The most significant aspect about this performance was the excellent team work and dedication shown by the entire staff to achieve this benchmark.