In July, Swire Shipping Limited (SSL) launched a new direct service from North Asia to Australia, renewing links first established by parent company, The China Navigation Company, in 1883. The new multipurpose liner service has been established by extending SSL's Australia-South Pacific Islands operation, which previously returned from Majuro (Marshall Islands) to Melbourne, on to Guam and thence to Shanghai and Busan. Frequency has been improved from 35 days to monthly, on a rotation of Melbourne, Prony Bay (New Caledonia), Lautoka, Suva, Port Vila, Tarawa, Majuro, Guam, Shanghai, Busan, Brisbane, Newcastle and Melbourne. Two 940 TEU multipurpose vessels, Aotearoa Chief (swapped from SSL's Australia-Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands service) and Coral Chief have been employed, and each is fitted with three 45-tonne cranes and tween decks in two of the four holds. The new Australia-South Pacific Islands-North Asia service ships will be renamed Pacific Horizon and Pacific Harmony respectively and operate on a 60-day round voyage schedule, enabling fixed date departures from key ports.
United States Cold Storage is to break the ground in August for a major new facility at Turlock in central California. Located at the heart of the highly productive San Joaquin Valley and within one mile of Highway 99, a major north-south transportation route, completion of Phase One of the ultra-modern temperature-controlled warehouse distribution centre is planned for July 2009. Initial plans for the Turlock facility include three convertible storage rooms consisting of over five million cubic feet of frozen and refrigerated storage space serviced by fully enclosed, temperature controlled shipping and receiving docks. A state-of-the-art Cascade CO2/NH3 refrigeration system will maintain +35° to -5° F temperatures. Over time, USCS will expand Turlock to fully utilise the 43-acre site, creating a facility of some 24 million cubic feet, which will be among the largest public refrigerated warehouses in the western United States.
Swire Pacific
Properties
Swire Properties has launched its Pacific Place Design Improvement Project, entitled "A New Frame of Mind", with the aim of pre-empting the ever-changing needs of Hong Kong shoppers and elevating the positioning of this premier shopping and mixed use project. The Pacific Place Design Improvement Project, which involves interior, exterior and architectural refinement, is expected to cost over HK$1.5 billion. The mall will remain open for business throughout the project period. Award-winning international designer, Thomas Heatherwick, will spearhead the project, using fluid, streamlined shapes in soft, warm tones and highly tactile natural materials such as wood and stone to create an organic new look. The fluidity concept will also be applied to the exterior of the complex. At vehicle arrival level, road and pedestrian spaces will be remodelled to provide an organic pedestrian flow that connects each element of the project as well as improving vehicle flow and drop off facilities. A major new canopy is proposed to connect every part of the project by a flowing ribbon design that is at once visually stimulating and physically protecting from the elements. The new design will also focus on enhancing accessibility. New escalators linking the car park to levels 1 & 2 and additional lift connections at both car park levels will facilitate immediate access for drivers. Increased provision of natural light and enhanced distinctive flowing forms are other key design elements. In addition, a number of new dining venues will be available - most notably a Heatherwick-designed standalone restaurant on level 4 is due to open later this year.
Cathay Pacific Airways has announced the sale by wholly owned subsidiary Caterwell One (Netherlands) B.V. of a 30% shareholding in its Canadian subsidiary, CLS Catering Services Limited, to fellow shareholder LSG Lufthansa Service Europa/Afrika GmbH for a cash consideration of CAD$5.55 million (HK$42.88 million), plus an adjustment not exceeding CAD$1.2 million (HK$9.27 million) payable by end of February 2009. The adjustment will be determined in accordance with CLS' financial performance for the year ending 31st December 2008. The reduction of Cathay Pacific's shareholding in this non-core asset in its airline catering business portfolio from 60% to 30% means CLS will cease to be a subsidiary of Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa's shareholding will increase from 40% to 70%.
Cathay Pacific has realigned the retirement age for its Hong Kong-based cabin crew to 55 years of age. The move affects the 5,000 Hong Kong-based cabin crew who joined after 1st July 1993, whose retirement age was set at 45. The retirement age for cabin crew who joined before 1st July 1993 is 55. The change has been implemented following in-depth discussions with cabin crew working groups, including the Flight Attendants Union (FAU) and the Cabin Crew Consultation Group. Under the new arrangement, all cabin crew who joined after 1993 will be able to choose to retire at any time between 45 and 55. All new joiners will retire at 55.
Following Swire Beverages' successful launch of Coke Zero in Guangdong, the new flavour has been introduced in Hangzhou and will be launched in Nanjing in August. Meanwhile, 209 Swire Beverages' staff from Mainland China and Taiwan have been selected to support Coca-Cola in Beijing during the 2008 Olympic Games. These Olympic "Shuang" ("Refreshing") Team members will have the once-in-a-lifetime experience of working in the various Beijing Olympic venues, supporting the supply and sale of beverages during the Games.
Marine Services
Swire Pacific Offshore has signed a contract with Boustead Penang Shipyard for the construction of two 111-metre accommodation work barges. Delivery is scheduled for the first and second quarters of 2010 respectively. The barges, designed in association with Shiptech Naval Architects of Singapore, offer some unique features, including under-deck storage capability for dry bulk and liquid bulk tanks for oil recovery, offshore grouting, work-over and warehousing operations, and a laydown area on deck. Each barge will be fitted with a 200-tonne capacity sub-sea crane and with a moon pool for diving and ROV operations. The mooring systems and main cranes have been designed for operation in water depths up to 1,000 metres and will be able to provide shutdown maintenance services as well as servicing the hook-up and commissioning needs of offshore energy companies in deep-water areas such as West Africa and Southeast Asia. The accommodation is spacious with offices for client use and meeting rooms together with a recreation room, two cinemas and a gymnasium, as well as accommodation for 239 personnel in roomy, single-berth cabins with ensuite facilities. The units have helidecks for a Sikorsky 92 helicopter for personnel transfer. SPO is working to ensure the units are compliant with NOPSA (National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority) regulations for service offshore Australia, where mandatory standards for crew comfort and safety are especially high.
Swire Pacific Offshore has formed a joint venture with Integral Oil Services S.A. to provide high-end marine services to the oilfield industry in Angola commencing in the fourth quarter of 2008. Integral has a 51% stake and SPO has the remaining 49% in Swire Serviços Marítimos Lda (SSML), which will be headquartered in the Angolan capital, Luanda. SSML will assist operators in Angola involved in deep-water exploration through anchor handling, towing of rigs and supply duties, and offer offshore production support such as export tanker static towage.
