TAKE-A-LOOK-Global shipping market news

Ocean freight markets have ridden a four-year boom on
rapidly-expanding seaborne trade, robust global economic growth and China and
India's emergence as major economic powers.

The trillion-dollar shipping industry is vital to the world economy, carrying
more than 90 percent of the world's traded goods by volume.

Reuters is expanding its coverage of the maritime sector. See below for a
selection of the latest stories, interviews, analyses and factboxes:

Shipping speed guide SHIPPING

TOP NEWS LATEST
> Freght futures sizzle as banks, funds tap growth [ID:nL11482600]
> IEA sees slower oil demand, cheap crude era dead [ID:nL1176669]
> Corus to explore ways to secure raw materials [ID:nL11511991]
> US cargo scanning law unfair- EU envoy [ID:nN10499499]
> China steel mills to expand despite surging costs [ID:nPEK237403]
> China contracted coal exports to resume soon [ID:nL10330619]
> China Feb crude imports rise 14 pct to match high [ID:nPEK182388]
> OPEC exports to drop 70,000 bpd to Mar. 22-analyst [ID:nWLB8264]
> Asia fuel oil storage glut could trigger casualties [ID:nSP89146]
> China Shipping to pay $2.8 bln for ships [ID:nHKG220485]
> Norway tycoon locks horns with TUI over merger plans [ID:nL06101039]
> Imarex 2007 freight and bunker trade grew 130 pct [ID:nL29416274]
> Exxon Mobil appeals $2.5 bln Valdez oil spill award [ID:nN27468142]
> Shipping bottlenecks may halt nuclear renaissance [ID:nL26644686]
> French port union warns of possible strike in March [ID:nL27292050]
> Top China shipyard warns of sector downturn [ID:nHKG88688]
> OPEC exports up 100,000 bpd in 4 wks to Feb 10-LMIU [ID:nL26811490]
> Europe Feb gasoline exports to U.S. seen 1.4 mln T [ID:nL26477237]
> Nigeria Forcados crude exports to double in April [ID:nL26924388]
> Global steel prices: the sky is the limit [ID:nL08870740]
> China cuts coal export quotas to 40 mln T -report [ID:nHKG39389]
> Baosteel, Vale sign 65 pct iron ore price rise [ID:nPEK287209]
> Iron ore prices to Asia since 1992 [ID:nPEK48921]
> Sea freight costs for raw materials rally on China [ID:nL20881138]
> China: Dearth of coking coal afer power crisis [ID:nHKG8146]
> Strike delays 300,000 T India iron ore exports [ID:nDEL001086]
> China sees marine fuel demand surge to ship coal [ID:nSP163847]
> Norway exchange Imarex buys Spectron for $138 mln [ID:nL14748332]
> Imarex eyes more acquisitions after Spectron-CEO [ID:nL14210309]
> Ships' carbon output twice previous estimate-study [ID:nL13900074]
> IEA cuts world oil demand growth forecast [ID:nL13680969]
CORPORATE NEWS
> China Merchants to buy $119 mln Ningbo port stake [ID:nHKG254992]
> Danish shipper Norden 2007 net profit jumps [ID:nL10734953]
> Aries Maritime mulls possible sale, dividend suspended [ID:nBNG159607]
> Daewoo Shipbuilding 2007 net up 450 pct from 2006 [ID:nSEO85381]
> China's COSCO says plans to float oil tanker fleet [ID:nHKG231999]
> Aker Yards Q4 losses top forecasts, CEO fired [ID:nL03602706]
> Singapore's NOL moves 17 pct more cargo in Dec [ID:nL03293903]
> Container Corp plans 8 new container depots [ID:nL26509558]
> China's No. 2 oil port eyes listing to expand [ID:nHKG20927]
> Singapore's Cosco profit up 64 pct on ship building [ID:nSP134484]
> Diana Shipping Q4 profit misses mkt view; shares fall [ID:nBNG329558]
ANALYSIS
> Asian shippers to weather global slowdown [ID:nHKG20511]
> Slower boats to China as ship owners save fuel [ID:nL18312983]
> Iran keeps world guessing on Hormuz oil route risk [ID:nL19351019]
> As U.S. slows, world shipping demand shifts east [ID:nN20506221]
> China wave to keep dry bulk shippers on record run [ID:nBNG678]
INTERVIEWS
> Double hulls eyed after Korean oil spill [ID:nBG253294]
> China top iron ore port plans further expansion [ID:nHKG82537]
FUNDAMENTALS -- WET FREIGHT
> European gasoline to fill Australian tanks-trade [ID:nAK1579689]
> Nigeria oil exports to rise in April after repair [ID:nL28649003]
> Iraq's Kirkuk pumping crude to Turkey -engineer [ID:nL29783082]
> Some 135KT Feb, March Europe naptha set for Asia [ID:nT249814]
> Asia Gas oil-Glencore books 80,000 T to Europe [ID:nSP124353]
> China fuel oil tax hike extra dampener for imports [ID:nSP26712]
FUNDAMENTALS -- DRY FREIGHT
> Australia coal port cuts Q2 export quotas [ID:nSYD176177]
> Chinese mines halt loading coal for export -trade [ID:nHKG187177]
> Brazil Vale resumes ore shipping from Itaguai port [ID:nN29169233]
> Iraq buys 550,000-600,000 T U.S. wheat - trade [ID:nL27377272]
> Rains delay Brazil soy harvest - analysts [ID:nN26352293]
> Australia barley exports to China grind to a halt [ID:nSYD66570]
> China's Jan iron ore imports at monthly record high [ID:nHKG347377]
> China Jan soybean imports up 41.5 pct y/y [ID:nL1543281]
> Richards Bay exports hit by stacker problems [ID:nL14836893]
GLOBAL ECONOMY HEALTH WATCH [WORLD/ECON]
MARKETS ROUNDUP -- DRY BULK
Global freight reports (Asia/N.America/London) [FRE/]
MARKETS ROUNDUP - OIL TANKERS
Global crude oil; Product freight reports [TAN/CRU] [TAN/PROD]
Crude tanker bookings; Product tanker bookings [TAN/D] [TAN/C]
FREIGHT INDICES
Tanker spot rates; Tanker derivatives rates <SHIP/TAN1> <SHIP/FFA1>
Dry spot rates; Dry derivatives rates <SHIP/DRY1> <SHIP/FFA2>
(Page Editor: Stefano Ambrogi)