ReleaseWire

The port of Constantza is forecast to see growth both in terms of both total tonnage and container throughput in 2014 in line with Romania's continued economic recovery and eurozone's projected return to growth.

We maintain our view that growth in Venezuela will be lacklustre in 2014, as high inflation suppresses household purchasing power, a poor business environment constrains private sector investment, and stagnant oil production caps growth in net exports. We are forecasting growth of just 1.2% in 2014, above our 2013 estimate of 0.8%, but well below Venezuela's average over the past decade of 5.8%.

Moogento, a company that creates top-quality Magento extensions that help people customise Magento PDFs, their invoices, packing sheets and much more, has just announced a couple of upgrades to two of their most popular products.

Latest GDP figures show that the Vietnamese economy grew by 5.0% year-on-year (y-o-y) in Q1 2014, and we believe that our 2014 real GDP growth forecast of 5.9% remains in sight. Indeed, we believe that increased macroeconomic stability, combined with pro-growth policies will help the economy accelerate from 2013 levels. Key downside risks to this view include a faster-than-anticipated slowdown in China, as well as the stalling of the country's reform drive. With China being Vietnam's second top export partner, behind the US, such a slowdown would have a detrimental effect on Vietnam's shipping industry.

J.R. Mats Inc. announced expanded availability of its flagship Country Club Elite golf mats. Thanks to improved agreements with international shippers, golfers in more countries than ever can enjoy the game-enhancing construction of the company's practice mats. As the most natural-feeling golf mats on the market, the company's products have developed strong worldwide followings among amateur and professional golfers.

We are forecasting that the Nigerian economy will expand by 7.0% in 2014, up from an estimated 6.7% in 2013 thanks to continued strong expansion in non-oil sectors. This positive environment is set to feed into the country's shipping industry, which is set to enjoy a healthy 12 months. The positive impact of agriculture mean that this important sector should contribute strongly to private consumption growth. The risks to our view are to the downside and stem from the political risk and policy uncertainty.

Export-Led Recovery Is Gaining Strength

MarketLines' Eitzen Holding AS Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Partnerships & Alliances and Investments report includes business description, detailed reports on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), divestments, capital raisings, venture capital investments, ownership and partnership transactions undertaken by Eitzen Holding AS since January 2007. These reports offer a comprehensive breakdown of the organic and inorganic growth activity undertaken by an organization to sustain its competitive advantage.

The New Orleans maritime lawyers at The Lambert Firm recently launched a new section of their website to better assist maritime clients.

MarketLines' TNT Express N.V. (formerly TPG N.V.) Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Partnerships & Alliances and Investments report includes business description, detailed reports on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), divestments, capital raisings, venture capital investments, ownership and partnership transactions undertaken by TNT Express N.V. (formerly TPG N.V.) since January 2007. These reports offer a comprehensive breakdown of the organic and inorganic growth activity undertaken by an organization to sustain its competitive advantage.

BMI forecasts growth across the board at Colombian ports in 2014. This will, in part, be due to base effects, as most facilities endured a downturn in volumes in 2013. Shipping sector growth over the medium term will be supported by growth in private consumption on the back of rising wages, and the opening of the expanded Panama Canal, which would see more, and larger, vessels calling at the country's ports. This possibility has piqued the interest of international container terminal operators, such as International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI). Throughput volumes will also be supported by the growing dry bulk export story, in particular coal.

MarketLines' Veolia Transport S.A. (formerly Connex Transport S.A.) Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Partnerships & Alliances and Investments report includes business description, detailed reports on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), divestments, capital raisings, venture capital investments, ownership and partnership transactions undertaken by Veolia Transport S.A. (formerly Connex Transport S.A.) since January 2007. These reports offer a comprehensive breakdown of the organic and inorganic growth activity undertaken by an organization to sustain its competitive advantage.

Juan Pablo Serrano has developed a new concept for domestic and international shipping. It’s called KOOIK, pronounced “quick” and uses social media to send packages all over the world. It’s “friendly shipping.”

BMI maintains its cautiously optimistic view on the Argentine port sector. The country enjoys a good commodities mix, but it continues to struggle with external headwinds, as well as internal difficulties in the form of rising inflation and labour unrest. We continue to expect that Argentine real GDP will grow 2.9% in 2014, a considerable slowdown from estimated 2013's 4.9% growth. The January 23 currency devaluation and subsequent collapse in consumer sentiment underpin our view that real growth will slow in 2014. We expect to see a marked slowdown in real private consumption growth this year, forecasting 3.3% real growth in 2014. In part this is due to the effect of higher inflation following the January peso devaluation, which will erode real purchasing power.

The ships and boats market declined by 40% over 2007-2012 to reach a value of SR3.2 billion at the end of the period. Weak demand for oil, the main export commodity in Saudi Arabia, negatively affects the commercial vessels category. The Saudi industry is relatively small and imports represent 60% of the market's value in 2012. A large share of the industry's production is re-exported, due to a lack of technological know-how. The industry is expected to grow by a CAGR of 11% over the forecast period, driven by recovering demand for oil and military spending.

We believe our forecasts for a weaker Australian dollar and lower long-term yields remain well placed, as economic indicators are deteriorating in line with our expectations for growth to slow. We see the economy struggling on the domestic and external fronts, due to a rigid labour market and weakening demand for commodities from China. The latter point will prove the most detrimental to Australia's shipping industry over the short term.

MarketLines' Valeo Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Partnerships & Alliances and Investments report includes business description, detailed reports on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), divestments, capital raisings, venture capital investments, ownership and partnership transactions undertaken by Valeo since January 2007. These reports offer a comprehensive breakdown of the organic and inorganic growth activity undertaken by an organization to sustain its competitive advantage.

We have been below consensus on Turkey's medium-term real GDP growth outlook since mid-2013, based on our view that the country's growth model, driven by a huge reliance on foreign borrowing to fund a rapid expansion of domestic credit, would no longer be viable in light of tightening global liquidity conditions. While signs of easing domestic demand were beginning to emerge by end-2013, destabilising political developments have exacerbated a downturn in investor sentiment, consumer and business confidence. Following an estimated 3.6% growth in 2013, we now forecast real GDP to expand by 1.5% and 3.0% in 2014 and 2015 respectively, well below consensus estimates of 2.3% and 4.0%.

We expect an improvement in Canadian real GDP growth in 2014 and 2015, with expansion of 2.1% and 2.3% respectively (up from 1.7% in both 2012 and 2013). However, our forecasts are below consensus, and we expect domestic demand to come under pressure as overleveraged households take a breather, the housing market cools, and commodity prices fail to recover.

Craters & Freighters Phoenix today announced the highest first quarter sales in its 22-year history with revenue up 30% from the same period in 2013 and up 43% from 2010, the year hardest affected following the Great Recession.

The UAE will continue to dominate the Gulf region's shipping sector as it continues to invest heavily in its facilities. Not only has the massive Khalifa Port had a hugely successful opening in 2012, and handled 1mn containers in 2013, but the established behemoth, Jebel Ali, has announced plans for a new container terminal, helping it to keep ahead from the growing competition in the region. Even the smaller Sharjah terminals are performing well, with record growth in recent years. As such we project continued strong growth at the facilities, especially as the global economy looks set to continue its resurgence from the doldrums in 2014.

The port of Odessa is set to hold the top position in Ukraine's maritime sector in terms of container throughput and of the top positions in terms of total tonnage in 2014 after overtaking the port of Illichivsk in terms of boxes handled in 2010.

MarketLines' Qantas Airways Limited Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Partnerships & Alliances and Investments report includes business description, detailed reports on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), divestments, capital raisings, venture capital investments, ownership and partnership transactions undertaken by Qantas Airways Limited since January 2007. These reports offer a comprehensive breakdown of the organic and inorganic growth activity undertaken by an organization to sustain its competitive advantage.

Political uncertainty will continue to affect the Egyptian economy in 2014 as the country continues through its rocky transitional period towards democracy. However, the announcement by Field Marshall Sisi in March that he would run for president - a post BMI believes he will almost certainly win - should serve to reduce political risk. We believe that his victory in the upcoming elections will provide a veneer of political legitimacy, thereby releasing US aid flows, and should help the economy get back on track.

MarketLines' Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd. Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Partnerships & Alliances and Investments report includes business description, detailed reports on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), divestments, capital raisings, venture capital investments, ownership and partnership transactions undertaken by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd. since January 2007. These reports offer a comprehensive breakdown of the organic and inorganic growth activity undertaken by an organization to sustain its competitive advantage.