Shipping lines ready to help Venezuela comply with import orders

www.vheadline.com Posted: Monday, January 27, 2003 - 3:14:44 PM By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Shipping Association of Venezuela (ANV) director Federico Boccardo has announced that shipping lines will start moving cargo this week after 50 days of inactivity owing to the national stoppage. “It doesn’t mean we are resuming activities … we will be bringing cargoes that were diverted to other ports.”

• Boccardo says the association wants to help metallurgy and chemical companies that must to fulfill contracts or suffer stiff penalties.

However, there are security and gasoline supply problems to attend to before the shipping lines get into full swing again.

Some pilots, Boccardo maintains,  are still undecided whether to return to work and insurance companies must be called in to give the green light regarding optimum conditions. He adds that the Navy has taken over from rebel Port captains in Puerto Cabello, La Guaira and Maracaibo.