United Arab Emirates firm to operate six major U.S. ports
 

http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtri...986111113.html

United Arab Emirates firm to operate six major U.S. ports



SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Monday, February 13, 2006
WASHINGTON ? The Bush administration has approved a deal in which a United Arab Emirates company would operate six major ports in the United States.



A U.S. government panel has determined that the UAE firm, DP World, would not endanger national security.
DP World, based in Dubai, has offered $6.8 billion for the purchase of a British firm that operates the ports of Baltimore, Miami, New York, New Jersey, New Orleans and Philadelphia, Middle East Newsline reported.

DP World intends to acquire the London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation [P&O] Co. The sale was expected to be approved on Monday.

"The P&O directors have withdrawn their recommendation of the offer by PSA, which was announced on Jan. 26, 2006, and unanimously recommend that P&O Stockholders vote in favor of the revised proposals at the meetings, which are now scheduled to take place on Feb. 13," DP World said in a statement.

The company said the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States "thoroughly reviewed the potential transaction and concluded they had no objection." The committee includes representatives from the departments of Treasury, Defense, Justice, Commerce, State and Homeland Security.

The United Arab Emirates has been described as a leading military ally of the United States. In 2005, the UAE acquired the first 10 of 80 F-16E/F Block 60 multi-role fighters in a $6.4 billion purchase.

But officials said the UAE has not fully responded to repeated appeals from the Treasury Department to halt money-laundering activities exploited by Al Qaida and aligned groups. They said that for years Dubai served as a base for Al Qaida operatives, including those who destroyed the World Trade Center and a Pentagon wing in 2001.



"America's busiest ports are vital to our economy and to the international economy, and that is why they remain top terrorist targets," Sen. Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat, said. "Just as we would not outsource military operations or law enforcement duties, we should be very careful before we outsource such sensitive homeland security duties."





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Schumer said that? Whoa

Even worse, didn't Michael Jackson move there? He's going to remake an old beach movie there, "Where the Boys Are".

Yeah, and ol' Abdul better lock up his baby boy camels too!!!

That was good Fred
Bob K

I don't think the Arabs have ever dealt with Yankee Longshoremen or their unions.....should be interesting to watch.

Michael moved to Baharain....island right of the coast of Arabia.

I agree with Bob....real good one Fred!

Pack

That article is pure MISINFORMATION! P&O lines DOES NOT OPERATE ANYTHING in the Port of Philadelphia! They are a Shipping Company that operate vessels. They have one vessel call a week at Packer Avenue Terminal. To say that P&O runs the port is untrue. The Port of Philadelphia is run by the Delaware River Port Authority. The same holds true for New York and Port Elizabeth, NJ. which are run by their respective Port Authorities. NO FOREIGN COMPANY runs any US Port. As a matter of fact no US Company runs any US Ports either. Ports are run by Port Authorities and in the Case of Philadelphia, it's a Tri-State Commission from New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. The above article from World Tribune.com is totally untrue.

I'm in the Maritime Business. I'm Port Manager for Norton Lilly International in the Ports of Philadelphia and Wilmington Delaware. NO SHIPPING LINE runs anything here! Nothing moves on the Delaware river without the approval of Customs and Border Protection and the USCG Captain of the Port. That article is just PURE BS!

PS. We're agents for some of the P & O Ships that were just taken over by Maersk Lines (Danish) and re-named. (Not DP World from Dubai.)
Most of P&O is now owned by Hapag Lloyd.

World Tribune.com is on a par with the Onion. iF YOU BELIEVE ANYTHING PRINTED THERE I HAVE A COUPLE OF BRIDGES TO SELL YOU.

I'd really appreciate it Larry, if you'd check into the truth of a statement before you post it for folks to read.

Thanks Col. Didn't sound right to me, but what do I know..I'm on the Air Freight Export side of things (can't stand Ocean Frt - probably because I don't understand it). Couldn't believe that Schumer would say anything like the quote suggested. Not his style.
But I do remember a hoo haw a few years ago about the feds selling Long Beach Terminal to Cosco which is owned, in part at least, by the PLA. That didn't fly.
Thanks again Col. for the clarification.

This same theme has been picked up by Hardcore and echoed on another thread. I think that both Hardcore and Moratardude knew all along that the information was false but decided to post it anyway because it makes the current occupant of the White House look bad in their distorted reasoning.

colmurph why would you call Rick a lier for posting information given out by the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee and reported by the Associated press?

Is not the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee The Honorable Peter T. King, a Republican?

Are you suggesting that Republican committee chairs are now trying to discredit the president with AP reports and citizens like Larry and Rick?

I really do not understand that line of thinking......