Service contracts—An instrument of international logistics supply chain: Under United States and European Union regulatory frameworks

Service contracts have emerged as an important instrument to secure a long-term relationship between carriers in the container shipping industry and shippers requiring scheduled services covering a global market. This contract, entered into largely on an individual and confidential basis, continues to enjoy anti-trust immunity under current United States and European Union regulations. It will continue to be in place even after the EC Council Regulation 4056/86 is repealed in October 2008 although it may operate in a modified way because of the absence of the common external conference tariff. This article examines the implications of this instrument on the international supply chain and explores its future role in defining efficiencies in international trade flows.     

新《环境保护法》下湿地保护的立法思考——基于江苏省湿地保护立法现状的分析

江苏省湿地资源丰富,湿地种类多样,分布广泛,但面临着严重的污染和破坏,且湿地立法相对分散,没有形成完整的湿地保护法律体系。《环境保护法》的修订,特别是生态红线、按日计罚、生态补偿、公益诉讼等制度设计,为江苏省湿地保护立法提供了强有力的制度支撑。在此情形下,制定"江苏省湿地保护条例"显得十分必要。     

Legal aspects of development on dolomite land in South Africa

 Dolomite rock formations underlie large areas of the Gauteng, North, North-West and Mpumalanga Provinces in South Africa. Sinkholes, subsidences and dolines that may form at any place and at any time on these formations pose a threat to the properties and lives of thousands of people who live and work there. Since much urban, industrial and mining development has taken place in these areas, and the demand for housing development is on the increase, the risk of surface damage must be minimized by means of proper site investigations, hazard and risk evaluation and selection of appropriate development. The legal aspects pertaining to development on dolomite land in South Africa and the requirements for geotechnical investigations as outlined in the various ordinances and acts are reviewed here. Received: 15 September 1996 · Accepted: 12 May 1998     

气象知识产权有关问题思考

气象事业要转变发展方式,气象知识产权的建设不可或缺,气象知识产权在气象事业中发挥着重要的作用,保护气象知识产权是提高气象行业综合竞争力的重要手段.依据国际气象知识产权机构和规则,对比国内气象部门现状,分析面临的挑战和机遇,指出未来几年气象知识产权建设的重点领域,并对气象信息的知识产权保护和共享作出思考,提出要制定符合我...     

Tributyltin impacts in Galapagos Islands and Ecuadorian shore: Marine protected areas under threat

Imposex incidence and biometric parameters were investigated in six muricid species along of 1200 km of Ecuadorian shore and in Galapagos archipelago. The obtained data, were compared to previous studies performed in the same area in 2009. The results showed that moderate imposex levels still occur in coastal areas of Ecuador, even after global TBT ban. However, a reduction in imposex parameters was detected in the sampled sites, indicating probably relationship to the global TBT ban issued by IMO at 2008. On the other hand, the levels currently reported in present study indicates that TBT environmental concentrations are still high enough to produce biological effects in studied areas. In addition, imposex incidence in four muricid species from Galapagos islands were detected suggesting that this marine protected area is under threat of antifouling contamination. These findings, after TBT global ban, denotes that current regulations and conservation plans still need to address such an issue and incorporate more restrictive management rules, particularly in complex coastal areas, vulnerable and unique systems such as the Galapagos Islands.     

Wild and farmed salmon in Norway—A review

The Salmon industry in Norway includes three sectors, namely sea and river fishing for wild salmon, and salmon farming, or aquaculture. The three sectors provide different social, economic and cultural benefits to society, but also face many problems and challenges. They have different interests, practices, traditions and audiences, and are also administered by different authorities and regulated under varying management regimes and legislations. On the one hand, they complement each other in terms of product supply, employment creation and income; on the other hand, they face conflicts over management objectives and strategies. This paper provides an overview of the salmon sectors associated with their status, challenges and management regimes. It further analyzes their interests and conflicts over economic contribution and management. Finally, some potential solutions are suggested in an attempt to solve these conflicts.     

英文版海上避碰规则中句子成份的间隔和省略

从实例出发,分析了避碰规则中经常出现的间隔和省略语法现象,如主语与谓语的间隔,谓语两个组成部分的分隔,以及长句中名词、介词短语和动词的省略等,旨在对航海英语教学和航海英语学习者有所启示。     

Antifouling strategies: history and regulation, ecological impacts and mitigation

Biofouling increases drag on marine vessels resulting in higher fuel consumption and can also facilitate the transport of harmful non-indigenous species (NIS). Antifouling technologies incorporating biocides (e.g., copper and tributyltin) have been developed to prevent settlement of organisms on vessels, but their widespread use has introduced high levels of contamination into the environment and raised concerns about their toxic effects on marine communities. The recent global ban on tributyltin (1 January 2008) and increasing regulation of copper have prompted research and development of non-toxic paints. This review synthesises existing information regarding the ecological impact of biocides in a wide range of organisms and highlights directions for the management of antifouling paints. We focus particularly on representatives of the recent past (copper and tributyltin) and present (copper and ‘booster’) biocides. We identify knowledge gaps in antifouling research and provide recommendations relating to the regulation and phasing-out of copper.     

The protection of karst water resources: the example of the Larzac karst plateau (south of France)

Wide karst plateaus extend in the carbonate rocks of the Grands Causses area, north of Montpellier (south of France). They are surrounded by a hard rock base that feeds important rivers, such as the Tarn River and tributaries, and crosses the plateaus creating deep gorges. The Larzac plateau, the most southern, makes a link with the Mediterranean region. It is traversed by one of the main national roads and another main road under construction from Clermont-Ferrand to Montpellier and Spain. The karst water resource of the plateau, from springs, is used as a water supply for the Millau area (30,000 inhabitants); but it also recharges surface rivers, mainly during the summer and fall when the water level is low, in a region that is well known for water recreation activities, for fish farming and, above all, for sheep farming and Roquefort cheese production. The fundamental question was should the karst and its water resource be fully protected by strict regulations (for example as a nature reservation) in land-use management of the plateau based upon the knowledge of its hydrogeological functioning and its karst structure? Decisions, concerning the ～500-km² area were elaborated from detailed hydrogeological studies, which included natural and artificial tracing, analysis of karst aquifer functioning, landscape analysis, and risk assessment and mapping. Recommendations were proposed to local and regional decision makers to define what were the preferences in terms of water resource protection and water quality restoration. Following such an approach in a karst area is not easy for hydrogeologists or for decision makers. In non-karstic regions, protection zones currently extend over small areas of a few square kilometers, which can be easily placed under the control of a small municipality. In the present example, the main water supplies are two springs that recharge areas that extend respectively over 100 and 110?km². Included are several municipalities, some of which use them for their water supply, whereas others are concerned with pollution risks and land management projects. The recent French Water Act, which considers water as a common heritage, allows for general management by all the users, and it deals with the water and the terrain in which it flows. The regulation tools seem very well suited to karst region management. However, time is needed to educate users and decision makers, and with the help of karst scientists, to work together in a framework that is larger than the usual municipal limits.