China remains Myanmar’s top source of FDI

China continues to be the largest investor in Myanmar with more than US$14 billion of cumulative investment as of the end of June, according to latest data from the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA).

Foreign companies have so far invested more than $46.71 billion in 12 sectors, including oil and gas, manufacturing, mining, hotels and tourism, transport and logistics, real estate, livestock and fisheries, agriculture, construction and services.

The energy sector has received the most foreign investment, about 41 per cent of the total, while the construction sector has received the least, according to DICA.

WWL opens new office in Yangon, Myanmar

July 09, 2014, Tokyo, Japan - Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (WWL) has entered into a joint venture with Myanmar-based Carrier King Logistics that makes it the first independent company in the country to provide modern automobile distribution from port to consumer.

With the rapid and on-going democratisation of Myanmar, a new consumer market is emerging—including a growing demand for automobiles with more and more international manufacturers establishing dealerships in the country’s largest city, Yangon.

“Myanmar traditionally had a very limited automobile market, and still today the majority of cars sold in Myanmar are second-hand vehicles imported from Japan. They arrive at the ports and are then ‘jockey driven’ by individual drivers from the ports to wherever they are sold—or owners or dealers come to the port themselves to pick up the vehicles. As new cars are starting to enter the country, a professional and safe transport solution is clearly needed”, explains Trond Tonjum, Head of WWL South East Asia.

Myanmar-Singapore joint venture to build Thilawa jetty

YANGON - A joint venture company has received government approval to build a jetty and petrol storage tanks at Thilawa port.

The Singapore-based Puma Energy Irrawaddy Pte Ltd and Asia Sun Energy from Myanmar have joined hands under Puma Energy Asia Sun. The Myanmar Investment Commission approved the deal during a meeting in Nay Pyi Taw.

Joseph Tan Jude Benny: Bring Myanmar up to speed

Singapore: For the last year Singapore lawyer Jude Benny has been working with the government of Myanmar to help the country modernise its maritime laws.

The 56-year-old managing partner of Singapore law firm Joseph Tan Jude Benny LLP has an office in Yangon and is now one of the world’s experts on Myanmar maritime, a sector many are eyeing with excitement.

Plenty of shipping lines are looking at the Southeast Asian nation as an up and coming cargo growth area, but Benny warns patience is needed.

Burma Faces Foreign Investment Competition From Cambodia, Laos

Burma, Cambodia and Laos are the potential “hidden markets” of Southeast Asia for investment opportunities, a business study said, but they could end up competing against one another.

Burma and Cambodia are both developing tourism and textile manufacturing industries which could see competition for foreign investment.

In Burma’s case, “it’s very important that the government is able to maintain its reform momentum” in order to achieve the “vast economic potential,” said the study by Business Monitor International (BMI) which identified textiles, tourism and financial services among promising areas for investors.

Factbox: Myanmar's oil sector attracts investment

(Reuters) - The opening up of Myanmar's economy after decades of isolation has led to a jump in oil demand, attracting local and foreign investors to build oil storage tanks and a terminal to meet rising consumption.

Here are some details on the country's oil sector.

Postage stamp business to be privatised: Finance Ministry

The nation’s postage stamps, which earn Ks 5 billion (US$5 million) revenue per year and is distributed for eight years of general consumption, will be privatised soon, according to the Finance Ministry.

After receiving the official approval of the Attorney-General’s Office, the postage stamp business will be transferred to private enterprises, according to Min Htut, Director General of the Internal Revenue Department (IRD).

The shipping news

In a step toward facilitating regional trade and cutting down on lengthy and expensive logistical processes, shipping firms have come up with a plan to allow goods containers crossing posts on the Thai border to continue through to their destination without having to be emptied and repacked onto domestic vessels, officials said.

“From the end of April, container goods should be able to pass through Myawaddy without being transferred to a Thai container,” said U Aung Khin Myint, chair of Myanmar International Freight Forwarders’ Association (MIFFA), adding that the plan had to go through both governments first but has been well received thus far.

Coca-Cola to Suzuki Myanmar Factory Rush Spurs Shipping: Freight

Coca-Cola Co. (KO:US) and Suzuki Motor Corp. (7269) are among companies pushing demand for transportation of machinery to Myanmar to bottle drinks and make trucks, after the country’s five decades of isolation during military rule.

Coca-Cola, which opened a bottling plant in Myanmar last year, plans to invest $200 million over five years while Suzuki restarted production of trucks last year after leaving the market in 2010. Asahi Group Holdings Ltd. (2502), Japan’s biggest beermaker, said this month it’s forming a venture to start operations there this year.

MOL President Muto Visits Myanmar

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) president Koichi Muto hosted an appreciation cocktail party for government leaders, customers, partners and MOL employees on March 5 at Park Royal Hotel, Yangon. It was well attended by 110 guests including Ichiro Maruyama, Minister-Counsellor/Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Japan, reaffirming MOL’s expansion plan in the containership business in Myanmar and its commitment in furthering the country’s economic development.

MOL looks at Myanmar expansion

Tokyo: Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) is eyeing more business beyond container shipping in Myanmar. Apart from future expansion on the containership businesses in Myanmar, MOL may expand in time its other businesses to cover bulkers, tankers and car carriers, the company said in a release.

MOL hosted an appreciation cocktail party for government leaders, customers, partners and MOL employees on March 5 at Park Royal Hotel, Yangon. It was well attended by 110 guests including Ichiro Maruyama, Minister-Counsellor/Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Japan, reaffirming MOL’s expansion plan in the containership business in Myanmar and its commitment in furthering the country’s economic development.

Muse lacking warehouses to store goods

Traders are selling goods at cute-rate prices offered by the Chinese in the northern border town of Muse because of a lack of storage facilities, according to the Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF).

Rice and maize are send to Muse from Bago, Yangon and Ayeyawady regions but often has to be sold immediately otherwise it may go bad. More than 70 percent of land exports currently go through Muse.

Myanmar Grants Maersk Permanent License

Maersk Group has received a permanent license to operate container business activities in Myanmar. The business will encompass the three brands Maersk Line, MCC Transport and Safmarine and the agency in Yangon will be officially opened in May 2014.

"We are pleased to be granted a permanent business license to operate our own agency in Myanmar. Since the European Union and United States eased sanctions in 2012, we have experienced a surge in interest in sourcing goods to and from Myanmar," said My Therese Blank, Myanmar Country Manager.

Maersk gets licence to operate container business in Myanmar

Maersk Line, the world's largest shipping line, is venturing into Myanmar after it obtained a permanent licence to operate its container business activities.

Maersk Line, along with MCC Transport and Safmarine, which are all subsidiaries of the AP Moller-Maersk Group, will establish their own agency in Yangon in May 2014.

AP Moller-Maersk pointed out that macro-economic indicators are signalling a continuous expansion of growth in Myanmar due to infrastructure development and investments in industries such as agriculture and garment. Trade is also expected to grow as demand for consumer products increases on the back of the 60 million population.

Myanmar, Norway seek cooperation in environmental conservation

The letter of intent was signed between the ministry of environmental conservation and forestry of Myanmar and ministry of climate and environment of Norway, in Nay Pyi Taw, Xinhua reported citing the New Light of Myanmar.

Both sides mainly discussed preservation of biodiversity and forests in Myanmar, water resources preservation and water resources administration in Sittoung and Bago river basins, and preservation of Inlay Lake.

Myanmar to purchase more ocean liners

YANGON—Myanma Five Star Line will be purchasing three more ocean liners, according to MFSL deputy general manager Maung Maung Soe.

As the national flag carrier of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, MFSL now operates shipping services by running with 22 ocean-going vessels for domestic and foreign travel.

“We are planning to buy three more ocean liners before mid-year. We are going to promote economic growth between partnership countries depending on our export and import enterprises,” said Maung Maung Soe.

Myanmar, Japan to cooperate in communication, postal service sector

Myanmar and Japan will cooperate in a range of sectors including communication and postal service sectors, official media reported Friday.

It was discussed when Myanmar President U Thein Sein met with visiting Home Affairs and Communication Minister of Japan Yoshitaka Shindo in Nay Pyi Taw.

Their discussion also covered Japan's provision of technical and financial assistance to strengthen Myanmar's police force and conducting of technical courses for Myanmar, said the New Light of Myanmar.

Myanmar to get Japan Post model of efficient, fast mail

An initiative has been launched to modernize Myanmar’s postal system by introducing Japan’s fast, efficient and precise services, in line with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s economic revitalization plans featuring exports of advanced technologies and services, especially to developing countries in Asia.

Though the two sides have held three rounds of working-level talks so far, Japanese officials believe it will take some time to realize Japanese-style postal services in Myanmar, where people are unused even to writing postal codes.

Japan launches initiative to “export” postal system to Myanmar

Japan has launched an initiative to modernise Myanmar’s postal system by introducing its fast, efficient and precise services in the Southeast Asian country.

The initiative is part of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s economic revitalisation plans featuring exports of its advanced technologies and services to other countries, especially developing countries in Asia.

Myanmar to construct 2 cargo wharves at Thilawa with ODA loan

Yangon - Japan is agreed to provide assistance to two new general cargo wharves with US$205 million loan from Official Development Assistance (ODA) for constructions at the Myanmar International Terminals Thilawa (MITT) port.

“We will construct two new wharves at Thilawa port using a loan from ODA with the supervision of ministry of transport,” said Han Sein, deputy minister for transport.