Tag: boat

  • ThongSmith: Thailand’s Premium Boat Noodle Brand Sets Sail in Hong Kong’s Dining Scene

    ThongSmith: Thailand’s Premium Boat Noodle Brand Sets Sail in Hong Kong’s Dining Scene

    Bangkok-based noodle brand, ThongSmith, has taken a step onto the international stage by launching its first overseas venture in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. With a reputation in Thailand for its upscale approach to traditional boat noodles, ThongSmith is bringing a touch of Thai street cuisine with a lavish twist to Hong Kong.

    Reimagining Street Food

    ThongSmith has carved a niche for itself in Thailand by enhancing traditional boat noodles. This reinvention involves slow-simmering broths and the inclusion of high-grade proteins such as Wagyu beef and Kurobuta pork, setting ThongSmith apart from the usual inexpensive vendors.

    Menu Adaptation

    The menu in Hong Kong follows the same pattern as in Bangkok, providing noodle dishes in addition to rice meals, grilled meats, and desserts. However, these offerings are subtly modified to cater to local tastes.

    ThongSmith’s latest venture represents its inaugural foray beyond Thailand’s boundaries. This move indicates the burgeoning interest of Southeast Asian F&B entrepreneurs in penetrating the fiercely competitive casual dining scene in Hong Kong.

    Brand Growth

    ThongSmith, which was established in 2018, now runs over 20 outlets across Bangkok.

    Questions & Answers

    What is ThongSmith known for in Thailand?
    In Thailand, ThongSmith is renowned for its upscale twist on traditional boat noodles, featuring slow-simmered broths and premium proteins like Wagyu beef and Kurobuta pork.

    How does ThongSmith cater to Hong Kong’s local tastes?
    ThongSmith modifies its Bangkok menu to suit local preferences in Hong Kong, while maintaining its signature noodle dishes, rice meals, grilled meats, and desserts.

    What does ThongSmith’s expansion into Hong Kong signify?
    ThongSmith’s expansion into Hong Kong reflects the growing interest of Southeast Asian F&B operators in entering Hong Kong’s competitive casual dining market.

  • Edgewell Faces Legal Action Over Alleged ‘greenwashing’ Of Sunscreen Products

    Edgewell Faces Legal Action Over Alleged ‘greenwashing’ Of Sunscreen Products

    Edgewell Personal Care Australia, the firm behind the well-known Banana Boat and Hawaiian Tropic sunscreens, is embroiled in a legal dispute with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). The ACCC claims that the company misled consumers by inaccurately promoting their products as “reef-friendly.”

    Legal Action Initiated

    The ACCC has initiated a court case in the Federal Court against Edgewell Personal Care Australia and its American parent company, Edgewell PCC. The consumer protection organization alleges that more than 90 of Edgewell’s sunscreen products were falsely marketed as reef safe from August 2020 through December 2024. The promotion was done through various channels, including websites, social media, retail catalogs, and product packaging. Some of the promotional materials even featured images of coral reefs alongside the claims.

    Misleading Claims

    Despite the fact that the products do not contain oxybenzone and octinoxate, two chemicals banned in areas like Hawaii due to their proven toxicity to coral reefs, they contain other ingredients. These include octocrylene, homosalate, 4-MBC, and avobenzene, which are either known or suspected to be harmful to marine ecosystems.

    According to the ACCC, Edgewell was aware of scientific research indicating these potential environmental hazards but did not conduct independent testing to verify these findings. Even though “reef-friendly” labels were removed from the company’s US product line around 2020, the misleading claim continued in the Australian market until late 2024.

    “Greenwashing” Accusations

    ACCC Deputy Chair, Catriona Lowe, referred to Edgewell’s actions as “greenwashing,” suggesting that the company’s misleading marketing could have influenced consumer purchasing decisions.

    “The company’s behavior has potentially misled a significant number of consumers,” Lowe said. “The sunscreen products were distributed across Australia over a four-year period, available in large stores and online platforms.”

    Lowe added that companies should not hesitate to promote their product’s environmental credentials but they must ensure they can back up such claims with reputable third-party certification or reliable scientific evidence.

    The ACCC now seeks penalties, declarations, injunctions, and legal fees in its court case against Edgewell.

    Questions & Answers

    What are the ACCC’s allegations against Edgewell Personal Care Australia?

    The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission alleges that Edgewell falsely marketed its sunscreen products as “reef-friendly” when they contain ingredients that are potentially harmful to marine life.

    What chemicals are in question in Edgewell’s sunscreen products?

    The chemicals that are known or suspected to be harmful to marine life in Edgewell’s sunscreen products include octocrylene, homosalate, 4-MBC, and avobenzene.

    What action is the ACCC seeking against Edgewell?

    The ACCC is seeking penalties, declarations, injunctions, and legal costs from Edgewell in their case against the company.

  • Benetti Launches Three Yachts in the Class Category

    Benetti Launches Three Yachts in the Class Category

    While at the Livorno shipyard the first phase of the Benetti Giga Season came to an end with the launch of a remarkable three giga yachts in just 100 days, most recently the 108-meter Benetti fleet flagship FB275, in Viareggio three Class category yachts have been launched in less than ten days: a Delfino 95, a Classic Supreme 132 and a Mediterraneo 116.

    On March 28, in Livorno, the Shipyard celebrated the christening of 108-meter giga yacht FB275, following closely on the heels of the March 21 launch in Viareggio of BD105 M/Y “Baya”, the fifth unit of the elegant and classically styled 29-meter Delfino 95. The generously spaced and welcoming interiors of the yacht are decorated with innovative combinations of marble, polished brass inserts and ash, eucalyptus and tay wood, creating an interesting alternation of textures and colour tones.

    The exteriors designed by Giorgio M. Cassetta provide a cue for interesting plays of light in the interiors through extensive glazed surfaces. The owner’s cabin on BD105 M/Y “Baya” has a bed adorned with sophisticated leather-upholstered headrests and a spacious bathroom fitted with tub, shower and mini bar. The two 1,000 hp Man V8 engines provide a range of about 2,400 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 10 knots. And when time is of the essence, the yacht has a top speed of 14.5 knots.

    April 3 then saw the launch of BS012, the twelfth unit of the 40-meter Classic Supreme 132 with exteriors by Stefano Righini. The interiors are by Benetti’s Interior Style Department, which chose the decorations and furnishings based on the owner’s instructions and requests. To give the boat more character, they feature leathers with an iridescent metallic appearance and richly veined varieties of marble: Port Laurent,Sahara Noir and Rino White.

    The juxtaposition of light-coloured smoked eucalyptus against the dark tones of matte-finish tay wood is clearly dominated by lighter colourways to give the settings a brighter atmosphere and the yacht an eclectic, modern feel. The social side of BS012’s character can be seen in the decision to put a teppan griddle in the centre of the table on the Fly Deck. In a first-of-its-kind solution for thimodel yacht, guests eat their food directly from the griddle on which it is cooked. Extensive outdoor spaces, particularly on the Sun and Upper Decks, are perfectly reconciled with the yacht’s streamlined contours, while the big full-height windows on both the Main and Upper Decks translate into brightly-lit interiors. Forward of the Pilot House, a Jacuzzi offers a spectacular vantage point from which to enjoy the sea view.

    Then on April 6, M/Y “Big Five” was launched, 35.5 meters long and the fifth unit of theMediterraneo 116 model. In this case too, the exteriors are by Giorgio M. Cassetta. The decor concept combines light-coloured matte-finish woods with other varieties in shades of grey and dark ash, creating a sophisticated and contemporary look. The use ofOlimpico Striato and Zebrino Apuano marble contributes to creating a sophisticated atmosphere. A huge forward section of the Main Deck is dedicated to the owner, with a private studio secluded from the areas set aside for socialising. The full-beam suite is flooded with natural light through panoramic windows, while the bathroom area, also full-beam, is split into his and hers areas, with a big shower cubicle set off by a marble-clad bench seat.

  • 60,000 Tourists Visit Bali by Cruise Ship

    60,000 Tourists Visit Bali by Cruise Ship

    A luxury cruise ship line Princess Cruises will bring more than 60,000 foreign tourists to experience the natural charm and culture of Indonesia.

    During the 2017-2018 holiday season, Princess Cruises will offer exciting travel plans to Bali, Lombok, Komodo Island, Makassar, Semarang, and Probolinggo. Bali is a favorite destination out of the 20 total destinations.

    “Princess Cruises continues to enhance tourism in Indonesia by dedicating five cruise ships that will have 26 trips to Indonesia.”

    The five cruise ships that have trips to Indonesia are Sapphire Princess, Diamond Princess, Golden Princess, Sun Princess, and Sea Princess.

    According to data from the Cruise Line INternational Assistance Association (CLIA), more than 2 million people were on the Continent of Asia cruise in 2015. This number is expected to double to 4 million by 2020.

    In 2014, CLIA also noted there were more than 18,000 yacht tourists coming from Indonesia, and that number doubled to 40,000 by 2015.

  • Pelni and Pertamina building a cruise ship

    Pelni and Pertamina building a cruise ship

    State shipping company PT. Pelayaran Indonesia (Pelni) will team up with Patra Jasa, a subsidiary of state-owned energy company PT. Pertamina, to build a cruise ship, to support the countrys tourism industry.

    “We already signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to build a cruise ship to support the countrys tourism industry especially in 10 tourist destinations,” head of the Kupang branch of PT Pelni Adrian said here on Saturday.

    The ship is being built in South Korea expected to be completed and to be operational in 2018, Adrian said.

    Earlier Pelni and Patra Jasa planned to buy a cruise ship, but the plan could not be realized with a regulation banning government agencies including state companies to buy second hand goods from abroad.

    “Therefore, Pelni and Pertamina decided to build one that would take a year for completion,” Adrian said, adding the cruise ship would serve transport to 10 tourist destinations recognized by the government.

    The ten tourist destinations include Labuan Bajo and under sea destination in Riung, East Nusa Tenggara.

    Currently Pelni operates not only passenger ships but it also has ship for the transport of cargoes and livestock and tourists.

    Business in passenger transport has declined as most passengers choose air transport which much faster.

    “Mr (Ignasius) Jonan , when he was transport minister, once told us that it was time for Pelni to focus on other lines of business, but business in passenger transport continues,” Adrian said.

    He said business in tourism industry is growing that cruise ships is important . The government has been more aggressive in developing its tourism industry to make use of the countrys tourism wealth .

    The government is set to double the number of foreign tourists visiting the country to around 20 million in 2019.