1.   They sent naval forces to protect merchant shipping.

2.   Jonathan Benner, an attorney for the tanker owners, said that throughout American history it has been the job of the federal government to regulate merchant shipping.

3.   Harry C. Nash Jr., an Associated Press correspondent who covered the devastation of U.S. merchant shipping off the Atlantic coast during World War II, has died.

4.   THE Transport Ministry is still in the process of drafting a new legislation to replace the various ordinances which govern merchant shipping in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.

5.   The two sides signed eight bilateral agreements on trade, reciprocal promotion and protection of investments and merchant shipping and related maritime matters.

6.   The United States has stepped up its surveillance of merchant shipping as part of the war on terrorism.

7.   The United States has stepped up its surveillance of merchant shipping as part of the war on terrorism and has increased training to conduct interception operations.

8.   German submarines were a deadly menace to the Allies during World War II, during which they sank tens of thousands of tons of merchant shipping.

9.   Agreements on the mutual protection of investments and merchant shipping are almost ready for signing, TASS said.

10.   Also approved were cooperation accords in the fields of merchant shipping, postal services and communications.