Western Europe



Transport Infrastructure

CK Hutchison intensifies legal efforts as Panama seizes ports

Hong Kong conglomerate 'CK Hutchison' said Friday that it had 'escalated the legal battle in Panama following the?government seizing its port operations. It has petitioned for a re-examination of the decree behind this takeover. Panama occupied illegally facilities, seized property, and ignored consultations. The company took further legal action at the national and international level. CK Hutchison’s Panama Ports Company, which manages a?two terminals close to the strategically important Panama Canal, has filed an administrative request?seeking reconsideration for the Panamanian executive action, which led to the confiscation of?its property and occupation of its facilities, CK Hutchison stated. Panamanian authorities raided...


Passenger Marine Transportation

Officials say that Lloyd's Market is working with the US government on Gulf maritime plans

The Lloyd's market in London is in contact with the United States. The International Development Finance Corporation of the U.S. government is negotiating with Lloyd's Market officials about a plan to provide political risk assurance and guarantees for maritime trade in the Gulf. Lloyd's engages constructively with U.S. Development Finance Corporation, and other relevant stakeholders. The market is focused on maintaining its position as the "global centre for excellence in war risk insurance." A Lloyd's spokesperson stated. Sheila Cameron, CEO of the Lloyd's Market Association (LMA), who represents all underwriting companies in the Lloyd's market, said in a separate statement...





Transport Infrastructure

Passenger Transportation Services

Passenger Transportation Services

Airline pilots are faced with increasing stress as the war continues to spread. They must contend with drones and missiles.

In recent years, airline pilots have been faced with a growing number of risks. From drone incursions to conflict-induced flight paths, the dangers are increasing. The U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran have made the skies more dangerous, increasing the pressure for those who fly through them. As a result of the 'outbreak of war' in the Middle East, hundreds of ballistic rockets and attack drones have been launched above some of the busiest airports around the globe. Tehran has retaliated against the U.S., and its allies by hitting airports. Scores of flights were grounded from Dubai to Abu Dhabi....

Passenger Transportation Services

Gol, a Brazilian airline, will launch new long-haul routes out of Rio using the A330.

Gol's Chief executive announced that the Brazilian airline will be using Rio de Janeiro's Galeao International Airport as its hub to receive the new Airbus A330 900 aircraft joining the fleet. Gol operated Boeing 737s exclusively until now. Celso Ferer, Gol's CEO, said that the new aircraft will be followed by a new route direct between Rio and New York beginning in July. He made this statement at an event in Galeao with Brazil's president Luiz inacio Lula. The firm released a statement later that said, "The merger between two 'key tourism and business centers in South and North America...

Freight Logistics

As planes grounded by the Middle East conflict, South Asia is awash with fast fashion clothing

According to three manufacturers, shipments of clothing for Zara and Inditex, the owners of Inditex, and other major retailers, are stuck at airports in Bangladesh and India as the Middle East conflict forces airlines like Emirates and Qatar Airways, to cancel flights. South Asia is the clothing manufacturing capital of the world. Fast fashion brands from around to world depend on Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan factories for their constant supply of T-shirts and dresses. "Some of my clothing consignments are stuck at Dhaka Airport," Shovon Islam, the managing director of Sparrow Group's manufacturer, said. Inditex, M&S Next, and Primark, among...

Passenger Transportation Services

Sources say that Gol will launch new long-haul routes out of Rio using A330s.

According to sources familiar with plans, Brazilian airline Gol is expected to announce on Friday that the 'Galeao International Airport' in Rio de Janeiro will be the hub for the new Airbus A330900 aircraft joining its fleet. Gol operated only Boeing 737 aircraft up until now. The airline will receive five A330-900s initially, which are wide-body aircraft that can fly routes up to 15 hours long. Between 2026 and 2027, the planes will be gradually integrated into the fleet of the company. Sources said that the new aircraft would be primarily used for long-haul routes in North America and Europe....

Passenger Transportation Services

As flights to the Middle East cease, governments plan repatriations

Commercial flights have been grounded in some parts of the Middle East due to an escalating conflict after U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran. This has left foreigners stranded and prompted governments to plan for repatriations. Here is what government officials, airlines and governments have said regarding repatriation plans. AUSTRIA Austria's Foreign Ministry?said that it had helped 117 vulnerable citizens leave the UAE and Israel through neighbouring countries and planned a charter flight for?170 passengers from Muscat on 4 March. It warned, however, that travellers would have to take land departures at their own risk. BULGARIA GullivAir and Bulgaria Air,...

Passenger Transportation Services

Causeway Capital, an activist investor, raises its stake in Wizz Air

Causeway Capital Management increased its stake in Wizz Air from 4.98% to 5.04%. A regulatory filing was filed on Friday. This puts the activist investor among the top investors of the European budget airline. According to the filing, the investor had increased its stake in Wizz Air from 2.04% to a total of 5.16% on Wednesday. The 'carrier' warned Wednesday that the Middle East conflict would likely reduce its net profit by 50 million euros for fiscal year 2026. This is on top of pressures due to engine groundings, and a softening in demand. Since the conflict began, its shares...

Passenger Transportation Services

As flights to the Middle East cease, governments plan repatriation

Commercial flights have been grounded in some parts of the Middle East due to an escalating conflict after U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran. This has left foreigners stranded and prompted governments to plan for repatriation. In alphabetical order, here is what government officials and representatives have said about the repatriation plan: AUSTRIA Austria's Foreign Ministry said that it has helped 117 citizens leave the UAE via Israel and neighbouring countries. It is planning to launch a charter flight for 170 passengers from Muscat, on 4 March. BULGARIA GullivAir and Bulgaria Air, as well as 'the State Aviation Operator', returned...

Passenger Transportation Services

As the Iran conflict intensifies, maritime insurance premiums are on the rise

As the Gulf conflict intensifies, premiums on maritime insurance for war coverage have risen -- some by as much as 1000%. This has led to a dramatic increase in the cost of transporting energy along a crucial maritime corridor. The conflict sparked Saturday by Israeli and U.S. airstrikes against Tehran has 'paralyzed' traffic through the Strait of Hormuz - a major shipping chokepoint. Iran said on Monday that it would shoot at any ship trying?to pass' and nine vessels have been damaged in the area ever since the conflict started. Ship owners can claim for any damage their vessel or...

Passenger Transportation Services

As the conflict in the Gulf with Iran intensifies, private jets are emerging as an alternative means of escape.

Samuel Lait, who launched his pet-travel private flight firm in Dubai on Saturday, expected to receive inquiries from pet owners wanting to travel between the glitzy Gulf hub of Dubai and the United Kingdom. PetX Jets is flooded with requests from passengers of all ages - from pregnant couples to young adults - who want to leave the United Arab Emirates. Conflict has engulfed the region, forcing many countries to shut down their airspace, leaving tens or thousands stranded. U.S. and Israeli campaign against Iran entered the seventh day of its seven-day run on Friday. It threatens to escalate outside...

Passenger Transportation Services

As the Middle East conflict escalates, airlines cancel flights

The global air travel industry is still severely affected by the war in Iran, which forced the closures of major Middle Eastern hubs such as Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi. This left tens or thousands of passengers stranded worldwide, disrupting thousands flights. The following is a list of flights alphabetically arranged by airline. AEGEAN AIRLINES Greece's largest airline has suspended flights from and to Tel Aviv, Beirut and Erbil until early morning arrivals on March 13. Flights to and out of Dubai and Abu Dhabi will be suspended until evening arrivals on March 12 and flights from and to Riyadh...

Passenger Transportation Services

As the conflict in the Gulf with Iran intensifies, private jets are emerging as an alternative means of escape.

Samuel Lait, who launched a private flight company specializing in pet travel on Saturday in Dubai, expected to receive inquiries from owners interested to travel with their animals between the glitzy Gulf hub of Dubai and the United Kingdom. PetX Jets is flooded with requests from a wide range of 'passengers, from young adults to pregnant couples to elderly people, who want to leave the United Arab Emirates. Conflict has engulfed the region and forced countries to shut down their airspace, leaving tens and thousands of people stranded. U.S. and Israeli campaign against Iran entered the seventh day of its...

Passenger Transportation Services

As the Iran conflict intensifies, maritime insurance premiums are on the rise

As the Gulf conflict intensifies, premiums on maritime insurance for war coverage have risen -- some by more than 1,000% -- driving up the price of transporting energy along a crucial maritime corridor. The conflict sparked Saturday by the Israeli-U.S. strikes on?Tehran, a major shipping chokepoint, has paralyzed all traffic through Strait of Hormuz. Iran said on Monday that it would shoot at 'any ship' trying to pass. At least nine vessels in the area have been damaged since the conflict began. Ship owners can claim for any damage their vessel or cargo may suffer due to conflict or terrorism....

Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

Sources: Russian-flagged LNG tanker burning in the Mediterranean with crew unknown.

Sources in shipping and maritime safety said that the Russian-flagged liquefied gas 'tanker Arctic Metagaz was on fire in the Mediterranean, but it is not known what happened to its crew. According to data from the MarineTraffic platform, the vessel that is under U.S. sanctions and UK sanctions last reported its position as being off the coast of Malta, on Monday. One source said that Ukraine was suspected of carrying out this operation. Requests for comment from the Russian Transport Ministry, Russian LNG producer Novatek and the vessel's manager LLC SMP Techmanagement in Russia did not receive a response. Separately,...

Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

After a snowstorm, Lufthansa and Munich Airport have pledged to revamp emergency protocols

Munich Airport and Lufthansa pledged on Friday to overhaul 'emergency protocols' following the stranding?of?around 600?passengers?on six planes?during a snowstorm last week. Heiko Reitz, Lufthansa Hub Manager for Munich Airport, said during a joint press conference in Munich: "We made mistakes that evening and we all take responsibility." Airport and airline apologized for what they called an "unacceptable incident" and announced new?measures to prevent a repeat. Shortfalls in operational efficiency on?Feb. The 19th, including the?lack terminal space, stretched buses capacity, and staff shortfalls amid a night curfew were cited as major factors that caused passenger transfers to be delayed. Crews provided...

Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

German union announces nationwide local transport strike on Feb. 27, 28

Verdi, a German public sector union, has called for local transport workers to strike on the 27th and 28th of February to increase pressure on wage and working conditions negotiations. The talks on a collective pay agreement will affect around 150 bus, tram, and local train companies with approximately 100,000 employees across Germany. This includes the cities of Berlin and Hamburg. Negotiations include working conditions, such as working hours, shift work and allowances for weekend and night work. The exact demands differ from one state to another. Christine Behle, the union's deputy chair said: "The negotiations are barely making any...

Transportation

Logistics

Logistics

US Customs Agency says system for refunding tariffs will be available in 45 days

A customs official stated in a Friday court filing that the U.S. Customs Agency is preparing a system to refund tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, which were ruled illegal. Brandon Lord, a Customs and Border Protection officer, made the declaration as government lawyers and a federal trade court met to try and hammer out an agreement for the return of $166 billion worth of tariff payments to 330,000 importers. Last month, the Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump's tariffs were unconstitutional. The Supreme Court, however, did not specify how tariffs collected should be refunded. This left'small importers' worried...

Logistics

DHL warns about delays but continues to accept Middle East Orders

DHL's chief executive said he would continue to accept delivery orders for the Middle East, but warned that there could be delays. Tobias Meyer, CEO of German logistics group DHL, said that the escalation in the U.S. - Iran war has an impact on the entire region. This includes deliveries to Israel, which are currently being sent via Cyprus. Meyer said that DHL is still committed to its Middle East?investment plan. He said that "these?are long term investments?and are of the opinion the region is still appealing." As the conflict enters its sixth day, logistics and shipping companies face increasing...

Logistics

Investors weigh war risks and earnings as they continue to rally Europe's STOXX 600

The European share market rose on Thursday as the rebound from the previous session gained?steam. Meanwhile, the Middle East conflict remained a cloud over the markets and investors sifted through earnings. By 0949 GMT, the pan-European STOXX 600 was 0.3% higher. The STOXX 600 recovered from some early losses, and built upon Wednesday's gains, the biggest in over three months. It was trying to recover from sharp losses earlier in the week. The banks, which were the epicenter of the recent selloffs, gained about 0.5%. Airlines, on the other hand, had mixed results, with only Air France gaining nearly 1%....

Logistics

DHL shares fall on cautious profit outlook

DHL's 2026 outlook is more cautious than analysts' expectations. A 'weak macroeconomic' backdrop weighs heavily on DHL's prospects. The shares of the German logistic group were down 3% at 0919 GMT, and ranked last on the blue-chip index of the country. DHL anticipates that its earnings will exceed 6.2 billion euro ($7.2 billion) this year. This is after it reported an operating profit for '2025 of 6.1 billion euro. According to a consensus provided by the company, EBIT was expected to be slightly lower than analysts' average expectations. Tobias Meyer, CEO of Tobias Meyer Group, said that there is "significant...

Logistics

European shares drop as Middle East conflict and tepid earnings weigh

European?shares dipped?on Thursday due to a?growing?Middle East Conflict, and a series of patchy corporate results. As of 8:10 AM GMT, the pan-European STOXX 600 index was down by 0.3% to 610.72. On Wednesday, the benchmark index had its best day for'more than three months. It recovered some of the earlier losses. The mining sector was the worst affected, with a decline of 1.5%. The U.S. and Israel war with Iran is now in its sixth day, but there's no quick resolution in sight. Iran launched another barrage of missile attacks on Israel earlier that day. And the U.S. Senate voted...

Logistics

DHL's operating profit will increase in 2026 despite a worsening geopolitical climate

DHL, the German logistics company, forecast on Thursday a "higher operating income for 2026" that was in line with market expectations despite deteriorating geopolitical conditions. The company expects earnings before interest and taxes to exceed 6.2 billion euros ($7.2 billion) after reporting 6.1 million euros last year. The free cash flow, excluding acquisitions, should be in the range of 3 billion euros. The company provided a consensus that showed both targets were in line with analysts' average predictions. Tobias Meyer, CEO of Tobias Meyer & Co. said that there is "significant geopolitical uncertainty and volatility out there" as was evident...

Logistics

Some small businesses don't think a refund of tariffs is worth the effort.

Friends began texting him to congratulate him the day after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the tariffs which had cost Day?Owl, a backpack company owned by Ian Rosenberger, tens and thousands of dollars. He did not share their joy. Rosenberger said, "I can't imagine any way that I could get the?money back." His Pittsburgh-based firm, which had only a few million dollars of sales, probably couldn't afford to pay for attorneys' fees. Around 2,000 companies have filed lawsuits for refunds at the U.S. Court of International Trade. This includes?FedEx?,?Costco?, and L'Oreal?, with many more likely to follow. The Supreme...

Integrated Logistics

Italy confiscates $32 million in tax and labor probes from France's CEVA Logistics

Italy's tax authorities announced on Tuesday that they had seized 27,4 million euros ($31.8 million) from two French units of CEVA Logistics. This is a new chapter in investigations into alleged tax fraud, and illegal labor practices. This move, which targets the French multinational known for its partnership in Ferrari's F1 Team, is similar to other actions taken against Italian logistics and delivery companies, such as FedEx, DHL, Amazon, etc. Milan prosecutors accuse CEVA of issuing fake invoices in order to?mask cheap labour, bypassing labour laws and tax laws and avoiding?taxes and social security payments. CEVA Logistics?did not immediately respond?...

Logistics

Tax refund seekers flock to an unknown US court with experience in big cases

Importers are rushing to a U.S. trade court that is little known to get their share of the more than $130 billion of tariff refunds. The court must now decide how to handle what will be an explosion in cases. According to court records, multinationals like FedEx,?L'Oreal, and hundreds of smaller firms have filed around 2,050?lawsuits with the U.S. Court of International Trade, Manhattan, seeking refunds on?tariffs? imposed by President Donald Trump last year. These cases may be just the tip of the iceberg. The tariffs, which were declared illegal by the Supreme Court in February 2018, were levied against...

Logistics

FedEx customers seek tariff refunds following US Supreme Court ruling

FedEx was sued in federal court on behalf of customers who were seeking refunds after the U.S. Supreme Court decided this month that President Donald Trump had illegally imposed emergency tariffs worth billions of dollar on imported goods. The proposed class-action in federal court in Miami Florida seeks compensation for potentially millions of shippers that paid import duties and other fees on products they claim?should've entered the United States without duty. FedEx issued a statement Friday saying: "If FedEx receives refunds, we will refund the shippers or consumers who initially incurred these charges." The lawsuit filed on Friday alleged that...

Logistics

L'Oreal and Dyson are the latest companies to seek refunds on Trump tariffs

Court filings show that the French beauty group L'Oreal, British vacuum'manufacturer Dyson, and contact 'lens manufacturer Bausch + Lomb are the 'latest' corporations to sue the U.S. government for refunds on tariffs paid as part of President Donald Trump's trade emergency measures. This comes days after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled these duties illegal. These cases were filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade on Monday, joining a long list of prominent companies that have sued since Friday's landmark decision. Sol de Janeiro, a U.S. skincare company and fragrance company and global transportation company FedEx also filed complaints in...

Logistics

L'Oreal and Dyson are the latest companies to seek refunds on Trump tariffs

?French beauty company L'Oreal, British vacuum maker Dyson, and contact lens manufacturer?Bausch + Lomb are the 'latest' corporations to file a lawsuit for'refunds' of tariffs paid as part of President Donald Trump's trade emergency measures. This comes days after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the duties were illegal. These cases were filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade on Monday, joining a long list of notable companies that have sued following Friday's landmark decision. This week, the global transportation company FedEx as well as U.S. skincare company Sol 'de Janeiro filed complaints. Court documents reveal that more than...