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Transport Infrastructure

Transport Infrastructure

Hackers from abroad have targeted the systems of a major Russian port operator, says a large Russian port operator

Port Alliance, a Russian group that operates a network for sea cargo terminals said Thursday that foreign hackers targeted its systems in three-day attacks, including a distributed denial-of service (DDoS), and a hacking attempt. In a press release, it said that key elements of its digital network had been targeted in order to disrupt exports of coal and mineral fertilizers at its sea terminals located in the Baltic Sea, Black Sea region, Far East, and Arctic regions. Port Alliance reported that the attack was successfully repulsed and that operations were not affected. The most basic web attack is the denial...

Transport Infrastructure

Gulf oil markets reduce prices

The major Gulf stock markets fell on Thursday morning, mainly due to persistently low oil prices and a series of disappointing corporate earnings reports. Oil prices, which are a major catalyst for Gulf financial markets, fell on Thursday. This was a continuation of the losses that were made in the previous session. A report showing increased crude inventories at the U.S. confirmed concerns that global supplies would be more than enough to meet the current fuel demand. OPEC's report on Wednesday showed that the world oil market would see a small excess in 2026, after OPEC+ production increased and other...

Transport Infrastructure

Sources say that the Orsk refinery in Russia was closed by a technical problem before the drone attack on Ukraine.

Three industry sources told Reuters that the Russian Orsknefteorgsintez refinery, which is a mid-sized refinery, was shut down due to an fire on November 10, a day before Ukrainian drones targeted it. According to one source, equipment caught on fire during Monday's upgrade work. Sources said that drones had attacked the plant on Tuesday, which is located 1,900 km (1,180 mi) east of Ukraine's border. The Ukrainian military has also confirmed that it hit the Russian oil refinery in Orsk, located in Orenburg Region, on Tuesday. Industry sources claim that the drone caused damage to some utility systems at the...

Transport Infrastructure

Discussions are underway about the airport project in Moldova with Lukoil, a Russian oil company

The airport director announced on Tuesday that talks are in progress between the Moldovan government and Russia's Lukoil about buying the energy company’s infrastructure at Chisinau Airport as part of an effort to implement U.S. Sanctions imposed last month. Serdgiu Spoiala stated that he did not see any risk of the airport running out of aviation fuel, after the government proposed to buy Lukoil’s facilities on Monday. The sanctions imposed by the United States on Lukoil and Rosneft were linked to the war that has lasted for more than three-and-a-half years in Ukraine. Currently, it is the only supplier of...

Transport Infrastructure

A bridge partially collapses months after its opening in Southwest China

Local authorities reported that a part of a newly opened bridge in China's southwest province of Sichuan collapsed on a national highway connecting the heartland of China with Tibet Tuesday. However, there were no casualties. The local government reported that the police in Maerkang, China, had shut down the 758-metre long Hongqi Bridge to all traffic Monday afternoon after cracks appeared in nearby roads and slopes, and a shift in the terrain was observed on a mountain. The report said that on Tuesday afternoon, conditions on the mountainside deteriorated and triggered landslides. This led to the collapse of both the...

Transport Infrastructure

Sources say that Novatek has restored full operations at Ust-Luga’s condensate facility.

Two industry sources said on Tuesday that the Russian energy company Novatek had restored to full capacity its gas condensate facility at the Baltic Sea Port of Ust-Luga following repairs of damaged equipment caused by drone attacks in August. The fire was caused by Ukrainian drones on August 24. This led to the complete shutdown of the operation, including the fuel export loading. It is one of many disruptions in Russia's energy sector as Ukraine intensifies drone attacks during the ongoing conflict between the two neighbours. One source said that the daily processing of stable condensate (a type of lighter...

Transport Infrastructure

Trump's trade battle with China in 2025

U.S. president Donald Trump has targeted China as his top economic rival with a cascade on tariffs that are worth billions of dollar. He is trying to reduce a trade surplus, bring back lost manufacturing and cripple fentanyl traffic. In reverse chronological order, here are the key events of this year in U.S. China trade war: China has announced that it will continue to expand access to and investment opportunities for U.S. firms, especially in the services sector. On November 10, China suspends for a full year the port fees it charges vessels with ties to the United States, as...

Transport Infrastructure

Belgium recruits foreign forces to fight drone incursions

Belgian officials have enlisted foreign forces to help them track or seize drones that are making incursions near its airports and military bases, as well as a nuclear power plant. They claim this is all a result of Russian interference. Last Tuesday, drone sightings caused the authorities to temporarily close Belgium's busiest airport, Brussels Airport. This was one of several recent incursions which also resulted in a brief closure at the cargo hub, Liege Airport, and disrupted a nearby airbase. "We don't say it's Russia. "We're not saying it's Russia. It is impossible to link any incident with a specific...

Transport Infrastructure

Bloomberg News reports that Verizon wants to raise $10 billion through bond sales to fund the Frontier deal.

Bloomberg News reported Monday that Verizon Communications was looking to raise $10 billion on the corporate bond markets to fund the $20 billion Frontier deal. A person familiar with the situation confirmed this. The wireless carrier filed a five-part sale of bonds earlier that day without revealing the size. The report stated that the initial price discussion for the largest portion of the deal - a bond with a maturity of 40 years - is about 1.6 percentage point above Treasuries. Verizon didn't immediately respond to our request for a comment. Last year, the company bought Frontier for $9.6 billion....

Transport Infrastructure

China suspends port charges on US-linked vessels for one year

China has suspended port fees for vessels linked to the United States, said its transport ministry on Monday. This comes after Washington announced an equivalent pause in punitive measures against China's shipbuilding and shipping sectors. The reciprocated pauses are in line with the agreements made by U.S. president Donald Trump and Chinese president Xi Jinping at a recent summit in South Korea. According to a statement from the Transport Ministry, the suspension began at 13:01 local (0501 GMT). Beijing has welcomed the announcement by the U.S. Office of Trade Representative on November 9 that it will pause all punitive measures...

Transport Infrastructure

Urals differentials stable in quiet trade

The differentials between Russian Urals and other oil products remained stable on Friday despite low trading activity. Sellers and buyers were not rushing to begin December trading due to the uncertain political climate. The Suez Canal has seen two tankers with around 1.5 million barrels each of Russian Urals crude drop anchor in the sea. This is an indication of the difficulties Moscow faces selling oil following the tightening of Western sanctions last month. The supply problems are expected to worsen next week, as the deadline of November 21 for Rosneft's and Lukoil's transactions is fast approaching. The schedule shows...

Ground Freight

The Russian manufacturer of railcars and tanks has announced a restructuring plan to reduce costs

The giant Russian railcar and tank manufacturer Uralvagonzavod said Friday that it would be restructuring its operations in order to reduce costs. A local report had stated the company planned to cut its workforce by 10%. The Uralvagonzavod plant, located in Nizhny Tagil about 1,400 km east of Moscow in Nizhny Tagil, has been sanctioned for its role in providing tanks to Moscow's Ukraine war. The factory is owned by a state-controlled conglomerate that has ties to one of Vladimir Putin's closest allies. It claims publicly to produce T-90M battle tank and modernise T-72B3M. Local news outlet E1 reported on...

Passenger Transportation Services

Passenger Transportation Services

Etihad Airways' nine-month profits up 26% on the back of a surge in passenger revenue

Etihad Airways announced a profit for the nine months of 1.7 billion dirhams (463.3 million dollars) on Friday. This was a 26% increase year-on-year due to higher revenues in its cargo and passenger businesses. The passenger revenue increased by 20% to 18.2 billion dollars in nine months, a result of increased capacity and a wider network. Cargo revenue increased by 8%. The total revenue increased by 18%, to 21.7 billion Dirhams. Etihad, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, had 115 operating aircraft by September 2025. This was an increase of 19 aircraft over the previous year. The airline's seat filling rate was...

Passenger Transportation Services

Singapore Airlines CEO: Boeing 777-9 delays will not have a major impact on the airline

Goh Choon Phong, the CEO of Singapore Airlines, said that the airline does not expect a significant impact due to the delayed delivery of Boeing 777-9 aircraft. "SIA's fleet plan has always included flexibility. In this case, despite the delay, he did not expect any major impacts. Boeing has pushed back the delivery date of its long delayed 777X programme to 2027. Goh refused to disclose compensation discussions between Boeing and the airline. He said: "As to delivery delays or future aircraft supply, I'd just say that SIA is in a privileged situation as one of the top carriers. You...

Passenger Transportation Services

Singapore Airlines' profit for the first half of the year slumps due to Air India losses and rising costs

Singapore Airlines announced a steep drop in its first-half profits on Thursday. The company was hit by losses suffered at Air India in India, increased costs, and intense competition across major markets. The flag carrier of the city-state reported a half-year profit of S$239 (US$184.67) million for the six-month period ended September 30. This compares to S$742 millions a year ago and Visible Alpha's consensus estimate at S$341.9. Despite a decline in net fuel prices, total expenditure increased by S$170 millions. The airline's expansion of capacity and inflationary pressures on several cost components contributed to the increase. Interest income for...

Transportation

Logistics

Logistics

Swiss machine maker feels the heat of Trump's tariffs and the slowdown in auto industry

Norbert Steuer is a logistics worker for Swiss precision machinery manufacturer K.R. Pfiffner has worked at the company for more than three decades. He is now one of the 80 employees out of 105 that will be laid off as it struggles with U.S. Tariffs and a failing auto industry. The company, which produces million-dollar machinery that is used by automakers such as Mercedes-Benz, and suppliers like Robert Bosch, finds itself at the forefront of a difficult European car market, which has been impacted by President Donald Trump's tariffs on trade and a slowdown within China, a key export market....

Logistics

Poste Italiane does not see any major impact of EU plan to charge low-value parcels

Matteo Del Fante, the chief executive officer of Poste Italiane, said that the plan by the European Union to levy a 2-euro fee on small parcels coming from outside the EU will not have a major impact on the company's volume. Del Fante said that such a move could also delay plans by Chinese ecommerce platforms to establish their own logistics network in the region. Why it's important The proposed measure is designed to stop the flow of cheap goods from China and other non-member nations entering the EU. This would affect Chinese ecommerce imports by companies like Shein or...

Logistics

Italy to levy low-value parcels in order to protect the fashion industry

Politicians said that Italy was working on a tax to be imposed on low value postal packages coming from non-European nations. This is part of a plan to protect the fashion industry against low cost foreign imports, mainly from China. The move is aimed at avoiding unjustified competition on the market of one of Italy's most important industries. It targets online platforms like Shein and Temu, among others. The politicians in Italy said that the ruling parties intend to apply a tax on consignments less than $150. This is similar to a proposal currently being discussed at European Union levels....

Logistics

NTSB to probe UPS plane maintenance history

Safety investigators in the United States said Thursday that they are investigating the maintenance history for a UPS cargo aircraft which was in Texas weeks before it crashed in flames on Tuesday in Louisville, Kentucky. At least 13 people were killed. National Transportation Safety Board said that as the MD-11's left wing rolled down the runway at Louisville Airport, a large plume of smoke erupted and one of three engines detach from this wing. Flight tracking data shows that the plane was parked in San Antonio, Texas from September 3 until October 18. Todd Inman, a member of the NTSB,...

Logistics

NTSB to probe UPS plane maintenance history

Safety investigators in the United States said Thursday that they are investigating the maintenance history for a UPS cargo aircraft which was in Texas weeks before it crashed in flames on Tuesday in Louisville, Kentucky. At least 12 people were killed. National Transportation Safety Board said that as the MD-11's left wing rolled down the runway at Louisville Airport, a large plume of smoke erupted and one of three engines detach from this wing. Flight tracking data shows that the plane was parked in San Antonio, Texas from September 3 until October 18. Todd Inman, a member of the NTSB,...

Logistics

Wall Street Journal, November 5,

These are the most popular stories from the Wall Street Journal. These stories have not been verified and we cannot vouch their accuracy. A UPS plane crashed near Louisville, Kentucky. At least four people were killed and 11 injured. The number of fatalities is expected to rise. Sunway Healthcare in Malaysia will begin engaging with investors soon ahead of an IPO planned that could raise as much as $1 billion. Bain Capital and Perpetual, an Australian investment manager, are in exclusive discussions about the sale of their $14 billion wealth management business. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, has renominated Jared...

Logistics

Powell's chilling of December rate cuts has caused stocks to fall and the US dollar to strengthen.

The global stock market reversed its course on Wednesday and was on track to end a four session streak of gains, while the U.S. Dollar extended gains following the Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's dampening of expectations for a further U.S. central bank interest rate cut in December. The Fed reduced rates by 25 basis point, citing the limited data visibility caused by the U.S. shutdown. It also announced that it would stop the quantitative tightening of its $6.6 trillion (also known as QT) balance sheet due to evidence that liquidity in the money markets has tightened and bank reserves...

Logistics

Stocks and the US dollar gain after Fed cut rates

The global stock market was on track to gain for a fifth consecutive session on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the U.S. Dollar remained high after the U.S. Federal Reserve lowered interest rates. It also rose ahead of the earnings reports from several U.S. Megacap companies. The central bank reduced rates by 25 basis point, citing the lack of data visibility caused by the government shutdown. It also announced that it would stop the quantitative tightening, or QT, process, which involves reducing the $6.6 trillion in assets on its balance sheet. It was only logical to stop QT rather than risking a crash...

Ground Freight & Logistics

UPS forecasts fourth-quarter revenue above estimates, shares surge

United Parcel Service on Tuesday forecast revenue for the fourth quarter above Wall Street estimates, relying on price increases to offset a soft demand from business-to-business in the U.S. The company estimated revenue at about $24 billion. According to LSEG data, analysts' average quarterly revenue was $23.8 billion. In premarket trading, shares of the company rose 12%. The largest parcel delivery company in the world reported a net profit of $1.48billion, or 1.74 cents per share for the three-month period ended September 30. This compares to $1.50billion, or 1.76 cents per share a year ago. UPS and FedEx have seen...

Logistics

Poland accuses a Russian couple of spying for Moscow

On Monday, Polish prosecutors announced that they had charged two Russians with spying on behalf of Russian intelligence. One of the Russians was also accused of plotting to send an explosives parcel. Since a series explosions near Warsaw, Poland's capital in July 2024 in Britain, Germany and other European countries, European authorities are on high alert. Western officials blamed Russia for those incidents. Moscow denies these accusations A Russian, identified as Igor R. in Poland's privacy laws, has been charged with taking part in a plot involving a courier to deliver a bomb parcel. An Ukrainian was also charged for...

Logistics

FedEx shares rise as Wall Street celebrates profits despite trade uncertainty

FedEx shares rose 5.4% on Friday in premarket trade after Wall Street was surprised by the company's impressive first-quarter results. The gains were attributed to strong domestic deliveries, cost-cutting initiatives, and a decline in international volume due to tariffs. As it works to cut billions in costs, the company has relied on cost-saving measures, such as closing facilities, parking planes and merging departments. UPS shares jumped nearly 2% just before the bell. The overall average daily volume rose by 4% during the third quarter as strong demand for summer holidays in the United States offset a drop of 3% in...

Logistics

FedEx shares rise as Wall Street celebrates profit beating amid trade uncertainty

FedEx shares rose 5% on Friday in premarket trade as investors cheered its quarterly profit and revenue beating against the backdrop of uncertainty related to tariffs and the ending of the "de minimis exemption" on low-value shipping. FedEx's aggressive measures to cut costs, such as parking planes, shutting down facilities, and merging certain units, have helped protect profits. It has a plan to save $1 billion in this fiscal year, which ends May 2026. The performance of the company was also boosted by a 5% increase in average daily domestic volumes. Its operating margin, an important metric, rose to 6%,...