Europe








Transport Infrastructure

Freight Logistics

Ground Freight

Russia's Far East will test drones and unmanned vehicles for trade with China

A Russian regional official stated that self-driving vehicles and drones could be used to transport goods between China and Russia's Far East. The brisk trade across the border has prompted a search for?new forms of cargo transportation?to avoid congestion. The Amur region of Russia, which?shares? a long border between China and Russia, is developing trial programmes with Chinese authorities in partnership, said the deputy chairman of the regional government, Pavel Puzanov. He was speaking at a business conference in Kazan. China is providing a lifeline for Russia's economy after it was sanctioned following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in...

Freight Logistics

Sources say that the Sheskharis terminal in Russia's Black Sea halted loadings following a drone attack.

Three sources familiar with the matter confirmed that the suspension of crude oil exports was due to a drone attack on Friday. This added to the disruptions at one of the country's main export outlets. Sheskharis, Russia's largest oil export facility in the Black Sea, handles approximately 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day. The shutdown of the Sheskharis terminal adds pressure to Russia's energy infrastructure, which has been repeatedly attacked in recent months. On Friday, the administration of Novorossiysk sent out a new drone alert to residents. This indicates that there is a continuing threat in the port area....

Ground Freight & Logistics

Shares of freight group DSV fall 13% on cash flow decline and disappointing earnings

DSV reported a "sharp decline" in its second-quarter cashflow on Wednesday. The disappointment about the company's profit growth and earnings caused shares to fall by 13%. DSV acquired Schenker, a German freight forwarder, last year to become the largest in the world. While planned cost reductions are on track, the deals to sell excess property have not been completed. DSV reported that adjusted free 'cash flow' fell to 786 millions Danish crowns ($120million) from 3.98billion crowns a a year earlier?due a temporary increase in working capital due to higher activity, increasing freight rates and soaring fuel and bunker prices. It...

Freight Logistics

How the Houthi blockade of the Red Sea strengthens Iran's grip over global energy supplies

Houthis, who are allied with Iran, in Yemen, will blockade Saudi Arabia's maritime traffic, they announced on Monday. This would further restrict a global market for energy, which is already severely restricted due to Iran's closing of the Strait?of Hormuz. Why it matters, and what it means to the Iran War and the global energy crises: How big is the risk to global energy markets? It's not clear what the Houthis will do to blockade Saudi Arabia along the Red Sea Coast, their northern neighbor. Or if they would return to attacking shipping. Yemen is located on the strait of?Bab...

Freight Logistics

Sources: Russian steel magnate sold shipping firm in Sea of Azov

Four industry sources confirmed that Russian steel billionaire Vladimir Lisin sold a shipping company?operating?in the Sea of Azov, to agricultural logistics group Demetra. They added that the deal had been negotiated before Ukrainian drone strikes on commercial vessels caused shipping restrictions in the region. Volga Shipping transports grain, metals and coal along the Volga, Don and Black Sea rivers. Its cargo volume is more than 15 million metric tonnes per year. On Monday, neither Demetra nor Volga Shipping, nor Lisin's steel company NLMK responded to any requests for comments. Four sources confirmed that Demetra and Lisin-affiliated companies were involved in...

Freight Logistics

Wall Street Journal, July 17,

These are the most popular stories from the Wall Street Journal. The?has not checked these stories or?cannot?guarantee their accuracy. Databricks, a provider of data analytics, has raised a round of strategic funding valued at $188 billion. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that Taco Bell owned by Yum Brands would stop using shredded iceberg sourced from a supplier that has been linked with a parasitic outbreak causing a severe form of diarrhea and vomiting. Honda Motors will stop?the production?of its Prologue SUV, which is sold?in America?this?year. Honda Motors will not cancel sales immediately, but expects to continue them until...

Freight Logistics

The threat of Iranian and Houthi shipping to the Red Sea is more important for oil today

Iran warned that if U.S. strikes continue, its campaign to choke global energy markets may expand from the Strait-of-Hormuz?to the crucial Red Sea route. This threat is dependent on the Houthi allies of Iran in Yemen. Here's why it matters, and what that means for the Iran War and the global energy crises: How big is the risk to global energy markets? The Bab el-Mandeb strait, the gateway to the Red Sea, would be closed and open a whole new front in the conflict between Iran and the U.S. The Red Sea is now an important alternative outlet for Gulf...

Freight Logistics

Sources say that the lower freight rates for Urals shipments from Russia to India are due to increased tanker availability.

According to three sources, the freight rates for tanker shipments from western ports of Russia's Urals crude to India have fallen in July compared to last month. This is because increased vessel availability and the summer season eased pressure on the market. The lower transportation costs are a relief for Russian oil exporters whose margins were under pressure due to the wider discounts on Urals crude, as a result of weak demand in Asia. Sources claim that the cost to ship a cargo of 100,000 metric tonnes of Aframax from the Baltic port of Primorsk, in the Baltic Sea, to...

Logistics

CMA CGM will buy FedEx's third-party logistics division for $1.4 billion

CMA -CGM, a French shipping company, has acquired FedEx's "third-party logistics" business, valued at $1.4 billion. The deal was announced on Wednesday, in an effort to increase its presence both in the United States and the logistics industry. The deal, which is expected to be completed later this year, will give CMA CGM, via its CEVA Logistics subsidiary a total of 20,000 contract logistics employees and 150 warehouses in North America. CMA CGM announced that following the acquisition the companies will also develop partnerships, under which CMA CGM would be the "preferred ocean carrier" for FedEx, and they would collaborate...

Freight Logistics

Russian attacks continue but Ukraine grain rates are lower, says ASAP Agri consultancy

The grain freight rates in Ukraine are down despite the 'ongoing Russian attacks' on Black Sea ports, ASAP Agri said on Monday. They cited a seasonal decline in cargo flow. Last week, officials and industry executives told? Last week, industry executives and officials told? The Ukrainian Navy said Monday that a Russian drone?hit a Turkish dry cargo vessel, causing an extensive fire on board. Ukraine is a major grain exporter in the world, and its Black Sea port handles more than 90% of its exports. ASAP Agri stated that as Ukraine closes its 2025/26 summer-july export season, the historically low...

Freight Logistics

New York Times Business News - June 16,

These are the top stories from the business pages of the New York Times. The New 'York Times has not?verified?these stories and does?not vouch?for their accuracy. Fox Corp. is purchasing Roku for $22 billion in cash and stock. This represents a major?bet by the broadcaster on the streaming platform to strengthen their advertising business and increase the reach of its sports and news content online. The preliminary agreement?to end?the war?between?the United States _and?Iran aims to reopen quickly the Strait of Hormuz. However, companies have said that they require more information before navigating this waterway. Iran announced on Monday that they...

Freight Logistics

Two crew members missing following suspected US strike on tanker near Oman

Officials from the maritime industry said that two crew members are missing and another is injured after a suspected U.S. missile strike on a fuel tanker near Oman's coast. Ambrey believes that the 'blockade of Iranian ports by U.S. Ambrey, a British maritime security organization, said that the blockade of Iranian ports was likely to be responsible. In the past, crews were warned to gather at the bow of the vessel before an attack. Another maritime security source said that the ship was also likely to have been?hit by a U.S. rocket. The United Kingdom's Maritime Trade Operations agency reported...

Passenger Transportation Services

Passenger Transportation Services

After the Iran crisis, airlines gradually resume Middle East service.

Many airlines are restoring flights in the Middle East after the conflict caused by the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. However, major carriers remain cautious and many routes will still be suspended into the fall. KEY POINTS Some destinations are still affected, although the majority of flights have resumed. Dubai remains one of the worst affected destinations. Several European and Asian airlines have extended their suspensions until October or later. Through late October, multiple Lufthansa Group carriers will suspend flights to Dubai and Beirut. British Airways, Air Canada and Wizz Air all extended their?suspensions' on Middle East routes. Air France, meanwhile,...

Passenger Transportation Services

Air India is seeking $1.5 billion in compensation from Tata and Singapore Airlines as losses continue to mount, according to sources

Air India wants $1.5 billion in equity from its owners Tata Sons & Singapore Airlines. This comes months after the second largest Indian airline reported a record-breaking annual loss. This would be the largest request for funding from Air India made public since Tata acquired control of the former government-owned carrier in 2020. The announcement highlights the challenges that the airline faces as it undergoes an overhaul worth billions of dollars, which includes the refurbishment?of its current fleet. Air India Express and the carrier posted combined losses in the fiscal year ending March of $2.33 Billion, which is more than...

Passenger Transportation Services

United Airlines anticipates sufficient Airbus A321XLR delivery for Europe expansion in 2027

United Airlines announced on Tuesday that it will receive enough Airbus A321XLRs to support its European expansion in the summer of next year. The carrier is pushing into smaller markets and expects the travel market in the region to remain strong through the fall months. Chicago-based airline, American Airlines, plans to use its single-aisle, long-range jets on five new European routes by 2027. These include Luxembourg, Ibiza in Spain, and Toulouse in France. The airline is expanding to ten new cities in Europe and Asia, which will be the largest expansion ever in its history. Patrick Quayle is United's senior...

Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

Transportation

Transportation

Sources: Freight rates for Russian crude oil increase due to security concerns and vessel availability

Three trade sources reported that freight rates for tanker shipments of Russia's flagship Urals oil from western ports to India - the grade's primary market - have risen in August due to a'strong demand' for vessels as well as mounting security risks relating to transporting Russian oil. Shipping costs are increasing, which is hurting the revenues of Russian oil producers who already face Western sanctions as well as a challenging geopolitical climate. Conflict in the Middle East has also impacted global shipping routes, which have boosted freight markets. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most important chokepoints in...

Transportation

Sources say that Russia will extend the ban on diesel exports through September.

Three industry sources have confirmed that Russia will extend its diesel export ban until September due to the?fuel shortages on the domestic market. Three industry sources told us that the extension of the ban to the end of this year was also being discussed. The Russian Energy Ministry did not reply to a comment request. The ban was introduced by Russia from July 8 until July 31, as part of a package of measures designed to support the domestic market. It was later extended to fuel producers up to August 31. Russia has also banned the export of motor gasoline...

Transportation

TotalEnergies CEO: TotalEnergies to invest in expanding Fujairah Oil Export Pipeline in Abu Dhabi

The CEO of TotalEnergies, a French oil company, said that the company will continue to invest in the Middle East in spite of the Iran conflict. This was revealed at a conference on energy in Norway. Patrick Pouyanne previously said that it was important to fund alternate pipelines in order for oil to leave Middle East, given the paralysis of the Strait of Hormuz during the U.S.-Israel war against Iran. Pouyanne stated at the ONS Conference that "we are today the largest traders of oil from Iraq or Qatar... it is clear to me that a certain amount equity needs...

Transportation

Uniper, a German gas company, says that it has filled up 70% of the contracted storage space.

Uniper, a German company, has filled 70% its?natural-gas storage capacity reserved over the summer despite the wholesale prices being low. The war in Iran is making the market more challenging. Michael Lewis said that an?inverted winter-summer spread', where the summer wholesale prices are higher than those of the winter, means there is no incentive to store gas. He made this statement after signing a deal for gas supplies with Norway's Equinor. "Now, that doesn't imply we haven't stocked any gas." Lewis stated that we've filled about 70% of the contracted gas storage. He added that the price spread had moved...

Transportation

Uniper, a German gas importer, signs a 15-year deal with Equinor in Norway

Uniper, a German company, has signed an 'agreement' to import from Equinor more than 30 Terawatt Hours of gas per year starting in 2027. The companies announced the agreement on Monday. This deal reinforces Norway's role as Europe's largest economy's main supplier. The agreement, which is equivalent to approximately 2.8 billion cubic meters of natural gas each year, will run until 2041 and represents nearly 3% of Germany's annual imports of gas. According to the network regulator Bundesnetzagentur Norway supplied 44% Germany's imports of gas. This is a significant increase from Russia, which had been the leading supplier before Moscow...

Transportation

Rail accident investigators say that they have found evidence of track irregularities at the site of a UK train derailment.

Investigators of rail accidents said that on Wednesday, a track 'irregularity' was visible in?CCTV pictures taken just before a passenger train derailment that occurred last week in England that resulted in two serious injuries. Rail Accident Investigation Branch stated that "a track geometry irregularity was present on the immediate approach to the derailment point, before the accident occurred." There was evidence of previous track maintenance in this area. The accident near Lewes, in southern England, occurred during a sustained period of high temperatures in Britain. The investigation will include factors such as the effectiveness of hot weather mitigation, and the...

Transportation

German prosecutors say that a second suspect in the Nord Stream case has been arrested in Croatia

German prosecutors announced Wednesday that a second suspect?accused? of participating in the '2022 Nord Stream blasts?has been arrested in Croatia & will be 'extradited?to Germany. The federal prosecutor's office in its statement identified the Ukrainian as Vladimir Z. and added that local police officers who were acting on an European arrest warrant arrested him at the Croatian seaside city of Pula. In July, prosecutors had filed criminal charges against a second Ukrainian, Serhii, who was a former army officer, for his involvement in the explosions. They accused him of acting on behalf of Ukrainian government entities. Prosecutors alleged in their?statement...

LNG Transportation

Bousso: The ROI-Oil Market begins pricing for a prolonged Hormuz Crisis

Oil market behavior is becoming more and more like a permanent reality. It's not just a temporary shock. Hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough are fading nearly six months after the war between Iran and the U.S. erupted. The interim ceasefire that was agreed to on June 17 is now 'effectively over,' the 60-day negotiation period has ended, and neither Washington or Tehran appear willing to compromise about the future of Strait of Hormuz. Both sides have instead dug in. Iran warned that tensions would escalate if Washington did not fully implement the interim peace agreement within a few weeks. A...

Transportation

Bousso: The ROI-Oil Market begins pricing for a prolonged Hormuz Crisis

Oil market behavior is becoming more and more like a permanent reality. It's not just a temporary shock. The hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough are fading nearly six months after the war broke out between the U.S. The interim ceasefire that was agreed upon on June 17 is now effectively over, the 60 day negotiating period is finished, and neither Washington or Tehran appear willing to compromise about the future of Strait of Hormuz. Both sides have instead dug in. Iran warned that tensions would escalate if Washington did not fully implement the interim peace agreement within weeks. An Iranian...

Transportation

Houthis claim to have attacked Saudi vessels near Yemen's Mocha

According to Yahya Saree, the military spokesperson for the Houthis'?Iran-aligned group in Yemen on Telegram Monday, the Houthis fired missiles at what they 'described' as a Saudi military ship and its four escorting vessels in the Red Sea. Saudi authorities did not immediately confirm the report. Mocha is a Red Sea Port near the 'Bab el-Mandeb Strait. This strategic chokepoint connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, and it is an important international shipping line. The Houthis reportedly attacked a ship on Tuesday in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, at the southern 'entrance to the Red Sea. According to...

Transportation

Sources say that Russia's Black Sea Novorossiysk Port resumes oil loading after drone attack

Two trading sources reported that the main Black Sea oil terminal of Russia, Novorossiysk, resumed its operations on Sunday following a Friday drone attack. Sources said that a Suezmax class tanker had been loading Kazakh KEBCO crude since Sunday. It was due to depart on Monday. One of the sources stated on Monday that another tanker will begin loading 80,000 tonnes of KEBCO crude oil on Tuesday. Novorossiysk is capable of handling?around 700,000. barrels per day. It can load Russia's Urals and Siberian Light grades as well as Kazakh KEBCO. The Sheskharis Terminal, the port’s main oil export facility, is...

Transportation

Fuel shortages in Russia: Second wave sweeps across the country

According to regional authorities and media, fuel shortages returned to certain regions of 'Russia in August. Local authorities in at least ten regions tightened controls on the sale of motor fuel at petrol stations. On Monday, witnesses reported that diesel fuel was still available in almost all fuel stations throughout the Moscow region. However, gasoline was again unavailable. Fuel?crisis began in May, and by July, it had spread to almost all of Russia. It was caused by the closure of several refineries that were?targeted in drone attacks, and an increase in seasonal demand. The authorities increased fuel supplies on the...