Europe

Shipping company MSC announced on Saturday that it would implement a fuel surcharge for all cargo from the Mediterranean (including West Mediterranean and Adriatic Sea, East Mediterranean and Greece) and Black Sea, to the Indian Subcontinent, the Red Sea and East Africa. This will be effective March 16, 2019. The surcharge was set at $30 per twenty-foot equivalent unit for dry containers and $50 per TEU refrigerated containers from the Mediterranean, Black Sea and Red Sea. The world's largest ocean container carrier said that dry containers traveling from the Mediterranean, Black Sea, and East Africa would be charged at $60...

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...

The shipping company MSC announced on Thursday that it would implement a fuel surcharge for 'all cargo' from Northern Europe (including UK, Scandinavian and Baltic) to the Red Sea and East Africa. This will be effective March 16, 2019. MSC will charge $40 per twenty-foot equivalent (TEU), from Northern Europe, including the UK to the Red Sea for dry containers and $60 for refrigerated ones. The world's largest ocean container carrier said that dry containers from Northern Europe (including the UK) to East Africa would be charged at $65 per TEU while refrigerated ones would be charged at $100 per...

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said that a tanker anchored off Kuwait saw a large explosion on its port side and was taking in water. UKMTO reported that the master saw a'small craft' leaving the area after the explosion, which took place 30 nautical miles (56 km) southeast of Kuwait Mubarak al Kabeer Port in the Gulf. In an advisory note, it stated that "there is oil in the water from a cargo tank, which could have some impact on the environment, the vessel has taken in water, no fires were reported, and the crew was'safe. Kuwait's interior ministry...

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said that a?tanker anchored off?Kuwait saw?a 'large explosion?" on its port side, and was taking in water. UKMTO reported that the master saw a small boat leave the area after the explosion. The explosion occurred in the Gulf 30 nautical miles (56 kilometers) south of Kuwait's Mubarak al Kabeer port. In an advisory note, it stated that "there is oil in the water from a cargo tank, which could have an environmental impact. The vessel has taken water on board, but there are no reported fires and the crew members are safe." Kuwait's interior...

Sources told us on Tuesday that Russia's grain sales to Iran had stalled following the?U.S. and Israeli airstrikes of Saturday, despite the fact that Iran, Russia's third largest grain buyer, has already purchased 95% or more of its expected Russian wheat purchases for this season. Sources at Russian exporting firms, who declined to be named, confirmed that grain shipments bound for Iran had been halted from the Black Sea or Caspian Sea, but exporters were still working to fulfill existing contracts. One of the sources stated that "there is a demand for supplies but they are currently suspended." "I believe...

Kumba Iron Ore, South Africa, said Thursday that it expected its full-year profits to increase by up to 23% due to higher mineral prices and sales volumes. Kumba, an Anglo American unit, expects to earn between $1,39 billion and $15,33 billion ($862,55 million-$951,29 million) in the year ending December 2025. This compares with the 12.5 billion rand earned the year before. Africa's largest iron ore producer said that the increase in earnings was due to the higher average free-onboard export iron ore prices of $95 per metric tonne in 2025. This is up from $92 a metric tonne the previous...

On Tuesday, maritime sources and a?security consulting firm reported that a group of Iranian gunboats approached a U.S. flagged tanker in the Strait?of Hormuz to the north of Oman. Vanguard, a maritime risk management company, said that the Iranian ships ordered the tanker Stena Imperative to stop its engine before continuing its journey and to prepare for being boarded. The maritime risk management group reported that the vessel did not enter Iranian territorial waters, and was escorted a U.S. warship. A U.S. official confirmed that it was "U.S." flagged. United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations had earlier stated that a group...

Here are some company news and stories that could impact the markets in France and Benelux or individual stocks. Airbus Helicopters: Airbus Helicopters announced 536 net orders for 2025. This is a?upwards trend from 450 orders in 2024. The increase was driven by increased defence?spending?in Europe. Deliveries also increased by 8.5%, to 392 units. EU/INDIA - India and the European Union signed a landmark deal on Tuesday that will affect a quarter the world's GDP. FRANCE/SOCIAL MEDIA - The French National Assembly voted on Monday to ban children younger than 15 from using social media, in response to growing concerns...

Due to U.S. Sanctions, the Lithuanian state-owned railway group LTG announced on Friday that it would stop shipments of oil cargoes from Russia's Lukoil into the Russian exclave Kaliningrad. Kaliningrad, located on the Baltic Sea Coast, receives most of its supplies via rail transit via NATO member Lithuania. It can also receive direct shipments via ocean from its own nation. Last month, the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions on Lukoil over the conflict in Ukraine. The OFAC also warned that foreign companies who do business with this Russian group would face consequences if they continued to...

The Federal Centre for Agriculture Products Safety Evaluation reported on Monday that Russia's grain exports to African countries have increased 30% in the past year. Russia, which is the world's largest wheat exporter and has expanded its Baltic Sea ports, intends to diversify agricultural exports, reduce its dependence on Black Sea routes where Ukraine has attacked shipping infrastructure. The data shows that grain exports this year from Baltic Sea ports totaled 1.3 million tons as of November 12. Of these, 42% went to Africa. The data showed that 93% of all grain exported from these ports was wheat. In Africa,...

French group CMA CGM warned on Friday that the container shipping industry faces a difficult year, as new vessels increase capacity, while demand is slowing. Early orders for 2025 are being driven by trade tensions. CMA CGM reported core EBITDA of $2.96bn for the third quarter, which is the same as the previous quarter but down 40.5% from a year ago. This was down by 40.5% compared to a year ago, but an increase from the prior quarter as volumes recovered after a stoppage in April of China-U.S. Trade due to a tariff dispute. Ramon Fernandez said that the group,...

Viktor Orban, Hungary's prime minister, called for the European Union on Monday to suspend sanctions on Russian energy and convened a government emergency meeting.to address rising fuel costs.just five weeks prior to a pivotal election. The war in Iran has fueled a rise in oil prices that have pushed up diesel and petrol costs in Hungary. Orban is now facing a challenge as he prepares for parliamentary elections on April 12, where he will be fighting to maintain his 16-year hold on power. Orban's Fidesz is trailing the centre-right Tisza despite having launched a series of measures that have increased...

Slovak PM Robert Fico announced on Sunday that he will meet with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, on Tuesday. Slovakia and Hungary are increasing pressure on Ukraine to resume Russian oil flow, while warning Slovakia it could block a large EU loan to Kyiv. Since late January, Russian oil has been stopped flowing through the Druzhba Pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia. Kyiv claimed that a Russian attack had caused an 'incident' which seriously damaged the pipeline. The outage has ignited one of the most heated arguments between the two neighbours since Russia's full-scale invasion in Ukraine 2022. Ukraine claims...

Azerbaijan has said that it prevented several "terrorist" sabotage plots by Iran's Islamic?Revolutionary?Guard?Corps (IRGC), which included a plot to target a major oil pipeline running -through the South –Caucasus and into?Turkey. According to the Azertag news agency, a statement from the State Security?Service late Friday night, targets included the Baku, Tbilisi, Ceyhan (BTC), oil pipeline and the Israeli Embassy in Azerbaijan. Also, there was an Ashkenazi Synagogue as well as a leader of an ancient Jewish group in Azerbaijan known by the Mountain Jews. Iran has not responded to the statement. BTC is a pipeline that travels through?Georgia, Turkey, and...

The schedule showed that the differentials between dated Brent and Urals crude jumped in 'the Indian market due to supply shortages brought on by 'the conflict in Iran. Meanwhile, exports of Azeri BTC from Ceyhan were expected to increase next month. Reports on Thursday indicated that traders are selling Russian Urals at a premium to Brent of $4-5 per barrel upon arrival in Indian ports between March and April. This is after the United States granted Indian refiners an 'waiver' to resume purchasing Russian oil. Calculations on Friday showed that the grade's discount on Brent at the Russian Baltic Sea...

SPP, Slovakia's national?gas?company?, amended its long-term?contract?with Gazprom? to align it with European regulation and continue to import Russian?gas?, it announced on Friday. After talks, sources claimed that the discussions were to increase volumes before an EU prohibition on Russian?gas? kicks in later next year. EU gas prices have increased by 50% in the last week, after Qatar stopped exporting liquefied gas following U.S., Israeli and Tehran's response to U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran. SPP started?the discussions before the conflict erupted. SPP stated that the amendment was intended to align the long-term contracts with the EU RePowerEU? plan to wean...

Hungary's Oil and Gas Company?MOL announced on Friday that capacity testing on the Adria oil pipeline will begin on March 11, and last for 10 months. The company is attempting to find alternative routes as Russian crude oil supplies are set to cease at the end 2027. MOL, the operator of refineries in Hungary, Slovakia and Romania, has expressed concerns about whether or not the Adria Pipeline can meet their needs. JANAF, a Croatian operator, dismissed these concerns. Hungary and Slovakia want to continue receiving supplies from Russia, and are exempted?from the current European Union sanctions. Adria is a viable...

The Kremlin announced?on Friday?that?the war against Iran has fueled demand for Russian energy. This comes a day after U.S. Treasury granted India a waiver of 30 days to purchase Russian oil that is currently "stuck" at sea. As the conflict entered its seventh?day on Friday, the Strait of Hormuz - a vital shipping?passage - was all but closed, and countries around the globe were cut off from global oil and LNG supplies. Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, told reporters that Russia is a reliable source of oil and natural gas via pipelines as well as in liquefied forms. The war in...

The U.S. The 'U.S. Transportation Department granted tentative approval on Thursday for Wizz Air, a budget airline that operates flights between the UK and 'U.S. The UK subsidiary of Wizz Holdings applied for a foreign carrier permit in January to begin operating flights between the UK and the US "as quickly as possible." USDOT announced that it had tentatively approved the application but would give opponents 21 days to submit objections, which it will then consider before making a decision. Wizz Air UK has requested permission to launch passenger services under the 2020 Air Transport Agreement, also known as the...

Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the Ukrainian president, said that in one month and a quarter it may be possible to re-start a damaged Druzhba?pipeline. It is difficult to find alternatives, so the European Union has not imposed sanctions on Russian oil. In response, Hungary has taken steps to obstruct EU assistance for Ukraine. Both countries have accused Ukraine of being slow in repairing its infrastructure - something Kyiv denies. Zelenskiy was speaking at a press conference in Kyiv where Sergii Koreteskyi, CEO of the Ukrainian state energy company Naftogaz said that the main pumping station for the pipeline had been damaged by...

Viktor Orban, the Prime Minister of Hungary, said on Thursday that Hungary would use "political and financial tools" to force Ukraine to reopen a key pipeline - Druzhba - which carries Russian oil into Hungarian refineries. Since late January, Ukraine has suspended the flow of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia. Kyiv claims that the pipeline had been seriously damaged by an fire following a Russian attack. Hungary and Slovakia - the only European Union countries that still import Russian oil - have accused Ukraine for deliberately delaying a resumption in?oil flow due to political reasons....

Two ethnic Hungarian POWs?released by Russia and brought to Budapest?arrived in the country early on Thursday. Kyiv condemned them as "provocations" because they were dual citizens of Ukraine. Peter Szijjarto, Hungary's foreign minister, secured their release during a meeting on Wednesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in Moscow, just a day after Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orban had a telephone call with the Russian leader regarding the crises in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as energy supplies to?Hungary. The Ukrainians were furious, and the coordination committee for prisoner exchanges called it a "Russian provocation." It said that the...

Peter Szijjarto, Hungary's foreign minister, said in a statement issued after he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin?in Moscow on Wednesday that two ethnic -Hungarian prisoners of... war would be released by.... Russia. Szijjarto traveled to Moscow one day after Hungary's prime minister Viktor Orban had a telephone call with Putin. They discussed the Middle East situation, Ukraine and whether there was enough crude oil and gas available for Hungary. Orban's Government has made Russia's War on Ukraine a major topic in his election campaign for the 12th April parliamentary elections, increasing tensions between Budapest & Kyiv. Szijjarto stated?earlier Wednesday...