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Delta and Aeromexico win US Court battle to retain joint venture
The U.S. Court of Appeals on Thursday overturned the Trump Administration's order from September 2025 that was intended to force Aeromexico and Delta?Airlines to dissolve a joint venture. Last year, the?airlines?sued to stop the U.S. Department of Transportation's order to repeal a nearly 10-year-old joint-venture that allowed the carriers to coordinate the scheduling, pricing, and capacity of U.S. - Mexico flights. The USDOT order is part of a series of U.S. measures aimed at Mexico’s aviation sector due to competition concerns. Last year, a court halted the order pending legal challenges. The 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals stated that USDOT "didn't reasonably explain why they conducted a much more limited market study in this case than in the past, or if it imposed a requirement to approve the joint venture compared to what it required of'similar joint ventures approved in Japan. Delta, Aeromexico, and the U.S. The Justice and Transportation departments referred to the joint venture as "legalized collusion," which controls "almost 60 percent of operations at the 4th-largest gateway international to and from the United States," in reference to Mexico City flights. Delta, with a 20% stake, argued President Donald Trump held Aeromexico to a higher standard than other joint ventures such as United Airlines or Japan's ANA. The court said that USDOT's arbitrary and capricious action was because it did not apply the same standards to Delta and U.S.Japan joint-venture applicants. USDOT has taken separate action to revoke approval of 13 routes for Mexican carriers in the U.S., and cancel all combined passenger and cargo flights from Mexico City's Felipe Angeles International Airport. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated last year that Mexico "illegally cancelled and frozen U.S. carrier flight for three years without consequence."
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Panama Canal will cap daily transits in anticipation of severe El Nino
It announced on Thursday that the Panama Canal Authority will limit daily transits starting in early September, as it prepares for an El Nino season expected to reduce water levels. This is a reversal of a previous promise not to restrict vessel passage. The new measures will reduce the number of vessels that can pass through the canal each day to 32 by September 15, and to 34 as of Sept. 4. In June 2026 the canal'registered 35 average daily transits, which corresponded to vessel demand. Its capacity was to handle around 40 crossings per day. Canal authorities said in May that they did not plan to restrict vessel passage this year and have already taken water conservation measures starting 2025. According to a?advisory released Thursday, daily capacity at the Neopanamax locks of the canal will be capped as of September 4, while 'capacity in?the older Panamax?locks is limited to 25 slots. The capacity of the Panamax locks will be further reduced on Sept. 15 to 23 slots. As part of its water management strategy, the canal authority has tightened draft restrictions several times.
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At least 40 bodies found after a boat overloaded with passengers capsizes in Nigeria
Local officials and residents reported on Thursday that a?overloaded?boat capsized in Nigeria's northwest Sokoto State. Abdulkadir Yusuf is a manager at the National Inland Waterways Authority. He said that rescue efforts continue after the accident near Gorau, in Goronyo Local Government Area. Yusuf reported that around?40 bodies of children had been discovered. Nasiru Adamsu, a local lawmaker in the 'Sokoto State legislature, confirmed the death toll at 43. A local resident said that the boat was carrying farmers and workers hired to harvest rice. He estimated there were more than 70 people on board when it capsized. One resident reported that there were 57 passengers onboard. Mustapha Umar said that officials would be heading to the scene soon and will provide more information later. Overcrowding and poor maintenance, as well as a lack of enforcement of safety regulations, are all factors that contribute to deadly boat accidents in Nigeria. At least 25 people were killed in January when a leaking boat capsized on the coast of?Yobe State, north-east Nigeria.
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Exporters warn that delays could occur as Ivory Coast prepares for EU cocoa regulations
Ivory Coast’s cocoa regulator claims the world’s largest cocoa producer, Ivory Coast, is ready for new EU anti-deforestation regulations. However exporters and buyers warn that a compliance system set to launch next month could disrupt bean sales and exports. Companies must prove that cocoa and other commodities are not associated with deforestation under the EU's anti-deforestation legislation, which comes into effect at the end December. Yves Brahima Kone, the head of the Coffee and Cocoa Council (CCC), said that digital ID cards would be issued to farmers from September 1, 2026/27. The cards, which were introduced in 2019, are electronic wallets that track cocoa from the farms to the export ports. They also verify the origin of the cocoa and ensure farmers get the guaranteed price. "We are prepared to prove that our cacao is traceable and certified." Kone stated that the 'producer card' is now operational and meets the expectations of chocolate customers. He said that the cards would also allow more than 1 million small-scale farmers to access the banking system?for a first time. According to the'regulator,' Ivory Coast is home to between 1.2 and 1.3 million cocoa producers. INDUSTRY WARNS ABOUT DISRUPTIONS According to industry sources, the launch could cause bottlenecks when the new season starts. We spoke with nine buyers, seven suppliers and four cooperative managers. Sources said that farmers who do not have their cards or have lost them may be unable sell cocoa and this could slow down purchases. The sources also mentioned a shortage in?card terminals. Participants in the industry questioned whether the system could be effective in preventing illegally grown cocoa in protected areas to enter the supply chain, even if administrative problems are resolved. Ivory Coast estimates that cocoa produced in protected forest and national parks represents 15% of the national production. Exporters and European environmental groups estimate the figure at around 30%. Sources said that illegally produced cocoa could still be mixed with legal beans and shipped to Abidjan and San Pedro ports, in part because the output of each farmer can only be estimated and not precisely measured. "We know the benefits of this card, but there will be many problems and chaos during the season. The director of an European export company in Abidjan said that the new European regulation regarding deforestation is too complex to be implemented on the ground. There will be delays throughout the supply chain, including in the purchasing and exporting of goods. "That's unquestionable," said a senior executive of another European export company. Ange Aboa is the reporter. Anait Miridzhanian (Editing), Rob Corey-Boulet, Mark Potter and Anait Miridzhanian
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Discover Airlines, a subsidiary of Lufthansa, says that fuel shortages in Namibia could affect flights to Europe
Discover Airlines, a subsidiary of Lufthansa, said on Thursday that a temporary fuel shortage could affect its flights to Europe. The airline said that aircraft operating flights to Frankfurt and Munich out of Windhoek were being rerouted through Angola in order to refuel. A spokesperson for the Lufthansa Group said that there was a temporary and local shortage of?fuel at Windhoek International Airport. As reported in local Namibian media, Lufthansa has not responded to the question of whether its cargo freight is also affected by fuel shortages. Namibia Airports Company issued a statement stating that it was aware of fuel supply challenges for the Jet A-1 at the main aviation gateway in the country and that efforts were being made to minimize disruptions. (Reporting by Wendell Roelf, Additional Reporting by Sfundo parakozov, Writing by Nilutpal Timsina and Editing by Alexander Winning).
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Shein postpones IPO until September 1, according to sources
Shein plans to list its Hong Kong initial public offering on Monday, according to a source with knowledge of the matter. Two other sources also said that Shein is aiming for a September 1 listing, which is slightly later than originally planned. One source said that while September 1 was the "target date", the listing might happen a few weeks later. Last week, it was reported that Shein had hoped to list her company on August 28. Investors' appetite for Shein has been dampened by the slowing growth and increasing costs, as first reported by South China Morning Post. Shein, the online fast fashion retailer, was once seen as a disruptor to established brands like H&M and Zara because of its ultra-low price and rapid supply chain. Shein's valuation is aiming for $26 billion to $27 billion according to a source who has a direct knowledge of the issue. This is a sharp drop from the $100 billion it was valued at in its private fundraising in 2022. Investor?meetings in advance of the IPO began with the company requesting an IPO valuation between $30 billion and $40 billion. Shein did not respond to an inquiry for comment. Reporting by Kane Wu, Helen Reid. Mark Potter and Mrigank Dhaniwala edited the report.
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Sources say India is considering low-cost loans to help renewable energy projects that have been affected by the power restrictions.
Four industry sources said that India may offer low-cost loans for'renewable energy producers' to compensate them for the losses they have suffered because of inadequate transmission infrastructure. According to official figures, the?transmission?network of this South Asian nation has been unable to keep up with the growth in renewable energy, especially solar. Solar represents 162 gigawatts or almost a third its total power generation capacity. Sources said that India's renewable power developers had lost around 45 billion rupees (470.21 million dollars) since February 2025 due to limited infrastructure. One source said that in some cases, up to 70% of power generated by renewable energy projects cannot be added to grid. Sources spoke under 'condition of anonymity' because they weren't authorised to speak publically?on this issue. A request for comment was not immediately responded to by the federal ministries of finance and?power. India, the third largest solar power producer in the world, has cut its output by 14% or 8,133 Gigawatt Hours between April and Juni. Sources said that the ministry of power was looking at low-interest loans with long terms of 7 to 8 years as compensation for producers. The government is reportedly discussing the plan with energy companies and determining which projects qualify for compensation. Sanjeev Aggarwal is the?founder and executive chairman of Hexa Climate which develops renewable project. He said that his company has experienced curbs, without providing details, and that it raises financial problems. He said that lenders need to have confidence in the future generation when they are calculating debt. If curbs are frequent, and not compensated for, this would result in higher costs of capital. The rating agency ICRA estimates that approximately a third of India's newly-commissioned 54.8 GW clean energy capacity is being evacuated via temporary transmission by May 2026.
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Minister: Indonesia denies involvement in the transshipment and trans-shipment of goods as claimed by a recent U.S. government report
Airlangga hartarto, Indonesia's senior economic minister, denied the recent U.S. claim that it was involved in a 'transshipment' of a goods. Here are some details: * Airlangga was referring to the report published by Washington which stated that the U.S. is losing between $19 and $26 billion annually in 'tariff revenue' due to 'goods, mostly originating from China, being transshipped via third countries including Indonesia to avoid U.S. Import duties. * "Indonesia, along with Brazil, Malaysia Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam, has been accused of being a part of a global?transshipment -network. "We deny that these allegations are true," said the minister. * He added that it is "not true" if transshipment from another country?is used for processing here.
Vehicle Carriers Seek Relief from Wide US Port Fees
Three sources said that operators of hulking cars carriers were seeking relief from U.S. trade representative's surprise plan that would levy port charges on all foreign-built vessels in this segment, including the 20 vessels that guarantee transportation for the U.S. Military during a national emergency or war.
USTR announced these fees on April 17, as part of a continuing effort to charge certain China-linked vessels calling at U.S. port fees in order to fund domestic shipbuilding and counter China's dominant position on the high seas.
The fees were a shock to the industry because they did not only target ships built in China or owned by Chinese companies.
According to two lawyers who asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals, the fees on vehicle carriers would affect the 20 U.S. flagged and U.S. crewed vehicle carriers that are admitted to the U.S. Maritime Security Program, which supports Washington's readiness.
These fees would also impose massive costs on customers of vehicle carriers, who are already suffering from the 25% auto tariffs that President Donald Trump imposed.
As the levies weren't mentioned in the USTR port fees proposal of February, vessel carriers did not have an opportunity to provide feedback.
One of the lawyers said, "The fee for the car carrier came out of nowhere."
Both parties said that the USTR had overreached, because the fees were levied on ships that are made in countries not included in the Biden administration’s fast-tracked investigation which found that China unfairly dominates global maritime, logistic and shipbuilding sectors.
The World Shipping Council warned that on April 18, the new fees would affect almost all car carriers and could have unintended effects.
WSC has declined to provide any further comment.
Attorneys and an industry group have asked to meet with USTR in order to express their concerns. USTR has not yet commented on whether it will meet with representatives of vessel carriers.
USTR will begin charging foreign-built vehicles carriers $150 per car they can carry. This fee will be implemented on October 14, 2014. The USTR plans to charge foreign-built vehicle carriers $150 for every car the ship has capacity to carry, beginning on October 14.
MILITARY RISK?
Vehicle carriers are essential to the U.S. Military's readiness, as they can transport large items such as aircraft, tanks and helicopters.
American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier Group of Florida, an operator of vehicle carriers under the U.S. flag, is a part of Wallenius Wilhelmsen Group. Liberty Global Logistics is a New York-based provider. Wallenius Wilhelmsen and ARC did not respond immediately to Wallenius's request for comment.
Maersk Line Ltd., the U.S. division of the Danish container shipping company, which is part of MSP, has said that it is reviewing USTR's most recent information and is preparing for various scenarios.
Port fees are not charged to operators of container ships, tankers, and other vessels that fall within the MSP.
Alphaliner data shows that there are currently 1,466 vehicle carriers in use.
Alphaliner reported that only 39 of these ships were constructed in the United States. (Reporting and editing by Peter Graff, Mark Potter, and Lisa Baertlein)
(source: Reuters)