Ground Transportation








Asia

North America

Transport Infrastructure

Trump is expected to sign an executive order on US Shipbuilding, according to sources

Three sources familiar with this matter say that U.S. president Donald Trump will sign an executive directive on Wednesday, aiming to re-energize U.S. shipbuilding while reducing China's hold on the global shipping sector. For years, Republican and Democratic U.S. legislators have warned of China's increasing dominance in the seas as well as the diminishing U.S. navy readiness. The draft executive order, seen by the, states that the U.S. will charge docking fees to any ship in a fleet of Chinese-built or Chinese flagged vessels. It also threatens to retaliate against allies who do not follow suit. Sources who declined to...

Transport Infrastructure

US pulls out of carbon talks with shipping and urges others to do the same - document

A diplomatic note stated that the United States had withdrawn from London talks on decarbonisation of shipping and Washington would consider "reciprocal actions" to offset any fees assessed to U.S. vessels. This week, delegates are meeting at the UN Shipping Agency's headquarters to discuss decarbonisation measures that will enable the shipping industry worldwide to achieve net zero emissions by "around 2020". A proposal submitted by a group of countries, including the European Union to the UN International Maritime Organization was aimed at reaching agreement on the first carbon levy in shipping for greenhouse gas (GHG). The United States has sent...

Ground Transportation

US pulls out of carbon talks with shipping and urges others to do the same - document

A diplomatic note stated that the United States had withdrawn from London's talks on decarbonisation of shipping and Washington would consider "reciprocal" measures to offset any fees levied to U.S. vessels. This week, delegates are in the UN Shipping Agency's headquarters for discussions on decarbonisation initiatives aimed at helping the shipping industry reach net zero emissions by "around 2020". A proposal submitted by a group of countries, including the European Union to the UN International Maritime Organization was aimed at reaching agreement on the first carbon levy in shipping for greenhouse gas (GHG). The United States has sent a diplomatic...

Ground Freight

Brazil protesters lift the blockade on Amazon grain shipping routes

Abiove, the traders' association, and a toll-road operator announced on Tuesday that indigenous Brazilian protesters had lifted their blockade of Brazil's Trans-Amazonian Highway. This reopened a vital grain shipping route connecting farmers to the Miritituba River Port. On March 25, Munduruku activists shut down the road (also known as BR-230) to pressure Brazil's Supreme Court into overturning a law that limits indigenous land rights in 2023. Grain traders reported that the protests prevented the shipment of around 70 000 metric tons worth nearly $30 million of grains every day. Abiove reported that it had learned on Tuesday morning the indigenous...

Passenger Transportation Services

Barrick's Reko Diq Project in Pakistan seeks new funding

Barrick Gold’s Reko Diq gold and copper project in Pakistan plans to secure up to $2 billion from international lenders. Term sheets will be signed in early Q3, according the project director of the mine. The funding will be used to support the development and expansion of Reko Diq, one of the largest copper-gold deposits in the world. It is expected that the mine can generate free cash flows of $70 billion, as well as operating cash flows of $90 billion. The project is jointly owned by Barrick Gold, the government of Pakistan, and the government of Balochistan. Multiple lenders...

Passenger Transportation

Amazon's soy shipping route to Brazil is disrupted by protests and poor roads

The poor road conditions and protests by indigenous groups have caused the shipment of Brazil's bumper soya bean crop to be delayed this week at the port of Miritituba, in the Amazon rainforest. This is where major grain traders such as Cargill and Bunge operate. The demand for soy, which is produced and exported by Brazil, the largest producer in the world, has risen dramatically. China is the world's No. 1 soybean consumer, as traders prepare for a potential trade war that could discourage Chinese imports. Miritituba loaded 15 million tons soy and corn onto barges last year, bound for...

Ground Freight

BNSF claims its freight train has derailed in Arkansas after a storm

The United States BNSF Railway said on Wednesday that it received a preliminary report about a derailment of a train near Bay, a city in Arkansas' northeastern region. This area was also hit by tornadoes and storms earlier in the day. BNSF didn't specify the cause of the derailment but stated that the incident occurred around 6:50 p.m. on Wednesday. The railroad group stated that the mainline was affected by the derailment, and an estimate time for the reopening of the track has not been determined. On Wednesday, tornadoes tore across the central and southern United States, destroying houses and...

Ground Transportation

BNSF claims its freight train has derailed in Arkansas after a storm

BNSF Railway in the United States said on Wednesday that it received a preliminary report about a derailment of a train near Bay, a city in Arkansas' northeastern region. The area was also hit by tornadoes and storms earlier in the day. BNSF didn't specify the cause of the derailment but stated that the incident occurred around 6:50 p.m. on Wednesday. The railroad group stated that the mainline was affected by the derailment, and an estimate time for the reopening of the track has not been determined. On Wednesday, tornadoes tore across the central and southern United States, destroying houses...

Ground Transportation

Financial Times - April 3

These are the most popular stories from the Financial Times. These stories have not been verified and we cannot vouch their accuracy. Headlines - Denmark's Maersk buys Panama Canal railway Deutsche Bank's asset management manager fined 25 Million Euros over greenwashing scandal Steve Buck is named as the new Chief Financial Officer of Thames Water Greencore signs 1.2 billion pound deal with Bakkavor, a UK rival in the ready-meal market View the full article Canadian Pacific Kansas City and Lanco Group, based in the United States, have sold the Panama Canal Railway Company (PCRC) to a Danish Maersk unit. Maersk...

Transportation

One tank of jet fuel was damaged by a ship wreckage off the coast of Britain

Crowley, a U.S. logistics company, said that only one tank of jet fuel was damaged when a U.S. military tanker transporting a shipment off England's north-east coast was hit by a cargo vessel. Stena Immaculate was anchored off Humberside on 10 March when the smaller Solong struck it. The explosions and fires started. Crowley, the company that manages the tanker said in a Sunday statement the third-party salvage crew had confirmed the damage was "limited to one cargo tank which contained Jet-A1 Fuel and one ballast container containing seawater". Stena Bulk, the owner of the vessel, confirmed Monday that it...

Transportation

Shipping companies pull out of Hong Kong to avoid US-China risks

Some shipping companies move their operations discreetly out of Hong Kong, and remove vessels from its registry. Some shipping companies are making contingency planning to do this. Six shipping executives have said that these low-profile actions are motivated by a fear that their vessels could be seized by Chinese authorities, or face U.S. sanction in the event of a clash between Beijing and Washington. The people said that the growing U.S. scrutiny over the importance of China’s commercial fleet to a potential military conflict, such as one over Taiwan, and Beijing's emphasis of Hong Kong's role in serving Chinese interests...

Ground Transportation

Buffett's Berkshire records record profits on insurance and investments

Berkshire Hathaway, the company owned by Warren Buffett, posted its third consecutive record operating profit on Saturday. This was boosted by an increase in investment income and underwriting profits in its insurance business. Berkshire’s huge cash stake ended 2024 with a record of $334.2 billion. This was twice as much than a year before. Buffett stated in his annual letter to Berkshire investors that Berkshire prefers to invest in business than to hold cash. He also claimed that his Omaha-based conglomerate, though it posted lower earnings in 53% of the 189 businesses it operates, "did better than expected." He attributed...

Europe

Passenger Transportation Services

Strike by Greek workers over wages stops ships, planes, and trains

The strike of Greek workers, which began on Wednesday, caused ferries to dock at ports, flights into and out of the country to be grounded, and trains to stop running. Greece's biggest trade unions demanded higher wages in order to deal with rising costs. Greece is now out of its debt crisis from 2009-2018, which resulted in wage and pension cuts that were repaid by bailouts totaling 290 billion euro. The economic growth rate of 2.3% in this year is outpacing that of other economies within the eurozone. Since 2019, the conservative government has raised the minimum wage monthly by...

Passenger Transportation Services

Greek strikes stop trains, planes and ships

The strike of Greek workers, which began on Wednesday, caused ferries to dock at ports, flights into and out of the country to be grounded, and trains to stop running. Greece's biggest trade unions demanded higher wages in order to deal with rising costs. Greece is emerging from the 2009-2018 debt crises that saw wage and pension cuts and bailouts of 290 billion euro. The economic growth in Greece this year was 2.3%, which has been higher than other economies in the Eurozone. The conservative government, recognizing the progress of the country, has raised the minimum monthly wage to 880...

Ground Freight

Amazon's soy shipping route to Brazil is disrupted by protests and poor roads

In recent days, protests by indigenous peoples and poor roads disrupted the shipping of Brazil's bumper soya crop via the river port Miritituba within the Amazon rainforest. This has caused concern for global companies such as Cargill and Bunge who have important operations. Abiove, the association of grain handlers in Nigeria, reported on Friday that road access to Miritituba had been partially or totally blocked for two weeks. This has prevented the shipment of almost 70,000 tons per day of grain, equivalent to almost $30 millions of product value. In a statement issued jointly with the farm group Aprosoja Brasil,...

Western Europe

East Asia

Transport Infrastructure

Trump signss executive order to revitalize US Shipbuilding

On Wednesday, U.S. president Donald Trump signed an Executive Order aimed at revitalizing U.S. Shipbuilding and reducing China’s grip on global shipping. For years, Republican and Democratic U.S. legislators have warned of China's increasing dominance in the seas as well as the diminishing U.S. navy readiness. The order instructs the U.S. trade representative to proceed with a plan, which includes charging U.S. docking fees for any ship in a fleet of vessels that are Chinese-built or Chinese flagged. Allies will also be encouraged to follow suit. The Department of Homeland Security is also required to enforce the collection of Harbor...

Passenger Transportation Services

Sources say that the US is considering adjusting its port fees plan for Chinese vessels in response to pushback.

Six sources claim that the Trump administration may soften its proposed fee for China-linked vessels visiting U.S. port after receiving a lot of negative feedback. The industries said it could be financially devastating. Six sources familiar with the issue said that the six changes being considered include a delayed implementation as well as new fee structures aimed at reducing the cost of visiting Chinese vessels. Sources asked to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the subject. The White House, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative(USTR), the government agency involved in the draft of the proposal, have...

Ground Transportation

Study shows deep sea mining still has a lasting impact on the environment forty years after it began

Scientists said that a strip of Pacific Ocean seabed, which was mined more than 40 year ago for metals, has not recovered. This adds weight to the calls for a ban on all deep-sea mining during this week's U.N. led talks. Scientists from the National Oceanography Centre in Britain led a 2023 expedition by a team to the mineral rich Clarion Clipperton Zone. They found that the effects of a 1979 mining test experiment are still felt on the seafloor. This complex ecosystem hosts hundreds of species. According to a study published in Nature Journal, the collection of "polymetallic" nodules...

Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

Eneos, a Japanese company, will cease lubricants manufacturing at Yokohama in March 2028

Eneos Japan, the largest oil refiner in Japan, announced on Tuesday it would gradually stop production of lubricants, and certain petroleum products, at its Yokohama facility near Tokyo, by March 2028. However, they will look into moving lubricants to other facilities. In a press release, the company stated that the decision was made after a thorough review of the refining landscape and the marketing landscape. This included a structural decline in the domestic demand for petroleum and the intensifying competition in Asia. Eneos Holdings' Eneos unit said: "We have determined that it is urgent to restructure our production and supply...

Transport Infrastructure

China's CCECC to invest $1.4 billion in Tanzania-Zambia railway

China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation will invest $1.4billion via a 30 year concession to upgrade Tanzania-Zambia Railway, said the line's operator on Thursday. The competition for Africa's vital minerals is heating up. TAZARA is the initials of the railway that is used to identify it as a major route for exporting copper from central Africa. It offers a way around South Africa's logistical bottlenecks which have caused a slowdown in copper and cobalt. In a press release, Bruno Ching'andu said that the decision to grant the concession was based on an evaluation of TAZARA’s challenges throughout the years. This required...

Transport Infrastructure

PowerChina's Laos utility claims $555 Million in unpaid bills

According to a review of an arbitration file, a unit of China’s state-owned Power Construction Corp of China has sued Laos Utility Electricite du Laos in Singapore for $555 million of unpaid dues relating to. The claim is based on the electricity generated by PowerChina's Nam Ou Power unit, which operates the $2.73 billion Nam Ou River Cascade hydropower project. It has a capacity to generate 1.27 gigawatts of power from seven cascades that are located along 350 km of river in Southeast Asia. The Nam Ou Project is one of Laos’ largest projects, representing 7% of its 18 GW...

Ground Transportation

Anglo-Kumba wants private investors to run a key iron ore railway line

Anglo American South Africa's iron ore business is looking for private investors to operate a rail route that is vital to shipments of steelmaking ingredient to international markets. Transnet, the struggling state-owned company, owns and operates a 861 km (535 miles) rail line that runs from Kumba Iron Ore’s Sishen Mine in South Africa’s Northern Cape Province to Saldanha Port. Mpumi Zikalala, CEO of Kumba, stated that the line is plagued by derailments, and Transnet’s "constraints" on its balance sheet mean it cannot run the line effectively. Kumba, Africa’s largest iron ore producer, has reduced production after stocks rose to...

Transport Infrastructure

British Company - Jan 28

The following are the leading stories on the business pages of British newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not guarantee their precision. The Times - The takeover of Harland & & Wolff by the Spanish state-owned shipbuilder Navantia has been finished in an offer anticipated to secure more than 1,000 British tasks. - More than $700 billion was wiped from the worth of the world's biggest technology business after the emergence of a. cut-price Chinese rival to ChatGPT raised doubts over whether. America can sustain its lead in expert system. The Guardian - Elon Musk's Tesla has...

Transport Infrastructure

LME authorizes Hong Kong as delivery point for metals

The London Metal Exchange (LME) has authorized Hong Kong as an LME delivery point and the listing will become active three months after the first warehouse company has been approved, it stated on Monday. The metals approved for shipment in Hong Kong SAR are aluminium alloy, copper, lead, nickel, primary aluminium, tin, and zinc, the LME stated. Companies looking for approval to operate a warehouse in Hong Kong needs to reveal that they have access to the needed experience needed to run a storage facility in accordance with the LME procedures, it stated. Authorizing storage facilities in China, the world's...

Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

China's Pony.ai eyes robotaxi services in Hong Kong, joining Baidu

Guangzhoubased Pony.ai Inc. is looking for to release its robotaxi services in Hong. Kong, signing up with Baidu in a race to supply services in. the city, as the self-governing driving firm looks to broaden its. operations internationally. Nasdaq-listed Pony.ai strategies to supply robotaxi travelling. services for airport personnel within Hong Kong International. Airport before broadening into other city locations in the city, the. company stated in a declaration late on Friday. It did not provide a. timespan for the launch. Chinese artificial intelligence giant Baidu is likewise considering. the launch of its driverless taxi service in the city after...

Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

Beijing unveils plans to increase driverless vehicle use in capital

China's capital Beijing passed brand-new regulations on Tuesday to encourage self-governing driving technology in the city, with authorities preparing to ultimately permit driverless public buses and taxis. Self-governing automobiles that pass roadway screening and security assessments will be enabled to look for roadway trials, the state-backed Beijing Daily paper reported, which stated the new guidelines take effect from April 1. The city supports making use of autonomous automobiles for personal vehicles, metropolitan buses, cable cars and taxis, it said, adding that it wishes to encourage the building and construction of smart road infrastructure to support such transport. In a separate...

Passenger Transportation Services

China extends license age limitation for truck, bus motorists as population ages

China will extend licence age limitations for motorists of mediumsized and big buses also as trucks, as part of broader efforts to attend to the obstacles positioned by an aging population, falling birth rate and a shrinking labour swimming pool. Keeping older transportation workers on the payroll will be essential to helping preserve stability throughout China's huge transportation system in the medium-term as the sector prepares to embrace more self-governing vehicles. Just over a years back, the capital Beijing enabled male bus drivers to retire five years earlier - at the age of 55 - for health factors, as it...