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Governor says that fire effects have cleared at the Russian port of Ust-Luga following a drone attack
The Russian authorities quickly cleaned up the damage caused by an attack from a Ukrainian drone that sparked a fire in Ust-Luga on Friday, a major hub for oil exports. Ukraine has struck targets in Russia, including ports, refineries, and commercial warehouses in an effort to raise the cost for Moscow to continue the full-scale conflict it launched in 2022. Drozdenko wrote on the Russian messaging service MAX that "all the consequences of the attack at the port of Ust-Luga?have been cleared." "There were not any casualties." He did not provide any further information. Drozdenko had earlier claimed that more than '50 drones were brought down 'overnight' in the northern area around St Petersburg. Fuel shortages have resulted from the attacks on more than a dozen refineries, some of which were hit repeatedly. The governor of Tver, northwest of Moscow, reported that an attack was carried out 'overnight' on the warehouse of Wildberries.com. Their sites had been targeted over?20 time in the last month. He said that debris from "enemy" drones damaged the wall of the facility, but no one was injured. Finland has temporarily curbed movements in certain parts of the Baltic Sea in order to protect against drone attacks. (Reporting and editing by Mark Trevelyan, Clarence Fernandez and Jekaterina Glubkova at the Tokyo and Moscow bureau)
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Smart trucks and tugs that never sleep. Automation rewires US transport: Maguire
U.S. Transportation has become increasingly efficient with advances in engine technologies, infrastructure upgrades and more sophisticated logistic networks. The next wave will be different. Automation transforms transportation networks into continually optimizing systems. These systems consume less energy for each unit of movement, work longer hours, and reduce labor bottlenecks. They also reshape the demand for fuels, electricity, and other resources. Software increasingly dictates the way energy is consumed in the United States and how goods are transported. In Texas, driverless trucks haul commercial loads while AI is deployed on Mississippi River tugboats. Rails are increasingly relying on automated inspection and machine vision systems. Aviation regulators prepare for a future where cargo flights will operate with less human interaction. These developments, when viewed separately, may seem incremental. Together, these developments?indicate a freight industry that is more autonomous, continually optimized, and more productive. According to the Energy Information Administration, transportation is the largest source of energy in the U.S. It accounts for 37% of the total energy consumed. The transportation sector also accounts for around 70% of the total U.S. petroleum product demand. A major overhaul in the transportation sector will have a far-reaching impact on the U.S. as well as global energy markets for the next decade. THE MISSISSIPPI GOES DIGITAL The Mississippi River, the oldest freight artery of North America, is one of the latest adopters. America's inland waters move hundreds of millions tons of commodities each year, including fertilizer and grain, as well as biofuel feedstocks. Waterborne transportation accounts for just 4% of U.S. fuel consumption. In the past, river navigation was a human-experienced activity. To navigate the changing river conditions, captains relied on their local knowledge, visual observations and accumulated judgement. This is changing. The situation is changing. The technology can monitor hazards, track vessels, calculate stopping distances and analyze river conditions. It also identifies strategies to save fuel. It goes beyond navigation. The river transportation has an energy efficiency advantage over trucking. Towboats use buoyancy to do the majority of the work, while the water flow does the rest. According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, one gallon of gasoline can?move more than 500 miles a ton of cargo on a barge compared to 60 miles in a truck. Automating barge traffic will increase this advantage by reducing fuel consumption, improving planning and minimizing delays. It is important because many of the commodities that travel on these waterways have energy content, ranging from crude oil and coal to fuels, to biofuel inputs. Transport costs that are lower can have a ripple effect on commodity markets and ultimately result in lower prices for energy-intensive goods. TRUCKS THAT NEVER SLEEEP American highways are likely to see the most noticeable automation revolution. The trucking industry, which accounts for more than 60% of the total fuel used in U.S. transport, is on the verge of a major overhaul. Trucking has improved over the years through better engines, aerodynamics and logistics software. One constraint, however, remained constant: trucks would stop when the driver stopped. This limitation is being removed by autonomous trucking. Aurora Innovation, along with other self-driving tech developers, have shown that driverless freight operations are commercially viable in Texas. They are working on a model where trucks will be used almost continuously. Theoretically, autonomous trucks could operate around the clock and not just during federally mandated driving times. This is a very different type of productivity improvement from previous transport advancements. The Industrial Revolution improved transportation by making machines more powerful. Automation increases asset utilization. The productivity of a truck that can move freight 20 hours a day, instead of 10, is doubled. This reduces the need for idle equipment across the network. Energy implications are complex. Automated systems can reduce fuel consumption by optimizing speed, braking and acceleration. Improved routing and platooning - where trucks are moved in close convoys to reduce drag - could further reduce diesel consumption. A reduction in freight costs may stimulate demand. The history shows that efficiency improvements have often led to an increase in overall activity. If driverless systems dramatically lower shipping costs, freight volume could increase enough to offset fuel saving. Over time, however, autonomous fleets may also be able to accelerate the electric trucking industry through optimized charging schedules, and centralized fleet-management. It would not only reduce costs, but also shift the energy demand away from diesel. RAIL'S QUIET REVOLUTION The railroads are one of the most mature examples of automation, but they're also the least talked about. Rail automation, unlike the autonomous truck story, is happening behind the scenes, through sensors, digital maps and predictive analytics. Freight railroads deploy automated track inspection systems more and more while trains are still in motion. Lasers, cameras, and machine-learning system continuously monitor track condition, wheel integrity, and equipment performance. This is a major shift in the way we monitor our systems. In the past, maintenance of rails was based on visual inspections. In most cases, defects were only discovered after they became serious problems. Automated systems are increasingly able to identify problems before they pose a risk. Wabtec is a major rail technology company and locomotive manufacturer. They have developed Pathfinder, an easy-to-use device. Pathfinder equips standard locomotives using hardware and sensors with digital capabilities, cameras and autonomous operation. Pathfinder, and other digital upgrade systems, could enable smaller railroad operators to upgrade their train lines using advanced autonomous technologies such as Positive Train Control and trip Optimizer. Benefits go beyond safety. A more reliable infrastructure allows trains to move faster, reduces bottlenecks and increases asset utilization. Rail is the most efficient land transportation mode, accounting for only 2% of all transportation fuel used in the U.S. Any shift from trucks to rails could reduce energy intensity across the economy. This may be one of the most underrated energy contributions from automation: it allows for greater use?of modes of transportation that consume less fuel per tonne-mile. AVIATION'S NEXT FUTURE Aviation is the least automated sector of transport, but this may change soon. The Federal Aviation Administration has started developing regulatory frameworks to support increasingly automated operations. Companies such as Reliable Robotics pursue FAA-certified autonomous cargo?aircraft that can operate from gate to gate under remote supervision. The United States. The U.S. Aviation automation is about increasing operational flexibility. Remote or autonomous cargo planes could connect smaller towns, improve logistics resilience, and create new freight network that is currently uneconomical. Initial energy savings could be modest. Aviation fuel consumption in the United States is only 9%, despite aircraft being heavily optimized. Automation could open up new transportation models. This is especially true for regional cargo, advanced air mobility, and electric-powered flight. Aviation automation could be compared to the early days on the Internet: the biggest impact may not come from making current activities cheaper, but by creating new options that were previously unavailable. What this means for energy markets Transport automation is often characterized by the narrative that machines replace people. This is too narrow. Software is replacing inefficiency. Backhauls that are empty. Backhauls that are empty. River delays. Fuel waste. Preventable rail slowdowns. Unutilized aircraft. This inefficiency represents hidden energy consumption throughout the economy. Automating these losses is a direct way to reduce them. Transportation systems can become smarter as they become more advanced. Freight movements can be smoother and assets can run longer. Maintenance can become proactive rather than reactive. The result could be an economy that is able to move significantly more goods with a lower energy consumption. NON-STOP ?LOGISTICS? Fuel transitions is often referred to as energy transitions. History shows that productivity shifts are often the most important economic transformative factors. Steam power was important because it multiplied the?human effort. Electricity increased productivity in factories and homes. Computing has reduced the cost to obtain information. Transportation automation is part of that lineage. AI-assisted boats on the Mississippi and autonomous trucks in Texas are part of the U.S.'s freight system, which is designed to save time, reduce fuel consumption, and maximize output. It may not matter whether trucks run on batteries, diesel or hydrogen. The question is whether trucks ever have to stop.
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Wall Street Journal, August 14,
These are the top stories from?the Wall Street Journal. These stories have not been?verified and we cannot vouch for their accuracy. Investigators who investigated the crash of a 'Ryanair aircraft that had engine failure over Greece in July found bird remains within an engine. The engine parts that pierced through the fuselage of the plane and dislodged the?window in the accident on July 10 seriously injured a passenger. Charter Communications has received the final approval required to purchase Cox Communications, a fellow cable and broadband service provider. This was after making concessions to Californian regulators. These included a promise to offer affordable internet plans to 'low-income households. Apple CEO Tim Cook and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick toured a Texas factory, showing off the new manufacturing school as well as an assembly line where Mac Mini computers will be produced later this year. Tyson Foods plans to close a major beef-processing plant and sell another. This is the latest move by the meatpacking company to withdraw from the "beleaguered" beef business. U.S. president Donald Trump has ordered the Navy to tear down a complex system that launches jet fighters off its aircraft carriers and instead use'steam catapults. This is a decision Navy officials have been fighting for years, which will cost a lot of money. - OpenAI ?said Chief Revenue ?Officer Denise Dresser would be stepping down to pursue other opportunities, less than a year after she joined the artificial-intelligence company. (Compiled by Bengaluru Newsroom)
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Airbus analysis reveals that Air India A320 briefly lost flight controls when it dropped 300 feet, Airbus
Airbus' preliminary analysis of the Air India A320 that landed about 300 feet and injured 24 passengers in a single?month revealed that it briefly lost control over its?key flight controls, after experiencing losses in each?three?hydraulic systems. Air India Flight AI2379, from Phuket to Delhi on August 4, landed safely at Delhi despite losing altitude. Airbus responded to a request from Air India for an assessment by saying that the aircraft's elevators, ailerons and control of pitch and roll were unavailable for approximately four seconds, during which time the plane pitched up. During this time, the first officer applied full nose-down input but "there was no direct response" from the flight-control surfaces. The hydraulic systems recovered in seconds. Airbus requested that Air India conduct a check on the plane's sensors and systems, and provide additional information regarding the incident. The analysis did not identify the root cause. Air India and Airbus have not responded to comments immediately. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is investigating the incident with technical support from Airbus and France’s BEA. According to a source with knowledge of the situation, the captain of a flight tested positive for marijuana during a confirmatory test. Air India began substance testing all pilots on Thursday, a memo revealed. Reporting by Abhijith Ganahapavaram; Writing by Hritam Mukerjee; Editing Jamie Freed
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Fuel oil from Malaysia PRefChem Refinery is headed to the US for the first time since 2023
Shipping data shows that a fuel oil cargo is heading to the United States from Malaysian company PRefChem for the first time since?2023. This is due to the?disruptions caused by the Iran War?, which are limiting the global supply of refinery feedstocks. The low-sulphur straight-run cargo (LSSR) can be fed to a refinery unit for production of higher-margin products such as gasoline or diesel. According to LSEG and?Kpler data, the last fuel oil shipment from PRefChem was shipped to the U.S. in May 2023. Kpler data shows that the Solomon Sea departed the Vopak Dialog 'Pengerang terminal in August loaded with more than 540,000 barrels LSSR fuel. It is scheduled to arrive in the United States early in September. A source familiar with the matter said that the cargo was headed?to an refinery on the U.S. West Coast. Petronas (owned by the state) did not reply to a comment request. The refinery, PRefChem, in Pengerang produces 300,000 barrels per day. The U.S./Iran conflict has caused a shortage of feedstocks, but margins for refining are strong. U.S. refiners typically import fuel oil from closer regions, such as Mexico or Venezuela. Trade sources say that PRefChem sold fuel oil via recent 'tenders' for the August loading of three cargoes each of 540,000 'barrels? of LSSR atmospheric residual. Ship-tracking data revealed that one cargo was loaded between August 12-13, and the other two were offered for loading on August 21-22 and August 30 and 31, respectively. According to IIR's data, the refinery's atmospheric distillation unit was down from June 21 to July 10. PRefChem produces fuel oil and gasoline sporadically. (Reporting and editing by Tony Munroe, Subhranshu Sahu and Jeslyn Lerh)
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Four people are killed in record-breaking rain at Japan's Narita Airport
Record?rainfall? left thousands of travellers at Tokyo's Narita Airport on Friday, as flooding in the area disrupted transportation and knocked out electricity to homes. At least four people died. In Chiba Prefecture, which is adjacent to?the capital Tokyo and flooded roads and trains during the busiest week of the year, more than 360 millimetres fell in just 24 hours. Four?deaths? have been confirmed by authorities, one of whom is trapped in a submerged car, and another is missing. Soldiers were dispatched in the area to assist with relief efforts. Toshihito kumagai, Chiba governor, told reporters Friday morning that the case presented was "extremely unusual." "I've responded to many disasters in the past, but i've never seen a situation like this." Tokyo Electric Power reported that more than 22,000 homes were still without electricity at 11:00 am (0200 GMT) on Friday. In Chiba, one of Japan's worst-hit areas, hundreds of residents slept under foil blankets in government buildings that served as temporary evacuation centers. A spokesperson for the airport said that the disruption in transport left approximately 7,000 people stranded. All flights are expected to operate normally Friday. Japan Airlines has said that some flights could experience delays, but there are no cancellations expected at this time. According to highway operator NEXCO East, some?major roads in?Chiba are closed, forcing drivers on alternate routes and causing heavy congestion. On Friday morning, several rail services were also suspended, although some trains linking Narita to Tokyo resumed service, helping ease congestion at the international transportation hub. NHK footage showed that hundreds of passengers waited overnight to receive blankets, snacks, and water bottles from airport staff before sleeping in the terminal. NHK reported that an American passenger stranded at the airport with his family said, "We will never forget this trip." (Reporting and editing by Stephen Coates, Hina Suzuki, Mariko Katsumura)
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Brazilian airline Azul cuts capacity in the third quarter, but expects growth thereafter
John Rodgerson, the Chief Executive Officer of Azul Airlines, said that the airline expects to reduce capacity again in the third quarter following recent major cuts. Then it will return to growth for the final three months of the year. Azul reduced its capacity in the second quarter by an unprecedented 10.6% compared to the same period last year, with a reduction of 24.9% in international operations. This was due to the disruptions caused by the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran, which pushed up jet fuel prices. Rodgerson said, "The fuel crisis peaked in the second quarter and it is also the weakest quarter for the year." "We cut capacity because we believed it was the right thing to do." The Brazilian carrier is the largest in terms of number cities served. It expects to reduce its capacity by around 4% during the third quarter, before returning to growth by 'the fourth quarter, as it completes its transition to a widebody aircraft. Rodgerson said that he remains optimistic about Brazil's airline market. He cited the resilient demand. He said, "The fundamentals are good in Brazil at the moment and we think we're well-positioned." "Wars and crisis don't last forever." Azul reported a record operating revenue for the second quarter of 4,98 billion reais (960 million dollars), up 0.7% on a year ago. However, core earnings fell 55.4% to 5010.1 million reais as fuel costs per liter soared by 61.8%. The company said that higher fares offset a part of the cost increase. Was it the final result that we desired? "Of course not. Fuel costs rose?by almost 700 million reais?during the third quarter, and we reduced?capacity. This was always going be a quarter of transition," Rodgerson stated, highlighting higher unit revenues and operational improvements.
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Four people are killed in record-breaking rain at Japan's Narita Airport
On Thursday morning, thousands of passengers were stranded in Tokyo's Narita Airport due to record rainfall. Flooding in the area had disrupted travel and knocked out electricity for homes. At least four people died. In Chiba Prefecture, near the capital Tokyo, more than 360 millimetres rained in just 24 hours, flooding roads and railways, and knocking out electricity to nearly 25,000 homes during one of Japan's most busy holiday weeks. The authorities have confirmed four deaths so far, including one trapped in a submerged vehicle. Soldiers were 'dispatched to assist with relief efforts. Toshihito Kumagai, Chiba governor, told reporters Thursday morning that the situation was "extremely unusual" even compared to Japan's weather history. "I've responded to many disasters, but this is the first time I've seen a situation like this." A spokesperson for the airport said that approximately 7,000 passengers were stranded in Narita due to the transport disruption. All flights are expected to operate "normally" on Thursday. Japan Airlines has said that some flights could experience delays, but there are no cancellations expected at this time. According to NEXCO - East, major highways in Chiba remain closed. This includes routes connecting Narita Airport, one of Japan's most important international transport hubs. On Thursday morning, several rail services were still suspended. However, some trains between Narita and Tokyo resumed service. (Reporting and editing by Mariko Katsumura and Hina Suzuki)
Train vehicle chemical leakage triggers evacuation orders in Ohio county
A chemical leakage in southwestern Ohio from train automobile referred to as dangerous by regional authorities led to evacuation orders on Tuesday for some people in the state's. Hamilton County.
DANGEROUS chemical leak near State Route 128. IMMEDIATELY. GO inside your home and stay inside till additional notification. Close and seal. off doors & & windows, close fireplace dampers, and switch off. heat, Hamilton County's emergency authorities said on social. media platform X.
An ABC News affiliate said individuals in the Cleves and. Whitewater Town locations in the southwestern part of the state. were asked to instantly leave following the leakage.
An NBC News affiliate pointed out authorities as stating the leakage. came from a train car that had a valve open, launching styrene. gas.
Additional details, including about any damage or injuries,. were not right away readily available.
(source: Reuters)