North America






Transport Infrastructure

CK Hutchison intensifies legal efforts as Panama seizes ports

Hong Kong conglomerate 'CK Hutchison' said Friday that it had 'escalated the legal battle in Panama following the?government seizing its port operations. It has petitioned for a re-examination of the decree behind this takeover. Panama occupied illegally facilities, seized property, and ignored consultations. The company took further legal action at the national and international level. CK Hutchison’s Panama Ports Company, which manages a?two terminals close to the strategically important Panama Canal, has filed an administrative request?seeking reconsideration for the Panamanian executive action, which led to the confiscation of?its property and occupation of its facilities, CK Hutchison stated. Panamanian authorities raided...


Transport Infrastructure

Travel and airline groups warn about risks to air travel as partial shutdown continues

Major?U.S. Airlines and travel groups warned Thursday that a partial government shutdown would snarl the air traffic just as spring break, a busy season for U.S. travelers, approaches. The funding for the Department of Homeland Security lapsed in February after Congress failed reach an agreement on immigration enforcement reforms requested by Democrats. This halted funding for several government departments, including the Transportation Security Administration. Around 50,000 TSA airport screeners work without pay. As the'shutdown' continues, more workers may be unable to or unwilling to report to work due to financial hardship. Chris Sununu is the CEO of Airlines for America,...


Transport Infrastructure

Passenger Transportation Services

Passenger Transportation Services

Gol, a Brazilian airline, will launch new long-haul routes out of Rio using the A330.

Gol's Chief executive announced that the Brazilian airline will be using Rio de Janeiro's Galeao International Airport as its hub to receive the new Airbus A330 900 aircraft joining the fleet. Gol operated Boeing 737s exclusively until now. Celso Ferer, Gol's CEO, said that the new aircraft will be followed by a new route direct between Rio and New York beginning in July. He made this statement at an event in Galeao with Brazil's president Luiz inacio Lula. The firm released a statement later that said, "The merger between two 'key tourism and business centers in South and North America...

Passenger Transportation Services

Pentagon and FAA will conduct tests on high-energy laser anti-drone system in New Mexico

The Pentagon announced on Friday that it would 'conduct tests with the Federal Aviation Administration in New Mexico this weekend of high-energy lasers used to combat threatening drones. The Pentagon stated that "this upcoming event will address FAA safety concerns, while gathering data on the material effects of lasers on aircraft surrogates. It will also validate the functionality and safety shutoff systems for automated safety, as well as inform analyses to ensure the safety of aircrews' eyes." On February 25, the U.S. Military erroneously shot down a government-owned drone using a laser-based system. The 'FAA expanded the area around Fort...

Passenger Transportation Services

Bloomberg News reports that Boeing is close to a 500-jet order with the Trump-Xi Summit.

Bloomberg 'News, citing sources familiar with the situation, reported that Boeing is close to announcing a 500 aircraft order for 737 Max Jets. This will be announced when U.S. president Donald Trump makes his first state visit to China in 2017. According to the report, both sides are in negotiations for a widebody deal that would include 'about 100 Boeing 787 Dreamliner and 777X jets. Boeing did not respond immediately to a comment request. In afternoon trading, shares of the company rose 3.7%. Trump will visit China between March 31 and April 2. Xi is expected to visit Washington in...

Passenger Transportation Services

Sources say that Gol will launch new long-haul routes out of Rio using A330s.

According to sources familiar with plans, Brazilian airline Gol is expected to announce on Friday that the 'Galeao International Airport' in Rio de Janeiro will be the hub for the new Airbus A330900 aircraft joining its fleet. Gol operated only Boeing 737 aircraft up until now. The airline will receive five A330-900s initially, which are wide-body aircraft that can fly routes up to 15 hours long. Between 2026 and 2027, the planes will be gradually integrated into the fleet of the company. Sources said that the new aircraft would be primarily used for long-haul routes in North America and Europe....

Passenger Transportation Services

CNBC reports that United Airlines is suffering from the fuel price spike caused by the conflict in Iran.

CNBC reported that United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby expects to see a "meaningful impact" on the carrier's results in its first quarter due to the soaring fuel prices following a deterioration of the?war? in Iran. However, travel demand is still strong, CNBC said. The report stated that if the conflict continues, the airline may also see an impact on the second quarter. Kirby said this at a Thursday event held by a university. The price of jet fuel has risen 15% over the last week. This is adding pressure to an airline industry that's already been hit hard by the...

Passenger Transportation Services

As the Iran conflict intensifies, maritime insurance premiums are on the rise

As the Gulf conflict intensifies, premiums on maritime insurance for war coverage have risen -- some by as much as 1000%. This has led to a dramatic increase in the cost of transporting energy along a crucial maritime corridor. The conflict sparked Saturday by Israeli and U.S. airstrikes against Tehran has 'paralyzed' traffic through the Strait of Hormuz - a major shipping chokepoint. Iran said on Monday that it would shoot at any ship trying?to pass' and nine vessels have been damaged in the area ever since the conflict started. Ship owners can claim for any damage their vessel or...

Passenger Transportation Services

As the conflict in the Gulf with Iran intensifies, private jets are emerging as an alternative means of escape.

Samuel Lait, who launched his pet-travel private flight firm in Dubai on Saturday, expected to receive inquiries from pet owners wanting to travel between the glitzy Gulf hub of Dubai and the United Kingdom. PetX Jets is flooded with requests from passengers of all ages - from pregnant couples to young adults - who want to leave the United Arab Emirates. Conflict has engulfed the region, forcing many countries to shut down their airspace, leaving tens or thousands stranded. U.S. and Israeli campaign against Iran entered the seventh day of its seven-day run on Friday. It threatens to escalate outside...

Passenger Transportation Services

As the conflict in the Gulf with Iran intensifies, private jets are emerging as an alternative means of escape.

Samuel Lait, who launched a private flight company specializing in pet travel on Saturday in Dubai, expected to receive inquiries from owners interested to travel with their animals between the glitzy Gulf hub of Dubai and the United Kingdom. PetX Jets is flooded with requests from a wide range of 'passengers, from young adults to pregnant couples to elderly people, who want to leave the United Arab Emirates. Conflict has engulfed the region and forced countries to shut down their airspace, leaving tens and thousands of people stranded. U.S. and Israeli campaign against Iran entered the seventh day of its...

Passenger Transportation Services

As the Iran conflict intensifies, maritime insurance premiums are on the rise

As the Gulf conflict intensifies, premiums on maritime insurance for war coverage have risen -- some by more than 1,000% -- driving up the price of transporting energy along a crucial maritime corridor. The conflict sparked Saturday by the Israeli-U.S. strikes on?Tehran, a major shipping chokepoint, has paralyzed all traffic through Strait of Hormuz. Iran said on Monday that it would shoot at 'any ship' trying to pass. At least nine vessels in the area have been damaged since the conflict began. Ship owners can claim for any damage their vessel or cargo may suffer due to conflict or terrorism....

Passenger Transportation Services

Lufthansa beats its own operating profit forecast for 2025, but the outlook for 2026 is murky.

The airline reported better than expected results for the 2025 financial period, as tighter financial controls and fleet rotation helped it manage costs and maximize profits. In 2025, European airlines including Lufthansa will benefit from a slight reduction in fuel costs, which is expected to boost earnings, as the passenger demand remains strong. "Last Year, we were able to?significantly increase the Group's Operating Profit and achieve the highest revenue in our history." "Our results demonstrate the stability and resilience of the Group," said Carsten?Spohr, Chief Executive. Lufthansa has reported an adjusted operating profit of 2.32 billion euros, compared to the...

Passenger Transportation Services

Lufthansa's 2026 forecast is murky because of Middle East tensions, but 2025 results are impressive.

Lufthansa reported better results than expected for its 2025 financial period as it was able to manage costs more effectively and maximize profits through a stricter financial management. Lufthansa has reported a 2 billion euro adjusted operating profit ($2.32 billion) compared to a projected 1.9 billion euro by an?Lufthansa compiled analyst poll. This is up from the?1.6 billion euro adjusted operating profit in 2024. The German airline group reported an operating profit margin of 4,9%, up from 4,4% in 2024. Lufthansa hopes to increase operating margins to 8-10% by 2030, up from a?4.4% level in 2024. However, strikes like the...

Passenger Transportation Services

Wall Street Journal, March 6,

These are the most popular?stories from the Wall Street Journal. These?stories have not been?verified' and we cannot?guarantee? their?accuracy. Nike is expecting to charge $300 million for cost-cutting measures, which include job cuts. Delta Air Lines has reshuffled its top leadership team after the retirement of the company's president and the departure of the operations chief. - Netflix ?has acquired InterPositive, an artificial-intelligence filmmaking technology company founded by Ben Affleck. Affleck will remain as a senior advisor at Netflix, while the entire InterPositive team joins. The Defense Department has officially declared Anthropic as a supply chain risk and cut it off...

Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

McKesson names Sysco CFO Cheung as Vitalone retires

Kenny Cheung, the finance director at food distributor Sysco, will succeed Britt Vitalone. Vitalone has been with the firm for more than 20 years and served as its CFO for eight of those years. He will continue to serve as a strategist, supporting the transition, as well as the planned separation of the business. Evercore ISI analyst Elizabeth Anderson said that today's announcement had a "feeling of an end of an era" to it. She added that Vitalone helped McKesson navigate through the COVID-19 disruptions as well as the opioid litigation settlements. The shares of the largest U.S. drug distributor...

Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

After blast, a suspected hull rupture has been reported on a crude tanker near Iraq port

Sonangol Marine Services, a U.S.-based representative of Sonangol Marine Services, said that the hull of the Bahamas flagged crude tanker Sonangol Namibe was likely to have been breached following a blast when it was anchored near Iraq’s Khor al Zubair Port. A small vessel unknown approached the vessel on March 5 at 1200 local time. Sonangol Marine Services issued a statement saying that "the'small boat' approached the port-side of the tanker and a loud boom was heard a few moments later." The crew reports that the port ballast tank is leaking water, which indicates some type of hull rupture. However,...

Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

Three tankers are damaged in the Gulf as tensions between Iran and the United States escalate

After a 'U.S. Shipping sources and officials reported on Sunday that Israeli strikes against Iran led to a retaliatory response from Iran, which put merchant ships in danger of collateral damage. Shipping data revealed that the risks to commercial shipping increased in the last 24 hours. More than 200 vessels, including oil and gas tankers, dropped anchor around the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has announced that it has closed the navigation of this critical waterway. The U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran has increased the risk of security for ships operating in the Persian Gulf, and adjacent waters," Jakob 'Larsen...

Transportation

Logistics

Logistics

US Customs Agency says system for refunding tariffs will be available in 45 days

A customs official stated in a Friday court filing that the U.S. Customs Agency is preparing a system to refund tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, which were ruled illegal. Brandon Lord, a Customs and Border Protection officer, made the declaration as government lawyers and a federal trade court met to try and hammer out an agreement for the return of $166 billion worth of tariff payments to 330,000 importers. Last month, the Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump's tariffs were unconstitutional. The Supreme Court, however, did not specify how tariffs collected should be refunded. This left'small importers' worried...

Logistics

DHL warns about delays but continues to accept Middle East Orders

DHL's chief executive said he would continue to accept delivery orders for the Middle East, but warned that there could be delays. Tobias Meyer, CEO of German logistics group DHL, said that the escalation in the U.S. - Iran war has an impact on the entire region. This includes deliveries to Israel, which are currently being sent via Cyprus. Meyer said that DHL is still committed to its Middle East?investment plan. He said that "these?are long term investments?and are of the opinion the region is still appealing." As the conflict enters its sixth day, logistics and shipping companies face increasing...

Logistics

DHL shares fall on cautious profit outlook

DHL's 2026 outlook is more cautious than analysts' expectations. A 'weak macroeconomic' backdrop weighs heavily on DHL's prospects. The shares of the German logistic group were down 3% at 0919 GMT, and ranked last on the blue-chip index of the country. DHL anticipates that its earnings will exceed 6.2 billion euro ($7.2 billion) this year. This is after it reported an operating profit for '2025 of 6.1 billion euro. According to a consensus provided by the company, EBIT was expected to be slightly lower than analysts' average expectations. Tobias Meyer, CEO of Tobias Meyer Group, said that there is "significant...

Logistics

DHL's operating profit will increase in 2026 despite a worsening geopolitical climate

DHL, the German logistics company, forecast on Thursday a "higher operating income for 2026" that was in line with market expectations despite deteriorating geopolitical conditions. The company expects earnings before interest and taxes to exceed 6.2 billion euros ($7.2 billion) after reporting 6.1 million euros last year. The free cash flow, excluding acquisitions, should be in the range of 3 billion euros. The company provided a consensus that showed both targets were in line with analysts' average predictions. Tobias Meyer, CEO of Tobias Meyer & Co. said that there is "significant geopolitical uncertainty and volatility out there" as was evident...

Ground Freight

US Postal Service hires restructuring advisers because it may run out of funds in 2027

The U.S. Postmaster General David Steiner said in an interview that the Postal Service will hire restructuring advisers to address its mounting financial problems. In December, we reported that Steiner believed the Postal Service would run out of cash as soon as 2027. USPS reported net losses of approximately $120 billion between 2007 and now as the volume of first-class mail has dropped to its lowest level since late 1960s. Steiner stated that USPS engaged consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal to assist with planning for any scenario. Steiner said on Thursday that if we don't change anything, "we will run...

Logistics

Some small businesses don't think a refund of tariffs is worth the effort.

Friends began texting him to congratulate him the day after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the tariffs which had cost Day?Owl, a backpack company owned by Ian Rosenberger, tens and thousands of dollars. He did not share their joy. Rosenberger said, "I can't imagine any way that I could get the?money back." His Pittsburgh-based firm, which had only a few million dollars of sales, probably couldn't afford to pay for attorneys' fees. Around 2,000 companies have filed lawsuits for refunds at the U.S. Court of International Trade. This includes?FedEx?,?Costco?, and L'Oreal?, with many more likely to follow. The Supreme...

Integrated Logistics

Italy confiscates $32 million in tax and labor probes from France's CEVA Logistics

Italy's tax authorities announced on Tuesday that they had seized 27,4 million euros ($31.8 million) from two French units of CEVA Logistics. This is a new chapter in investigations into alleged tax fraud, and illegal labor practices. This move, which targets the French multinational known for its partnership in Ferrari's F1 Team, is similar to other actions taken against Italian logistics and delivery companies, such as FedEx, DHL, Amazon, etc. Milan prosecutors accuse CEVA of issuing fake invoices in order to?mask cheap labour, bypassing labour laws and tax laws and avoiding?taxes and social security payments. CEVA Logistics?did not immediately respond?...

Logistics

Tax refund seekers flock to an unknown US court with experience in big cases

Importers are rushing to a U.S. trade court that is little known to get their share of the more than $130 billion of tariff refunds. The court must now decide how to handle what will be an explosion in cases. According to court records, multinationals like FedEx,?L'Oreal, and hundreds of smaller firms have filed around 2,050?lawsuits with the U.S. Court of International Trade, Manhattan, seeking refunds on?tariffs? imposed by President Donald Trump last year. These cases may be just the tip of the iceberg. The tariffs, which were declared illegal by the Supreme Court in February 2018, were levied against...

Logistics

The US trade court will determine the next step in US tariff cases

A?U.S. A?U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit, issued a single-page order granting importers' motion to return the case?to the Trade Court where it was originally filed in early 2025. The Trump administration opposed the motion, saying it wanted to delay the case for up to 4 months so that it could 'consider its options. The Supreme Court ruled on February 20, 2019 that Trump's tariffs, imposed as part of an economic emergency law, were invalid. The Supreme Court gave no guidance on how to refund the money paid by more than 300,000 imported goods. Trump also said that...

Logistics

FedEx customers seek tariff refunds following US Supreme Court ruling

FedEx was sued in federal court on behalf of customers who were seeking refunds after the U.S. Supreme Court decided this month that President Donald Trump had illegally imposed emergency tariffs worth billions of dollar on imported goods. The proposed class-action in federal court in Miami Florida seeks compensation for potentially millions of shippers that paid import duties and other fees on products they claim?should've entered the United States without duty. FedEx issued a statement Friday saying: "If FedEx receives refunds, we will refund the shippers or consumers who initially incurred these charges." The lawsuit filed on Friday alleged that...

Logistics

New York Times Business News - February 27, 2019

These are the 'top stories' on the New York Times 'business?pages. These stories have not been?verified? and we cannot vouch for the accuracy of these reports. Netflix withdraws its $83 Billion bid for Warner Bros. Discovery has cleared the way for Paramount Skydance to make an $111 billion bid?to take control of Hollywood giant Warner Bros. Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter, says that new AI tools will make smaller teams more effective. This is one of the biggest AI-driven job cuts in tech history. FedEx has announced that it will refund any tariffs ordered by a court to its customers....

Logistics

FedEx must explain to consumers how they will receive tariff rebates, says US Treasury chief

FedEx must explain to the public how it plans to 'pass on any tariff rebates,' said U.S. Treasury Sec.?Scott Bessent after the global shipping firm sued for a refunded of emergency import duties ruled illegitimate by the U.S.?Supreme?Court. Bessent also questioned FedEx Chief Raj Subramaniam in an interview with NBC News on Tuesday evening, but provided no evidence that any wrongdoing had occurred. FedEx is a member of this business group, as are scores of other U.S. firms. FedEx filed suit in the U.S. Court of International Trade on Monday seeking a refund following a ruling by the Supreme Court...