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Vietnam prepares for flight reductions from April, after China and Thailand ban jet-fuel exports
Vietnam's authorities warned that the aviation industry should prepare for possible flight reductions in April, after China and Thailand stopped exports of jet-fuel due to the?Iran war. This increased the likelihood of shortages. Vietnam imports 60% of its jet-fuel needs from China and Thailand. Documents from the aviation regulator, and importers, seen by. In a document sent on March 9, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam warned that there was a risk of jet fuel shortages in the months to come for Vietnamese airlines. The report said that airlines should review their plans and, in particular, domestic routes. It also instructed airport operators to provide additional parking spaces for Vietnamese carriers, "in the event they are forced to reduce operations due to a lack of aviation fuel." The document also showed that Singapore has reduced its supplies to Vietnam. Petrolimex, a major importer, and Skypec, a major supplier, both viewed separate documents by. Both said they could only guarantee jet-fuel supplies for March. They warned that April contracts might not be met by suppliers. Skypec asked the regulator to limit air travel to only essential domestic routes, if the conflict continues. All documents were released after China asked its refiners to refuse new exports in the early part of this month. This was before a ban on refined fuels exports that began March 11. Thailand banned the export of fuel oil to all countries, except Myanmar and Laos, on March 6. The regulator, ministry and two importers did not respond to comments. Vietnam Airlines, VietJet and other major airlines in Vietnam declined to comment. DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS MADE According to Chinese customs data, Vietnam was the third largest buyer of aviation fuel from China in last year's figures after Australia and Japan. The Southeast Asian nation has raised the issue both with China, its principal supplier, as well as Thailand. According to a Vietnamese news portal, Le Hoai Trung, the Foreign Minister, asked his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, for close coordination, "to ensure energy safety," during a long-planned meeting in Hanoi. The Chinese summary of the meeting did not mention energy security. State media reported that Pham Minh Chinh, the Prime Minister of Vietnam, asked Thailand on Friday to assist in addressing the shortage at a meeting he had with the Thai Ambassador in Vietnam. Requests for comment from the foreign ministers of Vietnam, China and Thailand were not immediately responded to. In its document, the Vietnam Aviation Authority noted that "in this context it is hard to find new suppliers." The report also said that Vietnam's two refineries were under pressure to expand their production of other oil-based products, which made it difficult for them increase their jet fuel output. The report also noted that even if fuel supply stabilizes, the rising prices of fuel will disrupt the industry. According to a March document sent to the aviation regulator, local?airline Sun PhuQuoc Airways intends to "adjust" flight schedules in the coming months because of the volatility in?fuel prices. The company has not responded to a comment request. The documents show that Petrolimex, Skypec and other companies have also indicated the increase in jet fuel prices and the consequent 'limitation of credit lines. They have urged the banks to provide more flexible financing till market conditions normalise. LSEG data show that front-month jet-fuel paper swaps are currently trading in Singapore at $157 a barrel, which is more than 1.5 times the price of pre-conflict levels.
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Dubai Media Office reports that a fire breaks out near Dubai International Airport following a drone attack.
The 'Dubai Media Office' said on Monday that authorities are?dealing?with a??fire? resulting??? from a drone attack near the Dubai International Airport. They added that there were no reported injuries. Dubai authorities stated that the drone attack had hit a fuel tank, and civil defence teams are working to control the fire. Gulf Arab states have been subjected to more than 2,000'missile and drone attacks' since the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran began on February 28. These include U.S. military bases and diplomatic missions, but also vital Gulf oil infrastructure and ports, airports and hotels, as well as residential and office buildings. The United Arab Emirates - which normalised its relations with Iran's arch enemy Israel in 2020 - has been the most affected by?the attacks. All Gulf Arab countries have been affected and have condemned Iran.
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Sources: China relaxes BHP iron-ore ban for a week
Sources said on Friday that China will ease the ban on BHP's Jimblebar Fines, an iron-ore product, until next week. This comes only one day after Beijing tightened restrictions on its third largest supplier. China Mineral Resources Group (the state-run iron ore purchaser) told domestic steelmills they could take "delivery of Jimblebar fins already at port for around a week," said three sources who were familiar with the matter, but on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the issue. Steelmakers and traders are excluded from the exception. CMRG?barred? steelmakers and traders? from purchasing Jimblebar?fines in September and has progressively increased its restrictions. Most recently, this week, it is negotiating the terms of BHP’s 2026 supply agreement. Iron ore prices reached a two-month high on Friday as traders feared further bans could limit the iron ore supply at ports. The temporary reprieve highlights CMRG's?challenge? in lowering prices, when its primary tool is to remove supply from the market. One of the sources said that "the move is to reinin iron ore price rally." CMRG and BHPB did not respond immediately to requests for comments outside of normal working hours. Louise Heavens, News (reporting)
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Honda's $15,7 billion writedown on EVs is painful but China problems loom in the future
Honda's $15 billion write-down of its electric vehicles business is more than just a painful reversal in its U.S. strategy. It also shows that it will face even greater challenges from China where it faces an ever-widening technology gap. The second largest automaker in Japan announced on Thursday that it will restructure its electric vehicle business, primarily in the U.S., and write off some Chinese operations. This could cost an estimated?2.5 trillion dollars. It also said that it would report its first loss as a publicly listed company in nearly 70 years. It announced that it would cancel the three battery-powered models planned for the U.S. where demand for electric vehicles has plummeted since President Donald Trump cut subsidies. Honda sold 84,000 battery-powered vehicles last year, just 2.5% of its 3.4 million global vehicle sales. According to Christopher Richter, an automotive analyst at CLSA, the scale of the write-down reflects Honda's massive investments in research and production capacity, as it sought to sell more EVs. He said that the automaker should have acted faster to halt this investment when Trump returned to power. He said, "They took far too long to think about this." "They cancelled these projects almost on the eve before they were released." Honda unveiled its first two concept models of the "Honda 0 Series" in Las Vegas, including the Saloon Sedan, in January 2024. It had planned to launch the first vehicle in the series this year in North America. These plans have now been scrapped. The company has cancelled the three models which were to be produced in the U.S. The company will experience cash outflows up to 1.7 trillion Japanese yen as part of the financial hit. This is largely because of the costs of compensating its suppliers. Seiji Sugiura is a senior analyst with Tokai Tokyo Intelligence Laboratory (the research arm of Tokai Tokyo Securities) and he wrote to clients that he was "shocked by the scale" of this writedown. This decision was made at a time when it was very difficult, before mass production and after significant budgets were already committed. It was an extremely tough call. Honda is now pivoting to hybrids in America?and will be looking to strengthen its lineup and cost-competitiveness in India where it believes it could expand. CHINA'S PERFORMANCE SIGNS DEEPER EV TRUUBLES Honda may be putting behind them the worst, but fixing their China business could prove to be a greater challenge. The automaker said it was unable to compete with the newer Chinese companies, primarily because of their shorter development cycles, and?their strengths in software-driven cars, including advanced driver assistance systems. Honda said that in a competitive environment that was so difficult, it had been unable to produce products that were more cost-effective than those of the newer EV manufacturers. This resulted in a decrease in competitiveness. Vincent Sun, senior analyst at Morningstar said that there is uncertainty regarding Honda's ability to meet the technology challenge in the long-term. He said, "The move raises concerns about Honda's long-term technological competitiveness." Honda launched several battery-powered vehicles in China, the largest auto market in the world, but only sold 17,000 of them last year. This is just 2.5% of the 677,000 cars it sold there and just a fifth of the global total of electric vehicles. Analysts said that Sony Honda Mobility - the joint venture between Honda and Sony Group to develop the Afeela sedan - could also pose a risk. Honda announced on Thursday that the direction of its joint venture is being discussed but no decision has been made.
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US airline CEOs call on Congress to resolve the standoff and pay airport security personnel
Chief executive officers from major U.S. Airlines urged Congress to act quickly on Sunday to end the?29-day partial shutdown of the government that has forced 50,000 airport?security?officers to work without being paid, warning this could further disrupt U.S. airline travel. Travel at major airports has been disrupted by the absence of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers in the past week. This is alarming as spring break travel continues. In an open letter sent to Congress, the CEOs of American Airlines and United Airlines, as well as those from Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Alaska Air, Delta Air Lines and other airlines, wrote that "too many travelers have to wait in painfully long lines at checkpoints." First, the leaders must immediately reach an agreement on funding for Homeland Security. They added that they needed to take action so the problem would never happen again. A 43-day shutdown of the government in fall 2017 caused widespread flight disruptions. The FAA then ordered 10% flight cuts at major airports. "Once again, air travel is the political ball amid another government shut down," wrote the CEOs. The group of airline executives, which includes senior executives from cargo carriers such as FedEx, UPS, and Atlas Air, called for legislation that would ensure critical government aviation staff are paid during future shutdowns. Both parties of the Senate failed to reach an agreement on funding the TSA last Thursday, despite the fact that the TSA reported last week the resignation of more than 300 officers since the shutdown began. Homeland Security Department funding expired on February 13, after Congress failed in its efforts to reach an agreement on immigration enforcement reforms requested by Democrats. "We're going to make it through this." Sean Duffy, U.S. Transport Secretary, said on Fox News Channel "Sunday Morning Futures" that he believes Democrats will come to their senses. Duffy hopes that Democrats will not wait for Americans to be hurt or killed before putting your security before those who have entered the country illegally. The airlines are anticipating a record spring travel period. 171 million passengers will fly during this period, an increase of 4% over the same two-month period in last year. Some airports, like Houston Hobby, New Orleans, and Newark, reported security lines that exceeded two hours last week as TSA absences increased. On Saturday, Newark announced it was experiencing longer than normal delays. The CEOs wrote: "Americans in your districts and home states are tired of the long lines, travel delays and cancellations that result from a'shutdown after shutdown. Airports are closing security checkpoints, and raising money to pay TSA employees for food and other necessities while they work without pay. Reporting by David Shepardson, Additional reporting in New York by Gertrude Chavez Dreyfuss; Editing and Jamie Freed by Diane Craft and Jamie Freed
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Iraq claims Kurdish authorities refuse to allow it to send oil through their pipeline
The Iraqi 'oil ministry' said that the Kurdistan Regional Government?refused it to use a pipeline for an alternative route for crude shipments disrupted by?the Iran _conflict. It accused authorities in Kurdistan of placing irrelevant conditions. Senior Kurdish officials told authorities that they would welcome the Iraqi government using the pipeline. However, Baghdad must first lift its "dollar embargo", which he called on the region. "We want to make a deal." "We want to help Iraq, and bring relief? to the markets. But this embargo has got to end first," said the official. Sources told The Daily Mail on 8 March that oil production in Iraq's southern oilfields has fallen 70%, to just 1.3 million barrels per day, as the Iran conflict has effectively closed off the Strait of Hormuz. Iraq's Oil Ministry sent a letter to the Kurdistan Regional Government in early March asking for permission to pump 100,000 barrels of crude oil per day from the Kirkuk oilfields to Turkey's Ceyhan Energy Hub through the Kurdistan Pipeline Network, according to two oil officials last week. The Kurdish official stated that they were pressing to end what he said was a ban on the region’s banks being able to access dollars for importing goods through its borders and airports. Kurdish officials claim that tensions have increased with Baghdad after the federal government implemented a new electronic system to monitor imports and revenue. The KRG views this as a move undermining their autonomy and control over trade. Iraq's Oil Ministry said that the?Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Natural Resources had "set up a number conditions unrelated to crude oil exports." Reporting by Muhammad Al Gebaly; Editing by Andrew Heavens
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After a terminal attack, an Indian vessel leaves Fujairah in the UAE
India's Government said that an Indian flagged vessel, loaded with 80.800 metric tonnes of Murban oil from the United Arab Emirates, left Fujairah on Sunday. This was a day after sources reported that'some loading operations were suspended' at the UAE port. Sources said that oil loading operations in the UAE's Fujairah, a major hub for bunkering and crude export, have resumed following a Saturday drone attack and fire. However, it is unclear whether the operations are back to normal. India's Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas stated that the vessel, Jag Laadki was loading oil at Single Point Mooring when Fujairah Terminal was attacked. The statement stated that the vessel and all Indians on board were safe. Fujairah is outside the Strait of Hormuz and the "outlet" for UAE Murban crude oil. This volume is equal to 1% of global demand. Since the United States, Israel and other countries began a bombing on Iran in February, Tehran has stopped traffic through the Strait. The strait runs past its coast. Around 20% of the world's oil and seaborne natural gas are supplied through it. A spokesperson for the Indian foreign ministry said that India has sought safe passage to 22 of its vessels, which are stranded in the Strait of Hormuz west of Iran. This comes after Iran granted a few Indian ships a rare exception to their blockade. Two Indian flagged LPG carriers carrying 92,712 tons of LPG each, Shivalik Nanda De, and headed to India, both crossed the Strait of Hormuz Saturday. The ships are expected to arrive in Mundra, India on March 16, and Kandla, India on March 17. (Reporting and editing by Aide Lewis in Mumbai, Vibhuti sharma)
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US airline CEOs call on Congress to resolve the standoff and pay airport security personnel
The CEOs from major U.S. Airlines urged Congress to act quickly on Sunday to end the 29-day partial shutdown of the government that has forced 50,000 security officers at airports to work without being paid, warning it could disrupt U.S. air travel. Travel disruptions at major airports due to the absence of Transportation Security Administration? officers have been occurring for the past week. This is alarming, as spring break travel continues. In an open letter addressed to Congress, the CEOs of American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airlines, Alaska Air, and other airlines wrote: "Too many travellers are waiting in extremely long and painfully slow lines at checkpoints." First, they should come together to agree on funding the Department of Homeland Security. They added that they needed to take action so this problem would never happen again. A 43-day shutdown of the government caused widespread flight disruptions last fall. The FAA then ordered a 10% cut in flights at major airports. "Once more, air travel is the political football amid another government shut down," wrote CEOs. The group of airline executives, which includes senior executives from FedEx, UPS, and Atlas Air, called for legislation that would ensure critical government aviation staff are paid during future shutdowns. Both parties of senators failed to succeed in their competing attempts on Thursday to fund the TSA. The TSA reported last week that over 300 officers had quit since the shutdown started. Homeland Security Department funding expired on February 13, after Congress failed in its efforts to reach an agreement on the immigration enforcement reforms that Democrats demanded. The airlines are anticipating a record spring travel period. 171 million passengers will fly during this period, an increase of 4% over the same period last year. Some airports, like Houston Hobby,?New Orleans, and Newark, reported that security lines were longer than two hours last week as TSA absences increased. On Saturday, Newark also said it experienced higher-than-normal delay. The CEOs wrote: "Americans in your districts and states are tired of the?long queues at airports?, travel delays?and flight cancellations? caused by shutdowns after shutdowns? Some airports have closed security checkpoints, while others are raising money to pay TSA workers for food and other necessities. (Reporting and editing by Jamie Freed; David Shepardson)
The robotaxi industry will be shaped by the radical differences between Tesla and Waymo.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, told investors in June that the driverless taxis of the company would be available for "half of the U.S. population" by the end this year.
Alphabet Waymo, the U.S. leader for autonomous ride-hailing, launched a similar service in Phoenix eight years ago. It operates in areas that have about 3% U.S. residents.
Musk's statements about Tesla's robotaxis expanding at a "hyperexponential" rate contrast with Waymo, which takes a deliberate approach before entering new markets. Musk believes Tesla's use of cameras and AI will allow it to scale faster than Waymo, which uses more sensors and high definition mapping. These differing strategies will have a profound impact on the early rankings in the emerging autonomous-driving market. Some analysts and investors believe that the market could grow to a multi-trillion dollar one over the next fifteen years.
Waymo’s expansion plan involves mapping out new cities and gradually introducing autonomous ride-hailing, after testing it with employees and drivers as passengers. Tesla claims its robotaxis are powered by a different autonomous techniqe than Waymo, which allows them to skip much of the tedious preparation work. These cars, which are still in testing, use AI to react to road conditions like a human. Tesla claims that this requires less extensive road testing and mapping.
Musk said in an April conference call that once the technology is able to work in some cities, it can be used anywhere in America. Musk has described Waymo as "fragile" and said its expansion is "limited". Many investors have embraced Musk's vision. Analysts attribute the majority of Tesla stock market value to its autonomous driving capabilities. Investors are betting that Tesla can scale up much faster than Waymo. Robotaxi could be a major growth engine for Tesla if it is successful in its rapid commercial expansion.
We interviewed 12 current and former executives in the industry, as well as regulators, police officers, and city planners, to compare Tesla's initial expansion efforts with those made by Waymo. The differences between their technical and marketing strategies were striking.
Former Waymo executives and current Waymo executives agree that the market-by-market mapping and testing prior to expansion is crucial to ensure safety. This helps factor in the particularities of each city’s roads, such as steep inclines on San Francisco's streets, which make it hard to see ahead.
Aman Nalavade said, "We need to really understand the core components of each of these towns," in an interview. There are a lot more risks involved in getting this wrong.
Musk has also spoken about the importance safety. Musk said in a statement last month that he didn't want to risk anything, so he would proceed cautiously.
Tesla has not responded to any requests for comment.
CONTRASTING TECH
Tesla and Waymo use AI for autonomous driving. Waymo uses a more step-by-step approach, where the system gathers data from high-definition mapping and advanced sensors in order to identify objects and plan its vehicle's route.
Tesla says that its system is more human-like in the way it makes driving decisions. The company claims to use an AI method in which video taken by the car's cameras are interpreted by software, and then instantly translated into driving choices. This is unlike the waymo system.
Waymo experimented with some aspects of Tesla’s approach, but stated in a research report last year that its performance has "challenges" and "limitations". Musk has set a deadline of "millions" of Teslas autonomously driving by the second half next year. This compares to Waymo fleet of approximately 2,000 vehicles. Tesla launched its pilot program in Texas back in June. It is now awaiting approval from Arizona, and it hopes to expand into other states such as Nevada and Florida. Tesla is under pressure to fulfill these promises because its electric vehicle business is facing headwinds. The company's global vehicle sales are down, with a steep drop in Europe. If Musk's robotaxi timeline is not met, it would delay the creation of a new revenue stream.
Waymo, the only ride-hailing company in the United States that offers a fully autonomous service for a fee to everyone, is unique. It is available in parts of Los Angeles and Phoenix, as well as Atlanta, Atlanta, Austin, and San Francisco Bay Area.
Waymo tests its technology in virtual simulators and on closed courses, including a 113-acre California track, before expanding into new markets.
It took more than three year for Phoenix to offer test rides in which a driver was in the driver's seat. In 2020, the public could pay for driverless ride hailing. Waymo took almost four years to open autonomous service at any time in Phoenix's terminals. This was August 2024.
Waymo claims it will reduce the time for testing in new cities, as its autonomous technology becomes more experienced and learns from previous experiences.
Bank of America analysts estimated that Waymo lost $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion in 2017. Analysts expect Waymo to be profitable in the future as vehicle costs drop and ridership increases.
Morningstar analysts predicted in a report published in March that Waymo will have a rapid ramp-up over the next several years, while Tesla's initial robotaxi rollout would be "slower" because its software would not be "ready." Morningstar anticipates Tesla to launch fully-autonomous robotaxis by 2020 and surpass Waymo’s ride-hailing share by the end the decade.
"A HUGE CONCERN"
Even though Waymo has been meticulous in its approach to analyzing new markets, some city officials have complained about the problems it has encountered.
Austin Police Lieutenant William White said that Waymo's vehicles have been known to ignore the hand signals of officers and drive in dangerous situations.
In May, the driver of a Waymo car drove into floodwaters and had to get out. White said that this is a major concern for us. If that person had been killed, we would have faced a serious crime.
A Waymo vehicle repeatedly tried to get around an officer blocking the road during a charity event in downtown Austin last year. White said that the police eventually disabled it by wrapping tape around its sensor.
White explained that Austin police had to develop a new traffic citation system to deal with repeated incidents where Waymo cars froze up and blocked traffic. Since March, the police have issued three traffic citations. The process of issuing citations to a driverless car can be so lengthy that officers often avoid doing it.
White stated that if they pursued it each time, there would have been hundreds of citations.
As the service is still in its early stages, there has been limited interaction between the department and Tesla's Robotaxi service.
Chris Bonelli, a spokesperson for Waymo, said that the company had been "robustly engaged" with Austin fire and police officials for over two years. Waymo "takes all observations and concerns serious" and uses this feedback "to improve our technology," said Chris Bonelli, a Waymo spokesperson.
SOOTHING SKEPTICS Besides technical challenges, autonomous vehicle firms must navigate a patchwork regulations and reassure community leaders who may be apprehensive of driverless cars.
Waymo, for example, began meeting with local officials over a year prior to its launch in March and participated in city-organized meetings, including those with representatives of the Texas School for the Deaf. Before the launch, school representatives rode in Waymo cars.
Peter Bailey, the school superintendent, said that he met with Tesla representatives a few weeks before Tesla's launch in June. He learned of this timing through news reports. A reporter saw a Tesla robotaxi traveling between 40-45 mph near the school in a zone where the speed limit was 35 mph. The sign nearby warned drivers to be aware of deaf pedestrians.
Bailey declined to comment about the community outreach strategies of Waymo or Tesla. He stated that he expected "all drivers to obey posted speed limits, including autonomous cars, and drive with caution in school zones." Waymo's experiences show how different regulations across the country can stymie expansion plans. Washington, D.C., where the company hoped to launch its autonomous vehicle in 2026, is one example. However, it's not clear if the city can pass necessary regulations on time.
Before moving forward, the D.C. City Council waited years for the transportation department to submit a report on recommendations for commercial rules for driverless vehicles. Charles Allen, a councilmember, stated that while the regulations could be ready by 2026, the timeline for their passage is not known.
Waymo hired three outside lobbying companies and circulated online petitions asking residents to "help Bring Waymo to DC!"
D.C. Department of Transportation says Tesla hasn't reached out. Reporting by Chris Kirkham, Norihiko Shrouzu, in Austin, Texas, and Rachael LEVY in Washington. Additional reporting by Abhirup RAY in San Francisco. Editing by Mike Colias, Matthew Lewis.
(source: Reuters)