Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation








Asia

North America

Passenger Transportation Services

Canada invests C$4.7 Billion to build VIA Rail Cars domestically

The Prime Minister, Mark Carney, announced on Thursday that his government will invest C$4.7 billion ($3.41billion) in Canada to build and maintain VIA Rail's passenger cars. This is the first time the company has built its cars domestically in 40 years. For the first time since four decades, VIA passenger cars will be assembled and produced in Canada. Cars that were previously built in the United States are now being built here in Thunder Bay by Alstom Canada," Carney said at a news conference in Thunder Bay. Carney stated that the investment will support 313 new-generation cars in Ontario and...

Transport Infrastructure

Trump Administration appeals $16 Billion Hudson Tunnel Funding Order

The Trump administration appealed on Friday a court order that required it to pay for the $16 billion Hudson Tunnel Project?after losing their latest bid to halt funding for 'the New York - New Jersey Rail Link. The project will build a new commuter train tunnel between Manhattan and New Jersey, and repair an old tunnel that is used daily by over 200,000 passengers and 425 trains. The funding dispute is a new clash between the Trump administration and the congressional Democrats on one of the largest infrastructure projects in the country. Trump has stated that he is against the...

Passenger Marine Transportation

Vision Marine signss letter of intent to be acquired by a private defense company

Vision Marine Technologies announced on Monday that it has entered into a letter of intent which is non-binding and under which the company would be acquired by a private defense firm, creating a public traded platform focusing on artificial intelligence (AI), autonomous systems, and electrification. The Marine Technology Maker said that the identity of the buyer and commercial terms will remain confidential "pending the completion of due diligence and negotiation and execution of definitive transaction documents." Vision Marine manufactures electric propulsion systems and operates Nautical Ventures in Florida, a platform for recreational boating sales and services. The acquiring company is...

Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

Washington Dulles Airport gets approval for a $19.9 billion upgrade

Washington Dulles Airport's board voted Wednesday to approve an $19.9 billion renovation plan, which includes $3.75 million for the construction of new underground tunnels that will replace the slow vehicles used to transport passengers along tarmac. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority announced that the $6.2 billion project to rebuild the main terminal of the airport that serves Washington D.C. will begin in 2027. By 2034, the new tunnels with automated passenger transport system and a "new concourse" will be complete. Also, renovations of 'the main terminal' are planned. According to the authority, airline costs for boarding passengers will rise from...

Transport Infrastructure

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the shortfall in Ukraine's grain-storage capacity could be as high as 11 million tonnes.

The agriculture ministry warned on Monday that a disruption of grain exports through Black Sea ports could lead to a shortage of grain storage capacity in Ukraine. Ukraine has harvested more than 17 millions metric tons from 34% of its sown land. The ministry stated that a storage shortage of 11 million tons could occur and it had asked U.S. Partners for assistance in acquiring equipment for temporary on farm?grain storage. APK-Inform analysts estimate that Ukraine's harvest in 2026 could reach 60 million tons. Exports are projected at 39 million tonnes, and carryover stock reaches a record 14.3 million tones....

Passenger Transportation Services

China's WeRide expands its European footprint with a new entry in Denmark

WeRide, a Chinese company that specializes in autonomous driving technologies, announced on Monday it will enter Denmark via a partnership with GreenMobility. This would extend its European footprint to a sixth country as Chinese firms specializing in'self-driving' technology accelerate their overseas expansion. China's auto-driving companies are now looking to Europe as a major growth market, after a previous push into the Gulf Region. They want to expand their market beyond their own home market, amid increasing competition and regulatory scrutiny. According to a statement from the company, under the partnership, which is subject to regulatory approval, WeRide,?GreenMobility, and other partners...

Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

US appeals court upholds Colorado congestion fee on rental cars

?The 10th U.S. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Monday that Colorado's congestion impact fee of $3 per day for rental cars is valid. Colorado will charge a fee on all rentals less than 30 days in 2024 to reduce the impact rental cars have on the public road system. The state said the funding would be used to support investments in rail and transit services, which will reduce?traffic. The fee is adjusted annually for inflation. It applies to car-sharing programs as well as larger vehicles such moving trucks. The American Car Rental Association that brought the...

Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

After Houthi attacks, the cost of war risk insurance for south Red Sea cruises has increased.

Sources say that the insurance costs for shipping goods across the southern Red Sea have doubled since Thursday's attack by Yemen's Iran aligned Houthis on at least one tanker. The Houthis claimed that their forces had launched missiles and drone attacks on the Encelia and the Layla, two Saudi oil tankers. The Strait of Hormuz was essentially closed, which made the situation worse for "shipping" in the region. The strike was confirmed by maritime security sources off the coast of Jizan in southern Saudi Arabia, near Yemen's border. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, mentioned two attacks against Saudi oil tankers....

Passenger Transportation Services

Wall Street Journal, July 23,

These are the most popular stories in the Wall Street Journal. The?has not?verified these stories and?does not?vouch for their accuracy. Union Pacific has struck a deal with Canadian National Railway in which it will give Montreal Railway more access to the Midwest, in exchange for the company ending its opposition to Norfolk Southern's merger with the American railroad. After the companies made concessions in relation to film distribution, the European Union has approved Paramount's $81 Billion bid to purchase Warner Bros Discovery. IBM CEO Arvind Krsna urged the company to shift its sales force away from large licensing deals and...

Passenger Transportation Services

Shipping data shows that more ships are changing course in the Red Sea following Houthi threats

Ship tracking data revealed that four tankers changed their navigational course on Wednesday in the Red Sea, with two of them indicating the Suez Canal as their new destination. Yemen's Houthi milita warned ships not to sail to Saudi Arabian port after warnings from the Houthi militia. According to LSEG and MarineTraffic'ship tracking data and analyses from British maritime -risk management group Vanguard, the?vessels changed their direction. The?other two indicated their destination as a?open?waters?in the Red Sea. According to shipping data, it appears that a fifth ship, a vehicle-carrier, turned back in the Gulf of Aden Wednesday after signaling the...

Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

NTSB finds evidence that bird strikes occurred before fatal New York helicopter crash

The National Transportation Safety Board announced Thursday that it had 'found evidence of bird strikes before a tourist heli smashed upside down in the Hudson River, 'New York City,?April 2025 killing all six passengers. Agustin Escobar was the CEO of Rail Infrastructure for Siemens Mobility, a train transportation division of Germany's Siemens, and he died in this accident. The NTSB confirmed that evidence had been found of a bird'strike' on the Bell 206L-4 helicopter. At least two dozen helicopter operators are listed on the tour website Viator. They offer tourists a bird’s eye view of Manhattan. Many operators offer shuttle...

Passenger Transportation Services

US agency denies Tesla's petition to avoid headlight recall fix

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration denied a petition filed by Tesla on?Thursday to avoid a recall for almost 20,000 vehicles that have headlights which may exceed the maximum lighting levels. Tesla said the issue did not have any impact on motor vehicle safety, and therefore there was no need for a recall. NHTSA disagreed with Tesla that there was no "increased risk" of glare to surrounding traffic or drivers of the vehicle. NHTSA?said that the recall covered about 19,900 Tesla Model 3 and Tesla Model Y models from 2017-2023. Tesla did not respond immediately to a request for comment....

Europe

Transport Infrastructure

A train derails near northern France, injuring at least 44 people

The French railway operator and French authorities confirmed that a train derailed in Normandy in northern France between Rouen-Caen on Friday night at around 7:30 pm local time. The head of the local authority Jean-Benoit Albertini told reporters that one of the injured was in a critical condition and had to be evacuated via helicopter. A spokesperson for the French police said that the train 'derailed after hitting an unknown object. The French railway operator SNCF said an investigation was underway to determine the cause of this accident. In a post on X, French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot revealed that...

Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

Travel chaos caused by the protest of Polish train drivers who slow down during safety demonstrations

On Friday, Poland's railways were impacted by widespread disruption as train drivers protested safety concerns and slowed down their trains. Around two thirds of services experienced delays on what is one of the busiest weeks of the year. A train that hit a truck and derailed at a level-crossing in central Poland Wednesday killed one person and sent 10 to the hospital. This is just the latest of a series of accidents caused when road users ignore warning signs. "We do not view this as protest but as an act of desperation," said Sebastian Piernik. He added that the union's...

Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

A coach crash has killed several people in a Swiss Alpine village

Police said that a bus crash occurred in the Alpine village Susch, in eastern Switzerland. Police?in Graubuenden posted a message on X about the dispatch of emergency response teams to the scene of the accident. A spokesperson for the General 'Dutch Association of Travel Companies' (ANVR) confirmed to Dutch media, acting as spokesperson for tour company OAD that a serious accident involving an OAD bus had occurred and that 48 passengers were aboard. We cannot yet say how many people have been killed or injured. She told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf that she could not yet confirm the number of...

Western Europe

Middle East

Passenger Marine Transportation

Mother tells of daughter's disappearance in North Cyprus ferry disaster

Ayten Bicer felt her daughter, 12, slip from her hand and 'disappear' as a ferry capsized near northern Cyprus on Sunday. At least eight people were killed. Search teams were still looking for survivors Monday in the waters of more than 500 metres (1.640 feet) depth. Her daughter Miray and her 6-year-old Mehmet asaf were two of nearly 20 people who remain missing. "She said, 'Don’t let go.' And I did not let go of my child. I swear, I didn't let her go," Ayten Bicer sobbed. The girl was thrown from her grip when a suitcase fell on her....

Passenger Marine Transportation

Eight people are still missing following the north Cyprus ferry accident that killed eight

Divers joined search teams to search deep waters in search of survivors. Nearly 20 people are still missing after a ferry capsized near Northern Cyprus on Monday, killing at least eight. On Sunday, a double-hulled 'ferry' with 267 people aboard sank and flipped on the seabed just off the port of Kyrenia. The survivors were left clinging onto the overturned hull. The coastguard and passing vessels rescued them. Naif Ezer was one of the anxiously waiting outside the port for news about passengers in the early morning hours on Monday. One of the three friends who were traveling to see...

Passenger Marine Transportation

Oil spillage off Oman is threatening to cause a disaster as two slicks are seen in the Gulf

Satellite imagery and video confirmed that two slicks appeared in Iranian waters. The Caroline Bezengi tanker is currently leaking Russian crude in a marine protected area, creating a massive oil spill that some estimate to be 2,000 square kilometers. The Caroline Bezengi case is not linked to the Iran War. Two new slicks have been detected in the Gulf. Near DOLPHIN SHAPED ISLAND Images from Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites show that a slick is visible near the southern tip Qeshm Island. This large island shaped like a dolphin lies in the Strait of Hormuz, close to Iran's coastline. Wim Zwijnenburg is...

Passenger Transportation Services

Owner Torm claims that oil products tankers rerouted their voyage to Asia via Suez in response to Houthi warnings

The owner of the Danish flagged oil products tanker, Torm Innovation, announced on Friday that the vessel will sail to Asia via the Suez Canal with its cargo due to the current security situation in southern Red Sea. The Iran-aligned Houthis declared a naval blocade on 'Monday against Saudi Arabia, opening up a new front in the war between the United States and Iran. This could threaten global energy supplies and trade beyond the Gulf. The vessel will sail via the Suez Canal and around Cape Horn to Asia, due to the current security situation on the southern Red Sea....

Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

Crude oil shipments from Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu Port near maximum levels amid Houthi concerns

Data and industry sources indicate that daily crude loadings in Saudi Arabia's Red Sea Port of Yanbu are close to their maximum levels as tensions with Yemen's Houthi militants intensify. The kingdom also seeks to maximize oil exports. Since the U.S. - Israel conflict with Iran began February 28, Saudi?Aramco has increased its use of the Yanbu Terminal. Sources have said that Saudi Arabia also considers expanding its capacity of the oil pipeline to the western Red Sea Coast, which would enable the kingdom and?possibly?neighbours to transport more crude oil without having to cross the Strait of Hormuz. Aramco didn't...

Passenger Marine Transportation

Hormuz traffic drops to a two-month low after renewed US and Iran strikes raise safety risks

Shipping data revealed that the number of tankers traversing the Strait of Hormuz dropped to its lowest level in two months in the last day, after renewed strikes between Iran and the U.S.?and attacks against vessels raised safety concerns. Shipping industry sources say that vessels are increasingly turning off their public AIS?transponders. This makes it difficult to count the total number of ships on the waterway. According to Kpler's analysis, based on the data available, oil and gas tanker traffic has fallen to its lowest levels since May 25. In a recent report, ship broker Gibson stated that the world...

Passenger Transportation Services

UN document: Countries must reject Iran's efforts to control Hormuz

The U.N. Shipping Agency's governing board agreed that countries should reject Iran's efforts to impose sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, and Tehran's unilateral decision to create an agency to control traffic in the waterway. This week, the U.S. and Iran engaged in hostilities, which included U.S. airstrikes triggered by Washington's accusation that Tehran was responsible for attacks on ships. The attacks have renewed concerns over the recovery of oil supplies and shipping worldwide, and they have highlighted the fragility in an interim truce that was supposed to end a conflict lasting more than four months while the U.S. negotiated...

Passenger Marine Transportation

Four oil and gas tanks turn back after vessel attacks from the Hormuz Strait

Ship-tracking data showed that at least four oil and gasoline tankers had turned back from trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz. This was due to renewed attacks against vessels in this critical waterway, which raised safety & security concerns. After reports of Iran firing missiles on ships in the waterway and damaging a Qatari LNG tanker, as well as a Saudi crude oil tanker, the maritime authorities raised the threat level for transiting vessels from "moderate" to "severe." Data from Kpler and LSEG showed that the three LNG tankers – Al Ghariya Duhail Al Ruwais – were all heading...

Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

Sources: RPT-Iran explores oil sales to Japan; buyers want longer sanctions waivers

Iran has started talks with Japanese firms under a U.S. sanction waiver that allows?it resume oil sales. However, prospective buyers are?seeking longer waivers and reassurances regarding ship safety. The waiver was part of the 60-day talks between Washington and Tehran, and it expires on August 21. Two Iranian sources declined to identify themselves due to the sensitive nature of the matter. They said that three Japanese buyers are considering possible crude oil purchases in Iran. This would be their first purchase since 2019. A Western industry source with knowledge of the situation said that Japanese and Iranian officials were initially...

Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

UN agency works to restart Hormuz Evacuations after Ship Attack

A top U.N. official announced on Friday that the United Nations was working with countries to resume the evacuating of hundreds of vessels and thousands of stranded seafarers in the Strait of Hormuz, after this effort had been halted earlier in the week. The U.N. International Maritime Organization announced on Thursday that it had "temporarily paused' its evacuation initiative following the attack on a container vessel operated by Taiwan-based Evergreen. IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez said that 115 ships and around 2,500 seafarers were able to navigate through the strait, before evacuations ceased. Dominguez stated that he is working "vigilantly",...

Passenger Transportation Services

Baltic Exchange defends their tanker rates during Iran war as reliable

In a London court document, the Baltic Exchange defended the flagship oil 'tanker benchmark' saying that it accurately reflected the market conditions during the U.S. - Israel conflict with Iran, despite the?disruption of the Strait of Hormuz. The benchmark is used to 'price and settle billions in freight trades around the world. Its reliability is at issue with Mercuria, one of the largest commodity traders in the world, who claims it has mispriced market. Mercuria filed a court document on April 30 stating that it was suing the Baltic Exchange for losses caused by incorrect pricing data. The company claimed...

LNG Transportation

Additional oil tankers leaving Hormuz will add to global supply

Shipping data shows that three stranded oil tankers, each carrying 5 million barrels of crude oil, left the Strait of Hormuz Wednesday. Two of them were headed to Asia. The interim agreement between Iran and the U.S. has released more supply?stuck?in the Gulf, which is bringing down?global?prices. Data from LSEG & Kpler revealed that the VL Breeze (flagged South Korean) is a Very Large Carrier, carrying 2,000,000 barrels of Qatari Condensate & Abu Dhabi Crude. It has passed through the strait on its way to Daesan. The supertanker was chartered by South Korean refiner Hyundai Oilbank. The data revealed that...