Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

According to an advisory published on Tuesday, London's marine insurers have widened their high-risk area in the Gulf as the conflict rages in the Middle East. Underwriters closely follow the Joint War Committee's guidance, which is comprised of syndicate members and representatives of the London Insurance Company Market. In a statement, the JWC declared that waters surrounding Bahrain, Djibouti Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar were high-risk zones. In a statement by the committee's secretary Neil Roberts, the JWC decided to review the areas during a meeting held on Monday. "In light of recent events", Roberts stated. He also added that these...

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...

Shipping data revealed that at least 150 'tankers', including LNG and crude vessels, were anchored in the open Gulf waters beyond the Strait of Hormuz, and that dozens more were anchored on the other side. This was after the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran shook the region. According to estimates based on data collected by the MarineTraffic platform, the tankers were located in open water off the coasts major Gulf oil producing countries, such as Iraq and Saudi Arabia. They also included the liquefied gas giant Qatar. MarineTraffic data shows that many of the vessels are anchored in the exclusive economic...

Industry sources claim that the cost of shipping crude oil has risen?to its highest level in six years. This is due to a surge of crude exports out of the Middle East, as traders rush to book charters before a possible conflict between the U.S. The cost to hire a very 'large 'crude carrier to transport up to 2,000,000 barrels of crude oil from the Middle East into China has tripled since the beginning of the year, reaching over $170,000 a daily on Tuesday. This is the highest price ever recorded, according to LSEG. Data from shipping analytics company Kpler...

The commission overseeing the?New York Hudson Tunnel Project, worth $16 billion, said that it needed funding 'certainty' from the Trump administration in order to resume full construction. A funding 'freeze' added millions of dollars to the cost of the project. The Hudson 'Tunnel' Project aims to repair storm damage in a century-old commuter tunnel that is used by over 200,000 people and 425 trains every day. The administration released $235.7 millions last week after it withheld funding since October 1 when a federal judge ordered the payment and an appeals court in the United States refused to stop it. In...

The Canadian rail contractor, Cando Rail & Terminals, will purchase the U.S. Cando announced Monday that it would be purchasing the rail assets of Savage Enterprises to expand its presence across the U.S. The financial terms are not disclosed. The deal gives Cando, based in Manitoba, a strong foothold in the United States while continuing to expand its infrastructure and network of rail terminals in the country. A source familiar with the transaction said that it was a deal worth more than $1 billion. The Canadian and American energy companies rely on Cando Rail & Terminals to provide logistics services...

Cando Rail & Terminals, a Canadian railroad contractor, will 'buy U.S. competitor Savage Rail to expand its footprint in the U.S. The deal gives the?Manitoba based Cando an important foothold in the U.S. while it continues to build its rail terminals network and infrastructure across the country. The financial terms are not disclosed. Cando Rail and?Terminals is a logistics company that provides gasoline and diesel to energy companies in Canada as well as the United States. " Customers?on rail are transnational, whether they're in Canada or the U.S. We have a number of'similar' clients on the energy sector, said Brian...

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that construction on the massive $16 billion Hudson Tunnel Project would resume next week, after the Trump?administration released $127?million of frozen funding on Wednesday. New York and New Jersey filed a lawsuit after the U.S. Department of Transportation withheld $200 million in funding from the project since October 1, 2017. The funding freeze led to a construction halt on February 6, which put 1,000 workers unemployed. The Hudson Tunnel Project is aimed at building a new commuter train tunnel between Manhattan and?New Jersey, and repairing a century-old one used by over 200,000 passengers and...

Italian high-speed train operator 'Italo' announced on Thursday that it will introduce SpaceX Starlink across its fleet, becoming the first major train company in the world to use the satellite connectivity service from low-Earth orbit. Elon Musk’s Starlink is gaining popularity among airlines that want to provide Internet access to their passengers. Other rail operators have also begun testing the system, but they are not yet ready to adopt it. Last year, the Italian state railway - Ferrovie dello Stato - ran a trial with two providers including Starlink. ScotRail, a Scottish rail company, also conducted a Starlink six-week trial...

On Monday, a U.S. Judge in New York temporarily put her decision on hold. This forced the Trump Administration to lift the four-month-old federal funding freeze for the $16 Billion Hudson River Tunnel Project that connects New York City and New Jersey. U.S. district judge Jeannette Vargas had on Friday ordered that the funding be reinstated. Justice Department warned that it would have to pay up to $200m in funding for the Gateway Tunnel project by Monday at 1pm (1800 GMT), unless Vargas' order was halted. Vargas said that she would delay her order until Thursday, at?5 p.m., to allow...

According to a court filing, the U.S. administration of President Donald Trump appealed on Sunday against a decision that required the Transportation Department unfreeze federal funds for the $16 billion Hudson Tunnel Project in New York. U.S. district judge Jeannette Vargas issued a preliminary order on Friday requiring the federal government release funds to a project that will overhaul critical rail infrastructure throughout New York and New Jersey. On?Sunday, the Trump administration filed an appeal notice. The Transportation Department announced in September that funding was frozen pending an assessment of the project's conformity with the new federal bans on race...

Work on the $16 Billion New York City Hudson Tunnel Project is suspended at 5 pm. The Gateway Development Commission announced that the federal funding freeze imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration four months ago will remain in place until Friday at 2200 GMT. The project involves the repair of an existing rail tunnel as well as the construction of a new one beneath the Hudson River. This will expand a route which is a key part in rail travel between New York City and New Jersey. The Hudson Tunnel, built in 1910, and heavily damaged by hurricane Sandy in...

The doors of the blue-and white trams creak as they rattle into the large square at the center of Alexandria. Many passengers can recite each stop off by heart. But the clatter of single and double-deck trams along this century-and-a-half-old ?line - a source of civic pride and transport alike for tens of thousands of daily commuters ?in Egypt's ?second city - is soon to be stopped. Next week, the authorities will begin a major renovation to replace the trams that have been in service for nearly 14 kilometers (9 miles) with a light rail system controlled digitally. This is...

Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority said that electric air taxis developed Joby Aviation will begin commercial operations in Dubai before the end of this year. Joby Aviation's first fully electric air taxi test flight in the emirate was conducted in June 2025. This is a significant milestone in Dubai's efforts?to introduce them to its existing transport networks. The Joby Aerial taxi, developed by a Californian company, is the "flagship" electric vertical take-off-and-landing aircraft. It can travel up to 160 km (100 miles), at speeds of 320km/h (200mph). Joby’s air taxi has zero emissions and is...

Sources in the industry said that insurance rates for war risks increased after Ukrainian drones attacked two tankers headed to a Russian harbor. Fears of more attacks prompted insurers to raise their prices. Black Sea is vital for shipping grain, oil, and oil products. Bulgaria, Georgia and Romania, as well Russia and Ukraine, share its waters. Shipping and insurance sources reported that war risk rates, which are determined by each underwriter and are based upon the value of the vessel, have risen to 0.5% from 0.4% a week earlier for calls to Ukrainian port. Sources said that the war risk...

Turkey broke ground on a rail connection between its Kars province in the northeast and Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan Exclave. The move was made to take advantage of an American-brokered agreement signed by Azerbaijan, Armenia and Azerbaijan this month. The railroad will be a part of the Southern Caucasus Transit Corridor, for which the U.S. has exclusive development rights. The aim is to increase economic ties and energy exports between Azerbaijan, Armenia and the U.S. The initial peace effort was hindered by the management and development of what is called the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity. This route will connect...

Transport services were halted in Tunisia Wednesday as workers demanded better working conditions, higher wages and urgent reforms. This added pressure to President Kais Said to address the deepening crisis. Tunisians have suffered from poor public services for many years, particularly in the sectors of health, education, transportation and investment due to a lack of funding and public investments, as well as frequent interruptions in water and electricity supply. Saied, a man who has been in power since 2021 and tightened it, accuses those he believes are conspirators, seeking to undermine the government and exacerbate social tensions. The three-day strike...

Air taxis could soon be available for Dubai commuters to avoid traffic. Joby Aviation has conducted its first test flight in the emirate of its fully electric air taxi this week. This is a significant milestone in the efforts by the city to integrate airborne transportation into existing mobility networks, as early as next. Joby is hoping that its air-taxis can ease the pressure on Dubai's existing ground transportation system and provide travelers with a faster alternative, as Dubai continues to experience increasing congestion. Anthony Khoury said, "We want people to commute differently." The company estimates that a journey from...

Shipping sources reported on Wednesday that commercial ships were sailing near Oman, and maritime agencies are advising them to avoid Iran's water around the Strait of Hormuz. The conflict between Israel, and Iran is at risk of escalating. Iran has threatened in the past to close down the Strait of Hormuz in response to Western pressure. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz could affect trade and global oil prices. Ships sailing to Hormuz have taken the latest precaution to reduce risks. They are now sailing near the coast of Oman for most of their journey. The Gulf of Oman...

On Wednesday, Iran and Israel both accused one another of endangering the commercial activity around the Gulf and Red Sea in the UN's Shipping Agency as their military conflict escalated. Iran's delegation said at a meeting of the International Maritime Organization security committee that Israel has recently extended its "unlawful attack" to include petrochemicals and gas infrastructures in Asalouyeh, along Iran's Gulf Coast. Iran's livestreamed statement to delegates of the IMO said that "These actions directly threaten international maritime security as well as the global energy supply chains." If the international community does not take immediate and concrete steps to...

Pasifik Eurasia Lojistik announced that it had signed a railway transportation agreement with a subsidiary China Railway for the launch of cargo train services on a corridor connecting China to Europe via Turkey, bypassing Russia. The initial plan is to operate 10 train services, and eventually 1,000. It is anticipated that the Middle Corridor will see a significant increase in freight volume thanks to the partnership with China's state-owned railway logistics company. The Middle Corridor, a China-Europe freight route that is promoted by the West, includes Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Georgia, as well as Turkey. Fatih Erdogan, Chairman of Pasifik Holding's...

The Brazilian federal police has officially accused former president Jair Bolsonaro of illegally spying on the authorities by the spy agency ABIN during Bolsonaro’s presidency. They have also named his son Carlos Bolsonaro as well as other individuals in a probe. The federal police, without naming names, confirmed the results of the investigation. They detailed the "existence" of a criminal group that was focused on illegally monitoring public authorities and producing fake news using ABINS systems. According to a statement from the federal police, although it has been delivered to the Supreme Court, its final report is still under seal....

Sources from maritime unions and maritime sources confirmed on Thursday that 200 seafarers stuck aboard 15 ships for weeks near the port of Ras-Isa in Yemen are now preparing to unload their cargoes and depart thanks to a truce agreement between Houthi militias and the U.S. Officials from the maritime sector said that the threat level for shipping was still high, given the Houthis' declaration that Israeli assets were open to attack, and the associated risks to shipping in general. In the past, ships with no connection to Israel were targeted and there was no guarantee of safe passage. On...

Archbishop Anastasios, head of the Orthodox Church of Albania, died at a hospital in Athens at the age of 95 on Saturday, the church announced. Anastasios played a crucial role in reviving the church in Albania, an independent branch of the Eastern Orthodox Church, after being chosen to lead it in 1992 following the fall of the communist routine which had actually ruled the Muslim-majority nation for decades. Anastasios was admitted to a health center in Tirana with influenza in early December however his condition shabby and he was airlifted to Athens to be dealt with at Evangelismos Health center....