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El Nino threatens to revive shipping concerns, prompting Brazil's port terminals to call for the dredging of Tapajos River
Lobby groups for port terminals in Brazil have urged government officials to allow the 'dredging' of the Tapajos River. This is a major waterway for grain-exports, which cuts through the Amazon?rainforest. They are concerned that a severe El Nino would make one of Brazil's most important export routes too narrow for barges. Industry data shows that global trading firms such as Bunge Cargill and Louis Dreyfus move 15 million metric tonnes of grain annually along the Tapajos. Brazil is one of the largest corn and soybean suppliers in the world. The Brazilian government, however, has refused to grant the permission?to clear silt in sections of the river citing technical analyses and consultations with local communities. The port terminal sector of Brazil is concerned that the El Nino weather pattern, which is associated with droughts, will cause transport disruptions. "What is worse yet to come" Jesualdo?Conceicao Silva of the Brazilian port 'terminals lobby ABTP said that water levels are falling, and this is?why dredging has been a priority. Silva said that there are currently "no interruptions" to river navigation, but the continued decrease in water levels may lead to restrictions on access to the most important areas by mid-September. The Tapajos is a system where grains are loaded on barges in Itaituba, transported to Santarem or Barcarena in northern Para before being exported. After reviewing the data and consulting with Indigenous communities and the traditional people of the region, the Ministry of Ports and Airports decided to?not carry out dredging at this time on the stretch of the river between Itaituba and Santarem. INDIGENOUS RESISTENANCE Indigenous people?from?around the area occupied Cargill's facilities in Santarem in protest of a government order which they said would?open?the doors to dredging Amazonian river without consultation. This could impact water quality and fishing, on which the indigenous people rely for survival. After the occupation, the government of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva revoked this decree. Sector group MoveInfra estimates that in the worst case scenario, which would last for four months, or until water levels rise again, 5 million tons of freight could be affected, with a total loss of up to 850 millions reais ($163million). Gabriel Azevedo is the chief executive of the association of terminals in the Amazon Basin AMPORT. Silva, a lobbyist for the ABTP, stated that the sector had requested a Lula meeting and said any dredging would take between one and two weeks.
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South Korean container ship to test Arctic route from Europe amid Western concerns
South Korea will launch a container ship bound for Europe via Arctic on Saturday, testing if a route made possible by melting sea ice is commercially viable. However, this could cause friction with Western allies as the journey'requires Russian collaboration. If the trip is successful, it would be South Korea's first commercial voyage via the Arctic to Europe. It would also place South Korea alongside China and Russia as the only countries that have run or tested cargo services on the route. PanStar Acro, which will depart from Busan and sail north, will stop at Felixstowe, Britain, Rotterdam, Netherlands, and Gdansk, Poland, before returning. The journey is expected to last 40-45 days. The Arctic sea ice will be at its lowest levels of the year around September, which is when the PanStar Acro will primarily take place. This makes navigation safer. The President Lee Jae Myung made Arctic shipping a top priority. Officials said it could transform the port of Busan in the southeast into a global hub for maritime traffic and make the Arctic a regular route to trade by 2030. WESTERN DIPLOMATS UNHAPPY WITH PLAN Western diplomats are not happy with the plan because it requires Seoul to consult Russia in order to obtain permits for the ship’s voyage. One European diplomat said, "We don't want to engage with Russia. We want to isolate Russia." Citing Russia's conflict in Ukraine, the diplomat added that his concerns were expressed to South Korean officials. Arctic shipping experts said South Korea could also be in danger of violating sanctions if the ship asked Russia for help with problems on its route, like getting stuck in ice. The South Korean Oceans Ministry, and the Russian Foreign Ministry have not responded to requests for comments. FASTER MELTING SEA ICE MAKES ROUTE ATTRACTIVE This summer, the Northern Sea Route is more attractive due to global warming's faster melting of Arctic sea ice. The Norwegian tracking foundation Centre for High North Logistics said that traffic on the route is increasing. In 2018, 88 vessels transited the NSR, up from just 97 vessels in 2024, and 43 in 2022. These vessels were mainly from Russia and China. The Oceans Ministry of South Korea said that the Arctic route would shorten journeys up to 35% compared to the traditional Suez Canal routes, and use less fuel. Commercial feasibility may be more difficult to determine. Hyewonchoi, a former naval officer, stated that factors like vessel size limitations and insurance costs are responsible for the increase in unit transport costs. He said that container ships can only use the NSR during the summer months, when the ice is melting. PanStar was selected in a government-backed bid for the pilot journey. It bought a 2,700 TEU (Twenty Foot Equivalent Unit) container vessel from HMM, which it is now modifying for polar sailing. The company said it was seeking at least 1,300 tonnes of cargo, including automobile parts, cosmetics and food, as well as shipments from China, and Japan.?Clients from Japan have expressed interest. ADVANTAGE OF FIRST MOVER The PanStar official stated that China has already begun to'secure first-mover advantages on the route. This makes a South Korean trip more urgent. "Korea needs to start accumulating data and operating experience that it did not have before, in order to achieve the national goal of commercial service by 2030." The Russian operator of the NSR says that the Chinese container company Sea Legend Shipping will launch the first regular service for containers to Europe via this route.
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Irish lawmakers summon TikTok for videos glorifying dangerous driving
After the Irish police chief said that young people drove on the wrong side for social media likes, a parliamentary committee asked TikTok how it removed content "that glorifies...?"illegal activity? on Irish roads. Police said that five male teens died in an accident on Sunday, while driving the wrong way on a motorway. Three women and a child were seriously injured in another vehicle, which was travelling to Dublin Airport. Social media has been widely used to share footage purporting to be?taken from the car and other cars engaging in dangerous activities. Alan Kelly, the chair of the committee for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, said: "Serious questions have been raised about the distribution of social media content that appears to glorify unsafe and illegal behavior on our roads." He said, "We need social media platforms to take meaningful action." A TikTok spokesperson declined to comment. It said earlier this week that it closely monitored content related to the deaths of five people and would remove videos and accounts which violated its rules. Ireland's media regulator announced on Tuesday that it had asked TikTok to provide a "full report" on the measures taken by its platform in relation to risky or reckless driving content. GANGS OUTDOING EACH OTHER A group representing police officers has stated that gangs of young men are competing with each other on social media by posting videos of their 'interactions with the police and driving in opposition to traffic on motorways. The government has promised to provide any resources needed by the police and proposed that driving wrong-way down a motorway be a separate offense. Irish police have announced that they will be introducing vehicle pursuit training for their officers before the end the year. Jim O'Callaghan, the Justice Minister, warned those who were considering driving on a motorway in the wrong direction: "You'll either end up in prison or in a grave." Conor Humphries wrote the article.
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The Black Sea grain trade between Russia and Ukraine has virtually ceased
The attacks on shipping have closed more than 97% Russia and Ukraine's grain export capacities in the Azov and Black Sea Basin, cutting off "a major source of low cost supplies" and driving up global prices. In the last month, the two largest grain exporters intensified their attacks on ports, shipping, and other infrastructure. This forced importers from the Middle East and Africa to look for grain in more expensive suppliers, such as Australia or the United States. According to calculations based off official data and estimates by analysts, Russia and Ukraine exported together an average of 7.2 million metric tonnes of grain per month last season from terminals in the Azov region and Black Sea. The Black Sea terminals in Ukraine are not currently shipping anything. Officials and trade sources report that the only grain terminal in Russia not shut down is a small facility located in Tuapse, with a capacity of about 160,000 tons a month. Calculations show that the shutdowns result in a loss of 97% of grain-export capacity from last season. Shutdowns drive up prices "Civilian shipping in the Black Sea is virtually at a standstill," said Yevgeny Karabanov, the head of the analytical committee of the Grain Union of Kazakhstan. The Grain Union of Kazakhstan also ships grain via Russian ports. The global wheat price has risen by about 6.5% in the last month, and is now approximately 30% higher than it was a year earlier. Despite the fact that there is no sign of a de-escalation, traders are under pressure to ensure supplies. Sources said that drones allegedly 'hit' several carriers this week as they loaded or prepared to load grain in Russian ports. Analysts from Rusagrotrans (part of Demetra Holding) estimate that Russia's wheat exports in August were 1.8 million tonnes, the lowest monthly level since 2010. According to trade sources, major?Russian grains terminals, such as NZT and NKHP in Novorossiysk were closed after a Ukrainian drone attack. KSK, Russia’s largest grain terminal, has suspended grain deliveries and exports. The Taman grain terminal also had its operations halted. Ukrainian seaports at the Odesa hub port hub ceased to operate effectively by the end of July. Taras Vysotskyi, Agriculture Minister, said last week that no new ships had called at the port hub in Odesa as of mid-August. Ukraine exports grain via rail to ports in Eastern Europe and the Danube River, which account for about 45% each of the shipments. The remaining 10% is transported by road. Vysotskyi stated that if the ports remain closed, we expect to be able to reach half of our potential exports. The Russian Federation can divert some exports to the Baltic, Caspian, and Far Eastern ports. However, longer distances and higher costs are likely. Reporting by Pavel Polityuk, Olga Popova and Gleb Stolyarov Additional reporting by Gus Trompiz and Nigel Hunt in Moscow. Editing and writing by David Goodman.
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Police say that at least 23 people have died in a collision between a bus and a truck in Parana, Brazil.
The Federal Highway Police reported that at least '23 people were killed in a head-on crash between a bus, and a truck in Brazil's state of Parana early on Wednesday morning. The police said that five others were injured when the vehicles collided around 3 a.m. (0600 GMT) The majority of the victims were in the bus and 'the truck driver died as well,' according to a police statement. The report added that early evidence suggested that the truck had crossed the opposite lane. Police said that the bus involved in the accident was owned by the Imbituva Municipal Health Department and was en route to hospitals in Curitiba in Parana, approximately?180km (110 miles) from the city. Imbituva declared two days mourning after the accident. Via Araucaria, a road?operator on X.com, said that the highway remained 'closed' with no estimated time of reopening. Reporting by Rodrigo Viga Gaier, Isabel Teles and Andrew Heavens. Editing by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez.
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Rail accident investigators say that they have found evidence of track irregularities at the site of a UK train derailment.
Investigators of rail accidents said that on Wednesday, a track 'irregularity' was visible in?CCTV pictures taken just before a passenger train derailment that occurred last week in England that resulted in two serious injuries. Rail Accident Investigation Branch stated that "a track geometry irregularity was present on the immediate approach to the derailment point, before the accident occurred." There was evidence of previous track maintenance in this area. The accident near Lewes, in southern England, occurred during a sustained period of high temperatures in Britain. The investigation will include factors such as the effectiveness of hot weather mitigation, and the condition and track of the train. In a statement released on Wednesday, the embankment was constructed from material that is'sensitive' to changes in water levels. It added that "Although at this time, there is no evidence to suggest a significant slippage occurred before the accident there 'is evidence of some previous?movement." Once the investigation has been completed, a full report will appear. (Reporting and editing by Paul Sandle, William James)
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Oil exports to western Russia are 15% lower than planned, traders claim
Due to disruptions in the Black Sea port Novorossiysk, oil shipments from Russia’s western ports fell by 15% during the first half of August. The drop in oil exports reflects the increased difficulty Moscow faces to maintain its oil exports, as Ukraine targets Russian energy infrastructure which is crucial for supplies and budget revenues. In August, it was initially estimated that exports from the Baltic port of 'Primorsk' and 'Ust-Luga along with the Black Sea Port of Novorossiysk would be approximately 2.7 million barrels a day. The traders reported that oil exports, including Russian 'Urals oil' and Kazakh?grade KEBCO, had declined to around 0.4 million barrels per day (bpd) compared to the 0.8-1million bpd of June and July. They added that loadings were more than two-weeks behind schedule, since?cargoes for export scheduled in late July only recently sailed. The?risk of attack on Russian cargoes in the Black Sea has increased, so Russia has moved Kazakhstan's crude exports to Novorossiysk from the Baltic port of Ust-Luga. Kazakh oil transit shipments should be safe in the Black Sea, given Ukraine's promise not to target non Russian cargoes. Barbara Lewis (Reporting; Editing)
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The little reactors who could? Maguire: How SMRs have become nuclear's best option.
Each energy transition has a favorite underdog. Small modular reactors (SMRs), which are being used more and more in the U.S. to produce clean, reliable power, have a growing role. There are still significant obstacles to overcome and the technology is not commercially proven. A combination of increasing power demand, supportive policies, regulatory reform, and growing investor interests has transformed the SMR from a "speculative" concept to what could be nuclear power's greatest growth opportunity. Power Pinch The shift to?SMRs is a result of the increasing demand for electricity, mainly from artificial intelligence data centres, industrial reshoring and electrification, as well as new manufacturing investments. The U.S. Department of Energy cited the growing demand for electricity as a major reason to accelerate nuclear deployment. This creates new opportunities for technologies that can deliver?round-the-clock energy?without emitting carbon. The wind and solar power generation continues to grow, but utilities, policymakers and industrial customers are looking for more reliable sources of energy that aren't dependent on the weather. Why modular matters more than small The term "small modular reactors" can be misleading. It is not the size of the reactors that makes them so attractive. Smaller reactors do sacrifice some economies of scale, which have historically been favored by large nuclear plants. The word "modular" holds the promise. Nuclear plants are some of the most complex projects to build anywhere in the world. The plants are constructed largely on-site, require thousands to work and often face long delays which drive up the cost. The industry's financial troubles are largely due to difficult construction. SMRs are designed to change this model. Instead of building huge facilities from scratch, developers hope that they can manufacture major reactor components, ship them to the site, and assemble them with standardized designs. This approach, if successful, could reduce construction risks, reduce timelines, and ultimately lower costs. The vision is simple: transform nuclear power from construction into a manufacturing business. A POWERFUL BACKING Political climate has also become more favorable. The ADVANCE Act is a bipartisan law that will be signed into law by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2024. It directs them to streamline licensing, reduce certain regulatory costs and create more efficient deployment pathways. The program also supports regulatory approaches that are tailored to advanced nuclear technologies and encourages the development of former fossil fuel sites. This may seem like regulatory housekeeping. Investors, however, often place equal importance on predictability and innovation. Financing a reactor that is subject to years of uncertainty in its reviews can be difficult. A reactor that operates within a more defined regulatory framework is easier to finance. Fuel is another bottleneck that the federal government is trying to resolve. Many advanced reactor designs are based on HALEU, which is high-assay-low-enriched uranium. The United States did not have a domestic fuel supply chain until recently. The Department of Energy has undertaken a number of initiatives to develop the fuel and enrichment infrastructure needed for commercial deployment. In an effort to promote advances in the entire reactor spectrum, the Department of Energy also supports?the development of sodium-cooled and gas-cooled reactors as well as molten-salt and so-called "microreactors". Washington no longer supports only reactor developers. It is building the ecosystem that they will need to be successful. REACH REGULATORY The advanced reactor industry has long complained about trying to fit 21st century technologies into 20th century regulatory frameworks. Many reactors proposed use fuels, coolants, and operating concepts that are different from the conventional light water reactors which dominate the fleet. Licensing these reactors often involved navigating through a maze exemptions and reviews. The NRC’s new Part-53 framework is intended to create a licensing path that is more risk-informed and technology inclusive. Regulators are trying to accommodate a wide range of reactor designs while maintaining safety standards, rather than forcing all designs through the same licensing process. These changes, while they may seem technical, address a major problem in the industry. Scalable regulation is required for a scalable industry. MOVE INTO THE?BUILDING PHASE The optimism has also increased because advanced reactors have finally moved beyond concept studies and investors presentations. TerraPower's Natrium Project in Wyoming has reached major construction and permitting milestones. This is one of the most clear examples of a commercially deployable advanced reactor. The project, which is near an aging coal power plant in the area, illustrates how advanced nuclear can potentially replace fossil fuel generation by reusing grid infrastructure and existing workforce expertise. In an industry that often seems stuck in the future, progress is important. Investors are more likely to trust construction sites rather than PowerPoint promises. TOUGH TESTS Ahead This does not guarantee success. SMRs face formidable challenges. Supply chains need to be created. The manufacturing capacity must be expanded. Utilities should commit to unique projects. Developers must also prove that deployment costs are falling. In fact, today's industry faces a new challenge. It is not primarily scientific. It's industrial. Can reactor modules at large scale be produced? Can projects be duplicated rather than reinvented? Costs can be reduced by repetition, just as they have in industries from aerospace to automobile manufacturing? Can a reactor be a product instead of a project, and what is the most important thing to consider? History of technological progress teaches a simple lesson. Innovations are rarely able to transform economies at the time they are created. They transform economies once someone figures out how they can be manufactured repeatedly, inexpensively, and in large quantities. The SMR industry may now be approaching this point. The future of advanced nuclear no longer depends primarily on the ability to prove that new reactor concepts are viable. It is more important to prove that the reactors can be constructed predictably, affordably financed, and repeatedly deployed. SMRs are the best choice for nuclear power. Their promise no longer relies on a major breakthrough in reactor design. The foundation of the project is a more pragmatic, but potentially more consequential, breakthrough - teaching the nuclear industry to build reactors in the same way that successful industries build their products. It is not necessary that the little reactors which could succeed in the end, because they have reinvented nuclear physics. They reinvented the nuclear construction. These are the opinions of the columnist, who is also an author. This column is great! Open Interest (ROI) is your new essential source of global financial commentary. Follow ROI on LinkedIn, X and X. Listen to the Morning Bid podcast daily on Apple, Spotify or the app. Subscribe to the Morning Bid podcast and hear journalists discussing the latest news in finance and markets 7 days a weeks.
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 $13 to $60-$65 in 2038. The increase was made to cover the $1.1 billion cost of the automated transit system and new tunnels.
Donald Trump revealed the $22 billion plan in a press release last month. It included a massive parking facility and transportation center, which were not part of the $19.9-billion proposal approved on Wednesday. Trump's latest major project in the U.S. Capital includes a 5?million-square-foot airport that has been renovated or built. The project is one of the biggest airport renovations in U.S. history and will be financed largely by $14.2 billion worth of?new municipal bond.
The airport authority has already approved $4.4 billion.
Dulles Airport was the largest U.S. airport with the fastest growth last year. Passenger numbers increased 6.4%, to 29 million. It will gain a 14-gate concourse for United Airlines passengers this fall.
United is responsible for 70% of the passenger traffic at Dulles.
(source: Reuters)