Southern Africa

Azerbaijan confirms five of its citizens were killed in attacks against vessels in the Sea of Azov

Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that five Azerbaijani citizens died and three were injured in an attack?on two cargo ships?in the Sea of?Azov. In response to a question regarding the vessels that were hit in Taganrog Bay the ministry stated that the ships didn't belong to Azerbaijan, but the crews consisted of 25 Azerbaijani nationals. On Friday, Ukraine said that drones had hit five ships at the ports of Mariupol, Berdyansk, and the Sea of Azov as well as in the coastal waters of Russian controlled territories. Robert Brovdi said that the commander of the Ukrainian drone forces had
Asia

Azerbaijan confirms five of its citizens were killed in attacks against vessels in the Sea of Azov
Britain will bring 10 people into the UK as a precautionary measure after an outbreak of hantavirus

Britain announced on Tuesday that 10 people from remote islands, including passengers of cruise ships and medical staff, who have had contact with confirmed cases, would be brought to Britain for precautionary isolation. The UK Health Security Agency stated that the individuals are already isolated and do not show symptoms. It said the move was taken 'as a preventative measure. All 10 are British citizens. The outbreak is 'linked to luxury cruise ship MV Hondius which traveled through the South Atlantic and stopped at various places. The 10 people who are being sent to Britain come from the British overseas
South America

Britain will bring 10 people into the UK as a precautionary measure after an outbreak of hantavirus
The evacuation of passengers from a cruise ship infected by a virus will be completed on Monday

Spain's Health Minister has announced that the evacuation of passengers from an?Australian-flagged luxury ship affected by a deadly outbreak of hantavirus will be completed Monday, with flights from the Netherlands and Australia. Officials have announced that two flights from Australia will transport six passengers?from?the?Spanish Island of Tenerife? and one from the Netherlands will transport 18 passengers. Both flights will also carry passengers from other countries who did not send their repatriation flight, according to officials. According to the World Health Organization's Friday tally, eight people who are no longer aboard the ship have become ill. Six of them have been
North America

Tenerife welcomes a cruise ship affected by the hantavirus epidemic

The cruise ship that was hit by the deadly hantavirus epidemic arrived early on Sunday morning near Granadilla Port in Tenerife. The cruise ship will anchor near the Port of Granadilla in Tenerife for the evacuation and re-boarding of passengers. According to Spanish officials, the passengers will be tested to make sure they are asymptomatic by Spanish health authorities. They will then be transported on small boats to land. The passengers will be transported by sealed-off buses to the main airport of the Spanish island, which is about 10 minutes away. From there they will board their planes to fly
A new hantavirus is suspected in a remote island, as the contact tracking continues

Transport Infrastructure

South African miners bid for Manganese Export Terminal concession

African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) announced on Friday that a consortium of South African miners is bidding to 'build and operate' a new port in the Eastern Cape Province for exporting manganese. ARM's Assmang, a unit of ARM, is a member of the Manganese Producers Consortium. The MPC plans to bid 'for the request for quote with Transnet, as a joint venture partner, for the 'design, build and construction of the new Manganese Ore Export Port at Ngqura - the Ngqura Manganese Terminal,? ARM stated in a result statement. Transnet said that it would invite bids around April for the Ngqura...

Transport Infrastructure

Kumba Iron Ore profits rise 18% due to higher prices and sales volume

Kumba Iron Ore in South Africa posted a 18% increase in its annual 'profits on Thursday, thanks to higher mineral prices as well as stronger sales volumes due to improved logistics at the port and rail. Kumba,?a?unit of Anglo American?, reported that its headline earnings per shares increased from 38.94 rand to 45.97 rand (2.86 dollars) in the year ending December 2025, up from 38.94. Africa's largest iron ore producer said that the increase in earnings was due to an?increased average realized free-onboard export iron ore prices of $95 per metric ton wet in?2025 compared to $92 one year earlier....

Transport Infrastructure

Floods in Mozambique force thousands of people to flee their homes as the rising waters cut communities off

Witnesses and aid workers said that severe floods caused by heavy rains in Mozambique forced thousands of people to leave their homes and some were left stranded on roofs. The waters were swollen and swamping settlements. According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, which is assisting in relief efforts, floods directly affected more than 620,000 individuals, with 72,000 homes flooded and extensive damage caused to bridges, roads and health centers. Rachel Fowler, IFRC's Program and Operations Manager, told reporters in Maputo that the situation was likely to worsen as the dams were already full. This...

Transport Infrastructure

Transnet, South Africa's container terminal operator, signss agreement with ICTSI for upgrade of main container terminal

South African state logistics group Transnet signed a 25-year ?deal with Philippines-headquartered terminal operator ICTSI ?on Wednesday to upgrade the ?African ?country's busiest container terminal in Durban. The government plans to use the concession agreement as a way to deal with Transnet's chronic performance problems, which have stifled Africa's largest economy's exports. Transnet announced in a'statement' that the development and upgrade of Durban Container Terminal Pier 2 (which handles over 40% of South -African container volumes) will begin in January next year when ICTSI takes over operations. The introduction of new technology and equipment is expected to increase Pier 2's...

Transport Infrastructure

Traxtion invests $199 Million in new trains as part of South African rail reform

Traxtion announced on Tuesday that it will invest 3.4 billion Rand ($199 million) into new locomotives and wagons, as the freight company prepares for its first run of trains on South Africa’s mainlines after reforms open the network to private operators. Transnet, the state-owned railway operator, has been struggling to deliver reliable services due to equipment shortages and maintenance delays after years of underinvestment. Cable theft and vandalism have further hindered the network. Traxtion's investment, which is active in 10 African nations, signals a growing confidence of the private sector in rail reform. It also gives a boost to the...

Transport Infrastructure

Transnet, South Africa's infrastructure upgrader, plans to spend $7 billion

Transnet, the state-owned South African freight and logistics company, plans to invest 127 Billion Rand ($7.3 Billion) over five years into modernizing rail lines and upgrading port facilities. This was announced by its Chief executive Michelle Phillips on Tuesday. Phillips, speaking at the South Africa Tomorrow Investor Conference, said that Transnet had budgeted 25 million rands for infrastructure this year. Phillips stated that "we will go out to the market both for partners and for funding." He cited potential projects like the Richards Bay Dry-Bulk Terminal and the Pier 2 Container concession in Durban. Transnet, South Africa's key logistics player,...

Transport Infrastructure

S.African Transnet signs port equipment agreement with Liebherr

Transnet, a South African logistics company, announced on Thursday that it had signed a 10-year agreement with the German equipment manufacturer Liebherr to supply cranes in order to modernise and upgrade its port operations. Transnet stated that the two parties had also agreed to a 20-year Asset Management Programme, where Liebherr will provide maintenance, repairs, and spare parts for equipment. Transnet, the state-owned company that operates South Africa's port and rail freight network, is struggling to provide adequate service due to underinvestment. Equipment shortages have caused its port operations to be hampered, leading to long backlogs and affecting retailers and...

Transport Infrastructure

S.African Transnet signs port equipment agreement with Liebherr

Transnet South Africa reports lower full-year losses

Transnet, the state-owned South African logistics group, reported on Friday a loss of 1.9 billion Rand ($108.18million) for the financial year ending March. This is down from the loss of 7.3 billion Rand in the prior year. Due to equipment shortages, and maintenance backlogs, the debt-ridden company has struggled for years to provide adequate rail freight and port services. Transnet's persistent underperformance has led to the stifling of exports for key commodities like coal and iron ore. Mineral exporters have lost billions in revenue. Kumba Iron Ore as well as thermal coal exporter Thungela Resources were forced to reduce production....

A consortium led by Public Storage abandons its $1.4 billion pursuit of Abacus Storage in Australia

Abacus Storage, based in Australia, announced on Tuesday that the consortium led by Nathan Kirsh (a South African billionaire) and Public Storage of the United States had withdrawn their A$2,17 billion ($1.41billion) bid for its firm. Abacus' independent board committee received notification overnight that the consortium withdrawn its offer. The firm didn't give any explanation for the consortium's decision to withdraw. The consortium offered Abacus shareholders A$1.47 for each stapled security, and all shares that were not held by Ki Corp or its subsidiaries. Abacus rejected the offer in May citing concerns about timing, valuation and deal completion. The consortium...

Trafigura and its consortium aim to complete the US loan agreement by 2025

Lobito Atlantic Railway's (LAR) CEO said that the company aims to complete by the end this year a loan agreement worth $533 million with the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation. This deal is crucial for upgrading its Angolan concession. The U.S. Development lender pledged a $533 million loan by 2024 for the upgrade of 1,300 km (800 miles) in railways, and to provide a fast route to haul minerals which are crucial to the global switch to cleaner energy. Angola granted LAR, a consortium of Trafigura Mota-Engil Vecturis SA a 30-year contract in 2022 to operate the rail line and...

Namibian Port Authority cancels Luderitz Energy Support Project

Namibian Ports Authority's (Namport) Facebook page revealed on Friday that it had cancelled the pre-qualification bid for a new base of oil and gas supplies at Luderitz, just days after its launch and without any explanation. The cancellation of the contract is a major blow to the government's efforts to speed up the development of the Luderitz Port, one the two commercial ports that are located in Southern Africa and is an important centre for energy services. Namibia is a hotspot for exploration following the discoveries of Shell, TotalEnergies and Rhino Resources offshore. The country aims to produce its first...

South African tax authorities provide jet fuel to airports

South Africa's fuels sector body FIASA welcomed a one-year extension by tax authorities of special licences to import and store jet fuel. This helped to avoid a possible supply crisis at major international airports. Fuels Industry Association of South Africa said that the arrangement would allow its members to operate Special Storage Warehouse (SOS), licences, until October 31, next year. The extension allows continued imports. Aviation kerosene will be stored in tanks licensed by the government and then pumped into a multi-product pipeline to supply O.R.Tambo International Airport. This is one of Africa's most busy passenger hubs. The South African...

Passenger Transportation Services

Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

Coach Ouaddou, from South Africa, injured in car accident

Abdeslam Ouaddou, a former Morocco international and Fulham center-back, was hospitalized after a car crash in South Africa. He is now the coach of Soweto giants Orlando Pirates. Ouaddou and five other members of the club's staff were struck by a vehicle on Sunday, after their bus had stopped at an accident scene after returning from a South African League match in Gqeberha. The club reported that "coach Ouaddou, along with several members of staff, disembarked the team bus after a collision occurred between two vehicles to help those involved." "Tragically while attending the scene, a Nissan NP200 collided with...