Transport Infrastructure

The role of a fast attack sub is so dynamic, everything can change on a dime," U.S. Navy commander Jeffrey Corneille told reporters in March on board the nuclear-powered USS Minnesota off the coasts of Western Australia. Corneille, the captain of the ship, said, "We will leave as soon as my boss tells us to." The letter, which was written in 2018, by the U.S. Secretary of Defence is displayed on the wall in Minnesota. It expresses gratitude for the intelligence gathering and anti-submarine warfare in Europe. Corneille stated that it is important to give adversaries pause for consideration "not...

The Australian Competition Watchdog stated on Thursday that it was not against Qube's acquisition of Melbourne International RoRo & Auto Terminal, subject to certain undertakings from the company. In October of last year, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission warned that a potential deal between Qube and Melbourne's RoRo Terminal could have a major impact on downstream services. After careful consideration, we accepted the undertaking. "In the unique circumstance of this transaction where there are already similar undertakings in other ports and where MIRRAT is already subjected to an undertaking because it is vertically integrated with shipping," ACCC chair Gina...

Three sources familiar with this matter say that U.S. president Donald Trump will sign an executive directive on Wednesday, aiming to re-energize U.S. shipbuilding while reducing China's hold on the global shipping sector. For years, Republican and Democratic U.S. legislators have warned of China's increasing dominance in the seas as well as the diminishing U.S. navy readiness. The draft executive order, seen by the, states that the U.S. will charge docking fees to any ship in a fleet of Chinese-built or Chinese flagged vessels. It also threatens to retaliate against allies who do not follow suit. Sources who declined to...

A diplomatic note stated that the United States had withdrawn from London talks on decarbonisation of shipping and Washington would consider "reciprocal actions" to offset any fees assessed to U.S. vessels. This week, delegates are meeting at the UN Shipping Agency's headquarters to discuss decarbonisation measures that will enable the shipping industry worldwide to achieve net zero emissions by "around 2020". A proposal submitted by a group of countries, including the European Union to the UN International Maritime Organization was aimed at reaching agreement on the first carbon levy in shipping for greenhouse gas (GHG). The United States has sent...

A diplomatic note stated that the United States had withdrawn from London's talks on decarbonisation of shipping and Washington would consider "reciprocal" measures to offset any fees levied to U.S. vessels. This week, delegates are in the UN Shipping Agency's headquarters for discussions on decarbonisation initiatives aimed at helping the shipping industry reach net zero emissions by "around 2020". A proposal submitted by a group of countries, including the European Union to the UN International Maritime Organization was aimed at reaching agreement on the first carbon levy in shipping for greenhouse gas (GHG). The United States has sent a diplomatic...

Abiove, the traders' association, and a toll-road operator announced on Tuesday that indigenous Brazilian protesters had lifted their blockade of Brazil's Trans-Amazonian Highway. This reopened a vital grain shipping route connecting farmers to the Miritituba River Port. On March 25, Munduruku activists shut down the road (also known as BR-230) to pressure Brazil's Supreme Court into overturning a law that limits indigenous land rights in 2023. Grain traders reported that the protests prevented the shipment of around 70 000 metric tons worth nearly $30 million of grains every day. Abiove reported that it had learned on Tuesday morning the indigenous...

Barrick Gold’s Reko Diq gold and copper project in Pakistan plans to secure up to $2 billion from international lenders. Term sheets will be signed in early Q3, according the project director of the mine. The funding will be used to support the development and expansion of Reko Diq, one of the largest copper-gold deposits in the world. It is expected that the mine can generate free cash flows of $70 billion, as well as operating cash flows of $90 billion. The project is jointly owned by Barrick Gold, the government of Pakistan, and the government of Balochistan. Multiple lenders...

Since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022, Germany has sought to import liquefied gas (LNG), to replace Russian gas piped to Germany. The first step was to deploy floating storage units (FSRUs), which receive seaborne LNG. Longer term, it planned shore-based regasification facilities and terminals to import and manufacture ammonia and clean hydrogen. Here are the latest updates: MUKRAN Gascade's OAL pipeline supplies the terminal on Ruegen Island in Baltic Sea with LNG. The private operator Deutsche ReGas began a three-month bid round on April 4 to expand Mukran’s long-term capacity for regasification by offering 5 bcm extra...

On Friday, the Panama Canal Authority announced that it had authorized the bidding for a new pipeline to transport liquefied gas (LPG), across the interoceanic watersway. The planning for projects to increase the capacity of the trans-shipment and storing of goods has increased since the Panama Supreme Court ruled last year that areas near the Canal should be returned to the Panamanian administration. The pipeline will allow LPG vessels discharge at one end while other tankers pick up cargo at the opposite end. This will reduce the traffic of vessels on the waterway. Japan's purchase The project will help to...

The poor road conditions and protests by indigenous groups have caused the shipment of Brazil's bumper soya bean crop to be delayed this week at the port of Miritituba, in the Amazon rainforest. This is where major grain traders such as Cargill and Bunge operate. The demand for soy, which is produced and exported by Brazil, the largest producer in the world, has risen dramatically. China is the world's No. 1 soybean consumer, as traders prepare for a potential trade war that could discourage Chinese imports. Miritituba loaded 15 million tons soy and corn onto barges last year, bound for...

Three industry sources said that the Western-backed Caspian Pipeline Consortium was preparing to take on a Russian court to challenge a regulatory order which has crippled their export capabilities and threatens to cut off oil flow to global markets. After a series of inspections in response to an oil spill that occurred on the Black Sea, the Russian transport regulator ordered CPC, which includes Chevron, Exxon Mobil and others, to suspend its operations at two moorings. A court in Russia will review the decision of the regulator. Sources who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the CPC intends to...

BlackRock may face another obstacle in its bid to gain control of two ports near the Panama Canal, once Central America releases an audit regarding a 25-year contract granted to Hong Kong's CK Hutchison. Sources told us last week that the final signature on the deal, which is part of a larger $22.8 billion transaction involving over 40 ports across 23 countries and a BlackRock group, will be delayed due to growing criticism in China. BlackRock and CK Hutchison announced the deal last month, stating that they expected definitive documentation to be signed no later than April 2. Panama's government...

The Santos Port Authority in Brazil, which manages the largest southern hemisphere port, has said that the port's draft will be deepened in order to attract larger ships in coming years. Beto Mendes (director of port operations) said that the goal is to increase the draft from 16 to 17 meters by 2031. Attracting larger ships would allow Brazil's commercial ties to be strengthened with partners like China, who is currently in a trade conflict with the United States. Mendes stated during a presentation that "we need to be ready." Santos will see an increase in shipping volumes as a...

On Wednesday, U.S. president Donald Trump signed an Executive Order aimed at revitalizing U.S. Shipbuilding and reducing China’s grip on global shipping. For years, Republican and Democratic U.S. legislators have warned of China's increasing dominance in the seas as well as the diminishing U.S. navy readiness. The order instructs the U.S. trade representative to proceed with a plan, which includes charging U.S. docking fees for any ship in a fleet of vessels that are Chinese-built or Chinese flagged. Allies will also be encouraged to follow suit. The Department of Homeland Security is also required to enforce the collection of Harbor...

The Panamanian authorities are auditing a contract that was signed by CK Hutchison, a Hong Kong-based company, and it has stated on Wednesday that the company invested $1.7 billion into two ports near the Panama Canal. This is more than the contract stipulated. Panama Ports Company, in which CK Hutchison holds a 90% stake and has a 25-year concession to operate the Balboa & Cristobal Ports was renewed in 2021. In January, the Panamanian government began an audit of this contract. This could complicate matters. high-profile deal A group led by the U.S. investment company BlackRock has acquired the majority...

Six sources claim that the Trump administration may soften its proposed fee for China-linked vessels visiting U.S. port after receiving a lot of negative feedback. The industries said it could be financially devastating. Six sources familiar with the issue said that the six changes being considered include a delayed implementation as well as new fee structures aimed at reducing the cost of visiting Chinese vessels. Sources asked to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the subject. The White House, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative(USTR), the government agency involved in the draft of the proposal, have...

Data from trade sources and calculations show that oil loadings in Russia's western port over the period April 1-15 will fall by 125,000 barrels a day (bpd), compared to the same period last March, to around 1.86 million bpd. Calculations showed that the daily decline in exports and transits of Urals, KEBCO, and Siberian Light grades of oil from Primorsk to Ust-Luga, Novorossiisk and Novorossiisk during the first 15 April days will be 6%. As some refineries are undergoing repairs following drone attacks in March and February, Russia's oil output in April may fall below the March level. This means...

The Panama Comptroller's General Office will sue officials who approved the renewal of a port concession for 25 years to a company headed by CK Hutchison. This is because a major audit of the contract should be finished soon. Panama Ports Company, a company owned by Hong Kong's CK Hutchison, has renewed its contract with the Balboa & Cristobal Ports near the Panama Canal until 2021. Panamanian officials began the audit process in January. In March, a group led U.S. investment company BlackRock announced a deal worth $22.8 billion to purchase the majority of CK Hutchison’s global ports business, including...

The Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Friday that his government is working on a proposal for Australian superannuation companies to purchase the strategically located Darwin Port from its Chinese owner, on grounds of national interest. In 2015, then-President Barack Obama criticized the sale of the port commercial on a 99 year lease to the Chinese company Landbridge. In the north of the city, around 2,000 U.S. Marines train for six months a year. Albanese stated in an interview with ABC Darwin Friday evening that "we want it in Australian hands". He said that he preferred that the money be...

The data and calculations provided by sources in the trade industry showed that oil loadings at Russia's western port over the period April 1-8 will increase by 90,000 barrels a day (bpd), compared to the same period last March, to reach around 1.7 million bpd. Calculations showed that the exports and transits of Urals, KEBCO, and Siberian Light grades of oil from Primorsk to Ust-Luga, Novorossiisk and Novorossiisk will increase by 6% per day from March 1-8. Calculations based on three sources show that Russia's daily oil output from its western ports is set to increase by 100,000 barrels a...

In a post that was removed minutes later, the Chinese state media attacked Hong Kong's conglomerate CK Hutchison for its plan to sell ports near the Panama Canal in a BlackRock group. The account of state broadcaster CCTV on social media said that China had important national interests in this transaction, and that the sale was "equivalent to giving a knife to a rival." The post Yuyuantantian made on the social media platform Weibo said that CK Hutchison, as a Hong Kong-based company, should be cautious about its dealings, which could damage China's interests. The post disappeared minutes after it...

This week, the European Union's (EU) ban on reexporting Russian LNG via EU ports came into force. The EU's goal is to reduce Moscow’s revenue after its invasion of Ukraine. The ban prohibiting the reloading Russian cargoes in EU ports to export to a third country was implemented in June 2024. A moratorium will be enforced until March 26th, 2025, for contracts that were signed before June 25, 2018. Gas experts claim that the measure will have little effect, as transshipments via EU ports into Asia represents less than 10% total Russian LNG exports. However, suppliers would direct this volume...

Scientists said that a strip of Pacific Ocean seabed, which was mined more than 40 year ago for metals, has not recovered. This adds weight to the calls for a ban on all deep-sea mining during this week's U.N. led talks. Scientists from the National Oceanography Centre in Britain led a 2023 expedition by a team to the mineral rich Clarion Clipperton Zone. They found that the effects of a 1979 mining test experiment are still felt on the seafloor. This complex ecosystem hosts hundreds of species. According to a study published in Nature Journal, the collection of "polymetallic" nodules...

The shares of CK Hutchison dropped on Friday, after the conglomerate that combines retail and telecoms reported a weaker earnings performance and lower dividends. It also warned about a volatile operating environment. Last year, the group's underlying profit, which has to deal with Beijing's displeasure over the sale its ports business, fell 11% from HK$20,8 billion ($2.7 billion), falling short of expectations. The final dividend for 2023 was reduced to HK$1.514 from HK$1.775 per share. Early Hong Kong trading saw shares of the company drop by 1.9%. The company agreed to sell assets in the vicinity of the strategically significant...