Latest News
-
Fire at airport cargo facility disrupts Bangladeshi garment exports
Industry leaders stated on Sunday that a massive fire at Dhaka Airport's import cargo complex has caused extensive damages to goods and materials belonging major garment exporters. Losses and impacts on trade are likely to be in the millions of dollars. The fire broke out in the cargo village of the airport on Saturday afternoon, forcing the suspension of flights. On Sunday, smoke continued to rise as firefighters and airport officials assessed damage. The fire destroyed storage areas that housed imported raw materials, ready to export apparel, and sample products, all of which are essential for Bangladesh's $47 Billion garment industry. Inamul Haq Khan is the senior vice-president at the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association. "High-value and urgent air shipments were destroyed, including garments ready for shipment, raw material for production and, most important, product samples." He warned that losing samples could affect future business. These samples are crucial for securing buyers and increasing orders. "Our members could miss future opportunities if they lose these samples," he said. ESSENTIAL SAMPLES BURNED in FIRE BGMEA is now gathering information from exporters affected to assess the extent of losses. Khan said that the BGMEA has asked its members to provide detailed lists of damaged products and launched an online portal to accelerate data collection. The airport cargo village, one of Bangladesh's most important logistics hubs handles more than 600 tons of dry goods daily. This figure doubles in the peak season from October to December. Khan stated that "everyday, between 200 and 250 factories ship their products via air." The financial impact of this scale is substantial. An investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of this fire. This is the third major fire in Bangladesh reported this week. On Tuesday, a fire at a Dhaka garment factory and adjacent chemical warehouse killed 16 people and injured many others. Another fire destroyed a seven-storey building of a garment factory in Chittagong's export processing zone on Thursday. Bangladesh is the second largest apparel exporter in the world after China. This sector, which supplies global retailers like Walmart, H&M and Gap, has about 4 million employees and generates $40 billion per year. That's more than 10% of Bangladesh's GDP. Fire, which occurred during peak export season is expected to cause delays in shipments, and make it more difficult for international deliveries to meet deadlines.
-
EU Naval Mission says LPG-laden Tanker is on Fire Off Yemen
In a press release, Aspides, the European Union naval force, said that the LPG-laden vessel MV Falcon, was on fire off the coasts of Yemen on Saturday after its crew reported an explosion which forced them to abandon ship. Aspides stated that the cause of explosion was not clear but it most likely an accident based on initial indications. Aspides said that at least 15 percent of the Cameroon flagged vessel was on fire. Aspides warned vessels to maintain a safe distance because the tanker, which was loaded with liquefied gas, could explode. Aspides stated in a press release that "the fire onboard is growing." "MV Falcon is a navigational danger." "Everyone in the area should exercise caution." The 26 crewmembers were being rescued by an operation. Two merchant ships sailing in the area have recovered 24 seafarers so far. Two merchant vessels, one of which was the MV Veda took the seafarers rescued from the ship to Djibouti escorted a Greek frigate. Aspides reported that two crew members have been reported missing. Ambrey, a British security company, said that the MV Falcon was traveling from Oman's Sohar Port towards Djibouti. The explosion happened as the ship was sailing 113 miles south of Aden, Yemen. According to maritime security sources, neither unmanned aerial vehicles nor missiles had been detected. Ambrey stated that the tanker did not match the profile of the Houthi militants in Yemen who are Iran-aligned. According to the Houthi news agency Saba, an official in the Houthi Defence Ministry said that the group has no connection with the incident. Since 2023, Houthi militants claim to have carried out numerous attacks against vessels in the Red Sea in solidarity with Palestinians in response to Israel's Gaza war. The attacks disrupted the flow of trade through the Red Sea, the Suez Canal and one of the busiest shipping routes in the world. Reporting by Enas Al Alashray and Muhammad Al Gebaly; Editing by Jan Harvey, Barbara Lewis and Renee Maltezou
-
At least 15 people are killed in a bus crash that occurred in the northeastern region of Brazil
In a statement, the Brazilian Federal Highway Police reported that a bus accident occurred in Pernambuco in northeastern Brazil on Friday evening. The driver of the bus lost control and caused the crash. Accident occurred just before 8 pm. The driver lost control, went into the opposite lane and hit rocks along the side of highway. He then crashed with a sand embankment, overturned, and collided. According to the Federal Highway Police, the Federal Highway Police is investigating the causes of the accident. According to the police list, there were 30 passengers aboard. So far, half have been confirmed as dead, 11 women and 4 men. Total number of injuries has not been revealed. The driver suffered minor injuries. According to the statement, he underwent a test of breathalyzer, and received a normal result. The police said that there were indications some passengers might not have worn seat belts during the accident. (Reporting by Rodrigo Viga Gaier. (Writing by Luciana Magnalhaes Editing Marguerita Choy.
-
Fire at Dhaka Airport cargo terminal causes flight delays and diversions
Officials said that flights out of Bangladesh’s main airport on Saturday were either delayed or diverted after a large fire broke out at the cargo terminal. Talha Bin Zassim, an officer with the Fire Service and Civil Defence Media Cell said that 36 firefighting units were working to put out the flames. Airport official Masudul Hasan informed reporters that operations at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport have been suspended. He added that all aircraft were safe. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. The problem affects both domestic and international flights. Air Arabia from Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, diverted a flight from Delhi bound for Dhaka to Chittagong and IndiGo from Delhi bound for Dhaka to Kolkata. Officials said that a Cathay Pacific plane from Hong Kong circled in the air after it failed to land at Dhaka Airport. The fire service, army, navy and air force all worked together to put out the fire. This is the third fire in Bangladesh reported this week. The fire that broke out at a Bangladeshi garment factory and adjacent chemical storage facility on Tuesday killed four people. At least 16 people Others were injured. Another fire destroyed a building of a Chittagong export processing zone garment factory on Thursday.
-
Security firm reports that a tanker with a Cameroon flag issued a distress call to Ahwar in Yemen.
Ambrey, a British maritime security company, said that a tanker flying the flag of Cameroon issued a distress signal on Saturday following an explosion aboard as it passed around 60 nautical miles south-southeast of Ahwar in Yemen. The cause of explosion is unclear. Ambrey confirmed that it had received radio communications from the crew indicating their intention to abandon ship. A search and rescue effort was in progress. Ambrey said that the vessel was traveling from Oman's Sohar Port, to Djibouti. The tanker is not thought to have been linked to the Houthis, Yemen's Iran aligned militia. Since 2023 they have attacked numerous vessels in the Red Sea, targeting vessels they believe are linked to Israel as a show of solidarity with Palestinians in response to Israel's Gaza war. The attacks disrupted the flow of trade through the Red Sea, the Suez Canal and one of the busiest shipping routes in the world. Reporting by Enas Al Gebaly and Muhammad Al Gebaly, Editing by Jan Harvey & Barbara Lewis
-
Sky News reports that Heathrow is considering WPP boss Jansen to be chairman.
Sky News reported that Philip Jansen, former CEO of BT Group and now chairman of marketing services group WPP is in advanced discussions with Heathrow’s board of directors and shareholders about becoming the chairman of the airport. The report cited sources to say that Jansen was the clear frontrunner of the shortlisted candidates. An announcement could be made within weeks, if discussions are successful. Could not verify the report immediately. Heathrow Airport didn't immediately respond to an inquiry for comment. Sky News reported in July that the British aviation hub had been working with headhunter Russell Reynolds Associates on recruiting a successor for Paul Deighton who assumed the position in 2016. Deighton’s term as chairman would have ended on April 30th, 2025 after nine years. Due to recent board changes, and the relatively new appointments of leadership, Deighton was asked to extend his tenure. Deighton stated in the annual report of the company that "I have... accepted to extend my role for a limited time as Chair to ensure continuity and security on the HAHL Board throughout this period transition". Sky News reported that Jansen’s experience as CEO of BT Group – a regulated company – from early 2019 until the end of 2024 was a key factor in his selection as he preferred candidate. According to his WPP profile, the executive began his career with Procter & Gamble and has held leadership positions at Sodexo Group and Telewest. He also worked at MyTravel, Travis Perkins and Sodexo Group. Rhea rose Abraham, Bengaluru reporter; Jan Harvey, editor
-
China Eastern Airlines resumes flights as China and India restore air connections
China Eastern Airlines, a state-owned airline, will resume Shanghai to Delhi flights on November 9, according to the website of the airline. This comes as China and India resume their direct air links after a five year diplomatic freeze. According to the airline's ticketing platform, flights will be operated three times per week, on Wednesdays. Saturdays and Sundays. China Eastern Airlines didn't immediately respond to a request for comment sent via email. The Indian Foreign Ministry announced earlier this month the resumption of commercial flights between India and its neighbours after a 5-year-long freeze. The announcement came after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited China for the first time in seven years to attend a regional security summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Both sides discussed how to improve their trade relations, and Modi expressed concern about India's growing bilateral trade deficit. The Indian and Chinese foreign ministers did not respond immediately to requests for comments on the Shanghai-Delhi flight. IndiGo, India's largest airline, announced previously that it would begin daily non-stop flight between Kolkata and Guangzhou. Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, a state-backed airport, said that when IndiGo announced its plans to expand direct flights between Guangzhou (China) and Delhi (India), it would encourage airlines like IndiGo to offer more routes. After deadly clashes on their Himalayan border, the two countries suspended direct flights in 2020. This led to a long-lasting military standoff. (Reporting and editing by Tom Hogue; Amy Lv and Colleen howe)
-
Ship tracking data shows Sinopec diverts supertanker away from US-sanctioned ports
According to Chinese consultants and ship tracking data, the latest U.S. sanction on a major Chinese crude terminal has forced Sinopec to divert one supertanker from its route and to ask certain plants to reduce crude processing rates. LSEG data revealed that a supertanker transporting oil to the Chinese Port of Rizhao, in Shandong Province, changed its destination at the weekend after U.S. sanctions were imposed on Friday on an import terminal located there. JLC Consultancy estimated that Sinopec’s October runs could drop by 3.36% compared to earlier plans, and may be around 5.16 million barrels a day. Sinopec has not responded to comments immediately. LSEG data revealed that the supertanker New Vista chartered by Sinopec’s trading arm Unipec, originally scheduled to discharge in Rizhao, on Sunday, has changed its destination to Ningbo or Zhoushan, for arrival on 15 October. New Vista is capable of carrying 2 million barrels and currently carries Abu Dhabi's Upper Zakum crude. The U.S. Treasury listed the Rizhao Shihua crude oil terminal, which is half owned by a Sinopec logistic unit, in a series of sanctions, including ships that transport Iranian crude and liquefied petrol gas. The U.S. announced that the terminal in Lanshan, in Shandong Province, a major Chinese oil refinery hub, had been sanctioned because it received Iranian oil aboard vessels sanctioned by the U.S. According to analysts and industry executives, one-fifth (or a fifth) of Sinopec’s crude oil imports passes through the Rizhao Terminal.
Houthis alert shipowners in brand-new stage of Red Sea project: Prepare to be assaulted
On a warm spring night in Athens, soon before midnight, a senior executive at a. Greek shipping business noticed an uncommon e-mail had actually landed in. his personal inbox.
The message, which was also sent out to the supervisor's company. email address, warned that one of the business's vessels. traveling through the Red Sea was at danger of being assaulted by. Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi militia.
The Greek-managed ship had actually breached a Houthi-imposed transit. ban by docking at an Israeli port and would be straight. targeted by the Yemeni Army in any area they deem. proper, checked out the message, composed in English and examined. .
You bear the obligation and consequences of consisting of. the vessel in the restriction list, said the e-mail, signed by the. Yemen-based Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC),. a body established in February to liaise in between Houthi forces and. commercial shipping operators.
The Houthis have carried out nearly 100 attacks on ships. crossing the Red Sea considering that November, acting in solidarity with. Palestinians in Israel's year-long war in Gaza. They have sunk. two vessels, seized another and eliminated a minimum of four seafarers.
The e-mail, got at the end of May, alerted of. sanctions for the entire business's fleet if the vessel. continued to violate the ban criteria and go into the ports of. the taking over Israeli entity.
The executive and the business decreased to be named for. security factors.
The caution message was the first of more than a lots. significantly menacing emails sent out to a minimum of 6 Greek shipping. companies given that May amid increasing geopolitical stress in the. Middle East, according to 6 market sources with direct. knowledge of the emails and 2 with indirect knowledge.
Because last year, the Houthis have been firing missiles,. sending armed drones and launching boats packed with explosives. at business ships with ties to Israeli, U.S. and UK entities.
The e-mail campaign, which has not been formerly reported,. suggests that Houthi rebels are casting their net larger and. targeting Greek merchant ships with little or no connection to. Israel.
The dangers were also, for the first time in current months,. directed at entire fleets, increasing the threats for those. vessels still trying to cross the Red Sea.
Your ships breached the choice of Yemen Armed Forces,. read a separate e-mail sent out in June from a Yemeni federal government web. domain to the very first business weeks later on and to another Greek. shipping company, which also decreased to be called. For that reason,. penalties will be imposed on all vessels of your business ... Best Regards, Yemen Navy.
Yemen, which lies at the entryway to the Red Sea, has been. embroiled in years of civil war. In 2014, the Houthis took. control of the capital, Sanaa, and ousted the internationally. acknowledged government. In January, the United States put the. Houthis back on its list of terrorist groups.
Gotten in touch with , Houthi officials declined to confirm. they had sent out the emails or provide any extra comment,. saying that was classified military details.
Reuters might not figure out whether the e-mails had actually been. likewise sent to other foreign shipping companies.
Greek-owned ships, which represent among the biggest. fleets in the world, consist of nearly 30% of the attacks brought. out by Houthi forces to early September, according to Lloyd's. List Intelligence information that did not define whether those ships. had any ties with Israel.
In August, the Houthi militia - which is part of Iran's Axis. of Resistance alliance of anti-Israel irregular armed groups -. assaulted the Sounion tanker leaving it on fire for weeks before. it might be towed to a much safer area.
The strikes have actually prompted lots of cargoes to take a much longer. route around Africa. Traffic through the Suez Canal has fallen. from around 2,000 transits each month before November 2023 to. around 800 in August, Lloyd's List Intelligence information revealed.
Stress in the Middle East reached a new peak on Tuesday as. Iran hit Israel with more than 180 missiles in retaliation for. the killing of militant leaders in Lebanon, including Hezbollah. leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Friday.
BRAND-NEW PHASE
The European Union's naval force Aspides, which has helped. more than 200 ships to sail securely through the Red Sea,. validated the evolution of Houthis' tactics in a closed door. meeting with shipping business in early September, according to. a file evaluated .
In the file, shown shipping business, Aspides. said the Houthis' decision to extend warnings to entire fleets. marked the beginning of the fourth stage of their military. campaign in the Red Sea.
Aspides likewise urged ship owners to turn off their Automatic. Identification System (AIS) transponders, which reveals a vessel's. position and acts as a navigational aid to nearby ships, stating. they needed to shut it off or be shot.
Aspides said the Houthis' rocket strikes had 75% accuracy. when aimed at vessels running with the AIS tracking system on. However 96% of attacks missed out on when AIS was off, according to the. exact same instruction.
Aspides did not right away respond to a Reuters request for. comment.
The Houthis' e-mail project began in February with messages. sent out to shipowners, insurer and the main seafarers. union from HOCC.
These preliminary e-mails, two of which were seen ,. signaled the market the Houthis had actually enforced a Red Sea travel. restriction on certain vessels, although they did not explicitly caution. companies of an imminent attack.
The messages sent after May were more enormous.
At least 2 Greek-operated shipping companies that. gotten e-mail hazards have actually chosen to end such journeys via the. Red Sea, 2 sources with direct understanding informed Reuters,. declining to recognize the business for security factors.
An executive at a third shipping company, which has also. received a letter, said they decided to end service with Israel. in order to be able to continue to utilize the Red Sea path.
If safe transit through the Red Sea can not be. ensured, business have a responsibility to act-- even if that indicates. postponing their shipment windows, stated Stephen Cotton, General. Secretary of the International Transport Workers' Federation,. the leading union organisation for seafarers, which received an. email from HOCC in February. The lives of the seafarers depend. on it.
The e-mail campaign has actually increased alarm among shipping. business. Insurance coverage costs for Western ship owners' have already. jumped because of the Houthi's attacks, with some insurance companies. suspending cover completely, the sources informed Reuters.
Greece-based Conbulk Shipmanagement Corporation stopped Red. Sea voyages after its vessel MV Groton was assaulted twice in. August.
No (Conbulk) vessel is selling the Red Sea. It. generally pertains to the team security. As soon as the team is in. danger, all the discussion stops, Conbulk Shipmanagement CEO. Dimitris Dalakouras told a Capital Link shipping conference in. London on Sept. 10.
Torben Kolln, managing director of German-based container. delivering group Leonhardt & & Blumberg, stated the Red Sea and broader. Gulf of Aden was a no go area for their fleet.
Gotten in touch with , the companies did not respond to a. ask for discuss whether they had been targeted by the. Houthi email project.
Some business continue to cross the Red Sea due to binding. long-lasting contracts with charterers or due to the fact that they need to. transfer goods because particular area.
The Red Sea stays the fastest way to bring products to. customers in Europe and Asia.
The Houthis have not stopped all traffic and most of. Chinese and Russian-owned ships - which they do not view as. associated with Israel - are able to cruise through unhindered. with lower insurance expenses.
We are re-assuring the ships belonging to business that. have no connection with the Israeli opponent that they are safe and. have freedom (of movement) and (to) keep the AIS devices going. on all the time, according to an audio recording of a Houthi. message broadcast to ships in the Red Sea in September shared. with Reuters.
Thank you for your cooperation. Out..
(source: Reuters)