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Minister says that Brazil will auction off the massive Santos Container Terminal in early March.
The federal government of Brazil plans to auction off the massive Tecon '10 container terminal at Santos Port in the first half of March, said Minister of Ports and airports Silvio Costa Filho on Friday. He said that more than 10 bidders have expressed interest in the auction, including the Philippines-based ICTSI, JBS, JSL and unnamed 'Arab investors. The Minister said that the minimum bid price will be below?6.4 billion (about $1.19 billion), the amount of money the winning bidder must invest to build and run the terminal. Roberto Lopes confirmed that the Rio Brasil Terminal, controlled by ICTSI will participate 'in the auction, and will 'bid alone with no partners. JBS did not respond to comment requests immediately. JBS is listed in New York, and it has a container contract in the southern Brazil. JSL also did not respond to comment requests. The Brazilian Federal Audit Court (TCU), citing market concentration concerns, recommended earlier this week that the operators of the existing container terminals in the Santos Port be banned from participating in the first round of bidding. The decision has dealt a serious blow to container terminal operators in Latin America’s largest port, including Danish shipping group Maersk and MSC. The recommendation states that these companies can only enter the second phase of the auction if they do not receive any valid bids in the first.
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Cathay passenger arrested for trying to open the door in flight from Boston to Hong Kong
Hong Kong Police?said Friday that they had 'arrested' a passenger who was on Cathay Pacific CX811 flight between Boston and Hong Kong. The carrier claimed the individual attempted to?open a door in mid-flight, on December 10th. The airline stated that no passengers or crew were injured, and the flight safely landed early on Thursday. The incident is being investigated by the?police force of the city. Cathay Airlines said that the cabin crew acted immediately to resolve the issue, checked the door to make sure it was closed securely, and reported the incident both to the authorities and police. The case was?turned over to police for an investigation. "At?Cathay the safety of both our crew and customers is at the forefront of every decision we make." Hong Kong police confirmed the incident, and said that a male 20-year-old from mainland China was arrested on suspicion of violating Aviation Security Ordinance. (Reporting and editing by Tom Hogue; Farah master, Farah)
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JD.com promises $3.12 billion in housing support for couriers
JD.com is one of China's biggest e-commerce firms. It has pledged to provide housing support for its army of couriers. JD.com announced its move in a Friday post on the official WeChat page of its company. This follows a similar pledge made by food delivery firm Meituan. Meituan announced last month that it would invest 10 billion Yuan over the next five years in order to create a comprehensive welfare system for delivery riders. JD.com, Meituan and Alibaba have been fighting for the market share of instant retail, or goods that are delivered in an hour. The competition has led companies to spend billions on?subsidies and discounts for consumers, which have squeezed profit margins and prompted regulatory scrutiny. Chinese authorities have summoned Meituan and JD to encourage them to engage in rational competition. China's 12 million estimated couriers, who ride around on bicycles wearing the brightly colored uniforms of their employers, delivering anything from bubble tea and iPhones, are under increased pressure. In recent years, the plight of delivery workers in China has been brought to the attention of the public through hit movies and best-selling memoirs. Viral videos on social media have also highlighted the precarious lives of these drivers. As a response, some firms have improved the'social insurance coverage of couriers, and others have altered incentive structures to reward riders for making timely deliveries, instead of penalising them for being late. JD.com said in a Friday post that it had already provided housing for 28,000 front-line staff and would provide 150,000 over the next five years. Meituan offers subsidised "Rider Apartments", which are affordable and secure housing. Rents in certain areas of Beijing can be as low as 50% of the market rate.
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Cathay passenger opens aircraft door in flight from Boston to Hong Kong
Cathay Pacific confirmed on Friday that on December 10, a passenger aboard flight CX811 from Boston to Hong Kong tried to open an aircraft's door in mid-flight. The airline stated that no passengers or crew members were injured, and the flight "landed safely" early on Thursday morning. The police are now handling the incident. Hong Kong Police Department did not?respond immediately to a request for comment. Cathay stated that "our cabin crew immediately attended to the problem, checked the door to make sure it was closed securely, and reported the matter to the appropriate authorities and police." The case was handed to the police for an investigation. "At Cathay, the safety of our crew and customers guides all?decisions?we take." The South China Morning Post reported that the passenger was a 20-year old?mainland Chinese. The South?China Morning Post was unable to independently verify passenger's identification. Reporting by Farah Masters; Editing and proofreading by Tom Hogue
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Coach Livakovic claims that the goalkeeper on loan from Girona, Livakovic, refuses to play.
Girona manager Michel stated that on-loan goalkeeper Dominik livakovic refused to play for his club in order to 'keep his options open' for a move which he believes will 'improve his chances of playing at the World Cup for Croatia next year. Livakovic has played 71 times for the 2018 World Cup runners up Croatia. He joined the Spaniards in September on loan after Ederson arrived at the Turkish club. Michel, 30, has only played twice this season for Girona. Paulo Gazzaniga is Michel's first choice in goal. According to FIFA rules, players can register with up to three clubs in a single season but only play at two. Michel said: "Livakovic has an amazing personality, but he is on a different timeline and has goals that are not the same as Girona." "He should play for the World Cup and not Girona." He is sincere. He said he didn't like being here and that he would rather play for another club because he couldn't play for another one if he was with Girona. We have contacted Livakovic’s management agency to get a comment. Michel claimed that Livakovic refused to play against third-tier Ourense during the Copa del Rey in this month, while Gazzaniga had to play due to illness. The manager of the Spanish team added: "He was supposed play and he said he wouldn't." "Gazzaniga was ill with the flu in Ourense and had a 38-degree fever. "I only have one goalkeeper available... until the transfer window in winter, I am aware that we have a serious problem." Girona finished 18th with 12 points in the standings, after finishing third in 2023-24 LaLiga.
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Southwest CEO expects Boeing MAX 7 certification around August 2026
Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan said on Thursday that the Boeing 737 MAX 7 is expected to be certified around August 2026. The U.S. airline will then'start flying' the small single-aisle aircraft during the first quarter in 2027. Jordan, speaking at an event hosted by the Wings Club of New York City, said that "Boeing had said about mid-summer." "I'd guess that it will be?certified in August 2026." Jordan told analysts he expects the certification of Boeing’s smallest MAX Jet sometime in the first half 2026. The aircraft could enter service by the end of the next quarter. Southwest does not have a MAX 7 in its fleet plan for 2026. Southwest is the MAX 7's launch customer. Boeing has been unable to certify its MAX 7 or MAX 10 models because of a problem with engine de-icing. Boeing has also faced delays when trying to certify the widebody 777X. Boeing's CEO Kelly Ortberg told analysts in the past that he expects certification of the MAX 7 and larger MAX 10 jets to occur by 2026. He did not give a specific date. Boeing referred on Thursday to Ortberg's remarks. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States has announced that it will propose changes in order to speed up certification for new commercial aircraft.
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US lawmakers call for tougher safety regulations on military helicopters
Cruz-Cantwell Bill proposes stricter safety requirements The Defense Bill allows the Transportation Secretary to grant waivers Families of crash victims demand visibility standards that are enforceable By David Shepardson WASHINGTON, Dec 11 - U.S. lawmakers urged on Thursday to strengthen military heli safety rules in an annual defense bill following the fatal crash of an Army Black Hawk with an American Airlines passenger?jet, which killed 67 people. Ted Cruz, Republican chair of the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee, and Maria Cantwell (top Democrat) filed a joint amendment on Thursday to remove the military helicopter clause from the defense bill, and replace it with tougher requirements that were approved by the committee back in October. The Cruz-Cantwell bill would require aircraft operators by the end of 2031 to equip their fleets with an ?automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast system, also known as ADS-B. Advanced tracking technology allows aircrafts to broadcast their exact position, altitude and velocity. The Cruz-Cantwell Bill also proposes significant safety reforms. These include a heightened oversight of jet traffic, helicopter traffic, and flight routes close to commercial airports. The senators, in a statement released jointly, criticized the proposal included in the defense legislation. After the?collision on January 29, aviation safety in Washington has been questioned. The Army Black Hawk helicopter that was involved in the accident was flying over maximum altitude and at the time, it wasn't broadcasting ADS-B. The Federal Aviation Administration banned the Army's helicopter flights near the Pentagon after a close call occurred in May. The bill requires U.S. helicopters flying training missions to broadcast warnings to commercial aircraft nearby, but it does not specify what type of alerts should be sent. The Defense Department may be able to waive this requirement after completing a risk analysis and addressing the risks to commercial aircraft. Cantwell stated that the defense bill will roll back FAA regulations imposed after the crash. Cantwell stated that the bill "leaves the public less secure". Top Republicans and Democrats in the Senate Armed Services Committees and the House Armed Services Committees have defended this less restrictive provision. They said that any waiver would still require the approval of the Transportation Secretary. The lawmakers of the Armed Services Committees said that these important requirements were critical first steps that will help to make our skies safer. Republican Troy Nehls chairs a House Aviation Subcommittee. He said that the Defense Bill "fails seriously to consider?the safety of DC’s congested airport." Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, called the helicopter proposal in the defense bill "an unacceptable danger to the flying public." The language of the defense bill is not acceptable to the families of those who died in the collision on January 29. In a press release, they demanded "real, enforceable standards of visibility for all military aircraft that operate near civilian traffic." David Shepardson, Washington reporter; David Gregorio, editor
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US prepares to seize additional tankers near Venezuelan coast after first vessel taken, say sources
Six sources with knowledge of the situation said that the U.S. was preparing to intercept additional ships transporting Venezuelan crude oil after the seizure this week of a tanker. This is part and parcel of increasing pressure on Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro. It was the first time that a Venezuelan oil tanker or cargo had been intercepted by U.S. authorities since 2019. The seizure came at a time when the U.S. is executing a massive military buildup on the southern Caribbean and as 'U.S. Donald Trump is pushing for Maduro to be ousted. Sources said that the latest U.S. actions have put shipowners and operators involved in shipping Venezuelan crude oil on alert. Many are now reconsidering whether they will continue to do so in the near future. Sources familiar with the situation, who declined to name themselves due to the sensitive nature of the issue, expect the U.S. to continue to intervene directly in the weeks to come against ships transporting Venezuelan oil, which may have also transported oil from countries that are under U.S. sanction, like Iran. U.S. ASSEMBLES TANKER TARGET LIST: SOURCE PDVSA, Venezuela's oil state company, did not respond to a comment request. Venezuela's government said this week that the U.S. seizure was a "theft." When asked if the Trump administration intended to seize more ships, White House spokesperson Karoline leavitt said she wouldn't speak about future action but that the U.S. will continue implementing the president’s sanctions policies. She said: "We won't stand by while sanctioned ships sail the oceans with black-market oil, whose proceeds will fuel the narcoterrorism and illegitimate governments around the globe." According to a person familiar with the situation, the U.S. is preparing a list of additional sanctioned oil tankers that could be seized. According to two people, the U.S. Justice Department (DoJ) and Homeland Security (HS) had planned the seizures for months. The Maduro government would be financially strained if Venezuelan oil exports were to cease or reduce. They are the primary source of revenue for Venezuela. Treasury Department announced on Thursday that it had imposed sanctions against six supertankers, which, according to PDVSA internal documents and data from ship monitoring, "recently loaded crude oil in Venezuela", and four Venezuelans including three relatives of Cilia Flores, the first lady of Venezuela. It is not known if the newly sanctioned vessels are among those that will be targeted for interception. The seizure on Wednesday comes after the U.S. In recent months, the U.S. has conducted more than 20 airstrikes against what it claims are drug vessels in both the Caribbean and Pacific. More than 80 people have been killed. Experts claim that the strikes could be extrajudicial illegal attacks. The U.S., however, claims it is protecting Americans against drug cartels which it has labeled as terrorist organizations. According to a U.S. Venezuelan policy source, further ship seizures may be used to tighten the financial screws against Maduro. Maduro claims that the U.S. buildup in military forces is aimed at toppling him and gaining control over the OPEC nation’s oil resources. The U.S. is now focusing on what they call the "shadow fleet" of tankers, which transports oil sanctioned to China as the biggest buyer of crude from Venezuela or Iran. The sources said that a single vessel would often make separate trips for Iran, Venezuela, and Russia. Sources said that the seizure by authorities of the Skipper tanker caused at least one shipper to suspend temporarily the voyages for three newly loaded shipments of Venezuela's flagship export grade Merey totaling nearly 6 million barrels. A Venezuelan oil trader said, "The cargoes had just been loaded and they were about to sail to Asia." The voyages have been cancelled, and now tankers are waiting near the Venezuelan coast because it is safer. Surveillance of Targets One source said that U.S. forces are monitoring the tankers and vessels at sea, as well as those in Venezuelan ports being repaired or loaded. They will wait until they sail into international waters to take action. Another source said that in the weeks leading up to the?seizure' of Skipper - which had been previously sanctioned due to its oil trade with Iran - U.S. forces increased surveillance of waters near Venezuela and the neighboring Guyana. Leavitt, at the White House said that the vessel seized was expected to sail into a U.S. Port where the government plans to seize the oil cargo through a legal process. One source said that the timing of future seizures will partly depend on how fast ports can receive seized vessels to?unload oil cargoes. The shadow fleet of vessels that transports sanctioned oil is largely comprised of old ships, whose ownership is obscure and who sail without insurance. Many ports would be reluctant to accept the vessels. One source said that a U.S. Warship monitored and briefly detained a vessel called the Seahorse in November, because it was under UK and European Union sanctions for its oil trade links with Russia. The vessel then sailed into Venezuela. Legal experts said that while the Venezuelan government called the U.S. seizure "an act international piracy," it didn't fall under this definition in international law. Laurence Atkin-Teillet is a British specialist in piracy, law of the ocean and maritime terrorism. The term "piracy" in this context seems to be a rhetorical or figurative usage, and not a legal one.
Montreal dockworkers' union turns down offer; lockout begins
The Montreal Longshoremen's Union declined a last offer produced a brand-new labour contract, leading to a lockout being stated, the Maritime Employers Association ( MEA) and the union said on Sunday.
The MEA stated in a statement the lockout, which will affect almost 1,200 port workers at the Canadian port that handled 8.7 million metric lots in the third quarter of 2024, has actually been stated since 9 p.m. eastern (02:00 GMT).
The lockout will even more slow Canadian imports and exports at a time the Port of Montreal was currently operating at partial capability and as West Coast ports are stopped due to a separate disagreement.
The union representing longshoremen at the Port of Montreal stated the deal was turned down by 99.7% of members since the company refused to work out.
If the MEA had appreciated the collective bargaining procedures, services would have been discovered and a dispute at the Port of Montreal would have been avoided, said union adviser Michel Murray in a declaration.
Two terminals operated by Termont, the container terminal operator based out of the Port of Montreal, representing about 40% of Montreal's container traffic and 15% of total port volume, have been closed down by the union's strike, which began on Oct. 31.
Nevertheless, after Sunday's statement all longshoring at the port will be locked out. And only necessary services unrelated to longshoring will continue at the Port of Montreal.
The MEA said that its last offer attended to a 3% income increase annually for 4 years and a 3.5% increase for the two subsequent years.
West Coast ports including Canada's largest port of Vancouver have actually likewise been primarily closed down because Monday due to a. labor dispute, impacting exports of canola oil and forest. products.
(source: Reuters)