Latest News
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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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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.
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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)
South Korean container ship to test Arctic route from Europe amid Western concerns
South Korea will flag off a container ship bound to Europe via the Arctic on Saturday, testing if a route made possible by melting sea ice is commercially viable. However, the trip requires Russian cooperation, which could cause friction with Western allies.
The 'trip' would be South Korea’s first commercial voyage via the Arctic to Europe, if it is successful. It will join China and Russia as the only countries that have run or tested cargo services on this 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 level for the year around September, which is when the majority of this journey will take place. This makes navigation safer, said an official from the group, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak to the media.
President Lee Jae?Myung made Arctic shipping his 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 NOT HAPPY 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 engagement 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 have also said that South Korea may be in danger of violating sanctions if it asks Russia for help with problems on its route, like getting stuck in the 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 the faster melting of Arctic sea ice attributed by global warming. The Norwegian tracking foundation Centre for High North Logistics said that 88 vessels transited the NSR in 2013, up from 43 in 2022 and 97 in 2024. This is mainly due to nations like 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 and use less fuel. Commercial feasibility may be more difficult to determine.
Hyewonchoi, an ex-navy officer, said that factors like vessel size limitations and insurance costs swelled the unit?transport costs on the Arctic route.
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 trip. It bought a 2,700 TEU (Twenty Foot Equivalent Units) container ship that HMM is currently modifying for polar navigation. The crew includes 20 Koreans and Indonesians.
The company said it was looking for at least 1,300 TEUs of cargo, including automobile parts, cosmetics and food, as well as shipments from China, and Japan. Clients from Japan have expressed interest.
FIRST-MOVER AVANTAGE
The PanStar official stated that China was 'already trying to gain 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.
(source: Reuters)