JUPITER SEA & AIR SERVICES PVT. LTD, EGMORE – CHENNAI, INDIA.
E-MAIL : Robert.sands@jupiterseaair.co.in Mobile : +91 98407 85202
Corporate News Letter for Tuesday October 14, 2025
Today’s
Exchange Rates
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88.67 |
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1.157 |
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118.2703 |
0.402405 |
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102.8098 |
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152.27 |
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/// Sea Cargo News ///
China to impose extra port fees on U. S.
ships
According
to Reuters, China will begin charging additional port fees on U.S. owned, U.S.
operated or U.S. Flagged vessels from October 14, 2025, the country’s transport
ministry announced. The move comes in
direct response to upcoming U.S. Port Fees targeting Chinese ships.
The
ministry called the U.S. action “discriminatory” and accused Washington of
disrupting global trade stability. Under the new Chinese measure, U.S. vessels
will pay 400 yuan (US$ 56.13) per net tonne per voyage, rising to 640 yuan in
April 2026, 880 yuan in April 2027 and 1,120 yuan (US$ 157.16) in April 2028.
MITSUI E&S ships 500th MITSUI PACECO
Portainer
BIMCO : USTR fees to hit 35% of fleet, no
rate hikes expected
When new fees from the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) targeting Chinese dominance in the maritime sector take effect on October 14, 2025, about 35% of ships in the combined bulk, crude tanker, product tanker and container fleet could face additional port charges when calling at U. S. Ports. “These ships represent 44% of total fleet capacity, yet US importers and exporters should not expect higher freight rates”, said Niels Rasmussen, Chief Shipping Analyst at BIMCo.
Global Container Trade sets new records in
2025
Three major ports designated as Green
Hydrogen Hubs
The
centre has formally recognised Deendayal Port Authority (Gujarat),
V.O.Chidambaranar Port Authority (Tamil Nadu), and Paradip Port Authority
(Odisha) as Green Hydrogen Hubs.
Commenting
on the development, Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda
Sonowal said, “Ports are important nodes in the transition towards net zero by
2070.” The green hydrogen mission adopts a cluster-based development model.
This
approach enhances early-stage project viability, enables infrastructure
convergence, and helps achieve economies of scale in identified regions, an
official statement said. Recognition of these ports is expected to catalyse
industrial participation, attract green investments, and promote innovation in
clean fuel technologies.
The
current scheme guidelines for setting up Hydrogen Valley Innovation Clusters
)HVIC) and Green Hydrogen Hubs provide the framework for identifying and
supporting potential regions capable of large-scale hydrogen activity, the
statement added.
When
Dubai built the Jebel Ali Port in the late 1970s, skeptics called it a folly in
the desert. Today, it is the cornerstone of the Gulf’s economic success.
Drawing that parallel, maritime historian Nick Collins wrote on X, “When Dubai
built Jebel Ali, many thought it madness. Now it anchors the Gulf economy.
India’s
Nicobar project may not be as momentous, but it's a bold move and part of a
potential maritime focus in which Delhi’s bureaucracy lets Indian
entrepreneurship take India forward.” His words capture the ambition — and
the risk — behind India’s Rs 72,000-crore Great Nicobar Project, one of
the country’s most audacious infrastructure ventures in recent decades.
Economic
Gateway
Experts
see the project as a move to capture 20-30% of regional cargo currently routed
through foreign hubs, reducing India’s dependence on ports like Singapore and
Colombo.
But
beyond commerce, the project carriers strategic undertone. Situated at the
southeastern edge of the Indian archipelago, Great Nicobar sits
Close
to the Six Degree Channel, a crucial shipping corridor. The port could serve as
India’s frontline base in the Eastern Indo Pacific, enhancing surveillance and
response capacity amid increasing Chinese naval activity.
This is India’s counter to China’s ‘string of pearls’ – not through confrontation, but by creating hubs of connectivity and commerce, said Collins, adding that island’s deep natural harbour gives it a logistical edge.
Government signals end
of SCI privatisation, plans capital infusion and fleet expansion
The
Indian government appears to have dropped its plan to privatise Shipping
Corporation of India Ltd (SCI) and is preparing instead to strengthen the
national carrier with fresh capital and fleet expansion.
Union
Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal confirmed in an
interview with The Economic Times that the government plans to infuse capital
into SCI to boost its fleet, a move seen as the clearest sign that the
privatisation process has been abandoned.
Following
this change in stance, SCI’s management, led by Chairman and Managing Director
Capt B.K. Tyagi, has urged the government to reverse the earlier demerger of
core and non-core assets.
The
demerger, done to facilitate privatisation, saw SCI’s prime real estate assets
– including the Shipping House HQ at Nariman Point, the Maritime Training
Institute at Powai and staff quarters in Mumbai and Kolkata – transferred to a
separate Company, Shipping Corporation of India Land and Assets Ltd (SCILAL).
The core shipping company has also transferred Rs. 1,000 crore to the non-core entity. SCI now argues that about Rs. 4,000 crore worth of assets are locked in SCILAL and wants the entities to be merged again.
PSA Mumbai welcomes new SEI1 service,
boosting regional trade connectivity
PSA
Mumbai has enhanced its regional connectivity with the launch of the SEI1
service, marking the maiden call of a COSCO SHIPPING vessel on 9 October
2025. The new standalone service connects major Southeast Asian
ports—Surabaya, Jakarta, Singapore, and Port Klang—with Nhava Sheva, creating a
vital trade corridor between Southeast Asia and the Indian Subcontinent.
With the addition of SEI1, PSA Mumbai further strengthens its role as a trusted gateway for global shipping lines, enabling faster transit times, improved service reliability, and seamless cargo movement across the region.
This
development underscores PSA Mumbai’s commitment to supporting international
trade growth and enhancing India’s position in the global logistics network.
Proposal to launch cargo flights from
Indore airport
Devi
Ahilyabai Holkar Airport (Indore) is set to enhance its air cargo operations by
launching dedicated cargo flights in collaboration with local trade and
industrial bodies.
The
proposal was discussed during the recent Airport Advisory Committee meeting,
chaired by MP Shankar Lalwani. Airport Director Vipin Kant Seth said the
initiative aims to boost regional exports and strengthen domestic freight
connectivity across central India., senior officials, and representatives from
various industry associations reviewed ongoing infrastructure projects and
future development plans.
He noted
the introduction of dedicated cargo services would enable faster, more
efficient movement of goods to key domestic and international markets.
Kansas Modification Center hopes to
gain 777 conversion STC in 2026
Conversion specialist Kansas Modification Center has pushed back expected FAA approval for its Boeing 777 freighter programme to late 2026.
Boeing
777-300ERCF. Photo: TelairConversion
firm Kansas Modification Center (KMC) is now hoping to achieve US Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) approval for its Boeing 777 programme later next
year.
Air Cargo
News sister title FlightGlobal reports that the company has
pushed back the date of expected Supplemental Type Certification due to an
extended engineering/flight testing timeline and delays on the FAA side.
Most
recently, FAA staff working on the project have stopped work due to the federal government shutdown. KMC founder and chief operating officer Jim Gibbs added that
the FAA’s inconsistent requirements have also slowed the process.
KMC had
originally hoped to have gained an STC for its 777-300ERCF conversion in 2024. “The
engineering took a little bit longer than what was expected”, as did
pre-modification flight testing, which involved “widespread fatigue-damage
tolerance” evaluations, Gibbs said.
However,
he added that work is progressing well and the company expects significant
demand for its programme thanks to its unique forward door that is calined to
improve ease of loading.
In total,
there are three companies offering a 777 conversion programme. In
September, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) annoucned it had received a Supplemental Type Certificate
(STC) certificate from both the US Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel (CAAI) for its
Boeing 777-300ERSF passenger to freighter (P2F) conversion.
IAI also
faced delays to its programme. It had been hoping to receive approval from the CAAI by the end
of 2022 and the US FAA soon after but
faced several delays.
Meanwhile, Mammoth
Freighters’ 777-200 programme is undertaking final test flights as it progresses towards Supplemental Type
Certification (STC) for the aircraft. Backbone Freighter Leasing is the launch customer for KMC’s programme, having ordered three of the aircraft back in 2022.
While the
programmes are likely to prove popular, given the expected tight supply of
widebody freighters over the coming years, they also face challenges. In a
recent webinar, market intelligence firm IBA said that feedstock is proving hard to find.
“A
critical shortage of feedstock due to high passenger market retention is
limiting the pace at which these aircraft can enter the freighter fleet,” IBA
said.
IBA
explained that high residual values and sustained passenger demand had resulted
in passenger airlines holding onto their 777-300ER fleets longer than planned.
Some
carriers are even refurbishing cabins, “indicating extended passenger service
life”, IBA added. Meanwhile, these developments are also driving up the cost of
converting a 777-300ER, which will put pressure on future margins.
“IBA
estimates that a converted 777-300ERSF in half-life condition is likely to cost
between $75–80m, with costs rising closer to $100m if the GE90-115 engines
require a shop visit.
“The
combination of low feedstock and conversion costs means that operators and
lessors will need to commit significant capital, potentially limiting the
market to those with strong financial backing.”
Delta Cargo moves to all-in pricing for
US exports
The
Atlanta-headquartered airline implemented the consolidated pricing model on 1
October, building all cargo surcharges into quoted rates
Delta
Cargo is moving to an ‘all-in’ rate structure for US domestic and export
shipments as it looks to simplify its pricing setup.
The
Atlanta-headquartered airline made the switch to all-in pricing for the US
domestic and export shipments on 1 October, with all cargo surcharges built
into the quoted price.
However,
screening fees, taxes, and ancillary charges will continue to be listed
separately.
The
airline said that the ”simplified” all-in pricing will make quotes for
shipments "clearer and more transparent to better serve our customers” and
added that it would provide a ”clear upfront view of the total cost”.
The cargo
business assured customers that the change of pricing structure was “not a
price increase”, emphasising that the change was designed to make ”quoting
clearer and more transparent”.
“This new
simplified pricing enhancement reflects feedback from our customers and our
commitment to making it easier to do business with Delta Cargo,” Delta Cargo
said in a note to customers.
Airlines
have in the past attempted to remove the fuel surcharge from their pricing as
part of efforts to simplify pricing, although the measure has met with mixed
response.
In 2017,
Emirates SkyCargo switched back to a separate fuel surcharge after two years of all-in pricing on the back of customer
demand.
When the
airline announced the change back to fuel surcharges, it said the all-in
pricing hadn't "worked as it was intended" and that the mechanism
"has not been dynamic or flexible enough to adapt to changing conditions
in a volatile market”.
When
Emirates initially made the switch to all-in pricing, the move was welcomed by shipper and forwarder groups because of the simplicity it brought.
It was
also felt that ending surcharges would make the market more stable with fewer
fluctuations.
WFS to expand Frankfurt e-commerce and forwarding facilities
The
handler’s investment in 24,000 sq m facilities equipped with ULD systems and
dimension scanners comes as Frankfurt cargo volumes reached 2.1m tonnes in 2024
WFS takes on extra
Frankfurt warehousesCargo
handler WFS has unveiled plans to expand its E-commerce & Freight
Forwarder Handling (EFFH) services at Frankfurt Airport as it looks to
capitalise on growing volumes at the German hub.
The
handler has signed a long-term lease on two warehouse facilities, located
in the Cargo City South area, that is due to commence in January. The
facilities are on a 24,000 sq m site and will be equipped with ULD handling
systems and volume and dimension scanners to expedite the processing of
shipments.
Once fully
operational, WFS will have the capacity to handle up to 100,000 tonnes of
import and export freight annually for e-commerce and freight forwarder
handling clients.
"Strategically
located at the entrance of Cargo City South, the warehouse operations are
ideally positioned for the efficient handling of truck shuttle services between
first-line facilities and forwarders’ warehouses in the Cargo City South area,
as well as for serving international drivers - including those operating within
WFS’s own European road feeder services network,” the company said.
The
company said the investment comes as cargo volumes through the airport -
Europe’s number one in terms of freight - rose 6.2% year on year to 2.1m
tonnes last year, with e-commerce helping boost performance.
Throughput
continued to increase in the first half of 2025, up another 1% over the
previous year. The investment in its EFFH services is the second from WFS
this year. In July, WFS opened a refurbished facility at Copenhagen
Airport to support the expansion of its
e-commerce business from the hub.
WFS also
offers EFFH services in Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, Liege, Madrid, Stockholm,
and at 12 airports across France, including Paris CDG.
Icelandair Cargo expands GSSA deal with
Strike Aviation
The
expanded partnership now covers Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria,
Czech Republic, Hungary and Ukraine.
Icelandair
Cargo Boeing 767FIcelandair
Cargo has extended its GSSA deal with Strike Aviation to include more countries
in central and eastern Europe.
The
expansion has seen Strike represent the airline in Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Romania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Ukraine.
This comes
in addition to their agreement covering Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which
started in June.
According
to its website, Icelandair Cargo includes Prague in its network, while the
other countries are close to other destinations such as Berlin, Salzburg,
Munich and Verona.
Andrius
Antanaitis, director of business development for Europe at Strike Aviation,
said: "This expansion highlights Strike Aviation’s growing role as a
trusted GSSA partner and marks an important milestone in strengthening our
footprint across Central and Eastern Europe, while further supporting
Icelandair’s Cargo presence in the region.
"With
Icelandair’s combined passenger and freighter operations, we see strong
potential for synergies and are excited about the prospects this collaboration
will bring."
Icelandair
Cargo recently re-entered the Turkish market with the launch of a new service to Istanbul. The service operates four times per week between Keflavik
and Istanbul using Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
The
airline offers a fleet of almost 50 aircraft, including two Boeing 767
freighters. The airline also recently signed an interline agreement with with Uzbekistan-based My Freighter.
7Air partners with Air Cargo Pack for
Miami-Georgetown service
The newly
certified Miami-based carrier will operate Boeing 737-800 freighters on the
route, handling perishables, pharmaceuticals and industrial equipment.
Newly
launched Miami airline 7Air has announced a partnership with Air Cargo
Pack (Guyana) to provide direct air cargo services between Miami and
Georgetown, Guyana.
The
airline, which recieved certification from the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) in February, announced the new partnership in a LinkedIn
post on 3 October.
The
service will be operated with Boeing 737-800 freighter aircraft, carrying
perishables, pharmaceuticals, industrial equipment, retail goods, and
e-commerce shipments, said 7Air.
Air Cargo
Pack (Guyana) will serve as the local representative, managing all sales,
bookings, and client support on the ground in Georgetown.
“Our
mission has always been to connect businesses with speed, reliability, and
flexibility,” said Michael Mendez, chief executive of 7Air. “This
partnership with Air Cargo Pack allows us to bring that promise to Guyana at a
moment when logistics are so critical to its growth.”
The
partnership comes at a pivotal time for Guyana, where trade and logistics
demand is rising with the country’s rapid economic growth.
By
launching a dedicated Miami–Georgetown service, 7Air and Air Cargo Pack
(Guyana) aim to improve delivery times, support just-in-time supply chains, and
open new opportunities for importers and exporters across a wide range of
industries.
FAA Part
121 certified carrier 7Air has continued to expand its presence across
Central America and the Caribbean. Last month it confirmed it had added flights to Costa Rica and
Antigua.
Air Cargo
Pack (Guyana) is a regional logistics company that provides airfreight services
between Guyana and key international markets, including Colombia, Brazil,
Mexico, Panama, and Miami.
I hope you have
enjoyed reading the above news letter.
Robert Sands
Joint Managing Director
Jupiter Sea & Air Services Pvt Ltd
Casa Blanca, 3rd Floor
11, Casa Major Road, Egmore
Chennai – 600 008. India.
GST Number : 33AAACJ2686E1ZS.
Tel : + 91 44 2819 0171 / 3734 / 4041
Fax : + 91 44 2819 0735
Mobile : + 91 98407 85202
E-mail : robert.sands@jupiterseaair.co.in
Website : www.jupiterseaair.com 1Branches : Chennai, Bangalore,
Mumbai, Coimbatore, Tirupur and Tuticorin.
Associate Offices : New Delhi, Kolkatta, Cochin &
Hyderabad.
Thanks to : Container News, Indian Seatrade, Cargo Forwarder Global & Air Cargo News.
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