JUPITER SEA & AIR SERVICES PVT. LTD, EGMORE – CHENNAI, INDIA.
E-MAIL : Robert.sands@jupiterseaair.co.in Mobile : +91 98407 85202
Corporate News Letter for Thursday October 16, 2025
Today’s
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/// Sea Cargo News ///
MSC
and Shipping Corporation of India Add Port of Sines to IPAK Service
The inclusion of Sines is expected to improve transit efficiency to Western Europe and provide shippers with a strategic transshipment hub offering deepwater facilities and advanced logistics infrastructure. The move also strengthens Portugal’s position as a growing maritime gateway for south-north trade flows.
The updated IPAK rotation will
now include major ports in India, Pakistan, the UAE and Europe, with Sines
serving as an additional call alongside traditional gateways such as Valencia,
Gioia Tauro and Antwerp. This development is aimed at boosting service
frequency, reducing transit times and offering greater flexibility for
exporters and importers.
Industry observers note that the
addition of Sines reflects the increasing demand for India–Europe trade routes
and the strategic importance of collaborative operations between global
carriers like MSC and national carriers like SCI. The enhanced IPAK
service is expected to take effect in the coming weeks.
Bangladesh
to lease three major container terminals to global operators
Bangladesh plans to transfer management of three major container terminals to international operators by December, in a move aimed at modernising port operations and boosting trade efficiency. The facilities include Chattogram’s New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT), the Laldia Terminal, and the Pangaon Inland Container Terminal near Keraniganj, according to the Bangladesh Shipping Ministry.
Under
the proposed agreements, Laldia Terminal will be leased for 30 years, while NCT
and Pangaon will be managed under 25-year contracts. The move is expected to
significantly cut vessel waiting times—currently costing operators about
$15,000 per day—and accelerate cargo handling through modern management and
technology.
Although service tariffs may see modest adjustments after years of stagnation, faster turnaround times and improved efficiency are expected to more than offset the impact. These improvements are projected to attract higher ship traffic and new investments into Bangladesh’s maritime sector.
Industry
stakeholders at the event called for continued incentives for local shipowners
and reforms in customs and shipbuilding tariffs to strengthen Bangladesh’s
position as a competitive regional maritime hub. Among the potential
global partners under consideration is DP World, while Chittagong Dry Dock
Limited will oversee interim terminal operations until the new management
contracts take effect.
US
threatens raft of penalties against states supporting IMO NZF
The current US administration had already made its “unequivocal” rejection of the IMO net zero plan and threatened retaliation against states voting in favour of it at the extraordinary meeting of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) from 14 – 17 October. However, what form this retaliation would take had remained unclear and the expectation was that it would be tariffs.
A
joint statement by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Energy Chris
Wright, and Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, issued on 10 October
details a raft of potential measures that directly target shipping and maritime
in a similar way to the USTR port fees on China-owned, operated and built ships
that come into force on October 14.
“President
Trump has made it clear that the United States will not accept any
international environmental agreement that unduly or unfairly burdens the
United States or harms the interests of the American people,” the joint
statement said.
“The
NZF proposal poses significant risks to the global economy and subjects not
just Americans, but all IMO member states to an unsanctioned global tax regime
that levies punitive and regressive financial penalties, which could be
avoided.” The NZF will require a two-thirds
majority vote in favour by member states of the IMO at the MEPC meeting next
week.
The
US is trying to dissuade nations from supporting the global carbon tax and has
set a series of five measures it is considering against states that vote in
favour: Potentially blocking vessels registered with flag-states
supporting anti-competitive practices. Additional port fees for
ships owned, operated, or flagged by countries supporting the framework
Imposing visa restrictions, fees, mandatory interview requirements, and
quotas for crew visas.
Commercial
penalties relating to US government contracts where shipping is provided
vessels flagged with states supporting the NZF And possible
sanctions on officials sponsoring “activist-driven climate policies”
The
joint statement concluded: “The United States will be moving to levy these
remedies against nations that sponsor this European-led neo-colonial export of
global climate regulations. We will fight hard to protect our economic
interests by imposing costs on countries if they support the NZF. Our
fellow IMO members should be on notice.”
The
build up to the extraordinary meeting of the MEPC has become increasingly
fractious over the last month as both member states and industry make their
stances clear ahead of the vote. With less than a week to go before the vote on
the NZF on 17 October it remains to be seen how much impact the US threats
will have in swaying the decisions of IMO member states.
China’s retaliatory port fees add fresh chaos to global shipping
Starting tomorrow to coincide with the US plans to charge Chinese tonnage increased port fees, China will demand an extra RMB400 ($56) per net ton for US-built, operated, flagged – or even listed – ships, something that adds further significant complexity and uncertainty for shipping.
While
the number of US-flagged ships and US-based companies is very modest, the
number of affected ships becomes meaningful when US-listed players are
included. Most affected, according to Jefferies, are crude tankers (16% of
global fleet affected), LPG (14%), product tankers (13%), and containerships
(11%), figures that the investment bank says are high enough to create sizeable
disruption.
In
line with US plans to increase port fees in the coming years, the initial
RMB400 per net ton levied by Beijing will rise each year through to 2028, when
it will stand at RMB1,120. The China Shipowners
Association (CSA) has condemned US actions as violations of World Trade Organi-zation
non-discrimination principles and examples of “US hegemonic practices.”
The
CSA described Beijing’s response as a vital legal weapon to defend fair
competition, safeguard maritime security, and uphold global trade order—warning
that Washington’s unilateralism “will only lift a stone to drop it on its own
foot…Meanwhile, the Trump administration has made some last-minute tweaks to
its own port fees plan, revising the basis for calculating service fees on
vessel operators of foreign-built vehicle carriers, tripling the costs, while
easing restrictions that would be imposed on export licenses for LNG cargoes if
non-US-built vessels are deployed.
The
US Trade Representative also said Friday (10) it would impose tariffs of 100%
on ship-to-shore cranes and intermodal chassis and parts, a move that targets
Chinese-made port equipment. Broader uncertainty around
US-China relations also continues, with tensions around Chinese rare earth
export controls spurring renewed US threats to increase tariff levels on all
imports from China to 100%.
Chinese
containership Istanbul Bridge is scheduled to arrive at the
UK’s largest terminal Felixstowe during the afternoon of October 13. The
Panamax vessel completed the 7,500 nautical mile voyage from China via the
Arctic Northern Sea Route in just 20 days. A comparable voyage through the Suez
Canal measures 11,000 nautical miles and routinely takes between 40-50 days.
Istanbul
Bridge’s
voyage is the first liner-type service via the polar region connecting Asia and
Europe and calling at several Chinese and European ports. It is also the first
time a container ship has traveled from China to the UK via the Arctic.
Sealegend,
the operator of the Istanbul Bridge, calls the new service “China-Europe Arctic Express”.
The company laid the foundation for the route with the acquisition of the Ice-1
ice-class containership last year…It is unclear what type of fuel the Istanbul
Bridge was using during its transit and if it was in full compliance
with the IMO’s Polar Code.
Istanbul
Bridge’s
Arctic voyage aims to beat the Fall rush into European terminals when
containerships arrive delivering Asian goods for the holiday season.
“[The Arctic route] greatly enhances supply chain speed, reduces required
business inventory by 40 percent and cuts capital costs for businesses,”
Sealegend’s Li explained.
Loaded
with up to 4,843 standard containers (TEU) the box carrier departed from
Ningbo-Zhoushan on September 22. It crossed Russia’s Northern Sea Route in just
5 days at an average speed of 17 knots. This late in the summer navigation
season very little sea ice remains along the main Arctic shipping lane. The
vessel did not receive any icebreaker escort and navigated independently along
the entire length of the route.
After
the Felixstowe port call the carrier will continue onward to Rotterdam, Hamburg
and Gdansk. While Istanbul Bridge has received much of the
public media attention in recent weeks, it
is not the only container shipping company testing the Arctic waters.
A
least three other box carriers were active on the route at the same time
conducting point-to-point voyages. Russia’s Northern Sea Route has set a new
record for containership activity this summer surpassing more than 20 transits…While
the route remains very niche – in 2024 it saw around 100 vessel transits
compared to 13,000 for the Suez Canal – a number of companies have continuously
expanded their Arctic operations.
NewNew Shipping, another Chinese containership operator, has five vessels operating in the region this summer aiming to surpass last year’s record of 13 Arctic sailings.
First Methanol-Powered Bunker Tanker Launched for Ops in Singapore
Designed
by SeaTech Solutions International, the vessel is being built by China’s
Taizhou Maple Shipyard. Named Maya Cosulich, she will be owned by
Italy’s Fratelli Cosulich Group. The vessel will be on a fixed-rate
time-charter contract with global commodities trader Trafigura.
When
it enters service in Singapore will be deployed for TFG Marine, Trafigura’s
international marine fuel supply and procurement joint venture with Frontline
and Golden Ocean. Fratelli Cosulich Bunkers Singapore will oversee the
technical management and operations of the vessel.
The
launch took place on October 9 in China, and the vessel is expected to arrive
in Singapore at the end of 2025. The vessel is 7,990 dwt and uses coated tanks
so that it will be able to carry both green methanol and biofuels.
It
will have two fixed pitch propellers, each driven by an electric motor via a
gear box and three dual-fuel generator sets. An onboard battery storage system
will optimize the use of the dual-fuel generators. This vessel was
ordered in December 2023. Work began in August on a sister ship, Anna
Cosulich, also being built in China.
The
companies highlight that the Maya Cosulich project represents
the culmination of a collaboration that began in 2023 between Fratelli Cosulich
Group, TFG Marine, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, and their
technical and shipyard partners. It was designed for the needs of the
Singapore market and is specifically outfitted with two mass flow meters to be
fully compliant with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore’s methanol
bunkering standards.
When
it enters service, it will become the first methanol dual-fuel bunker tanker to
operate in the Port of Singapore.
Navi Mumbai International Airport inaugurated : India’s next cargo and connectivity powerhouse takes flight
India’s
aviation and logistics ambitions soared to a new high on Wednesday as Prime
Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Phase 1 of the ₹19,650-crore Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), a
landmark Greenfield project set to redefine air connectivity and cargo movement
across western India.
Spread
over 1,160 hectares, the airport is expected to ease congestion at Mumbai’s
overburdened Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) and
unlock fresh potential for air freight, exports, and multimodal logistics.
Calling
the project a reflection of Viksit Bharat, Prime Minister Modi said, “Now
Mumbai has a new airport, which will be Asia’s largest connectivity hub. With
this, farmers in Maharashtra will be connected to markets in the Middle East
and Europe.”
Union
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu noted that under the current
government, 90 new airports have been built in just 11 years, calling it a
“global record” and a testament to India’s growing aviation
ecosystem.
According
to Arun Bansal, CEO of Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL), NMIA is designed to
do more than handle passenger traffic; it aims to position India as a true
aviation hub.“In India, we don’t yet have a hub like Dubai. Navi Mumbai will
play a significant role in changing that, enabling carriers like Air India and
IndiGo to fly directly to major global destinations,” said Bansal.
Developed
by NMIA Ltd., a joint venture between Adani Group (74%) and CIDCO (26%), the
airport will eventually house four terminals, handling 90 million passengers
and 3.25 million metric tons of cargo annually, making it one of Asia’s largest
integrated airports. While its lotus-inspired passenger terminal designed by
Zaha Hadid Architects showcases architectural brilliance, NMIA’s true strength
lies in its cargo infrastructure.
A
dedicated cargo complex is being developed in phases, starting with manual
operations and scaling to fully automated and mechanized systems. Once
complete, NMIA will be capable of handling 3.25–3.5 million tonnes of cargo
annually, rivaling established hubs like Shanghai.
“If you
look at Southeast Asia, India doesn’t yet have a cargo hub. With the growth of
manufacturing and Make in India, Navi Mumbai will play a big role,” Bansal
added.
…Strategically
located near JNPT, NMIA offers seamless connectivity by air, sea, rail, and
road, helping reduce logistics costs and turnaround times for exporters. The
development is expected to decongest CSMIA while accelerating industrial and
logistics growth across the Navi Mumbai–Panvel–Raigad corridor with warehouses,
cold chains, and logistics parks.
As global
supply chains shift and India cements its place as a preferred manufacturing
hub, the timing of NMIA’s launch couldn’t be better.
With Air
India and IndiGo expanding widebody fleets and the DGCA license secured, the
stage is set for Navi Mumbai International Airport to become the hub that
connects India’s skyways to its supply chains, powering both commerce and
connectivity for decades to come.
Exclusive – Cargo veterans task force
to forge OST future
A brighter future for Ostend-Bruges International Airport (OST)’s cargo business may be on the horizon, as part of a wider development scheme for the airport. A dedicated team of renowned air cargo veterans has been set up. CargoForwarder Global spoke with CEO, Nathan De Valck about the path forward.
Artist
view of OST Airport in Flanders – photos: company courtesyIn April
last year, still under the leadership of Nathan De Valck’s predecessor, Eric
Dumas, Rose Yiqian Qiu was brought in as Cargo Sales Director for
Ostend-Bruges. “Rose was recruited because she not only speaks Chinese,
but she also has a great knowledge of the Chinese market,” says Mr. De
Valck, himself a veteran of the air cargo industry.
On
09OCT25, Johan Leunen joined the team as Cargo Development Director (please
view article in Short Shots). He entered the air cargo industry in 2000 and
retired on 01JAN25 as Senior Business & Development Manager with Brussels
Airport Company.
Working
with the team is another reputed name in the industry, Steven Verhasselt. He
has taken the position of Cargo Strategy on the management level of the Egis
Group, which owns 14 regional airports around the globe including the 2 Flemish
airports of Ostend-Bruges and Antwerp.
Steven
admits that this position did not exist on the group level. “My task
will be to identify the cargo related opportunities of the airports controlled
by the group and bring added value to the network,” he says. That may
include flows between the various airports, he adds.
Potential
routes include those between Europe and Africa, where Egis operates airports in
Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire), Pointe Noire, and Brazzaville (Democratic Republic of
Congo). Egis is also present in Cayenne, the main airport serving the Ariane
space project.
More than
cargo
As for Ostend, cargo is one of the four business segments that Nathan De Valck
would like to expand. Unlike Wallonia, which has separated Charleroi for
passengers and Liège Airport for cargo, De Valck says Ostend-Bruges will not
restrict itself to handling only cargo.
“We have a
thriving passenger business with leisure airline TUI, for which we act as
complementary to Brussels Airport. Secondly, we have a stable general and
business aviation segment. Last September, we were able to attract the
Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) business of Dutch EASP Air.” (see here).
As for
cargo, the airport boasts a completely renovated Apron 1 which has 6 freighter
positions, the old warehouse formerly used by MK Airlines, as well as a brand
new 16,000 m² facility built by local real estate group, Versluys. “In
the long run, there is room for a fourfold expansion,” says the
executive.
e-commerce
and perishables
Last month, Ostend-Bruges concluded
a collaboration agreement with
LeShuttle Freight, to set up a smooth line with the UK. “This
allows your e-commerce to arrive at the London thresholds faster than through
Heathrow,” Nathan De Valck is convinced.
Once upon
a time, Ostend Airport as it was then called, reached a tonnage of some 150,000
tons. For this year, a mere 25,000 tons are expected, management expects. “But
with the present infrastructure, the 150,000 tons should be possible. My
predecessor decided to surf along with e-commerce growth. It is the main driver
of the Belgian air cargo industry, which is larger than the Dutch, by the way.
Thanks to my colleague Rose, we can work on this market.”
“For
decades, we have had Egyptair as a reliable partner for perishables, and this
is another segment we want to develop further. One of Johan [Leunen]’s task
will be working on Africa and some specific routes ex China.”
“What we
want to offer is a round-the-clock airport serving a specific product of speed
through fast handling times. Today, we have only Aviapartner to rely on, but
eventually we want to attract a second handler.”
For
Ostend-Bruges International Airport, Nathan De Valck thinks of controlled
growth, with speedy handling as a quality. He thinks of volume doubling every
year. “From 25,000 to 50,000 tons is not a giant leap. It may be a 100%
growth ratio, but in absolute figures it does not mean so much. We need a
strong logistic chain, and we have the knowledge needed to achieve this aim at
our disposal. We are not very big, so our lead times are short, and we have the
space to grow.”
The Future of Artificial Intelligence
will be carried by air
When you
ask ChatGPT a question or watch Gemini generate an image, it feels like pure
digital magic. But here’s what most people miss: behind every AI conversation
lies massive hardware that is built, shipped, and installed across the world —
and much of it ships by air cargo.
Our author, Sabari Ramnath, Director for Travel and Transport Solutions, Unisys, sheds light on the topic.
The AI
supply chain has created completely new trade flows, states Sabari Ramnath –
image: privateThe
physical reality of Artificial Intelligence:
We think of AI as software living in the cloud. The reality is far more
tangible. Every time you interact with tools like Grok, Gemini, or ChatGPT,
you’re actually connecting to massive data centers packed with specialized
chips, working in perfect coordination to answer your query in seconds.
These
aren’t ordinary computer chips. A single ChatGPT conversation might engage
thousands of NVIDIA GPUs—processors like the A100 or H100—running trillions of
calculations simultaneously. Each of these chips contains hundreds of gigabytes
of ultra-fast memory and connects through specialized networks that move data
at extraordinary speeds.
This
infrastructure doesn’t materialize through software updates. It requires
manufacturing capacity, global coordination, and time-critical logistics. The
semiconductor industry posted 19.1% growth in 2024, with AI processors driving
a market expanding at 23% CAGR toward $457 billion by 2030. These aren’t
projections. These are purchase orders being fulfilled right now.
The new geography of competitive advantage
The AI supply chain has created trade flows that didn’t exist a few years ago.
Most AI chips begin their life in Taiwan, where TSMC fabricates NVIDIA’s
cutting-edge processors. High-bandwidth memory chips are manufactured in Korea.
These components then fly to assembly facilities and, ultimately, to data
centers in the United States, Europe, and beyond.
This isn’t
just any cargo. These chips represent some of the most valuable freight in the
sky today. A single shipping container of AI processors can be worth tens of
millions of dollars. More importantly, they’re time-sensitive. In the race to
build AI capacity, every day matters. Companies can’t wait weeks for ocean
freight. They need these components installed and running now.
Airlines
reimagine their mission
Smart airlines saw this coming and adapted quickly. They’re no longer just
moving packages—they’re becoming critical infrastructure for the AI revolution.
Qatar
Airways launched TechLift in 2024, a specialized service built specifically for
microchips and electronics.
The program uses shock-proof packaging and climate-controlled containers
because these chips are extraordinarily sensitive. A temperature spike or a
hard jolt can destroy millions of dollars of cargo. Lufthansa Cargo became
the first airline to join Silicon Saxony, Europe’s
largest association of companies in microelectronics, semiconductors, and IT.
DHL Global Forwarding Japan running dedicated charter flights for sensitive
semiconductor equipment.
These
aren’t small adjustments. Airlines and Forwarders are redesigning supply chain,
creating priority loading procedures, and expanding freighter fleets
specifically to serve AI hardware demand.
Why this
moment matters for the air cargo industry
AI hardware has emerged as the new engine driving air freight expansion. This
represents a fundamental restructuring of global trade patterns.
New supply
chains have materialized seemingly overnight. Korean memory manufacturers ship
to Taiwan, where components integrate with TSMC-fabricated GPUs, which then fly
to American data centers. These routes didn’t exist five years ago. Today,
they’re among the most valuable trade lanes in the world.
For
executives across industries, the implications are profound. The companies
building AI infrastructure today are reshaping logistics networks, creating new
geopolitical dependencies, and demonstrating that digital transformation still
requires physical movement at massive scale.
The Bottom
Line: Every AI query connects you not just to
code, but to a global supply chain of factories, cargo planes, and engineers.
The intelligence may be artificial—but the supply chain powering it is very
real. So, embrace the future—it’s already in motion.
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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