JUPITER SEA & AIR SERVICES PVT. LTD, EGMORE – CHENNAI, INDIA.
E-MAIL : Robert.sands@jupiterseaair.co.in Mobile : +91 98407 85202
Corporate News
Letter for Saturday November 29,
2025
Today’s
Exchange Rates
|
CURRENCY▲ |
PRICE |
CHANGE |
%CHANGE |
OPEN |
PREV.CLOSE |
|
|
89.4775 |
0.167503 |
0.187553 |
89.41 |
89.31 |
|
|
|
1.1574 |
0.0022 |
0.189721 |
1.1596 |
1.1596 |
|
|
|
118.1567 |
0.153503 |
0.130084 |
118.3774 |
118.0032 |
|
|
|
103.5404 |
0.147499 |
0.142659 |
103.5596 |
103.3929 |
|
|
|
156.31 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
156.31 |
156.31 |
|
|
|
1.3213 |
0.0027 |
0.203925 |
1.324 |
1.324 |
|
|
|
99.748 |
0.211998 |
0.212986 |
99.57 |
99.536 |
|
|
|
0.5723 |
0.0009 |
0.157513 |
0.5713 |
0.5714 |
|
/// Sea Cargo News ///
Tamil Nadu unveils ambitious ₹1.2
trillion port expansion roadmap
In a major push to strengthen its maritime infrastructure and enhance global trade connectivity, the Tamil Nadu government has announced an expansive ₹1.2 trillion roadmap for port development across the state.
The initiative aims to modernize existing
facilities, develop deep-draft capabilities, and improve logistics efficiency
to position Tamil Nadu as one of India’s leading maritime hubs.
According to the state’s vision plan, the
investment will focus on upgrading key ports with advanced berths, container
handling systems, and enhanced cargo evacuation networks.
Deep-draft enhancements will allow larger
vessels to call at Tamil Nadu’s ports, significantly improving competitiveness
and reducing turnaround time for international trade.
A substantial portion of the funding will
also go toward developing multimodal logistics parts, strengthening last-mile
connectivity and improving road and rail infrastructure linked to major ports.
These integrated logistics improvements are
expected to streamline cargo movement and support industries across
manufacturing, automotive, textiles, petroleum and electronics.
Officials said that the roadmap aligns with
Tamil Nadu’s broader economic strategy to increase its share in national
maritime trade, attract global shipping lines and drive industrial growth. The
initiative is also expected to generate thousands of jobs and create new
opportunities for port-led development along the state’s coastline.
With this large scale investment and long
term vision, Tamil Nadu is set to accelerate its transformation into a high
capacity, technologically advanced maritime gateway for India and the wider
Indo-Pacific region.
Shipbuilders call for
a scrapping policy and a ban on older secondhand ship imports to spur growth
Local shipbuilders are pushing the government to introduce policy measures, including higher import duty and a vessel scrapping scheme, to check the import of second-hand older vessels of less than 6,000 gross tonnage (GT) to support long-term growth.
The demand to halt the import of second-hand
older vessels of less than 6,000 GT for commercial operations in India’s
territorial and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) waters comes at a time when the
country’s maritime regulator is working out a “consensus” with local fleet
owners to introduce age norms for ships, an issue which is opposed by small
ship owners.
Maersk
selects Charlotte as its new North American Head Quarters
The selection of Charlotte was driven by the market’s affordability, expanding talent pool and high quality of life. The new HQ will host key corporate functions including finance, human resources, commercial strategy and technology.
Maersk said the move will further support its
integrated logistics strategy and strengthen its ability to serve customers
across the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
MSC
announces new December freight rates for India – Pakistan to Europe
|
Port of Loading |
Port of Discharge |
Commodity |
Rate for 1x20 DV |
Rate for 1x40 DV & HQ |
|
Nhava Sheva |
Antwerp |
Freight of All Kinds |
1200 |
1200 |
|
Ennore |
Antwerp |
Freight of All Kinds |
1400 |
1400 |
|
Kolkatta |
Antwerp |
Freight of All Kinds |
1500 |
1500 |
|
Port Qasim |
Antwerp |
Freight of All Kinds |
1200 |
1200 |
MSC noted that the announced rates include
the base ocean freight, Contingency Adjustment Charge (CAC), Piracy Risk
Surcharge (PRS) and Emission Control Areas (ECA) surcharge. Additional charges
remain applicable under the company’s standard tariff structure.
|
Port of Loading |
Port of Discharge |
Commodity |
Rate for 1x20 DV |
Rate for 1x40 DV & HQ |
|
Nhava Sheva |
Valencia |
Freight of All Kinds |
1300 |
1300 |
|
Ennore |
Valencia |
Freight of All Kinds |
1500 |
1500 |
|
Kolkatta |
Valencia |
Freight of All Kinds |
1600 |
1600 |
|
Port Qasim |
Valencia |
Freight of All Kinds |
1300 |
1300 |
Applicable surcharges include a Bunder
Recovery Charge (BRC) of USD 172 per TEU (dry), ETS at USD 55 per TEU, Fuel EU
at USD 16 per TEU and Origin Terminal Handling Charges set individually for
Nhava Sheva, Ennore, Kolkatta and Port Qasim.
Destination THC apply and payable extra at
European ports including Antwerp and Valencia. Security related fees including
CSF, ISPS and Port release fees remain in effect based on origin and
destination.
Wartsila
expands data center power solutions in US
Technology Group Wartsila deliver 27 engines
to supply continuous primary power for a new US data centre constructions. The
Onsite power facility will feature 27 Wartsila 50SG flexible engines,
generating 507 MW.
The engines run on natural gas and can be
converted to sustainable fuels in the future. Delivery is scheduled for 2027.
The order was recorded in Wartsila’s Q4 2025 intake.
Godby Shipping completes acquisition of RoRo vessel
Zeebrugge welcomes MSC San Francisco
The port of Zeebrugge recorded a new draft milestone with the container vessel MSC San Francisco moored at CSP Zeebrugee with a draft of 16.80 meters, the deepest ever registered in the port.
This surpasses previous records set earlier
this year by MSC Olivia and MSC Mina.
The MSC San Francisco operates on the LION
service, a direct connection from the Far East with calls in Zeebrugge and
subsequently Antwerp. The vessel arrived from Colombo-Sri Lanka and has a
capacity of 16,198 TEU, a length of 366 meters and a beam of 51.09 meters.
This record call illustrates the maritime
expertise and operational capability of the port of Zeebrugge. Thanks to
continuous investments in infrastructure and nautical accessibility, the port
remains well equipped to safely and efficiently accommodate vessels with
significant draft.
Marc Beerlandt, CEO of MSC Belgium stated
that this achievement confirms the appeal of our ports for the largest vessels
and reinforces the reliability of the logistics chain.
Dirk De fauw, Mayor of Brugge and Vice
President of Port of Antwerp-Bruges, highlighted the new draft record as a
remarkable moment for the port and they continue to put Zeebrugge on the map as
a reliable and high performing gateway to Europe.
Nathalie Balcaen, Administrator General of
the Agency for Maritime and Coaster Services noted that these records reflect
the port’s ambition to welcome the largest ships and to continue growing.
China Eastern eyes South America with new Buenos Aires route
China
Eastern Airlines aims to improve air cargo supply chains between the
Asia-Pacific and South America with the launch of regular flights to the
latter region for the first time.
Shanghai-headquartered
China Eastern Airlines will launch regular flights between Shanghai Pudong
International Airport and Buenos Aires’ Ministro Pistarini International
Airport for the first time on 4 December.
Flying via
Auckland in New Zealand for a fuel stop, the route – all 19,700km of it – will
be operated twice a week (Mondays and Thursdays) by Boeing 777-300ER
aircraft.
China-headquartered
transport and logistics services supplier World Jaguar Logistics is offering up
to 15 tonnes per week cargo capacity on the service, it said in a recent
LinkedIn post. The company described the
connection as “a seamless solution for faster, reliable cargo between China and
Argentina”.
CNN quoted
China Eastern as saying that “the Shanghai Pudong-Auckland – Buenos Aires route
is seen as an important measure to build a new “Air Silk Road” channel between
Asia-Pacific and South America”.
In
October, the US Department of Transportation proposed prohibiting Chinese
airlines from flying over Russia on routes to and from the US because of the
competitive advantage it provides, it said. The proposed measure, still under
consideration, currently specifically applied to the US, but not the rest of
North America or South America.
Ethiopian Airlines orders six more A350-900s, expands lead in Africa
Ethiopian
Airlines has placed a firm order for six Airbus A350-900 aircraft, further
strengthening its position as the largest A350 customer in Africa.
This agreement was signed at the Dubai Airshow by Mr. Mesfin Tasew, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO and Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus EVP Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business.
“We are
delighted to expand our Airbus fleet size with this order and strengthen our
partnership with Airbus. As the continent’s leading airline and the largest
operator of the A350, this milestone order further supports our vision to grow
sustainably while providing a world-class travel experience to our passengers
and strengthening our position as the aviation leader in Africa,” said Mr.
Mesfin Tasew.
“We are
proud to further deepen our partnership with Ethiopian Airlines, a long
standing Airbus customer and a benchmark for aviation excellence in Africa. The
A-350’s state of the art technology, efficiency and versatility will bring even
greater value to Ethiopian’s operations,” said Benoit de Saint Exupery.
The A-350
is the world’s most modern widebody aircraft, designed to fly up to 9,700
nautical miles or 18,000 kilo meters non-stop, setting new standards for
intercontinental travel. The aircraft includes state-of-the-art technologies
and aerodynamics, delivering unmatched standards of efficiency and comfort.
Its latest
generation Rolls-Royce engines and use of light weight materials bring a 25%
advantage in fuel burn, operating costs and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions,
compared to previous generation competitor aircraft. The A-350’s unique
Airspace cabin offers passengers and crews the latest modern in-flight products
for a comfortable flying experience. As with all Airbus aircraft, the A-350 is
already able to operate with up to 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Airbus
is targeting to have its aircraft up to 100% SAF capable b 2030. At the end of
October 2025, the A-350 family had won over 1,400 orders from 64 customers
worldwide.
Air cargo services between India and Afghanistan are set to begin
shortly
Air cargo
services between India and Afghanistan are set to begin shortly, an Indian
foreign ministry official announced on Friday during a visit by Afghanistan’s
Taliban Trade Minister Al-Haj Nooruddin Azizi to New Delhi.
“I am
pleased to announce that the air freight corridor on the Kabul-Delhi sector and
Kabul-Amritsar routes have been activated and cargo flights on these sectors
will come very soon,” said Anand Prakash, a ministry official.
This will
significantly enhance their connectivity and further strengthen our trade and
commercial ties, he added. Azizi made the comments while speaking at an
interactive session with the delegation from Afghanistan, organised by PHDCCI.
Azizi is
on a five-day visit to India aimed at expanding trade ties, including boosting
the export of Afghan agricultural products, amid ongoing tensions between Kabul
and Islamabad.
Afghan
officials said discussions are likely to cover expanding bilateral trade
volumes, particularly agricultural exports to India; increasing Indian exports
of pharmaceuticals, machinery and textiles, establishing more reliable
transport corridors through air cargo routes and Iran’s Chabahar port;
restoring payment channels disrupted since Afghan banks lost access to SWIFT
& reviving the earlier India-Afghanistan Airfreight route.
Azizi’s
visit comes less than two months after Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan
Muttaqi visited New Delhi, opening a new chapter in ties with India upgrading
its diplomatic mission in Kabul.
Pakistan,
displeased over Kabul’s growing engagement with India, launched cross-border
military strikes. Kabul retaliated, but peace talks have yielded little
progress.
Air cargo demand from Asia Pacific to
the US continues to grow
Manufacturing diversification away from China drives record Southeast Asia-US airfreight growth, while Taiwan leads semiconductor demand surge
Airfreight
volumes from Southeast Asia to the US in October grew at the fastest rate of
the year so far as manufacturing continues to switch away from China.
The latest
figures from WorldACD show that despite the US imposition of tariffs and the
end of the de minimis exemption, air cargo tonnages from Asia Pacific to the US
remain “significantly higher" than last year's levels.
In week
46, overall demand from the region to the US was up 6% year on year, with
Taiwan and Southeast Asia leading the charge.
"According
to new analysis by WorldACD, demand from Southeast Asia (SEA) origins to the US
was up by 40%, year on year, in October, the highest year on year full-month
growth figure this year," said WorldACD.
"For
the first ten months of this year, tonnages from Southeast Asia to the US were
up by an average of nearly 26%, year on year."
However, other countries in the region haven't fared quite so well.
In week
46, tonnages from China were down 2% year on year, Hong Kong slid 16% and South
Korea slipped 10%. Year-to-date (YtD) tonnages from China and Hong Kong to the
US are down by nearly 6%.
"These
figures partly reflect a trend for US importers to seek suppliers from other
countries as alternatives to China," WorldACD said in its weekly market
summary.
"For
some countries, such as Taiwan, it also partly reflects very strong demand this
year for high-performance semiconductor chips, including those used in AI.
"Air
imports from Taiwan have been consistently up by around 30-50% this year, with
similar year-on-year increases from Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia, where
semi-conductors and other electronic goods and components also form a
significant part of air exports."
WorldACD
said that in week 46, for example, airfreight tonnages to the US from Taiwan,
Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia were up by +41%, +60%, +37%, and +62%, year on
year, respectively.
Elsewhere,
the data provider said that rates on services out of Asia Pacific had continued
to climb in recent weeks ahead of the Black Friday retail event and
Thanksgiving in North America, but they remain down on last year's levels.
Average
spot rates from Asia Pacific origins rose by 4% week on week to $4.11 per kg in
week 46 as tonnages from the region continued to rise. Compared with last year,
rates from Asia Pacific to the US are down 11%.
Western Global prepares for extended
MD-11F grounding
The US
cargo airline warns that more invasive inspections have been required following
the fatal UPS crash earlier in November.
Western
Global has reportedly warned that its fleet of MD-11F freighters could be
grounded longer than initially expected and has taken the decision to send out
furlough notices as a result.
A letter
to employees posted on social media by podcaster Nik Fialka and reported by
Cargo Facts shows that the airline had been hoping that the grounding of its
MD-11Fs as a result of a fatal crash earlier this month would be “short-lived”.
It said
that Boeing had originally anticipated that it would have approved a
"noninvasive" inspection protocol to return the aircraft to service
by 14 November.
However,
Boeing has now advised that more and "highly invasive" inspections,
as well as repairs and part replacements, would be required, resulting in the
grounding of its MD-11F fleet for an "undeterminable" period of time.
The
airline said the MD-11Fs make up the majority of its fleet and it was therefore
the most negatively affected by the grounding.
It said
the current situation was untenable and that, as a result, it would furlough
certain staff - reportedly pilots - starting on 22 November. Western pointed
out that in its 12-year history, this is the first time it has issued furloughs
or pay cuts.
"As
you can imagine, this is devastating to WGA," the airline said in the
letter. According to tracking website FlightRadar24 , the airline has a fleet
of 15 aircraft, made up of 12 MD-11Fs - although many of these are stored - and
three Boeing 747-400s.
Western
Global’s active MD-11Fs were largely used on international services to
locations such as Ostend, Seoul, Hong Kong, Rota and Beersheba. The FAA
issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD) for MD-11Fs following
the fatal crash of a UPS MD-11F after taking off from Louisville, US on 4 November.
The
incident, which involved the left-hand engine and pylon detaching
from the airplane during takeoff, is currently under investigation. Other operators affected by the grounding are UPS and FedEx.
Last week, FedEx said it was confident it could mitigate the impact of
the grounding.
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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