JUPITER SEA & AIR
SERVICES PVT. LTD, EGMORE – CHENNAI, INDIA.
E-MAIL : Robert.sands@jupiterseaair.co.in Mobile : +91 98407 85202
Corporate News
Letter for Friday January
09, 2025
Today’s
Exchange Rates
|
CURRENCY▲ |
PRICE |
CHANGE |
%CHANGE |
OPEN |
PREV.CLOSE |
|
90.03 |
0.139999 |
0.155745 |
89.95 |
89.89 |
|
|
1.1665 |
0.001 |
0.085657 |
1.1675 |
1.1675 |
|
|
120.9818 |
0.315201 |
0.259859 |
121.0991 |
121.297 |
|
|
105.1192 |
0.0961 |
0.091504 |
105.0707 |
105.0231 |
|
|
157.029 |
0.269012 |
0.171608 |
156.76 |
156.76 |
|
|
1.3431 |
0.0027 |
0.200631 |
1.3458 |
1.3458 |
|
|
98.819 |
0.135002 |
0.136802 |
98.738 |
98.684 |
|
|
0.5743 |
0.0003 |
0.052209 |
0.5734 |
0.5746 |
/// Sea Cargo News ///
Port of Colombo
handles record 8.29m TEU in 2025
The Port of Colombo has set a new all-time record after handling 8.29 million teu in 2025, underscoring its growing role as a leading transshipment hub in South Asia.
The latest figure marks a strong increase over the previous year, driven by higher transshipment volumes, improved terminal productivity and the ramp-up of additional capacity at the port.
Colombo continues to benefit from its
strategic location on major east–west shipping routes, attracting mainline
services and feeder connections serving the Indian subcontinent and beyond.
All major terminals at the port contributed
to the record performance, including facilities operated by the Sri Lanka Ports
Authority as well as privately run container terminals. Investments in
infrastructures, equipment upgrades and operational efficiencies helped the
port handle larger vessels and sustain high berth productivity despite volatile
global trade conditions.
Port officials said the milestone reflects
sustained confidence from global shipping lines and positions Colombo for
further growth as new terminal capacity comes on stream. With ongoing expansion
projects and increasing demand for trans-shipment services, the port is aiming
to build on the momentum in 2026 and strengthen its competitiveness against regional
rivals.
China to build
strategic port in Kuwait under $4.1 billion contract
Kuwait has signed a $4.1 billion deal with
China to complete the construction of the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port, aiming to
boost its role in regional and global trade.
The State Audit Bureau, which oversees public
funds, confirmed that the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC)
contract for the port on
Boubyan Island is valued at 1.28 billion
Kuwaiti dinars ($4.164 billion). Prime Minister, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah
Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, who attended the contract-signing ceremony, said the project
would “enhance Kuwait’s share in the regional and international
trade and global supply chain.”
Chinese acting charge d’affaires Liu Xiang
said the deal “constitutes participation in the “belt and road”
initiative. In November 2025, Port of
Hamburg Marketing (HHM) strengthened its cooperation with Chinese ports by
hosting a series of three roundtable events in Tianjin, Shenzhen and Shanghai.
Container throughput
at major Japanese ports falls for second consecutive month
Japan’s six major ports handled 1.19 million
TEUs in October 2025, down 3.6 per cent year-on-year (YoY), marking a second
consecutive monthly decline. Both exports and imports weakened, with export
volumes falling 6.4 per cent to 581,280 TEUs and imports
down 0.7 per cent to 605,514 TEUs.
Tokyo remained the largest contributor,
processing 355,700 TEUs, down 2.5 per cent. Export volumes
declined 3.3 per cent to 159,547 TEUs, while imports fell 1.9
per cent to 196,153 TEUs.
Kawasaki handled 6,275 TEUs, a marginal
increase of 1.9 per cent. Exports rose sharply by 14.5 per
cent to 3,017 TEUs, offset by a 7.6 per cent decline in
imports to 3,258 TEUs.
Ningbo-Zhoushan port breaks global records, surpasses 1.4 billion tonnes in 2025
Ningbo-Zhoushan Port has made global port
history by becoming the first port in the world to handle more than 1.4 billion
tonnes of cargo in a single year, cementing its position as the world’s No.1
port by total cargo throughput for the 17th consecutive year.
According to 2025 performance figures, the
port’s container throughput exceeded 43 million TEUs for the first time,
enabling it to retain its third-place global ranking in container handling.
Beyond the scale of volumes, the milestone
reflects a significant leap in the port’s overall system capability, driven by
infrastructure expansion, enhanced deep-water access, stronger intermodal
integration, and rapid advances in digitalisation and green shipping services.
Key developments supporting this growth
include capacity upgrades across major container and bulk terminals,
reinforcing the port’s physical foundation.
A major navigational breakthrough was
achieved on 26thh December 2025, when the Tiaozhumen Channel’s 300,000 ton
expansion completed trial navigation, ushering the core port area into a new
“dual-channel” era and improving resilience for ultra-large vessels.
China’s first vacuum
auto-mooring system goes live at Qingdao port
China has reached a major milestone in port
automation with the official commissioning of its first vacuum-based automatic
mooring system at the Qingdao Automated Container Terminal, operated by Qingdao
Port under Shandong Port Group.
The system entered live operation on the
first day of the new year when the 366-metre container vessel MSC Saudi Arabia
berthed without any crew handling mooring lines on the quay.
Instead, the vessel was automatically
detected, aligned and secured using high-vacuum suction mooring units,
completing the entire mooring process in less than 30 seconds. By comparison,
conventional mooring typically requires 20–30 minutes per vessel call.
Alliances tighten grip on major container trades as independent carriers lose share
Shipping alliances continue to dominate the
world’s major container trades, reinforcing their control over global box
capacity while independent carriers are increasingly confined to niche roles,
according to recent industry analysis.
On the main east–west corridors — including
the Asia–Europe, transpacific and transatlantic trades — alliance-operated
networks now account for well over 80% of deployed capacity, underscoring the
growing concentration of market power among a handful of global liner groups.
Independent operators, excluding
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), collectively hold less than one-fifth of
total capacity across these routes.
Record container ship newbuildings booked in 2025
The global
container shipping industry recorded an unprecedented surge in newbuilding
activity in 2025, with owners booking a record number of container vessels and
capacity, underlining confidence in long-term trade growth despite near-term
market volatility.
Industry
data shows that more than 600 container ships were contracted during the year,
translating into over 5 million teu of new capacity. This marks the largest
annual container ship ordering volume on record, surpassing the previous boom
years seen during the pandemic-driven freight market upswing.
The
ordering spree pushed the global container ship orderbook to around 10–11
million teu, equivalent to roughly 30–35% of the existing fleet, also an
all-time high.
Cathay Cargo to step up investments in India, sees long-term growth
opportunity
Hong
Kong-based air freight operator Cathay Cargo plans to ramp up investments in
India, citing the country’s expanding role as a global manufacturing hub and
its strategic importance to the airline’s long-term growth, a senior executive
said.
Cathay
Cargo currently operates 13 dedicated freighter flights per week to India,
comprising five services each to Delhi and Chennai and three to Mumbai. India
has remained a core market for the carrier, which began operations in the
country in 1953 and launched freighter services in 2000.
“India has
always been a significant market for us, and it continues to show immense
promise and growth,” said Rajesh Menon, Regional Head of Cargo for South Asia,
the Middle East and Africa at Cathay Cargo in an interview with PTI. He said
the company remains committed to strengthening its footprint as India’s
manufacturing and logistics ecosystem continues to expand.
Emirates Vs Qatar Airways
: How they are placed…
Two aviation powerhouses. One region. Two very different playbooks. When we talk about global airlines, this rivalry always stands out.
hashtag#Qatar
Airways plays the long game with connectivity and experience. Serving 170+
destinations, it focuses on network depth, seamless connections, and a strong
premium brand. It wins by being everywhere and doing it exceptionally well.
hashtag#Emirates,
meanwhile, is all about scale and profitability. More passengers, higher
revenue, stronger earnings per traveler. Its model thrives on volume,
operational efficiency, and maximising yield through a powerful hub strategy.
Same
skies. Similar fleets. Completely different thinking.
One
airline grows by reach and frequency. The other by size, efficiency, and smart
monetisation.
The real
takeaway? There’s no single formula for success. Leadership isn’t about copying
competitors it’s about choosing a strategy, committing to it, and executing it
relentlessly.
ECS group broadens GSSA support for Challenge Group
Challenge
Group and ECS Group have expanded their international collaboration following
an open-ended contract agreement, signed earlier this year.
The company
already represents Challenge Group in Germany, France, Scandinavia, Singapore,
and Vietnam. In recent months, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland,
Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine were added to the Challenge Group GSSA
portfolio.
With the
inclusion of Eastern Europe, Challenge Group and ECS Group have broadened the
feeder catchment area into Challenge Group’s Belgian hub, Liege, and created
attractive connections to key global gateways.
Challenge
Group operates a dense Boeing freighter network out of Liege to the U.S.,
China, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and beyond – including core
markets in Hong Kong, India, Kenya, China and the US.
The
Group’s airline faction is rapidly growing and will soon be taking delivery of
state of the art Boeing 777-300ERSF Freighters, which will complement the
existing B747-400F and B767-300BDSF fleets and would enable further new
routings to Asia and South America in the coming years. It also regularly
carries out international charter operations.
Emirates SkyCargo aims to add 10 777Fs
in 2026
Emirates
SkyCargo has outlined its ambitions for the coming 12 months with the addition
of more freighters at the centre of its plans.
The
Emirates cargo division said that over the coming year, it hopes to add a total
of 10 Boeing 777 freighters to expand cargo capacity, enhance its network and
further develop flexibility and schedule reliability.
The
airline’s freighter fleet currently stands at 11 Boeing 777Fs and five
wet-leased Boeing 747s. By the end of the year, it plans to operate at least 21
777 freighters.
The
airline currently has outstanding orders for 10 production 777 freighters,
while it has also placed orders for 10 777 passenger-to-freighter
conversions from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
The first
of these aircraft began the conversion process last year, the airline said. Badr
Abbas, divisional senior vice president at Emirates SkyCargo, recently
told Air Cargo News that Boeing was "on track when it
comes to the deliveries".
In a press
release highlighting the airline's development plans, he said: "In 2025,
we built the runway for what comes next. We strengthened the core pillars of
our business by expanding our network and innovating with our product portfolio
and operations to deliver what our customers need today – and tomorrow.
"2026
is set to be a pivotal year for our fleet expansion, with the expected delivery
of up to 10 Boeing 777Fs by December, fuelling our next era of growth.
"This
influx of capacity unlocks opportunities for network and scheduling expansions,
offer more flexibility to scale our solutions and enable us to deliver even
greater value across our global network.”
Emirates
SkyCargo took delivery of three 777 freighters last year, allowing the airline
to retire older aircraft and reinforcing its commitment to operating one of the
youngest cargo fleets in the industry.
The
expanding fleet supported network growth. During 2025, Emirates SkyCargo
launched freighter services to eight new destinations: Copenhagen, Narita,
Bangkok, Mumbai, Beirut, Conakry, Phnom Penh and Hanoi.
High-demand
markets such as Guangzhou, Shanghai and Johannesburg also benefited from
increased frequencies, while Hanoi was rapidly scaled up to four weekly
flights.
Elsewhere,
the company continued to strengthen its operations in 2025, investing in
infrastructure, technology and new products while preparing for its future
facility at Al Maktoum International Airport.
The
airline upgraded its on-road fleet with 40 Euro 6 trucks and is set to
introduce five hydrogen-powered vehicles by early 2026. It also partnered with
LODD Autonomous to explore the use of VTOL aircraft for first- and last-mile
cargo delivery.
Digital
transformation continued with nearly 80% of shipments booked digitally by
December 2025. Growth was driven by eSkyCargo, third-party marketplaces and
direct API integrations.
Emirates
SkyCargo also became the first carrier in the Middle East to adopt PayCargo,
enabling instant digital payments.
The Fresh
vertical grew by 10% year on year to 25,700 tonnes, while volumes on Vital, the
airline’s pharmaceutical service, rose by 54%. Demand for Secure also increased
by 30%, driven by electronics shipments from Vietnam and India.
Turkish reportedly plans new cargo
terminal
Istanbul-headquartered
Turkish Airlines plans to build a new cargo terminal, although the location of
the project is not yet confirmed.
The
airline has not issued a press release on the new cargo terminal to date, but
announced the project in a post on Turkish social media platform, NSosyal,
reported Daily Sabah.
Turkish
said the cargo terminal, as well as a new in-flight catering facility, would be
enabled by an investment of over $2.3bn.
Turkish
Airlines has been contacted for confirmation and more details.
While
Turkish has not announced the location of the new cargo terminal, iGA
Istanbul Airport is certainly a strong possibility.
In 2024,
iGA Istanbul Airport handled 1.98m tonnes of cargo, representing a 24%
year-on-year increase, which positioned it as Europe’s top cargo airport.
Istanbul’s
growth was supported by 18 scheduled and 42 charter cargo airlines, plus the
belly cargo capacity of the 111 passenger airlines operating there.
Plus, the
airport’s Cargo Village hosts all three global integrators – DHL, FedEx, and
UPS.
Turkish
Cargo closed 2024 with over 2m tons of cargo and mail transported, up by 20%
compared with 2023.
Infrastructure
forms a key part of Turkish Cargo's expansion plans as new faciliites will help
support fleet maintenance and management. Turkish Airlines' 2033 Vision
targets 813 aircraft, with the freighter fleet set to expand from 28 to 44
units.
Turkish
Cargo now has 11 Boeing 777 freighters in its fleet, according to
Planespotters. The most recent delivery was in December.
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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