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  May 02,  2026


Today’s Exchange Rates


CURRENCY

PRICE

CHANGE

%CHANGE

OPEN

PREV.CLOSE

 

USD/INR

94.91

0.050003

0.052712

95.02

94.86

 

EUR/USD

1.1717

0.004

0.342549

1.1677

1.1677

 

GBP/INR

129.0427

0.892792

0.696678

129.1986

128.1499

 

EUR/INR

110.9823

0.00

0.00

110.8701

110.9823

 

USD/JPY

157.033

-3.376999

-2.10523

160.41

160.41

 

GBP/USD

1.3572

0.0097

0.719856

1.3475

1.3475

 

JPY/INR

0.6041

-0.0014

-0.231213

0.6064

0.6055

 


///                   Sea Cargo News            ///

No safe transit through Strait of Hormuz: IMO Secretary-General


IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez has called on all Member States to support efforts to address the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, where around 20,000 seafarers remain trapped and unable to leave.

In an informal briefing to Member States and industry representatives, Secretary-General Dominguez confirmed that several vessels had been seized and detained in the region over the past few days.   

He urged maximum caution, considering potential mines present throughout the Strait and threat of further attacks on ships.  

“My call is to release the seafarers because they are not at fault,” he said. “The situation is not improving. I reiterate: there is no safe transit anywhere in the Strait of Hormuz.”  

He highlighted that 29 attacks on vessels in the Persian Gulf and around the Strait of Hormuz had been verified by IMO since the beginning of the conflict, resulting in the death of at least 10 seafarers and damage to the vessels. Around 20,000 seafarers on around 1,600 vessels remain in the Gulf.  

Seafarers’ welfare  

With the conflict now in its eighth week, Secretary-General Dominguez warned that supplies on ships stuck in the Persian Gulf - including water, food and fuel - will start running short. He appreciated the ongoing support from countries in the region in providing essential supplies and provisions.   

Secretary-General Dominguez urged all flag States, NGOs, industry bodies and the States of nationality of the seafarers to offer any assistance, including through remote support, helplines and keeping families informed. He also highlighted the importance of fair treatment of seafarers in terms of welfare and payment of wages.   

“I spoke to a seafarer who had been trapped in the Persian Gulf for more than six weeks. Aside from the exhaustion and toll on mental health of the crews, they feel invisible, that they are not valued. There is much more we need to do,” he told delegates.

New Delhi Negotiates Stake Transfer amid Expiring US Waiver


India Ports Global Ltd (IPGL), which operates the Indian-backed terminal at Chabahar, is reportedly considering divesting its holding in the India Ports Global Chabahar Free Zone under an interim arrangement. Officials are also said to be in parallel talks with both Washington and Tehran over future operational continuity.  

Chabahar remains strategically vital for India as a trade gateway to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan and supporting the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). India signed a 10-year operating agreement for the port in 2024 and has invested around $120 million in the project. 

EU and US agree to speed up steel trade discussions, Sefcovic says


Sefcovic also met with Secretary Bessent and discussed cooperation on energy security. The two officials talked about disruptions in the supply of fertilizers and the alarming situation in Africa. On critical minerals, Sefcovic said he suggested looking at several pilot projects to work on coordination. He said he expected to propose a couple of pilot projects on critical minerals very quickly.

MSC Euribia completes first Suez Canal transit as cruise traffic resumes

Recent upgrade include the Southern Sector Development Project, which expanded Parts of the canal by 40 meters and extended double-lane sections by 10 kilometers in the Bitter Lakes area.

The authority reported that 45 vessels transited the canal on the same day, with a total net tonnage of 1.7 million tons, highlighting continued traffic flow despite regional challenges.

Iran proposes reopening Strait of Hormuz in exchange for end to U.S. blockade

Maersk updates emergency contingency surcharge for India-Latin America trade

///                   Air Cargo News            ///

US carriers see mixed Q1 for cargo as United adds ‘disruption fee’

                         Image: © Shane Hoggart/Shutterstock.com

US carriers have reported mixed results for the first quarter of 2026 as market conditions remain challenging amid the continued conflict in the Middle East.

Air cargo revenue dropped 1.6% for United Cargo in the first quarter of this year. The airline’s cargo revenue totalled $422m, down from $429m in the first quarter of 2025.

United transported over 322m pounds of cargo, including nearly 9m pounds of medical shipments and 257,000 pounds of military shipments during the quarter.

The airline is also taking measures to tackle rising jet fuel prices. On 18 April, United announced it would implement a “Market Disruption Fee” on freight shipments for airway bills (AWB) issued on or after 1 May. The fee is applicable based on the chargeable weight of the shipment.

The airline said: “The Market Disruption Fee reflects United Cargo’s increased cost of doing business globally.  United Cargo faces the challenge of rising costs imposed on us by our suppliers, partners, and by the market.”

United added: “United Cargo will continue to evaluate conditions closely and communicate any adjustments to this fee as conditions evolve.”

Meanwhile, at American Airlines cargo operating revenues climbed 12.9% to $214m and cargo ton miles rose 9%.

Delta also fared well in the first quarter with a 9% rise in cargo operating revenue to $226m.

Global airfreight tonnage in March dropped 4% year on year as the war in the Middle East continued, shows the latest WorldACD data.

Xeneta has also warned that air cargo demand may be dampened if fuel prices continue to rise.

Cargo carriers return to Venezuela

                        Image: © AustralianCamera/Shutterstock.com

Airlines have been busy adding cargo operations to Venezuela following the lifting of US sanctions on the country.

According to data provider and consultant Rotate, total international cargo capacity heading to the country over the past seven days has increased by around 40% year on year.

Rotate figures also show that widebody cargo capacity is up 479% year on year, while narrowbody capacity is down 38% as larger carriers move into the market.

The top three providers of capacity have also changed over the past year. In 2025, the top three airlines were Uniworld Air Cargo, AeroSucre and Conviasa.

This year, the top three are DHL, Avianca and Amerijet and Cargojet in joint third place.

The first carrier to announce it had added freighter services to the country was Avianca, which on 7 March added an Airbus A330F operation to the country, offering a capacity of around 60 tons per flight.

The service operates between Bogota in its home nation of Colombia and Caracas in Venezuela. The carrier also offers passenger operations to the country.

Diogo Elías, chief executive of Avianca Cargo, said: “With this new freighter operation between Colombia and Venezuela, Avianca Cargo is strengthening logistics flows between the two countries and expanding air cargo transport options across the region.

“The first direct [all-cargo] operation between Bogota and Caracas will operate with a weekly frequency, with plans to gradually increase capacity in line with market demand.”

FedEx MD-11Fs ready for service in May

                  Image: © Shutterstock The Global Guy/ Shutterstock

FedEx has reportedly confirmed its MD-11 freighters are ready to return to service next month to end a six-month period on the ground.

The express giant’s MD-11F fleet has been grounded since the fatal crash of a UPS MD-11F on 4 November last year that subsequently saw the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issue an Emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD) that ordered owners and operators of MD-11 freighters to inspect their aircraft for faults.

Now, according to Cargo Facts, Richard Smith, chief operating officer of FedEx has said of the MD-11Fs: “They’re ready to go.”

Smith commented on the return to service of its MD-11Fs during a recent presentation at the New York-based Wings Club, a global society of aviation professionals.

In January, FedEx told Air Cargo News in a statement that it had been working with Boeing and the FAA to return the aircraft to service in its fourth quarter, which ends 31 May.

According to Planespotters, FedEx has 29 MD-11Fs in its fleet. These are all currently parked. Most of these freighters are over 30 year old, and the oldest is 36 years old.

The integrator’s decision to return the MD-11Fs to service may come as a surprise to some in the industry, due to their age.

In contrast to FedEx, UPS retired all its MD-11Fs in the fourth quarter of 2025 and said it will replace these aircraft with Boeing 767Fs.

In addition to UPS and FedEx, Western Global Airlines also operated 15 MD-11Fs. All of these are currently parked, data from Planespotters shows.

While the grounding of the MD-11F fleet initially sparked concern about global cargo capacity, MD-11Fs have been largely operated on domestic routes and, therefore, removing them from service has not had a major impact on international cargo capacity levels.

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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