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 16, 2026
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/// Sea Cargo News ///
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines
eyes shipbuilding, RORO terminals and inland logistics expansion in India
Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), the world’s second-largest
ship owner by fleet size, is exploring opportunities to build ships in India
while also looking to expand its presence in the country’s automobile export
logistics and terminal infrastructure, president and CEO Jotaro Tamura said.
“We are definitely interested in building ships in India,”
Tamura said in an interview on Tuesday, adding that the company remains “open
and positive” about participating in the country’s emerging shipbuilding
ambitions.
MOL currently operates 13 Indian-flagged vessels, making it the
fourth-largest foreign ship owner operating under the Indian flag. Tamura said
the company sees India as an important long-term strategic market and believes
the country could emerge as an additional global shipbuilding hub alongside
China, South Korea and Japan.
AAL Shipping names new
Super B-Class vessel AAL Mumbai in Guangzhou
AAL Shipping has marked another milestone in its fleet expansion
programme with the official naming ceremony of its latest Super B-Class vessel,
AAL Mumbai, at the CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipyard in Guangzhou, China.
The 32,000-dwt multipurpose heavy-lift vessel, featuring a
maximum lifting capacity of 800 tonnes, will now enter commercial service,
taking AAL’s Super B-Class fleet strength to eight vessels. Two more vessels in
the series are scheduled for delivery in 2028 as part of the company’s ongoing
fleet renewal and expansion strategy.
Named after Mumbai, one of India’s leading maritime and
industrial hubs, the vessel underscores AAL’s growing focus on the Indian
market amid rising demand for specialised heavy-lift and project cargo
transportation linked to infrastructure, offshore energy and renewable energy
developments.
Adani Ennore Container Terminal Sets New Operational Benchmark with Record Container Handling Performance
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone-operated Adani Ennore Container Terminal (AECT) has achieved a significant operational milestone by handling 10,487 TEUs and executing 7,029 container moves onboard M.V. Maersk Gibraltar within an impressive turnaround time of just 67 hours.
The achievement highlights the terminal’s growing operational
efficiency, vessel handling capability, and seamless coordination among marine,
yard, planning, and logistics teams. The successful handling of one of the
large container vessels without delays further reinforces AECT’s position as a
key gateway for container trade on India’s east coast.
The record performance was accomplished through synchronized
terminal operations, optimized crane productivity, efficient yard planning, and
real-time coordination between stakeholders.
The terminal ensured uninterrupted cargo movement while
maintaining high standards of safety and precision throughout the vessel call.
Industry observers note that faster vessel turnaround times are
becoming increasingly critical for global shipping lines as they seek improved
schedule reliability and reduced operational costs amid rising trade volumes.
Efficient handling of mega container vessels also strengthens supply chain
resilience and enhances port competitiveness.
M. V. Maersk Gibraltar is part of the global fleet operated by
A.P. Moller-Maersk, one of the world’s leading integrated logistics and
container shipping companies.
The latest achievement reflects Adani Ennor Container Terminal’s
continued focus on operational excellence, digitalized port operations and
infrastructure optimization to support the growing demands of international
trade and containerised cargo movement.
With increasing container traffic along India’s eastern
seaboard, the terminal’s ability to deliver high productivity and zero delay
operations is expected to further strengthen its role in facilitating EXIM
trade and improving logistics efficiency for shipping lines and cargo
stakeholders.
Port of Los Angeles
Records Second-Strongest April Cargo Performance on Record
Port of Los Angeles
recorded its second-strongest April cargo performance on record, driven by
resilient container volumes and continued demand across trans-Pacific trade
routes.
The port handled strong import and export throughput during the
month, reflecting stable cargo movement despite ongoing global trade
uncertainties. Port officials said higher consumer goods shipments, improved
supply chain efficiency and steady vessel activity contributed to the strong
monthly performance.
The gateway continued to benefit from its strategic role in
handling trade between Asia and North America, with container flows supported
by retail restocking and manufacturing demand.
April 2026 loaded
imports reached 459,825 TEUs, up 5% year on year and 21% higher than March
levels. Loaded Exports totaled 127,726 TEUs, slightly down by 0.5% compared to
April 2025. Empty containers accounted
for 303,310 TEUs, representing a 10% increase year-on-year.
Panama Canal Slot
Auction Prices Reach Record $4 Million
Panama Canal slot auction prices have surged to a record $4
million as shipping companies compete for priority transit access through the
key global trade route.
The sharp increase reflects strong demand for faster passage
amid ongoing congestion concerns and capacity constraints affecting
international shipping schedules. Industry sources said carriers are willing to
pay significantly higher amounts to secure transit slots in order to avoid
delays, maintain vessel schedules and minimise additional fuel and operational
costs.
The elevated auction prices also highlight the strategic
importance of the canal for container shipping, energy cargoes and bulk trade
between Asia, the Americas and Europe.
Shipping analysts noted that pressured on transit availability
continues to impact global supply chains, freight rates and vessel deployment
strategies. The latest record underscores the growing value of guaranteed canal
access as shipping lines seek to maintain reliability and operational
efficiency in an increasingly volatile maritime market.
/// Air Cargo News ///
Air India’s losses stand at 2.8 billion in FY26, partner Singapore Airlines’ profit takes a hit
Singapore Airlines (SIA) said on Thursday that its net profit for the financial year 2025-2026 declined due to the absence of a prior year one-off accounting gain, coupled with the share of full-year losses from Air India.
Singapore Airlines' annual financial statement revealed that Air India's losses stood at about 2.8 billion dollars last financial year (FY26), its biggest annual loss since the airline was taken over by the Tata Group in 2022.
SIA,
which owns a 25.1 per cent stake in Air India, stated that it remains committed
to its investment in Air India.
“The Group’s (SIA) net profit declined by 1,594 million dollars (-57.4 per cent) to 1,184 million dollars, primarily due to the absence of the 1,098 million dollars non-cash accounting gain recognised in November 2024 upon the completion of the Air India-Vistara merger.
The swing from a share of profits of associated companies last year to a loss this year (-846 million dollars) was due to the Group accounting for its share of Air India’s full-year losses, versus only four months the previous year,” said SIA in a statement.
Hit by rising jet fuel prices and airspace closures over certain regions, the Tata Group-run Air India has started taking measures to curb costs.
On Wednesday, Air India announced temporarily suspending half a dozen unprofitable international flights and reducing frequency across North America, Europe and Asian destinations.
SIA said that it is committed to its 25.1 per cent investment in the Air India Group, which is a core component of its long-term multi-hub strategy.
The airline said that it is working closely with its partner Tata Sons to support Air India’s multi-year transformation programme.
“This strategic investment provides the Group with a direct stake in one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing aviation markets, complementing its Singapore hub and strengthening its long-term growth,” said SIA.
It added that Air India faces headwinds such as industry-wide supply chain constraints, airspace restrictions, constraints on operations to its key Middle East markets, and elevated jet fuel prices.
“Nonetheless, it continues to make progress in its fleet renewal and aircraft retrofit program, initiatives to elevate the end-to-end customer experience, and improve its operational performance,” said SIA.
In spite
a decline in profit, Singapore Airlines reported a strong operational
performance. Operating profit rose 39 per cent to 2.375 billion dollars, driven
by robust demand for air travel, higher passenger yields, and lower net fuel
costs. Revenue climbed 5 per cent to a record 20.522 billion dollars as the
group (SIA and Scoot) carried a record 42.4 million passengers during the
financial year.
SIA said that heightened geopolitical tensions, including the conflict in the Middle East, are a major headwind for the airline industry.
The most immediate impact is on jet fuel prices, which have more than doubled since the conflict began, adding significant cost pressure for airlines.
As the Group’s fuel bills are typically priced on a lagged basis, the impact is only partially reflected in March 2026. The full impact is expected to feed through in FY2026/27.
Same week, different scale: 2 e-commerce visions
Within days of each other in the first week of MAY26, the global household name in e-commerce and a veteran air cargo airline both made announcements that reflect the shifting face of global logistics.
Amazon launched Amazon Supply Chain Services (ASCS) on 04MAY26, throwing open the doors of its massive logistics empire to practically any business on the planet.
Two days later, Lufthansa Cargo finally unveiled GlobeCross GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary born from the merger of heyworld GmbH and CB Customs Broker GmbH, and designed to tackle the growing complexity of cross-border e-commerce. Both moves are direct responses to a changing global trade environment, yet the two solutions are very different in scale, scope and approach.
“Amazon is bringing the infrastructure, intelligence, and scale of its supply chain services – proven over decades – to businesses everywhere, much like Amazon Web Services did for cloud computing,” Peter Larsen, Vice President of Amazon Supply Chain Services announced on 04MAY26.
“Supply chain wasn’t just a function at Amazon. It was core to providing an exceptional shopping experience. Our differentiator. The reason we could offer fast, dependable delivery that nobody else could. And with the launch of ASCS, we’re confident we can give any other business access to the same cost efficiency, reliability, and speed that we’ve built for Amazon customers.”
“One network to move, store and deliver goods for any business”
Basically, Amazon is doing what it does best – having built up a
highly-sophisticated internal infrastructure to support a vision – in this
case, fast delivery of goods – it is now commoditizing that asset by opening it
up to the market, with a view to embedding it as the global logistics default
pretty much in the same way as online shopping is synonymous with its name.
The scale of Amazon’s logistics operations which now include over 200 fulfilment centers in the U.S. alone, a fleet of over 100 freighter aircraft, 80,000 trailers, and 24,000 intermodal containers – all built up in a relative short period (it began investing in its own aircraft just 10 years ago), is unparalleled in its scope.
That infrastructure has served its own retail operations and marketplace sellers, to date. Now, that same infrastructure is open to any business, regardless of whether they sell a single product on Amazon.com, and is being offered as: ‘One network to move, store and deliver goods for any business’.
ASCS’s huge scope
ASCS covers three pillars: global freight – which is not just road and air, but
also ocean, and includes customs clearance from China to the U.S.; distribution
and storage (with AI-powered demand forecasting); and parcel delivery within
two to five days, seven days a week.
Its solution covers all customers’ requirements: capacity, speed, and reliability all in one, for a wide pallet of services including time-sensitive shipments, simplified booking, customs clearance, and end-to-end shipment visibility. Businesses can choose to import, store, and position inventory closer to where it is required, so as to swiftly respond to customer orders across their sales channels.
“By using a unified inventory pool and advanced forecasting capabilities, businesses can improve delivery speed and accuracy across their own website, ecommerce marketplaces, social media channels, and physical stores,” Amazon’s release underlines, going on to point out that “Businesses can benefit from flexible pickup from their own warehouses or third-party providers and track shipments from label creation to customer doorsteps.”
Early adopters have already stepped in: Procter & Gamble, 3M, Lands’ End, and American Eagle Outfitters – names that lend instant credibility and signal that ASCS is already competing at the enterprise level, not just with SMEs.
Plus, with this launch, Amazon is expanding its third-party logistics capacity to support businesses in industries such as healthcare, automotive, manufacturing, and retail.
From
behemoth to bijou
Where Amazon is selling scale, GlobeCross aims to sell precision. Over on
LinkedIn, following the GlobeCross GmbH announcement, its Managing Director,
Murat Odabas, revealed with a wink: “Took a little longer than expected …
but hey, mergers aren’t built overnight.
It’s official:
- We have merged.
- Stronger
together.
- Same direction.
- One future.”
Originally,
talk at Lufthansa Cargo had been of the merger launching at the start of the
year (CFG reported). As it is,
Lufthansa Cargo’s digital e-commerce subsidiary, heyworld (founded in 2019],
and CB Customs Broker which its 20+ years of customs expertise, have now
finally joined together to become GlobeCross. (See the full launch story here)
The press release explains that the subsidiary’s name “reflects the company’s role in global cross border trade. ‘Globe’ stands for international reach, while ‘Cross’ represents the ability to overcome geographic and regulatory boundaries by connecting markets, partners and systems into seamless, compliant logistics flows.”
While ASCS targets three main transport modes, and is asset-heavy (infrastructure), Globecross is deliberately asset-light – focusing on software, processes and expertise, is air-centric, and is particularly relevant in the EU regulatory environment. As its tagline on its website states: ‘Turning Borders into Gateways’, it is solving a specific e-commerce pain point: the regulatory friction of cross-border trade.
Murat
Odabas explains in the press release: “By organizing information flows and
embedding regulatory requirements into our software and solutions, we reduce
complexity, minimize delays at borders, and remove friction from cross-border
logistics.”
Blurring lines
While ASCS is an e-commerce platform and infrastructure open to all kinds of
businesses and thus offering change and opportunity, for existing customers of
heyworld and CB Customs Broker, it is business as usual but under the new and
unified label ‘GlobeCross’.
That said, in this case, we have an airline strengthening its portfolio in cross-border logistics and customs services. The one company is e-commerce with airline fleet, the other is airline with e-commerce solution. What both launches this week therefore confirm, is that the traditional lines separating carrier, forwarder, broker, and 3PL are dissolving.
The logistics industry is entering a new era of platform competition, and companies that can offer seamless, transparent, end-to-end execution – regardless of who owns the aircraft or the warehouse – will define what supply chain services mean in the decade ahead.
A Market Without a Single Driver
Air cargo has lost its engine. E-commerce is no longer in hyper-growth, and without it, the market has no single dominant driver. According to IATA, global air cargo demand, measured in cargo ton-kilometers (CTK), fell by 4.8% compared with MAR25 levels.
While APR26 results should show some growth, supported by seasonal flower exports from Central and South America, the core challenge is structural: capacity is constrained, rate pressure is increasing, and geopolitical volatility is forcing network shifts. Aircraft are still full. But they are no longer filled with cargo that sets the price.
What is filling aircraft in 2026
Air cargo demand has shifted structurally. Aircraft are no longer filled by a
single dominant segment, but by a fragmented mix of cargo flows. Today, the mix
typically consists of 30–40% e-commerce, 20–30% general cargo, and 10–20% tech
and industrial goods, with the rest coming from smaller niche flows.
This mix is neither clean nor predictable, and load factors are more fragile: planes are full, but the cargo is composed of price-sensitive shipments.
When everything began
When COVID-19 hit, belly capacity disappeared almost overnight. Borders closed,
passenger flights were grounded at scale, and demand for air cargo spiked
exactly as capacity collapsed.
Rates surged two to five times on major lanes such as Asia–Europe and the Transpacific, turning the market into a seller’s market with unprecedented pricing power.
The reset accelerated e-commerce, increased reliance on air cargo for critical goods, and exposed the industry’s dependency on belly capacity. Many of today’s challenges – capacity sensitivity and volatility – are direct consequences of that period.
COVID created a perfect storm: demand surged while capacity collapsed, transforming air cargo into a high-margin, high-volatility market. Airlines generated record cargo revenues, with cargo becoming the main revenue stream while passenger operations were largely inactive.
Demand
correction and normalization phase
In 2023, rates dropped sharply and overcapacity began to appear on some lanes.
Aircraft were filled with less urgent, more price-sensitive cargo as demand
softened.
E-commerce growth slowed as consumer demand weakened amid inflation and inventory correction, a trend widely reflected in IATA market data and forwarder reports. The market gradually stabilized after this adjustment, with a clearer balance between supply and demand, but at lower yield levels than during the COVID period.
By 2024, aircraft were filled with a more balanced mix of e-commerce, general cargo, and electronics. Passenger belly capacity was largely restored, marking a return to more normalized operating conditions.
Fragmentation takes hold
The early signs of capacity constraints, driven by engine issues and
maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) limitations, were already visible in
2025.
Demand was inconsistent, with week-to-week swings, while e-commerce remained large but more optimized. According to the Rotate Report Q1, e-commerce added 727,000 tons to demand in 2025, equivalent to roughly 20% of global air cargo capacity.
Capacity constraints, geopolitical disruption, and fuel risk rising
The market is defined by limited available lift. Volumes are down between 7%
and 12% due to reduced capacity in the Middle East and seasonality, resulting
in increased demand for charter solutions, according to Q1 reports from DSV,
Kuehne+Nagel and DHL.
At the same time, structural capacity constraints continue, as highlighted in Airbus and Boeing forecasts, both of which are also affected by the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) backlog.
Geopolitical disruption is driving rerouting and last-minute cancellations, with Europe–Middle East lanes heavily impacted. Capacity is being removed suddenly and unevenly, pushing more cargo into ad hoc charter solutions and increasing cost volatility for forwarders.
“All eyes are on fuel supply and price, which are expected to test the industry’s resilience in the coming months,” said Willie Walsh, Director General of the International Air Transport Association.
With this warning, IATA highlights fuel scarcity risks in parts of the world and rising fuel costs impacting cargo operations. Europe could face flight cancellations due to jet fuel shortages linked to the Iran conflict. Fuel has moved into operational risk territory.
E-commerce maturity
E-commerce continues to dominate aircraft cargo, but its behavior is changing.
Platforms such as Shein and Temu have become major drivers of cross-border
e-commerce air cargo flows, particularly on Asia-US and Asia-Europe lanes, and
they are increasingly learning how to maximize profitability through better
planning and a clearer understanding of urgency.
Yields are declining and modal flexibility is increasing, with greater use of sea-air and deferred air solutions. This shift is compressing yields and making demand more predictable but less urgent, reducing the premium traditionally associated with e-commerce air freight.
Higher dependence on mixed loads
No single commodity can replace e-commerce volume. Alternatives are limited:
industrial cargo is cyclical, pharma is niche – reliable but limited in volume
and highly specialized – automotive is volatile with frequent production
disruptions, and tech is inventory-driven with inconsistent flows.
Integrators such as FedEx and UPS are prioritizing premium, time-definite products and high-margin verticals, directly reshaping what moves by air. Lower-yield, deferred e-commerce is increasingly diverted to slower modes, while healthcare, technology, and urgent B2B shipments dominate the air network.
The result is a structurally higher-yield cargo mix without explicitly targeting air cargo volumes.
DHL
Group’s recent results illustrate the shift toward yield discipline, with
profitability increasingly driven by cost control and revenue quality rather
than volume growth.
Lufthansa Cargo’s BOLD MOVES reflects the same direction, with growth and margin performance driven by a focus on profitable, high-value cargo segments rather than volume alone.
The path to success
Carriers and forwarders heavily dependent on e-commerce without pricing power
are the most exposed – runnin high load factors, weak yields, and little
control over timing. That’s a fragile position in a volatile market.
Chasing volume fills aircraft, but it doesn’t generate margin. That model is already breaking. The shift has to be toward cargo that pays: time-critical, high-value, and less price-sensitive flows. Protect yield, not load factor.
General cargo still matters, but as support – filling space and stabilizing the mix, not driving profitability.
The market is not short of cargo. It is short of cargo that pays.
Blooming lovely in record figures over at Avianca Cargo
Avianca Cargo closed its 2026 Mother’s Day season with record results, cementing its role as the top air carrier of flowers from Colombia and Ecuador to the United States.
The airline transported more than 21,000 tons of flowers (which translates into around 330 million stems), accounting for 42% of Colombian flower exports to the U.S. and at least one in three flowers exported from the broader region.
To handle peak demand in its largest Mother’s Day operation to date, Avianca Cargo dedicated 42% of its capacity (instead of the normal 30%) to flower shipments, operated over 330 cargo flights, running up to 24 daily departures and moving approximately 24 million stems within a single 24-hour period.
The carrier deployed nine dedicated freighters, two more than in 2025, plus additional leased capacity to avoid disrupting other markets.
Infrastructure was also scaled up: Miami ground staff increased by 20%, while warehouse capacity grew 35% in Bogotá and 41% in Medellín. The airline held an estimated 65% market share on the Medellín–Miami route and around 35% on Bogotá–Miami, and expanded its Los Angeles service from three to five weekly frequencies compared to last year’s season.
The airline also took the occasion to recognize the workers, many of them mothers themselves, who keep the floriculture and logistics chain moving.
Diogo Elias, CEO of Avianca Cargo, commented: “Mother’s Day remains one of the most significant seasons for the flower industry, and we are proud to deliver another strong performance that reinforces our leadership in the market.
This year’s results reflect the scale of our operation and the trust our partners place in us to move more than 21,000 tons of flowers to the United States, which reflects the coordinated work across the entire logistics chain and further strengthens our role as a key connector between Colombia, Ecuador and global markets.”
Daniel Alonso, Director of Field Operations (СВР), added: “As families prepare to celebrate Mother’s Day, our agriculture specialists and frontline officers are working tirelessly to help ensure flowers arriving into the United States are safe from harmful pests and plant diseases. I’m incredibly proud of our workforce and their commitment to protecting America’s agriculture while helping families enjoy this meaningful holiday with peace of mind.”
LATAM Cargo retained its top spot in flower shipments
The members of the LATAM Group of Airlines transported 24,400 tons of flowers from South America to the USA and transcontinental destinations to meet consumer demand on Mother’s Day event.
The volume flown is equivalent to approximately 560 million stems. To put that figure into perspective: Throughout the 21 days of the season, more than 300 stems per second departed South America bound for destination markets across three continents.
One notable trend in the past season was that, in addition to traditional markets such as the U.S. and Europe, demand from niche markets such as Oceania and even Chile has also increased significantly. It is an encouraging sign that demand for cut flowers from Colombia and Ecuador reaches new buyer groups and continues to grow.
The logistics of the entire operation was coordinated from three origin airports: Bogotá, Quito, and Medellín – encompassing more than 430 dedicated flights for the season. To sustain this standard, ground crew staffing more than doubled compared to a regular week, reinforcing ramp, warehouse, and supervisory teams across all three South American hubs.
“The prior alignment between commercial and operational teams means that certainty is not ours alone: it belongs to the producer who knows their product will arrive on time and in optimal condition, and to the importer who can make commercial commitments backed by real capacity,” explained Claudio Torres Faini, International Commercial Director for South America, LATAM Cargo.
As
in previous years, the entire operation required long-term planning to ensure
that the transport was coordinated and carried out on schedule. Close
collaboration with growers and exporters was critical.
Having volume data available several days in advance made it possible to size the required resources at every point in the supply chain – from cargo receipt at the warehouse to the cut-off of each flight frequency – ensuring a best-in-class service standard.
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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