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 May 08, 2026
Today’s
Exchange Rates
|
CURRENCY▲ |
PRICE |
CHANGE |
%CHANGE |
OPEN |
PREV.CLOSE |
|
|
94.25 |
0.370003 |
0.391041 |
94.74 |
94.62 |
|
|
|
1.1768 |
0.002 |
0.17024 |
1.1748 |
1.1748 |
|
|
|
128.3492 |
-0.5634 |
-0.43704 |
128.7659 |
128.9126 |
|
|
|
110.9279 |
-0.486298 |
-0.436477 |
111.2812 |
111.4142 |
|
|
|
156.337 |
-0.052994 |
-0.033886 |
156.39 |
156.39 |
|
|
|
1.3619 |
0.0026 |
0.191272 |
1.3593 |
1.3593 |
|
|
|
0.6028 |
-0.0031 |
-0.511632 |
0.6053 |
0.6059 |
|
/// Sea Cargo News ///
ONE posts $338 Million full year profit for
FY2025 as Middle East costs bite
Port of Klaipeda begins testing shore power
equipment
A separate
shore power unit was installed at the port’s Fleet Base in September 2024,
funded directly by the Port Authority, to serve the new hydrogen and
electric-powered waste collection vessel and recently built pilot boats.
The second
phase of quay electrification, which will extend shore power availability to
cruise and container terminals is expected to be completed by 2030, with design
work for these installations already in progress.
The broader
electrification programme forms part of the Port Authority’s consistent
commitment to reducing its environmental footprint and improving quality of
life for the residents of Klaipeda.
PSA expands China presence with Xiamen port
investment
Building a
global network
PSA said the
investment supports its “Node-to-Network” strategy, which focuses on connecting
ports with inland supply chains.
Fujian’s
location along China’s southeast coast positions it as a key gateway for
growing trade flows, especially with emerging markets.
OOCL orders 12 LNG dual-fuel container
ships to advance green fleet strategy
OOCL has ordered Twelve 13,600 TEU LNG Dual-Fuel container vessels, marking a major step in its transition towards lower carbon shipping.
The company
signed shipbuilding contracts with Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding on 29
April 2026. The order was formally announced during a ceremony in Shanghai.
/// Air Cargo News ///
BonV Aero launches Air Hans drone, enters commercial logistics market
Move beyond defence as UAV begins pilot use in power grid work and seeks DGCA approval for B2B logistics applications. Our Correspondent28 Apr 2026 11:46 AM Odisha-based BonV Aero has launched its multi-modular unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), Air Hans, marking its entry into commercial drone logistics.
The launch was carried out by Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale, at the Logistics Shakti 2026 event held at Hyatt Regency, New Delhi. The company said the launch represents a defining moment in India’s commercial drone ecosystem, as it moves beyond its established defence operations into business-to-business (B2B) applications.
As part of an active pilot project, Air Hans is being deployed to string electrical grid lines in power systems. Satyabrata Satapathy, Co-Founder and CEO, BonV Aero, said this demonstrates the platform’s precision, payload capability, and readiness for industry-grade applications.
The
unveiling also signals a strategic expansion for BonV Aero, which plans to
focus on essential logistics, last-mile medical deliveries, warehousing
support, and infrastructure assistance. The company is currently pursuing the
required regulatory clearances from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation
(DGCA).
Ankur Mittal, Co-Founder at IPV and an investor in BonV Aero, said the company has demonstrated the ability to operationalise high-altitude logistics and highlighted the scale of commercial opportunity ahead.
In addition, BonV Aero signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Logistics Shakti to jointly explore business opportunities, foster innovation in logistics technologies, and address emerging use cases across sectors.
Amit Shankdhar, Co-Founder of Logistics Shakti, said the partnership opens avenues for business growth and introduces innovation into the logistics ecosystem. BonV Aero, a deep-tech UAV original equipment manufacturer, said it is now expanding its B2B footprint and is seeking industry partners to deploy its technology across industries, infrastructure projects, and commercial enterprises in India.
BLR Airport handles 532k MT cargo in
2025-26
Retaining its position as India’s leading gateway for perishable exports for the fifth year in a row, Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (BLR Airport) recorded a year of sustained growth in 2025–26, handling 532,000 MT of cargo, posting 6% growth. Growth was driven by domestic demand, and strengthening cargo operations, reinforcing the airport’s position as a key global gateway for South India. This was supported by a network of 15 cargo airlines operating across 38 destinations, linking Bengaluru to key global hubs.
Sustained growth and expanding connectivity position BLR Airport as a key transfer hub in India. As demand continues to evolve, the airport will focus on deepening global linkages, expanding capacity, and building a future-ready ecosystem.
Will Europe become a museum?
Europe could be on its way to becoming a museum if the business and political leaders do not urgently acknowledge new global realities and respond to them with targeted strategic adjustments. The goal of the EU member states must be to implement the principles of a rule-based economy, even in the face of harsh external resistance.
Companies and entire systems that remain passive in the here and now, have already lost. That was a core message from scholars, economists, and logistics experts at the World Trade Dialogue. The event, attended by over 200 invitees, took place at the headquarters of the shipping line, Hapag-Lloyd, in Hamburg on 28APR26.
Old alliances have broken down; new ones are urgently needed for democratic countries and liberal economies, including a fast diversification of suppliers to reduce dependencies. This was one of the focal themes tabled and discussed by experts at the World Trade Dialogue. But sticking the head in the sand like an ostrich in the face of geopolitical tensions would not be an appropriate strategy for survival.
Thinking positively and looking ahead would be the right approach instead. Based on this insight, the panelists offered a wealth of encouragement for European companies on how they can use the crisis to their advantage.
And
there is no shortage of crises: Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine, the Iran
conflict, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, escalating civil wars in Sudan
and Mali, Houthi attacks in the Gulf of Aden, and China’s increasingly
aggressive behavior in adjacent maritime areas and toward Taiwan, including
neighboring countries in Southeast Asia. The bitter truth is that the law of
the jungle prevails, and a rules-based economic system is becoming increasingly
rare.
Wedged between two heavyweights
The two main players in the arena of disruption are China, with the Putin system clinging to its coattails, and the increasingly authoritarian and erratic Trump system on the other side of the globe. Wedged between these two blocs is the EU. In its political and economic actions, it has so far mostly resembled a rabbit frozen in fear at the sight of a snake. Or rather, like a rabbit seeing two predators at once. There are many reasons why things have turned out like this.
These were described early on in the works of the German-American analyst, Albert Hirschman (1915–2012). He analyzed how asymmetrical power relations in international trade can be used by stronger states to dominate weaker ones. Or, in its contemporary form: trade is increasingly being weaponized by dominant regimes to induce dependencies. “Today, we are fast moving from a Baron de Montesquieu-based system founded on liberal principles and the separation of powers, to an age predicted by Hirschman, in which the stronger party ruthlessly asserts its power,” Professor Moritz Schularick, President of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy and co-moderator of the Dialogue, stated in his introductory remarks.
Mercosur
and more
But what are the specific consequences of this development for the EU, as well
as for other democratic nations such as Australia, Japan, Brazil, and Canada,
to name just a few? Forging new alliances – and doing so quickly – was a key
recommendation made by experts at the conference. The Trump administration’s
ever-changing tariff decrees are acting as catalysts in this process.
This is evidenced by the agreement between the EU and the Mercosur bloc. “It took 25 years to discuss the treaty, during which particular interests – such as the demands of French farmers – acted as obstacles. Then Trump launched his tariff shock, trivialized as ‘liberation day’, and the agreement was ratified immediately, at least provisionally,” summarized Dr. Welber Barra, a partner at BMJ Consulting, who had traveled from Brazil. Similar agreements are in the pipeline with India, Australia, Malaysia, and the United Arab Emirates, said the Minister of Economic Affairs, Katherina Reiche, who joined in a video call.
And there is interest between Ottawa and Brussels in an even closer transatlantic partnership to mutual benefit. At the same time, the minister emphasized that 450 million consumers live in the EU – a good 110 million more than in the U.S. This makes the continent a coveted global market, as well as a hotbed of innovation and technology. “We need to make much better use of these advantages,” she urged.
Basic
internal reforms are indispensable
To embark on this growth road, however, obstacles must be removed and companies
must foster a new spirit of optimism, emphasized Simone Menne, former CFO of
Lufthansa and current President of AmCham America. “Don’t remain stuck
in a state of paralysis, hoping that waiting will help until things get better.
This won’t happen. Companies must save themselves if they want to survive. They
should start fighting German angst!” she exclaimed.
And to that end, in addition to positive thinking and forward-looking action, there is an arsenal of measures ready to get the European economy back on track. New global partnerships and diversification of production to reduce dependence on a single supplier are further components. But the question of what expectations Chinese trading partners have of German and European products, provides the clearest guide: For them, these parameters are paramount: high product quality, excellent engineering, reliable supply chains, and advanced sustainable solutions coupled with long-term trade relations.
“To be ahead of the curve when it comes to smart and advanced products, we need structural changes in Europe, especially in Germany. This will cost social sacrifices, but perseverance and immobility must be overcome politically as well as socially. Ifwe fail, we will end up as huge museum or amusement park and earn money as tourist guides,” Simone illustrated.
We
must implement trade relations that serve Germany and the EU best,”
exclaimed Nico Lange.
With him on stage were Silke Lehmköster and Moritz Schularick. Far left:
Moderator Uwe Jean Heuser
“Team Europe” needed
Ultimately, however, the decisive factor for balanced trade relations is primarily the price that consumers or importers must pay for a product. There is no level playing field in this sector. For instance, China deliberately uses its own currency to reduce the cost of its exports.
Furthermore, many measures are politically driven and therefore heavily subsidized by the Beijing rulers, particularly the export of rare earths. Commercially oriented Western companies can do little to counter this state-driven economy. Unless their governments impose sanctions on Chinese exports, thereby making them significantly more expensive.
But this will most likely fire back, harming their trade relations. At least in the strategic and security sectors, countermeasures have already been taken to prevent the outflow of strategically important know-how. Nico Lange concluded: “As Germans, we must quickly learn which interests serve us best and not help others get back on their feet. This we’ve done for decades.
The
wind has changed. Now we must be determined – as must our European partners –
to create and implement trade relations that serve us best.” Lange, a former
military man, is the Founder and Director of the IRIS Institute for Risk
Analysis and International Security. Thus, creating an agile ‘Team Europe’
driven by a spirit of innovation, placing greater emphasis on self-interest,
might be a viable solution,” Moritz Schularick summarized in his closing
remarks.
Japan Airlines (JAL) is trialing robots in ground handling
He
still needs a little training to avoid damaging the ULD. Image: JAL
There have been a few amusing videos making the LinkedIn rounds this week, illustrating what might become commonplace in the next decade. Japan Airlines (JAL) announced on 27APR26, that it has commenced a pilot project at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, to test the feasibility of humanoid robots in airport ground handling.
If it is a success, it could go a long way to solving the growing manpower shortage come 2028. The humanoid robots will be trialed over a period of two years. It is the first such experiment to be carried out in Japan. Japan Ground Service Co., Ltd., which is responsible for JAL Group’s ground handling operations (aircraft towing and baggage/cargo loading and unloading) at major domestic airports, is working together with GMO AI & Robotics, aiming to improve efficiency in ground handling operations and save on labor resources.
The country is seeing its working-age population shrink and at the same time experiencing a rising influx of tourists.
The Chinese-built, Unitree G1, silver, humanoid robot [meaning his range of motion and adaptability is comparable to that of a human], measures 130 cm in height and weighs 35 kg. On the videos, he is seen working in a hangar, pushing cargo containers from trolleys towards an aircraft high-loader.
Since he has two legs, he can work in much the same way as a human, and this is an advantage over wheeled bots, which would require facility adaptions for them to be able to function properly. That said, the video shows that his movements are still somewhat unsteady, his feet require better traction, and he needs to be taught how to touch the container so as not to damage it by accident.
From now until 2028, he will be tested in scenarios where he can operate safely, with a view to then being deployed in baggage loading/unloading, aircraft cleaning, and possibly even operating GSE, as these are areas where employees are short-staffed. JAL’s aim is to automate wherever possible to remove the burden from its human staff.
“Ground handling operations require highly skilled personnel to maintain safety, such as aircraft marshalling and baggage/cargo handling, while also imposing significant physical burdens. […] Both companies aim to establish an environment in which humanoid robots can operate safely and effectively on the frontlines of airport operations. […] This initiative will contribute to sustainable development in the aviation industry and promote work-style reform at airports,” JAL’s press release concludes.
The Cute, the Wild, and the Boney in
air cargo
Animals are not a rare sight on aircraft given that around 200,000 live animal shipments were recorded by IATA in 2024, and that figure has been on an ever upward trend since 2019. For the past half-century, how they are to be handled and transported has been laid out in IATA’s Live Animals Regulations or LAR for short.
This was also launched in digital form, last year – LAR Verify is a portal designed to improve the animals’ welfare and safe transport. The LAR is continuously updated and, this year, the focus is particularly on container specifications and correct use. Both facets depend heavily on what kind of animal is being transported. And just how varied animal transports can be, was shown in three separate air cargo stories recently.
First off: The Cute
Air Charter Service was contacted with a large and pretty fluffy – not to mention heart-warming – project request: to assist in the transport of 208 pet cats and dogs to their new forever homes. These were rescue animals that had been collected in the Californian city of Merced and were destined to find owners in Oregon and Washington.
Thomas Howe, CEO of ACS California, commented: “We were approached by a
charity that we have worked with before, to fly more than 200 rescue cats and
dogs, many of the dogs were very young puppies, to three different rehoming
programs in northern states, so they could start their new lives. Flying them
means that the animals are in transit for much less time than they would be
travelling by road. There are several specialist considerations when arranging
charters with animals on board, so we sent one of our team to Merced to oversee
the loading, ensuring that everything went smoothly.
As this was for a charity, they enlisted a team of volunteers to help load the aircraft, which resulted in an efficient operation, with all animals securely on board in a little over an hour. The aircraft made three drops, first in Salem, Oregon, where it was on the ground for just over 30 minutes, before flying to Arlington and Spokane in Washington. The cats and dogs all arrived at their final destinations safely, and ready to start their new lives. It’s charters like this where we feel that we’re making a real difference, not only to the animals, but to the people who will be welcoming them to their families.”
The
Wild
From the cute to the crucial. Air France KLM Martinair Cargo recently
participated in an important mission aimed at rewilding a species at great risk
of extinction: Mountain Bongos. It is estimated that there are currently only
66 Mountain Bongos living in the wild in Kenya. With the airline’s part in the
‘Return of the Bongos to Kenya’ project, that figure has increased by four.
Four robust, male Bongos from a Zoo in the Czech Republic, were chosen (on account of their age, health and genetic suitability) to be flown to Kenya, for release into the wild, where it is hoped they will further increase the population. The project was a collaborative effort between the Kenya Wildlife Service, Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy, and international conservation partners such as the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA).
Cited in Business News Kenya, Pier Luigi Vigada, Air France–KLM Martinair Cargo’s Regional Director for East & Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean, stated: “This operation demonstrates what is possible when aviation and conservation work hand in hand. We are proud to support a mission that contributes directly to the survival of one of Africa’s most iconic and endangered species.”
Joris Holtus, Air France-KLM’s General Manager for East and Southern Africa, Nigeria and Ghana, added: “As an airline group, we are vividly aware of the greater purpose that global connectivity serves. That’s why, whenever we receive a call to support conservation initiatives like the transfer of the mountain bongos and lions, we do respond without hesitation.”
The
Boney
The most unusual transport of all, recently, was that of ‘Rocky and Regina’. As
Lufthansa Cargo’s ESG/CSR Lead, Bettina Petzold, wittily announced on LinkedIn: “Our
oldest VIPs on their way to China” and posted images of the dinosaurs that
traveled from Munich to Beijing, last month.
At 67 million years old, she’s probably right about the mother and son Tyrannosaurus rex duo who boarded the China-bound flight, having left their home in the Dinosaurier Museum Altmühltal, for an extended holiday at Beijing’s Natural History of China Museum. They are the stars of the show in “A Special Exhibition for the King of Dinosaurs” which opened on 01MAY26 and will run through to 11OCT26. Some time after that, they’ll fly Lufthansa Cargo’s Dino-Class back, again with the help of forwarders Art by Pro and Art to Move.
The photo shows a replica of Regina’s 1.3-meter skull, which was specially showcased airside to give an idea of the boxed-up treasures that were being loaded into the aircraft. Rocky and Regina are of particular historical and scientific interest because they are genuine fossils of some of the most complete T-rex skeletons every discovered. Rocky – the only known juvenile T-rex skeleton in the world – was found in the late 1990s.
He
measures almost 10 meters in length and is around 60% complete, whilst his
mother, Regina, is a fully grown adult at 12 meters in length and likely
weighed more than 10 tons. They are now joined by over 100 Chinese
Tyrannosauroid specimens tracing 400 million years of predatory evolution.“Global
logistics connects cultures, science, and people – sometimes even across
millions of years,” Lufthansa Cargo emphasized.
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.
Comments
Post a Comment