JUPITER SEA & AIR
SERVICES PVT. LTD, EGMORE – CHENNAI, INDIA.
E-MAIL : Robert.sands@jupiterseaair.co.in Mobile : +91 98407 85202
Corporate News
Letter for Thursday June 18,
2026
Today’s
Exchange Rates
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CURRENCY▲ |
PRICE |
CHANGE |
%CHANGE |
OPEN |
PRE.CLS |
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94.53 |
0.040001 |
0.042298 |
94.45 |
94.57 |
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1.1602 |
-0.0006 |
0.051687 |
1.1608 |
1.1608 |
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|
126.8357 |
-0.0308 |
0.024277 |
126.8251 |
126.8665 |
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|
109.6926 |
-0.0112 |
0.010209 |
109.6714 |
109.7038 |
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160.234 |
0.195999 |
0.122171 |
160.42 |
160.43 |
|
|
1.3415 |
-0.0011 |
0.081926 |
1.3427 |
1.3426 |
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|
0.59 |
0.0002 |
0.033905 |
0.5896 |
0.5898 |
/// Sea Cargo News ///
MSC shifts
Ingwe hub call to Hambantota
MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company will replace Colombo with Hambantota as the northbound Sri Lankan Hub call on its Far East-South Africa Ingwe service, according to Alphaliner.
Alongside the port change, MSC will increase
capacity on the service by adding an additional vessel, bringing deployment to
12 ships ranging from 5,500 TEU to 12,000 TEU.
Following the network adjustment, the revised
Ingwe rotation will connect Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen (Shekou),
Singapore, Port Louis, Ngquram Durban, Port Louis, Hambantota, Hong Kong and
Tianjin before returning to Qingdao.
The changes are expected to strengthen MSC’s
operational flexibility on the Asia-South Africa trade lane while enhancing the
role of Hambantota within the carrier’s regional trans-shipment network.
CMA CGM
announces PSS from Asia to Europe and Mediterranean trades
CMA CGM will introduce new Peak Season Surcharges (PSS) on shipments from Asia to North Europe, the Mediterranean and North Africa. The surcharges will take effect on July 01, 2026 and remain in force until further notice.
For cargo moving from Asia to North Europe,
CMA CGM will apply a surcharge of USD 1,000 per TEU. The measure covers all
Asian origins including Japan, South East Asia and Bangladesh.
It applies to all North European destinations
including the UK and Ports from Portugal to Finland and Estonia. The surcharge
applied to all cargo types and to contracts with a validity of more than 30
days.
For shipments from Asia to the Mediterranean
and North Africa, CMA CGM will charge USD 1,400 per 20ft Container and USD
2,800 per 40ft Container. The surcharge applied to all cargo moving from Asian
main ports to Mediterranean destinations. CMA CGM said local filing
requirements will apply where required by law.
The carrier added that for shipments from
China, the surcharge may be subject to filing with the Shanghai Shipping
Exchange or included in ocean freight rates.
The PSS will be charged in addition to
applicable freight rates, Bunker surcharges, Terminal Handling charges and
security related fees.
Europe to India and Pakistan : CMA CGM said it
will also increase Freight of All Kinds (FAK) on shipments from North Europe
and Mediterranean ports to India and Pakistan.
From North Europe, rates to the Indian
Subcontinent will rise from USD 600 to USD 700 per 20Ft and USD 500 to USD 600
per 40Ft Container. Rates to Pakistan will increase from USD 700 to USD 800 per
20ft and USD 600 to USD 700 per 40ft Container.
From the West Mediterranean, rates to India
will increase to USD 700 per 20ft and 40ft container, while rates to Pakistan
will rise to USD 800 per 20ft and 40ft Container.
From the East Mediterranean, rates to India
will rise to USD 900/20ft and USD 800/40ft Container. Rates to Pakistan will
rise to USD 1,000/20Ft and USD 900/40Ft Container.
The revised rates apply to dry cargo and
paying empty containers from July 01, 2026.
The Fuzhou Formula : How China built the world’s most efficient
ports
Global trade relies heavily on speed, predictability and efficiency. When international shipping lines select transit routes, every extra hour a vessel spends idling at a marine terminal adds thousands of dollars in operational costs.
According to the comprehensive global data
published in The Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) 2025 by the World Bank Group and S&P Global Market Intelligence, Chinese container ports have achieved unparalleled
operational dominance. By examining the core longitudinal data-sets and
underlying mechanics from this landmark economic report, we can see exactly how
China built the world’s most efficient ports.
Global Leader board : China Claims the Top
Spots in Port Efficiency
The CPPI evaluates global container hubs
using an objective, data-driven approach based entirely on actual vessel time
in port. The index bypasses subjective, self-reported terminal metrics and
instead relies on automated vessel tracking data to score how quickly cargo
ships are processed.
In the 2025 global efficiency rankings,
Chinese ports captured four out of the top five positions world-wide.
Proven consistency : Tracking Multi Year Resilience from 2020 to 2025.
Achieving a high position on a maritime
leaderboard for a single year is one thing, but sustaining that momentum
through profound macro-economic crises required profound structural resilience.
The World Bank’s multi-year tracking highlights how major Chinese ports
successfully navigated global disruptions.
The Fuzhou
Trajectory: The global number one Port, Fuzhou,
demonstrates a powerful story of recovery and optimization. In 2020, Fuzhou
maintained a stellar efficiency score of 118. However, during the height of
supply chain disruptions in 2021, its score fell sharply to 27 as global
shipping schedules fractured. By implementing aggressive operational
turnarounds and infrastructure improvements, Fuzhou bounced back rapidly;
climbing to 63 in 2022, jumping to 95 in 2023, reaching 130 in 2024 and peaking
at 144.6 in 2025.
Stable Growth Hubs : Unlike ports that experienced high volatility, hubs like
Xiamen and Mawan exhibited highly stable upward curves.
Xiamen rose from a
score of 114 in 2020, weathered a brief pandemic dipping phase and steadily
climbed to 115 in 2024 and 121.3 in 2025.
Mawan
consistently scaled its operations, surging from an efficiency ranking score of
84 in 2020 straight up to 134.8 in 2025.
Operational Blueprint : The Strategic Factors
Driving Terminal Speed
The World Bank’s report indicated that high
performance is structurally tied to a terminal’s capability to eliminate time
absorption – the non productive time vessels spend waiting at anchorages,
queing or sitting idle at a berth.
China’s hubs systematically outperform
western and regional peers through key operational advantages:
WinGD powers delivery of first ocean going ammonia-fuelled vessel
WinGD has delivered ANTWERPEN, the world’s first ocean going vessel designed to operate on ammonia fuel. The vessel was delivered to EXMAR after completing successful sea trials.
ANTWERPEN is powered by WinGD’s X52DF-A
ammonia fuelled engine. It is the first of four ammonia dual-fuel gas carriers
being built for EXMAR.
The 46,000 cubic metre LPG and ammonia
carrier marks a major step for ammonia as a marine fuel. WinGD developed the
project with EXMAR, HD Hyundai Engine Machinery Division and HD Hyundai Heavy
Industries.
Sea trials confirmed that the X-DF-A engine
delivers fuel efficiency and performance comparable to conventional diesel
engine. The engine uses high-pressure ammonia injection and requires only a 5%
pilot fuel dose at full load.
WinGD completed engine testing in January
2026 in South Korea. The company then successfully completed sea trials in May
before delivering the vessel in June.
Sebastian Hensel, VP of Research and
Development at WinGD, said the project proves that ammonia propulsion is now
commercially viable.
WinGD has secured 40 orders for its X-DF-A
engine across gas carriers, bulk carriers, tankers and container ships. The
company expects ammonia to play a key role in shipping’s decarbonisation
efforts and future fuel mix.
IMO
condemns tanker attack near Strait of Hormuz
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has strongly condemned an attack on the tanker MT SETTEBELLO near the Strait of Hormuz.
The vessel, sailing under the flag of Palau,
reportedly suffered a projectile strike off the coast of Oman. The attack
caused a fire on board. Three seafarers are reported missing.
IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez
expressed deep concern over the incident. He condemned any action that
endangers seafarers and threatens the safety of international shipping.
“My thoughts are with the families of the
three missing seafarers and with all those awaiting news of the crew members,”
Dominguez said.
He reiterated the need to protect seafarers,
civilian shipping and freedom of navigation at all times. He stressed that all
actions affecting international shipping must comply with international law and
prioritize safety at sea.
Dominguez said the protection of seafarers
remains a shared responsibility for all parties. IMO is closely monitoring the
situation and has called for a full and transparent investigation into the
incident.
According to the organization, 43 attacks on
international shipping have been confirmed in and around the Strait of Hormuz
since February 28, 2026.
JNPA Retains Top Spot
Among Indian Container Ports in World Bank’s 2025 Performance Rankings
Maharashtra’s Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) has retained its position as India’s best-performing container port in the World Bank’s Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) 2025, improving its global standing by one place to rank 22nd worldwide.
Published jointly by the World Bank and
S&P Global Market Intelligence, the annual index evaluates container port
efficiency and operational performance across the globe.
JNPA has also been recognised among the
world’s top 20 most improved ports over the last six years, highlighting its
sustained focus on operational excellence and infrastructure development.
Among India’s private ports, APM
Terminals-operated Pipavav Port emerged as the country’s highest-ranked private
container port, securing the 28th position globally and overtaking Adani Ports
and Special Economic Zone’s Mundra Port. Mundra slipped five places in the
latest rankings to 30th position.
Pipavav’s strong performance marks a return
to the top among private Indian ports, having previously held the distinction
of being India’s best performing container port in the 2022 edition of the
World Bank Report.
In contrast state-owned Visakhapatnam Port
witnessed a sharp decline, falling 34 places to rank 104th globally in 2025.
The port had achieved an impressive 19thh position in the 2023 rankings, making
the latest drop one of the most significant among Indian ports.
Globally, China continued to dominate the
rankings, with four of the world’s top five best performing container ports
located in the country, underscoring its continued leadership in maritime
logistics and port efficiency.
The World Bank noted that recent global
disruptions have significantly affected supply chain productivity and port
performance. According to the CPPI report, non-productive time spent by vessels
waiting at anchor or in port during periods of disruption has become a major
factor impacting efficiency.
“During periods of intense disruption, a
large share of the container fleet has been delayed, with vessels arriving days
behind schedule. Such delays compress arrival patterns, producing short but
intense congestion episodes that overwhelm available capacity”, the report
stated.
The study highlighted that these congestion
surges are often caused not by steady cargo growth but by the clustering of
vessel arrivals within short time-frames. Once vessel bunching occurs,
congestion can escalate rapidly, even at well equipped ports.
The report further pointed to landside
bottlenecks, including inland transport constraints, storage limitations and
slower cargo clearance processes, as factors that amplify congestion and extend
vessel turnaround times.
The World Bank warned that prolonged port
stays effectively reduce available shipping capacity, as vessels tied up at
anchor or berth cannot be deployed elsewhere. This, in turn, contributes to
tighter shipping capacity, higher freight rates and lower schedule reliability
across global trade networks.
“Delays incurred at one port are passed on to
the next, creating cascading effects along service strings”, the report noted,
highlighting the interconnected nature of modern maritime supply chains.
The latest CPPI rankings reinforce the
growing importance of operational efficiency, infrastructure resilience and
digitalisation as ports worldwide navigate increasingly complex and
disruption-prone global logistics networks.
MSC
Expands Lead as World’s Largest Container Carrier, Reaches Record 21.5% Market
Share
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has strengthened its position as the world’s largest container shipping line, achieving a record 21.5% share of global container fleet capacity in May, according to shipping consultancy Alphaliner.
The milestone marks the highest market share
ever recorded by a container carrier, surpassing the previous industry peak of
19.3% held by Maersk in 2018.
The Geneva-based MSC has continued to expand
its fleet aggressively since 2020, widening the gap with its nearest
competitors and consolidating its leadership in the global liner shipping
market.
Alphaliner noted that MSC was the only
carrier among the world's top ten container lines to reach a record market
share in 2026. The company has effectively doubled its share of global fleet
capacity compared with 2010, reflecting sustained investment in vessel
acquisitions and newbuilding programmes.
In contrast, Maersk’s share of global
container fleet capacity declined to 13.7%, its lowest level in two decades.
According to Alphaliner, this is the smallest proportion of the global fleet
operated by Maersk since its acquisition of P&O Nedlloyd in 2005. The
decline follows Maersk’s strategic decision to maintain its fleet size within a
range of 4.1 million to 4.3 million TEUs while the overall global container
fleet continues to expand.
Despite the reduction in market share, Maersk
remains focused on fleet decarbonisation and integrated logistics services
rather than pursuing capacity growth. The company has prioritised replacing
older vessels with more environmentally efficient tonnage while strengthening
its end-to-end logistics offerings.
Meanwhile, French carrier CMA CGM maintained
a stable position in the global market, accounting for 12.5% worldwide
container fleet capacity. Although slightly below its peak market share of
12.9% recorded in 2023, CMA CGM continues to rank among the industry’s leading
operators.
The latest Alphaliner data highlights the
diverging strategies among the world’s largest container shipping companies,
with MSC pursuing fleet expansion, Maersk focusing on sustainability and
logistics integration and CMA CGM maintaining a steady presence as global
container shipping capacity continues to grow.
/// Air Cargo News ///
Assam’s Rupsi Airport to be made
logistics hub
Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister of Assam, said Rupsi Airport is being considered for development as a logistics hub, a move that could strengthen cargo flow and trade connectivity in western Assam.
Speaking
during a Facebook Live session, Sarma said the airport’s location near the
India–Bangladesh border and key trade routes make it suitable for handling
freight and logistics operations.
Originally
built by the British during the World War II as a military airfield, the
airport later functioned as a civilian one before remaining inactive for
decades.
It
was revived under the UDAN regional connectivity scheme through infrastructure
upgrades and the resumption of commercial flights.
If
the proposal moves forward, the facility could support the movement of
agricultural, fishery, horticultural, industrial, and e-commerce goods,
benefiting Assam’s western districts, Meghalaya and North Bengal.
Navi Mumbai International Airport to
launch international flights from July 15
Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is set to commence international passenger flight operations from July 15, with cargo freighter services also scheduled to begin on the same date, NMIA Chairman Captain BVJK Sharma said on Wednesday.
Speaking
to media, on the sidelines of the BCBA Logistics Conclave 2026 in Mumbai,
Sharma said the airport is targeting the launch of both international passenger
and cargo operations next month, subject to completion of final regulatory
formalities.
"On
15th July we are starting with freighters and we expect the freighters to ramp
up to almost 18 weekly flights," Sharma said, adding that "hopefully
on 15th July international passenger flights will also start."
He
said the initial international operations are likely to focus on short-haul
routes, particularly destinations in the Gulf region.
Sharma
noted that customs authorities have already inspected the airport's
preparedness and the remaining approvals are currently being processed.
"The
last one is being done today, which will then follow with Section 45 and the
trials with both the codes for courier and the cargo. This will lead to
probably a trade notice by the customs around 5th of July," he said.
Pakistan extends airspace ban on Indian
aircraft by a month
Pakistan on Wednesday extended its airspace restrictions on Indian-registered aircraft for yet another month till July 24. The restrictions were first imposed in April 2025, a day after terrorists killed 26 people in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, leading to a stand-off between the two nuclear-powered countries, which culminated in a four-day military conflict.
India
has also slapped similar restrictions on Pakistani aircraft for using its
airspace.
"The ban on Indian aircraft -- both civil and military -- will remain in
effect from 5:50 pm June 16 until 4:59 am July 24," the Pakistan Airports
Authority said in a notice issued on Wednesday.
While
military tensions have eased between the two, diplomatic relations remain
strained with both sides continuing with retaliatory measures introduced during
the crisis.
The
prolonged airspace closure is expected to increase operational costs for Indian
airline companies, many of which have been forced to take longer routes to
destinations in Central Asia, Europe, West Asia and North America.
China Airlines
Enhances Cargo Support With New AI Assistant
China Airlines has introduced a new artificial intelligence-powered customer service assistant for its cargo division, marking another step in the airline’s digital transformation efforts.
The
AI tool is designed to provide faster, more efficient support to customers by
improving access to shipment information, service inquiries, and cargo-related
assistance.
The
new assistant is expected to streamline customer interactions by offering
round-the-clock support and rapid responses to common questions.
By
automating routine inquiries, the platform can help reduce response times while
allowing customer service teams to focus on more complex operational and
logistics issues.
According
to industry observers, the adoption of AI technologies is becoming increasingly
important in the air cargo sector as companies seek to improve efficiency,
enhance customer experience and manage growing volumes of data. Intelligent
service platforms can provide real-time information, improve transparency and
support better decision-making throughput the supply chain.
The
initiative aligns with broader trends across the logistics and transportation
industry, where digital tools are being deployed to optimize operations and
strengthen customer engagement. AI-driven solutions are playing a growing role
in cargo tracking, documentation management, demand forecasting and service
support.
China
Airlines expects the new AI assistant to contribute to a more seamless customer
experience while reinforcing the competitiveness of its cargo business. As
global supply chains continue to evolve, investments in digital innovation are
likely to remain a key focus for carriers seeking to enhance service quality
and operation performance.
JAL Enhances Air
Freight Services Between Tokyo and Hong Kong
Japan Airlines (JAL) has strengthened its air cargo offering between Tokyo and Hong Kong through a capacity arrangement with Kalitta Air, a move aimed at supporting growing demand on one of Asia’s busiest freight corridors.
The
partnership is expected to provide customers with additional cargo space and
greater flexibility for shipments moving between the two major logistics hubs.
The
enhanced capacity will help accommodate increasing volumes of high-value,
time-sensitive, and e-commerce cargo while improving connectivity across
regional and international supply chains.
Hong
Kong remains a critical gateway for global trade, and the additional lift is
expected to support businesses seeking reliable access to Asian and worldwide
markets.
Industry
experts note that strategic partnerships between airlines have become
increasingly important as carriers seek to optimize network coverage and
respond quickly to changing cargo demand. By leveraging Kalitta Air’s freighter
capacity, JAL can expand service options without the need for immediate fleet
additions.
The
collaboration also reflects the continued strength of air freight demand in key
Asia-Pacific markets, where manufacturers, retailers and logistics providers
rely on efficient transportation links to maintain supply chain performance.
Enhanced cargo services can help reduce bottlenecks and improve the movement of
goods across international trade routes.
JAL
stated that the arrangement is part of its broader strategy to strengthen cargo
operations and deliver greater value to customers. The additional capacity on
the Tokyo-Hong Kong route is expected to improve service reliability, support
trade growth and reinforce the airline’s position in the competitive air cargo
market.
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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