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 August 14, 2026
Today’s
Exchange Rates
|
CURRENCY▲ |
PRICE |
CHANGE |
%CHANGE |
OPEN |
PREV.CLOSE |
|
|
95.44 |
0.100006 |
0.104894 |
95.36 |
95.34 |
|
|
|
1.1544 |
0.0018 |
0.156164 |
1.1526 |
1.1526 |
|
|
|
128.7666 |
-0.054794 |
-0.042535 |
128.6179 |
128.8214 |
|
|
|
110.0925 |
0.118797 |
0.108023 |
109.8666 |
109.9737 |
|
|
|
159.18 |
-0.240005 |
-0.150549 |
159.42 |
159.42 |
|
|
|
1.3509 |
0.0014 |
0.103751 |
1.3495 |
1.3495 |
|
|
|
0.599 |
0.0002 |
0.033396 |
0.5979 |
0.5988 |
|
/// Sea Cargo News ///
India condemns sinking of cargo vessel in Red Sea
“We condemn the attack on the Indian flagged commercial vessel, MSV Faize Noore Oliya that sank in the Red Sea, off the coast of Yemen on August 4, 2026,” stated India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
“The continuing incidents of attacks on
commercial shipping in the region are deeply worrisome. The targeting of
commercial shipping in the region must end, and free and unimpeded navigation
and commerce through the international waterways in the region, in keeping with
international law, must be restored at the earliest.”
The Houthi in Yemen have launched a blockade
of Saudi ports as part of their long running conflict with Saudi Arabia and are
targeting ships in the Red Sea that have called at ports in the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia imposes anti-dumping duties on Indian cast
iron pip
The anti-dumping duties will range from 16.96 percent to 29.94 percent of cost, insurance and freight (CIF) value, not less than SAR 714 and SAR 1260 per tonne, GAFT said in a social media post on X.
The
duties will remain for five years starting 4 August 2026.
Sweden clears Caffa transfer to Ukraine in landmark ruling
The court refused the owner permission to appeal, leaving earlier decisions by the Ystad District Court and the Court of Appeal in force. Swedish media reported that it was the first time a court outside Ukraine had approved the handover of a vessel linked to the export of stolen Ukrainian grain.
The 4,337 dwt Caffa was intercepted by
Swedish authorities off Trelleborg on March 6 while sailing from Casablanca to
St Petersburg. The vessel claimed to be registered in Guinea, but
Swedish authorities suspected it was operating under a false flag and using
fraudulent documents. Its classification had been withdrawn by the Russian
Maritime Register of Shipping in June 2025.
Ukrainian investigators subsequently asked Sweden to seize the ship under international legal-assistance legislation. Prosecutors alleged that the Caffa had called at Russian-occupied Sevastopol, loaded approximately 3,000 tonnes of Ukrainian barley and transported the cargo to Syria.
Sweden’s courts concluded that the vessel,
documents, a hard drive and a USB device could be important to the Ukrainian
investigation or become subject to forfeiture. Judges also ruled that the
seizure was proportionate given the seriousness of the alleged offences and the
ship’s numerous safety deficiencies.
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha
described the decision as an important international precedent in efforts to
combat sanctions evasion and Russia’s clandestine shipping operations.
The vessel has remained moored at Trelleborg,
although its crew of 11, most of whom were reported to be Russian, were
permitted to return home.
Ukraine has previously confiscated and sold
ships seized within its own jurisdiction, but the Swedish ruling could
encourage Kyiv to pursue more vessels when they enter countries willing to
enforce Ukrainian court requests.
It also increases the legal risk for owners,
managers and operators involved in voyages to occupied Crimean ports, even when
the ships subsequently trade far from Ukrainian waters.
CMA CGM
increases FAK rates from Asia to the Mediterranean and North Africa
CMA CGM will increase its Freight All Kinds
(FAK) rates from Asia to the Mediterranean and North Africa.
The revised rates will apply from 15 to 30
August 2026.
Revised CMA CGM FAK rates
|
Destination |
20-foot container |
40-foot/40-foot high-cube container |
|
West Mediterranean |
US$5,100 |
US$7,000 |
|
Adriatic |
US$5,200 |
US$7,100 |
|
East Mediterranean |
US$5,100 |
US$7,100 |
|
Black Sea |
US$5,300 |
US$7,200 |
|
North Africa |
US$6,700 |
US$9,500 |
Application of the new rates
The FAK rates will cover shipments from all
main ports in Asia to the listed Mediterranean and North African destinations.
Moreover, the rates will apply to dry, reefer
and out-of-gauge cargo, as well as paying empty containers.
SeaLead
ceases trading following US sanctions
Singapore-based SeaLead Shipping has ceased trading after US sanctions prevented the company from continuing its operations.
SeaLead has filed for voluntary liquidation,
while the company has appointed a liquidator.
The shipping company said it remained solvent
when it submitted the filing. Moreover, SeaLead maintains that its assets can
cover all outstanding debts within one year.
OFAC sanctions affect SeaLead operations
The US Office of Foreign Assets Control
(OFAC) sanctioned 16 vessels chartered by SeaLead.
OFAC alleged that the vessels had links to
Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani. He is the son of former senior Iranian official Ali
Shamkhani.
According to OFAC, Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani
operated a network involved in transporting Iranian and Russian oil.
Samudera
delivers growth in the first half of 2026
PT Samudera Indonesia Tbk reported higher revenue, EBITDA and net profit for the first half of 2026.
Revenue increased by 11% year-on-year, while
EBITDA rose by 38%. Moreover, net profit grew by 11% compared with the first
half of 2025.
The company’s total assets also increased by
4% from the level recorded at the end of 2025.
Samudera financial performance
Samudera generated revenue of US$421.8
million during the first half of 2026. This compares with US$379.1 million in
the same period last year.
Meanwhile, EBITDA increased to US$132.8
million from US$96.3 million.
Net profit reached US$32.5 million, compared
with US$29.3 million in the first half of 2025.
Interim dividend
Samudera declared an interim dividend of IDR
2.5 per share for the 2026 financial year.
The total dividend amounts to IDR 40.9
billion. Samudera plans to pay the dividend on 29 August 2026.
FESCO
suspends Black Sea bookings after vessel sinking
FESCO has suspended bookings for the Black Sea following the sinking of its container ship FESCO Yanina, according to DynaLiners.
A Ukrainian drone attack sank the 920 TEU
vessel approximately 130 nautical miles from Novorossiysk.
FESCO Yanina was built in 2005.
FESCO Black Sea services
FESCO provides connections to Novorossiysk
through two services:
·
FIL-W service from India
·
FTBS service from Turkey
Ocean Alliance realigns Transpacific services
The Ocean Alliance has revised three CMA CGM-operated Transpacific services.
The
alliance includes CMA CGM, COSCO Shipping Lines/OOCL and Evergreen.
The
changes affect the Columbus PNW, MTE and Pearl services.
Columbus PNW changes
The
Columbus PNW service will remove Qingdao, Ningbo and Kwangyang from its
rotation.
Meanwhile,
the service will add Kaohsiung and Shenzhen’s Yantian terminal.
The
revised CPNW rotation will be:
Shenzhen
(Yantian) – Shanghai – Busan – Vancouver – Seattle – Kaohsiung – Shenzhen
(Yantian)
MTE changes
The
Ocean Alliance will transfer the Hai Phong call from MTE to the Pearl service.
In
addition, MTE will add Port Kelang.
The
revised MTE rotation will be:
Port
Kelang – Ho Chi Minh – Shanghai – Los Angeles – Oakland – Kaohsiung – Port
Kelang
Pearl service changes
The
Pearl service, also known as PRX, will add Hai Phong to its rotation.
The
revised PRX rotation will be:
Port
Kelang – Laem Chabang – Hai Phong – Shenzhen (Yantian) – Los Angeles –
Kwangyang – Qingdao – Shanghai – Ningbo – Shenzhen (Shekou) – Singapore – Nhava
Sheva – Mundra – Karachi – Port Kelang.
/// Air Cargo News ///
Atlas Air Worldwide completes
investment in Air Atlanta
Atlas
Air Worldwide has completed its acquisition of a 49% minority stake in
freighter operator Air Atlanta.
The
deal was first
announced in May and
will also see Atlas subsidiary Titan Aviation Holdings separately acquire the
aircraft owned by the Air Atlanta group of companies.
The
aircraft will then be leased back to the Air Atlanta airline companies for
continued operation.
Headquartered
in Iceland with operating platforms in both Iceland and Malta, Air Atlanta
provides CMI services, passenger and cargo charter services, and management
services, in addition to its core ACMI leasing business.
Air
Atlanta operates a fleet of 14 widebody freighters, including Boeing 747Fs and
777Fs, and also operates four passenger 777 aircraft.
“The
strategic partnership expands Atlas’ global operating platform and enhances
access to widebody capacity across key international markets,” the company said
in a press release.
“We
are pleased to complete our previously announced strategic investment in Air
Atlanta and welcome the Air Atlanta team as a valued strategic partner,” said
Michael Steen, chief executive.
“This
milestone reflects our shared commitment to delivering exceptional service to
customers and supporting the long-term success of both organisations.”
“This
strategic relationship marks an exciting new chapter for Air Atlanta,” said
Baldvin Hermannsson, chief executive, Air Atlanta.
“Together
with Atlas, we are well positioned to build on our complementary strengths and
expand opportunities and enhance value for our customers.”
Barclays
and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC served as financial advisors to Atlas Air
Worldwide. Norton Rose Fulbright LLP served as legal counsel to Atlas Air
Worldwide.
Air
Atlanta will continue to operate under its existing leadership team and
operating structure, while both companies collaborate commercially to pursue
incremental global growth opportunities, said Atlas in May.
Following
completion of the transaction, the “continuing Air Atlanta management team will
retain a 51% controlling interest in the airline operating companies,” stated
Atlas.
Hannes
Hilmarsson, executive chairman of the Air Atlanta Group, will step down after
20 years in leadership roles with the business.
Schiphol cargo benefits from fewer
shorthaul flights
Schiphol’s
cargo community is hopeful that cargo operations will benefit from low-cost
airlines reducing flights to the airport as a result of “significant increases”
in airport charges, while a change in slot allocation rules will also benefit
freighter airlines.
Cargo
group Air Cargo Netherlands (ACN) said that easyJet, Vueling, Lufthansa, Swiss,
and ITA had returned approximately 2,200 slots ahead of the 2026 winter season
as the airport upped its fees.
ACN
said that both bellyhold and freighter operations stand to gain from fewer
shorthaul flights.
Firstly,
many of the freed-up slots have been taken up by intercontinental flights that
carry more cargo than shorthaul flights, with LATAM, Thai Airways and Vietnam
Airlines all benefiting from additional slots in the upcoming winter season.
“The
increase in intercontinental connections is positive for air cargo, as
approximately half of the cargo at Schiphol is transported in the bellies of
passenger aircraft,” ACN said.
Meanwhile,
in the current summer season, freighter operators are already benefiting from
shorthaul airlines reducing flights to the airport.
“Airlines
operating dedicated freighters have also benefited from the available capacity.
In the current Summer 2026 season, these carriers secured over 700 additional
slots,” ACN said.
ACN
said that currently, a total of 9,703 slots have been allocated to cargo
flights for the entire summer season, an increase of 3,402 slots relative to
the initial Slot Allocation List.
Meanwhile,
the Schiphol air cargo market is also set to benefit from a slot
allocation rule change that will be implemented for the winter 2026
season.
The
change means that Airport Coordination Netherlands (ACNL) will allocate
released slots before the start of the season.
Until
now, these slots often only became available when airlines cancelled flights
during the season. This will make it easier for freighter operators to plan
their operations.
“This
process begins approximately four weeks before the season starts,” ACN said. “This
is a positive development for cargo airlines, which can now obtain ad hoc slots
for November and December as early as the beginning of October.
“The
ability to allocate ad hoc slots earlier creates greater certainty and
predictability, enabling cargo airlines to better serve their networks and
customers.”
National Airlines operates “world’s
longest 777 freighter flight”
National
Airlines has achieved what is believed to be the world’s longest commercial
Boeing 777 freighter flight.
Florida-headquartered
National Airlines said in a LinkedIn post on 5 August that the flight operated
from Glasgow Prestwick in Scotland to Melbourne, Australia.
The
airline said: “National Airlines is proud to have achieved what is believed to
be the world’s longest commercial Boeing 777 Freighter flight with live cargo
for another airline, operating nonstop from Prestwick to Melbourne across an
extraordinary 9,849 nautical miles (completed in 19:23 hrs).”
Last
month, National Airlines took delivery of its third Boeing
777-200 freighter within
four months and expects to add a fourth 777F in the coming months.
These
aircraft are part of an order the airline made for four newbuild
777-200Fs in
2024. The newbuild 777Fs will help the airline modernise its fleet, increase
cargo capacity and fly long haul routes.
National
Airlines, part of National Air Cargo, now operates a fleet of three 777-200Fs,
nine Boeing 747Fs, plus Airbus A330-300 and A330-200 passenger aircraft.
The
airline offers global cargo charter options for direct shippers, multinational
manufacturers, e-commerce organisations, entertainment groups and government
agencies.
As
well as cargo charter services, National Airlines offers passenger charter
services, ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance & Insurance) and CMI (Crew,
Maintenance & Insurance) services globally.
Besides
US regional hubs in Buffalo, New York; Orlando, Florida; and Chicago, Illinois,
National has operational hubs located in Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Madrid, Dubai,
Afghanistan, Djibouti, Bahrain, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai.
Cathay Pacific expects six month delay
to A350 freighter order
Cathay
Pacific is expecting a six-month delay to the delivery of its Airbus A350
freighter aircraft, the company revealed yesterday.
Speaking
at the airline’s half-year results briefing, Cathay chief operations and
service delivery officer Alex McGowan said that the airline is facing delays on
its Airbus A350 freighter aircraft, of which it has eight on order, reports
sister publication FlightGlobal.
McGowan
said the airline expects delivery to be delayed by around six months, but did
not reveal when this might take place.
Nonetheless,
he said the airline is confident that the delays are on the “first few
aircraft”, and that the airframers “will catch up as the order book
progresses”.
Cathay
Pacific ordered six
Airbus A350 freighters in December 2023 before adding
two more aircraft to
the order earlier this year.
At
the time the first order was placed, the carrier said it expected delivery to
take place between 2027 and 2029.
Meanwhile,
Airbus chief executive Guillaume Faury recently gave a short update on the
next-generation freighter programme during its second-quarter results call.
Faury
confirmed that the airline was expecting test flights to start before the end
of the year and deliveries to start next year.
“We
expect the first flight before the end of this year, which means the start of
flight tests immediately and a very dense flight test programme, targeting
certification and first delivery, ideally by the end of next year. The ramp-up,
so delivery of aircraft in rather significant numbers, as soon as 2028.”
In
February last year, Airbus pushed back the
entry-into-service date for the A350F to the second half of 2027, from its
earlier expectation of 2026.
Meanwhile,
testing continues to progress. Earlier this week, Airbus said that it is preparing
to carry out flight vibration tests, known as “flutter tests” on its A350
freighter prototype as it works towards clearing the newbuild model for flight
tests and service entry.
Meanwhile,
its rival Boeing 777-8F freighter has also faced delays. The 777-8F was
originally anticipated to come to market in 2027 but this was pushed
back into 2028 due
to flight-testing delays with the baseline 777-9 passenger aircraft.
Cargolux
recently commented that it is not expecting
to start taking delivery of the aircarft until 2029.
Drone carrying explosives found at
Leipzig while DHL aircraft collides with unknown object
A
drone carrying explosives was this week discovered within the cargo area of
Leipzig Airport, while a DHL freighter was later hit by an “unknown object”
after taking off from the airport.
In
a statement, the Saxony State said that an airport employee discovered a drone
equipped with an unknown explosive device within the secure area of the cargo operations
zone, near the south runway.
The
drone was discovered during the night of 4 August to 5 August.
The
object was examined with the assistance of the Federal Police and an explosive
ordnance disposal robot and the detonator was later removed. A controlled
explosion was also carried out by police.
The
airport’s runways were temporarily closed as a result.
During
this time, a suspected second unidentified flying object collided with a cargo
aircraft after the plane had initiated a go-around following the closure of the
runway.
Minor
damage to the aircraft was discovered after it landed in Hanover.
Although
authorities did not confirm which airline operated the aircraft, it is widely
reported to have been a DHL freighter.
A
DHL spokesperson said: “We can confirm that an incident occurred overnight in
the vicinity of Leipzig/Halle Airport. The relevant authorities are
investigating the circumstances.”
After
an extensive inspection of the airport, the north runway was cleared for use
again later that same night at around 2am.
The
south runway was not scheduled for use today due to maintenance work.
The
Central Office for Extremism in Saxony and the Saxony State Criminal Police
Office’s Counter-Terrorism and Extremism Center are investigating the incident.
Saxony
interior minister Armin Schuster said: “The incidents at Leipzig Airport
constitute a very serious security event. Consequently, state and federal
security authorities have been investigating hand-in-hand and with high urgency
since last night.”
According
to reports, the second drone was spotted close to an Antonov aircraft.
So
far, the incident is not being linked to an incendiary device that caught fire
at the airport in 2024. A similar incident also occurred
in DHL UK parcel network in 2024.
As
a result of the incidents, several countries ramped up their security
requirements for shipments from the UK and Europe.
Oman Air widens network with 5 new routes
Oman Air has expanded its cargo network across Asia by launching five new routes in a single week, adding Singapore and Tashkent to strengthen connectivity with key trade markets, said Michael Duggan, Head of Cargo.
The
expansion increases cargo capacity for time-sensitive and high-value shipments
and improve access to Southeast Asia and Central Asia.
The
new services, operated with Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, include Muscat–Singapore
(four weekly flights), Muscat–Tashkent (biweekly), Sochi (weekly), Abu Dhabi
(daily), and Salalah–Dubai (tri-weekly).
The
additional capacity is likely to support the movement of perishables and other
high-value cargo as trade between Oman and Asia continues to expand.
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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