Explosions Heard in the Strait of Hormuz
Three explosions were heard south of Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route. Iran's state‑run Mehr news agency reported the blasts and suggested they may be linked to traffic‑management activities rather than hostile action. No immediate damage to vessels has been confirmed, but the incident highlights the strategic vulnerability of the chokepoint. Authorities have yet to release a detailed investigation, leaving commercial operators on alert.
Hormuz Reopening Framework a Fragile First Step, Says S&P Global
A U.S.–Iran framework to reopen the Strait of Hormuz was announced on June 14, with a formal memorandum of understanding expected to be signed on Friday. S&P Global Ratings says the deal aligns with its existing base case, which projects...
Peak Season Without the Panic: How Intelligent Route and Capacity Planning Keeps Retailers Ready for Demand Spikes
Retailers facing ever‑longer peak‑season windows are turning to AI‑driven route and capacity planning to replace static, manual schedules. Libera’s engine, proven across 2,400 warehouses and 5 million daily shipments in India, optimizes heterogeneous fleets, tight delivery windows, and real‑world constraints in...
Europe’s Largest Emergency Aerial Services Provider Signs for 15 Airbus H145 Helicopters
Avincis, Europe’s largest emergency aerial services provider, has signed a contract with Airbus to acquire 15 H145 helicopters. The new aircraft will be deployed across its network in the Nordics, Spain and Italy, bolstering its emergency medical and offshore transport...
EasyJet Plane Was Just 20 Meters Above the Ground at the Very End of the Runway and the Pilots Didn’t...
EasyJet’s Airbus A320 to Malaga mistakenly used the Alpha intersection at London Luton, cutting 211 m off the runway despite having calculated performance for the full 1,982‑meter length. The aircraft lifted only about 20 m before the runway ended, a fact the...
Romark Logistics Improves Warehouse Visibility with DexoryView
Romark Logistics has deployed DexoryView, Dexory Inc.'s full‑stack platform that blends autonomous mobile robots, AI and digital‑twin technology, to achieve real‑time inventory visibility at its Hazelton, Pa., warehouse. The system conducts cycle counts between shifts, eliminating the need to pause...
Double Partial Amputee Challenged By United Airlines Over Preboarding. Fake Wheelchair Requests Make Gate Agents Skeptical
United Airlines business‑class passenger, a double partial amputee, was initially told to wait with Group 1 despite requesting pre‑boarding assistance. After pressing another gate agent, they were allowed to board before general boarding, and United confirmed the passenger boarded early. The...
UPS Invests $50M for North American Automotive and Industrial Manufacturers Logistics
UPS announced a $50 million investment to upgrade its network and launch dedicated industry teams for automotive and industrial manufacturers. Starting in August, the North American Air Freight (NAAF) service will provide 1‑, 2‑ and 3‑day heavy‑freight options to and from...
Explainer: Hormuz Under the US-Iran Framework
The United States and Iran issued a diplomatic announcement signaling a willingness to de‑escalate tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, but they have not yet reinstated a formal transit regime for commercial vessels. The statement leaves the legal framework for...
Misurata Free Zone Signs Cooperation Agreement with Port of Antwerp-Bruges
Misurata Free Zone (MFZ) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Belgium’s Port of Antwerp‑Bruges to deepen cooperation on port development and logistics services. The agreement, witnessed by Belgium’s ambassador to Libya, emphasizes technical consulting, knowledge exchange, capacity building and...
ONE Launches Service Connecting Port of Riga to Portugal
Ocean Network Express (ONE) has launched the Iberia Baltic Express, a weekly container service that creates the first direct sea link between Latvia’s Port of Riga and Portugal’s ports. The rotation calls at Leixões, Lisbon, Southampton, Rotterdam, Gdańsk, Riga, Klaipėda,...
OM in the News: Pepsi Trucks Go Driverless
PepsiCo has deployed 35 driverless 26,000‑lb box trucks on Arizona roads, becoming the first major U.S. consumer‑goods company to run large‑scale autonomous freight on public highways. After a safety‑driver testing phase, the trucks began fully driverless runs in 2025 and...
Maersk Revises Dry Port Surcharges for Hungary
Maersk announced new Dry Port Surcharge rates for both import and export traffic through Hungary’s inland terminals in Budapest and Fényeslitke, effective July 1 for non‑regulated and July 13, 2026 for regulated markets. The import surcharge (DPI) is set at...
APM Terminals Delivers Suape Container Terminal
APM Terminals has completed a $350 million, fully electrified container terminal at Brazil’s Port of Suape, marking the first such facility in Latin America. The new terminal will boost the Suape Port Complex’s capacity by 55%, handling up to 400,000 TEUs...
Circularity Fuels Completes World’s First End-to-End Conversion of Agricultural Biogas Into Sustainable Aviation Fuel
Circularity Fuels announced the world’s first end‑to‑end conversion of raw agricultural biogas into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) after a six‑month pilot at a 5,000‑head dairy in California. The fuel meets ASTM D7566 Annex A1 specifications and can be blended up to 50 %...
Airbus, Boeing and LNA Doubt BWB Benefits; JetZero, Natilus Explain Them
Airbus, Boeing and LNA publicly questioned the claimed efficiency gains of blended‑wing‑body (BWB) aircraft, suggesting the design may not deliver the promised performance improvements. At the AIAA convention, JetZero and Natilus defended the BWB concept, citing fuel‑saving data and long‑range...
Readers Speak: The Biggest Lesson From the Hormuz Crisis
A recent Container News poll asked readers what the biggest lesson from the Hormuz crisis was. The top responses highlighted that politics now drives shipping decisions, that route diversification is essential, and that chokepoints remain a core vulnerability. Respondents saw...
Huawei HIMA Teases First Off-Road SUV Stelato G9, Launch Set for Q3
Huawei’s Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA) unveiled the Stelato G9, its first rugged off‑road SUV, in a teaser posted on June 15. Developed with BAIC Group, the G9 will launch in Q3 2026 and will be available in both battery‑electric (120 kWh) and...
Shimizu Port Container Volumes Fall 6% in May
The Port of Shimizu handled 33,808 TEUs in May, a 6% year‑on‑year decline. Export containers fell 9.3% to 16,335 TEUs while imports slipped 2.6% to 17,473 TEUs. Overall throughput, including domestic cargo, dropped 5% to 42,340 TEUs, marking the first...
Port of Long Beach Cargo Volumes Jump 31.7% in May
The Port of Long Beach handled 842,030 TEUs in May, a 31.7% year‑over‑year increase, making it the third‑busiest May on record. Imports rose 40% to 418,851 TEUs, while exports grew 32.9% to 109,168 TEUs. Empty container volumes also climbed 21.8%...
Ferrari 12Cilindri MM May Get Koenigsegg-Like Shift-by-Wire Manual Gearbox
Ferrari is poised to launch a limited‑edition 12Cilindri MM that replaces a traditional H‑pattern gearbox with a Koenigsegg‑style shift‑by‑wire system called the Engage Shift System (ESS). The ESS functions as a 9‑speed automatic but can be driven like a 6‑speed...
Ports of Barcelona and Shanghai Formalise Strategic Cooperation Agreement
The Port of Barcelona and Shanghai International Port Group have signed a strategic cooperation agreement, establishing a formal sister‑port relationship. The pact builds on a 2025 preliminary accord and a technical visit that laid the groundwork for a Green Shipping...
UK Seizes Russian Shadow Fleet Tanker in the English Channel
The United Kingdom seized the 244‑metre oil tanker Smyrtos in the English Channel, marking its first public interception of a Russian "shadow fleet" vessel. The joint operation involved the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, RAF aircraft and the National Crime Agency,...
Porsche’s New Hybrid Engine Concept Is Clever, but Is It Feasible?
Porsche has filed a patent for a flat engine that splits its cylinders into two dedicated banks – one optimized for ultra‑low friction efficiency and the other for high‑performance output. The efficient bank can run alone as a generator to...
Ocean Alliance Extends Europe–Far East Service to Gdansk
The Ocean Alliance—CMA CGM, COSCO Shipping Lines, OOCL and Evergreen—will add a call at the Polish port of Gdansk to its AEU7 Europe‑Far East service starting in August. The rotation, operated by COSCO and OOCL, now runs Rotterdam, Hamburg, Gdansk,...
Containership Orders Continue Across Multiple Market Segments
Containership orders are rising across liner carriers and non‑operating owners, spanning feeder to mid‑size vessels. CMA CGM placed an order for eight 6,000‑TEU ships from Hengli, while Global Ship Lease committed $917 million for ten 6,200‑TEU reefer‑rich vessels slated for delivery...
FAA Close to Picking ASI over Palantir, Thales for Its AI-Powered Air Traffic Management System
The Federal Aviation Administration is nearing a decision to award Boston‑based Air Space Intelligence (ASI) the contract for its AI‑powered SMART air traffic management system, outpacing rivals Palantir and Thales. SMART is positioned as a cornerstone of the FAA’s National...
Kalmar Wins Electric Reachstacker Order From Steinweg
Kalmar has won a contract to supply two electric reachstackers to C. Steinweg – Handelsveem B.V., a Rotterdam‑based terminal operator. The order, booked in Kalmar’s second‑quarter 2026 intake, will be delivered in the first quarter of 2027. The deal also...
Robotaxis Get the Hype, Autonomous Trucks May Get the Profits
Autonomous trucking is hitting a pivotal moment as Gatik expands its middle‑mile freight partnership with PepsiCo across Texas, Arizona and Arkansas, while Volvo Autonomous Solutions targets $3 billion in transport‑as‑a‑service revenue within five years. Waymo signaled a strategic push by acquiring...
American’s Next Order: Airbus or Boeing?
American Airlines announced a formal request for proposals to both Airbus and Boeing for new wide‑body aircraft to replace its 47 aging 777‑200ERs, which average 25.5 years in service. The carrier already has 19 Boeing 787‑9s on order and options...
Volkswagen Surpasses 250,000 Vehicles Processed Through Port Freeport
Volkswagen Group of America announced that its Gulf Coast processing hub at Port Freeport has shipped more than 250,000 vehicles since operations began in early 2024. The milestone was reached on May 28, 2026, roughly two years after the hub’s...
The Global Port Race: Breakthrough Hubs Challenging Maritime Trade
The 2025 Container Port Performance Index shows a rapid decentralization of maritime efficiency, with Oman’s Port of Salalah climbing to No. 3 and Morocco’s Tanger Med to No. 6, challenging traditional East‑Asian dominance. The report also highlights the fastest‑rising ports—Durban, Freeport and Cristóbal—recording...
Maersk Launches Far East–West Coast South America Service
Maersk will launch the AC1 Far East–West Coast South America service next month, adding eight vessels ranging from 4,000 to 5,000 TEU. The rotation will run Ningbo‑Busan‑Lazaro Cardenas‑Buenaventura‑Guayaquil‑Ningbo, linking key Asian manufacturing hubs with Pacific ports in Mexico, Colombia and...
Gulftainer Unveils Al Dhaid Multi-Modal Trade Corridor
Gulftainer announced the Al Dhaid Multi‑Modal Trade Corridor, a 150‑hectare logistics hub designed to extend Khorfakkan Port’s capacity to 1.5 million TEUs annually. The project will physically link the deep‑water port with the Etihad Rail network, creating a 50‑km inland corridor that...
Over One Third of Airline Passengers Don’t Know They Have to Leave Everything Behind During an Emergency Evacuation
A new IATA study shows that more than one‑third of airline passengers mistakenly believe they can keep their hand luggage during an emergency evacuation. The trade group has launched a global "Save a Life, Not a Bag" campaign and is...
California Expands Oversight of AVs: Weekly Connected and Autonomous Vehicle News
California’s Department of Motor Vehicles issued new rules that remove the 10,001‑pound gross‑vehicle‑weight limit for autonomous vehicle testing, opening the door for heavy‑duty self‑driving trucks and buses. The regulations also require AV operators to comply with existing commercial‑vehicle safety standards,...
Ocean Terminal Renovation Reaches 55% Completion at Port of Savannah
The Georgia Ports Authority has completed 55% of a $1.6 billion overhaul at Savannah’s Ocean Terminal, expanding its annual container capacity from 200,000 to 1.75 million TEUs. The first berth is already serving ships and can act as a staging area for...
American Expands Miami Hub to Serve 100 Latin American and Caribbean Destinations
American Airlines is expanding its Miami International Airport hub, adding nonstop service to Maracaibo, Venezuela on July 14 and to Cap‑Haïtien, Haiti on November 1. These routes bring the carrier’s Latin American and Caribbean network to 100 destinations, cementing Miami as the...
ANL Announces Rate Increase for Fiji-Bound Cargo
ANL announced a General Rate Increase for cargo bound for Fiji, affecting shipments from North East Asia, South East Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, the Middle East and the Gulf. Effective July 1, 2026, rates rise $300 per 20‑foot container and $600 per...
Untangled From Boeing, Jeppesen ForeFlight Bets Big on AI
Jeppesen ForeFlight, recently spun off from Boeing and acquired by private‑equity firm Thoma Bravo, has been reshaping its business with layoffs and higher pricing for its flagship flight‑planning app. CEO Brad Surak says the next growth phase will hinge on building...
‘A321XLR Is ‘Compelling’ Aircraft For Africa’
Airbus announced at the Farnruary Airshow 2024 that its A321XLR is ideally suited to open long‑range, thin routes across Sub‑Saharan Africa. The company released the third edition of its Unserved Air Routes study in Gaborone, which maps demand for 16...
Port of Rotterdam Agrees Development Food Hub Expansion
The Port of Rotterdam Authority, together with Necron Group and PTP Group, signed an issuance agreement to develop a 38‑hectare agrifood hub in Europoort. The project will feature a 500‑metre quay wall, roughly 145,000 m² of cold‑storage warehouses, an on‑site energy...
Passenger Cabin of Turkish Airlines Boeing 777 Pierced by Ground Antenna That Tore Hole in Side of Plane When Pilots...
A Turkish Airlines Boeing 777‑300, leased from IndiGo and still painted in IndiGo livery, clipped a ground‑radar antenna while taxiing at Antalya Airport on June 11, 2026. The pilots took a wrong turn onto a narrow taxiway, causing the right wing to...
MSC Shifts Ingwe Hub Call to Hambantota
MSC announced it will replace Colombo with Hambantota as the northbound hub on its Ingwe Far East–South Africa service. The carrier is also adding an extra vessel, expanding the fleet to 12 ships ranging from 5,500 to 12,000 TEU. The...
Charlotte Douglas International Airport Tests New TSA E-Gates for Faster Security
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is piloting eight TSA‑run e‑Gates at Checkpoint 2 for PreCheck and Touchless ID travelers. The facial‑matching system lets passengers verify identity with a driver’s license, passport or mobile ID, opening the gate automatically. The trial, running...
Genoa and Misurata Strengthen Cooperation on Port and Logistics Development
The Ports of Genoa hosted a delegation from Libya’s Misurata Free Zone to deepen cooperation on Mediterranean port and logistics development. Officials highlighted Genoa’s €1.4 billion (≈$1.53 billion) open‑sea breakwater project, which will accommodate larger container ships, and a broader €3.6 billion (≈$3.92 billion)...
Nio Highlights Engineering Challenges of Making Lighter EVs as Chinese Cars Face Obesity Crisis
Nio unveiled the updated Onvo L60 SUV in Hefei, highlighting a concerted push for lighter electric vehicles amid a Chinese market trend toward heavier cars. The rear‑wheel‑drive L60 tips the scales at 1,885 kg, roughly 300 kg lighter than comparable pure‑electric models,...
HaminaKotka Cargo Volumes Decline 11.5% in First Five Months of 2026
The Port of HaminaKotka handled 5.29 million tonnes of cargo from January through May 2026, marking an 11.5% drop versus the same period last year. Export volumes fell 14.4% to 3.62 million tonnes, driven by steep declines in dry bulk (‑22.1%) and...
Prediction 7 Revisited: I Said Driverless Cars Would Live in Sunny 'Safe Zones' And Humans Would Keep Driving Everywhere Else....
Waymo’s 2026 expansion map confirms the author’s 2025 prediction that fully driverless fleets remain confined to sunny, low‑complexity "safe zones" across the U.S. The company now offers driverless service in ten metropolitan areas—Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, Atlanta, Dallas,...
Dongfeng Nissan's N-Series NEV Output Hits 100,000 Units as JV Brands Fight Back in China
Dongfeng Nissan announced its 100,000th N-series new‑energy vehicle rolled off the production line, just 14 months after the N7 sedan debuted. The joint‑venture’s NEV retail penetration rose from 6% in March 2025 to 14.5% by May 2026, marking a clear comeback against...