PortSide Stories: Colombo
The Port of Colombo is a pivotal transshipment hub in the Indian Ocean, handling millions of TEUs each year and linking Asia with Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Its strategic location on the busiest east‑west maritime corridor enables vessels to divert only a few miles for rapid cargo redistribution. Modern terminals support ultra‑large container vessels with automated equipment, boosting efficiency and capacity. Ongoing investments aim to raise annual throughput to 10 million TEUs by 2030, reinforcing its role in regional supply chains.
Etihad Updates Flexible Rebooking & Refund Policy Until April 15, 2026 – Can Now Rebook Until June 15
Etihad Airways has extended its flexible rebooking window, allowing passengers with tickets issued on or before February 28, 2026 to change flights free of charge until June 15, 2026. The airline also permits refunds for those tickets even when travel...
VIAVI, Ground Control Partner to Enable Assured Maritime Vessel Tracking and Navigation
VIAVI Solutions has teamed with satellite‑communications specialist Ground Control to embed its Secure µPNT STL‑1000 receiver into the RockFLEET Assured maritime tracking platform. The compact, software‑defined device works with VIAVI’s SecureTime altGNSS LEO service to deliver precise timing and positioning even when...
Kalmar Corporation to Supply Hybrid Straddle Carriers to PSA Antwerp
Kalmar Corporation will deliver 14 hybrid straddle carriers to PSA Antwerp, with delivery slated for Q4 2026. The order, booked in Q1 2026, supports the Port of Antwerp‑Bruges modernization and aims to cut emissions. The hybrid carriers blend diesel engines...
The Real Setup Change Behind BOP
The article explains that Balance of Performance (BOP) updates in GT3 sim racing usually affect a car’s weight, which primarily changes its rear‑wing demand rather than requiring a full setup overhaul. Heavier cars need more rear wing to stay stable,...
Has Concern Over Hormuz Made Us Forget The Red Sea?
The piece warns that pre‑occupation with the Strait of Hormuz is eclipsing a growing security dilemma in the Red Sea, where Ethiopia’s protracted civil war is spilling onto the maritime corridor. A newly unified Amhara Fano National Movement (AFNM) has...
The JULY 4th HAWAII Island HOPPING Cruise– No PASSPORT NEEDED
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America will run two week‑long island‑hopping cruises in July 2026, sailing from Honolulu to Maui, the Big Island, Kauai and Oahu. The itineraries run June 27 – July 4 and July 4 – July 11, offering daily island stops without any international paperwork. Because...
BEWARE: UK Air Passenger Duty (APD) Increased Again As Of April 1, 2026
Effective April 1, 2026 the UK raised Air Passenger Duty (APD) for all flights departing the country. Premium long‑haul segments now incur a charge of £244‑£253 per leg (approximately $305‑$316). The increase applies to commercial and private‑jet tickets, including award...
February Net Trailer Orders Down 43% As Bookings Fall 26%
Preliminary data show February net trailer orders plunged 43% month‑over‑month, falling from January’s 23,300 units to roughly 13,300. Bookings also slipped 26% compared with February 2025, landing at 13,200 units before seasonal adjustment. ACT Research attributes the dip to the...
LIVE at 3p ET
Frank Figliuzzi’s Substack posted a live‑stream announcement for his 3 p.m. ET show on April 3, 2026. The episode teases coverage of a recent downed jet incident, the high‑profile Bondi v. Blanche lawsuit, and the chaotic Hegseth Madness saga, among other topics. The post...
USGlobal Airways: A 29-Year Airline that Never Flew
USGlobal Airways, originally launched as Baltia Air Lines in 1994, spent nearly three decades as a fully capitalized airline without ever operating a commercial flight. Founder Igor Dmitrowsky secured investor funding and acquired several Boeing 747s, yet the company never...
Suez Canal Authority Refloats Grounded Bulk Carrier in Swift Salvage Operation
The Suez Canal Authority successfully refloated the Panama‑flagged bulk carrier Xin Tain Yuan after it ran aground at km 87 due to a rudder failure. Four SCA tugboats, including the newly‑commissioned Azm 2, completed the salvage within hours and escorted the vessel...
A Simple Trick to Avoid the Middle Seat
Travelers often dread being stuck in the middle seat, especially when flying with a partner or family member. Peter Greenberg suggests a two‑step trick: flip a coin to decide who gets the window, then reserve both the window and aisle...
How I Burned 3 Amex Airline Incidental Credits In Minutes
Mark Ostermann outlines a rapid method to generate and burn three Delta Amex airline incidental credits, creating nearly $900 in flight credit without spending cash. He booked a sub‑$100 flight using Business Platinum points at a 35% rebate, then repeatedly...
Explainer: Behind China’s Detention Doctrine Against Panama
China’s “detention doctrine” is not a direct pressure campaign against Panama, but a broader strategy that underwrites its worldwide port portfolio. By leveraging legal claims and financial stakes in key terminals such as Panama’s Port of Balboa, Beijing can detain...
Elon Musk Reveals Date of SpaceX Starship V3’s Maiden Voyage
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced that the upgraded Starship v3 will attempt its first flight, designated IFT‑12, within the next four to six weeks, targeting early‑mid May 2026. The v3 configuration features a taller Super Heavy booster, higher propellant capacity...
'Like a Cabover' With More Side Glass: Tesla Semi Panorama, Walkaround Vid
Tesla’s long‑awaited electric Semi, featuring a 500‑mile range, was showcased at the American Trucking Associations event, highlighting a panoramic cab with 6.5 feet of headroom and a central driver seat. The truck’s power draw is estimated at 1.7 kWh per mile, roughly...
How Can Predictive Analytics Transform the Pharma Supply Chain?
Cardinal Health’s senior vice president Emily Gallo says predictive analytics is reshaping the pharmaceutical supply chain by turning massive data streams into actionable decisions. The industry now faces a data‑to‑decision gap that threatens shipment timing, clinical trial progress, and product...
The Hapag-Lloyd CEO’s 10 Brutal Realities
In the FY2025 earnings call, Hapag‑Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Jansen highlighted a paradox: reliability is improving while costs are accelerating and market conditions are becoming more complex. He emphasized that the carrier’s growth has outpaced the broader container market, allowing...
Tönnjes Offers New RFID Security Solutions for Vehicle Identification
Tönnjes, in partnership with Swiss chip maker EM Microelectronic, unveiled a next‑generation hybrid RFID/NFC chip for vehicle identification at Intertraffic in Amsterdam. The dual‑frequency tag combines long‑range RAIN RFID with smartphone‑compatible NFC, featuring AES‑128 encryption and expanded memory for secure,...
A Potential Game-Changer: Three Tankers Navigate Hormuz Along Oman’s Coastline
On April 2, three Omani‑flagged tankers—two crude carriers and one LNG vessel—transited the Strait of Hormuz along Oman’s coastline. The ships completed the passage without incident and are now safely docked in Omani ports, as confirmed by Kpler satellite maps. This...
Hapag-Lloyd Adjusts MSW Service
Hapag-Lloyd has revised its Mediterranean‑to‑South‑West (MSW) service rotation, adding a direct call at Callao, Peru, and moving Colombia’s Buenaventura to a transshipment model. The updated loop now runs Vigo‑Malaga‑Valencia‑Genoa‑Leghorn‑Barcelona‑Caucedo‑Cartagena‑Callao‑Paita‑Posorja‑Guayaquil‑Cristobal‑Moin‑Cartagena‑Vigo. The change aims to improve port coverage and operational efficiency across...
SITC Adjusts Multiple Services
SITC has overhauled three regional services to sharpen its Asia trade focus. The CPX4 loop now runs exclusively between China and the Philippines, dropping all Japanese and North Philippine ports and adding Xiamen and Cagayan de Oro. A new S7...
Amazon Is Betting on Speed in a Market that May Not Need It
Amazon began testing a 30‑minute delivery service in select U.S. cities, expanding its one‑ and three‑hour options and echoing ultra‑fast pilots in India and the UAE. Quick‑commerce thrives in China’s $125 billion market but has struggled in Western economies, where funding...
Orange Money Botswana Signs up Taxi Association to DuelaEasy for Fare Payments
Orange Money Botswana has struck a nationwide partnership with the country’s Taxi Association, integrating its DuelaEasy digital payment platform into taxis and kombis. The collaboration will see extensive branding of participating vehicles and allow passengers to settle fares directly from...
Telenet Delivers 5G Network Slice for Colruyt Trial of Unmanned Delivery Vehicle
Telenet Business is providing a dedicated 5G network slice to support Colruyt’s trial of an unmanned delivery vehicle in Leuven, Belgium. The pilot runs from mid‑May through August, with the vehicle transporting groceries from the supermarket chain to customers. Connectivity...
Hormuz as Precedent
The UN Security Council is set to vote on Bahrain’s revised resolution to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, replacing the original language that authorized "all necessary means" with a more limited, defensive clause. China, which had opposed the initial draft,...
Bjorn’s Corner: Blended Wing Body Airliners. Part 4
The article explains that a blended‑wing‑body (BWB) airliner’s wingspan is dictated primarily by take‑off performance, not cruise efficiency. During take‑off, induced drag accounts for 85‑90% of total drag, and regulatory V2 speed requirements force designers to keep V2 low, which...
Spain March 2026: Toyota, Hyundai Shoot up, BYD Breaks Records, Highest Monthly Volume Since June 2019
Spain’s new‑car market posted a robust March 2026, delivering 130,340 units – the first month above 130,000 since June 2019 and 11.7% higher than a year earlier. Total sales are now 7.6% ahead of the 2025 year‑to‑date total, while rechargeable...
State Bill Would Stop Highway Expansions Near Vulnerable New Yorkers
New York’s Stop Highway Community Harm Act would prohibit widening or adding lanes to highways within 200 feet of public housing and in ZIP codes where asthma‑related emergency visits exceed 70 per 10,000 residents. The legislation targets projects such as...
Nio Firefly Sets Apr 7 for EV Upgrade to Sustain Sales Momentum
Nio’s sub‑brand Firefly will unveil an upgraded Firefly EV on April 7, featuring a larger battery and more powerful motor. The refresh follows a strong March delivery surge, with the brand moving 6,119 units—a 130% month‑on‑month rise—and reaching 50,000 cumulative deliveries...
CATL Signs Deal with Chinese Express Giant to Electrify Delivery Trucks
Chinese battery leader CATL has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with logistics giant STO Express to accelerate electrification of its delivery truck fleet. The partnership will deploy charging and battery‑swap infrastructure, leveraging CATL’s Qiji Energy network, which already includes over...
Friday Reads for 3 April
London Reconnections’ Friday Reads for 3 April curates a dozen transport‑focused stories, ranging from Great Western Railway’s summer trial of overnight Gatwick services to the opening of Bedlington on the Northumberland Line. The roundup also flags EU and German plans to...
Supply Chain Grace
Sinclair Chen’s short poem "Supply Chain Grace" pays tribute to the myriad workers who keep global food systems running—from fertilizer production and farming to shipping, refrigeration, and energy generation. The verses blend personal gratitude with a nod to the secular,...
The Collision at La Guardia
On March 22, 2026, a Jazz Aviation regional jet operating as Air Canada Express collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport seconds after touchdown. The fire truck had been cleared onto the active runway by a single air traffic...
What Is “Medical Communications – Crew Use Only”?
Airlines equip cabin overhead panels with two ports labeled “Medical communications – crew use only,” which serve as standard aviation headset connections. These ports let flight attendants or onboard medical professionals link directly to the cockpit and, via the pilots,...
How Freight Fraud Stole the Show at MATS: Carriers Getting Smart, FMCSA Bringing Heat
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) used the Mid‑America Trucking Show to unveil a sweeping crackdown on freight‑fraud schemes, targeting “ghost offices” that list hundreds of carriers at a single address. Over half of owner‑operators say they’ve been victimized,...
How Autonomous Technology Will Change Trucking Liability Law
The rise of autonomous trucking technology is reshaping liability law, moving responsibility from solely the driver to a broader set of parties including OEMs, software developers, and carriers. As Level 4 trucks automate driving functions, courts are likely to see more...
Harriet Quimby
Harriet Quimby became the first American woman to earn a pilot’s license in 1911, breaking gender barriers in early aviation. Born in 1875 in Michigan, she grew up amid family financial instability before her mother’s herbal medicine business provided stability....
The Risks of Autonomous Vehicle Self-Certification in Freight
The article warns that allowing autonomous‑vehicle (AV) manufacturers to self‑certify their freight trucks could bypass critical safety oversight that human drivers currently undergo. It highlights the stark contrast between mandatory medical exams for Class 7/8 drivers and the proposed lack of...
How to Vet Trucking Fleet Vendors
The article outlines a structured approach for trucking companies to vet fleet vendors, emphasizing criteria beyond price such as experience, financial stability, and service‑level agreements. It advises firms to define their needs, issue RFPs, score proposals on expertise, cost and...
Lytx Reports Noticeable Drop in Commercial Collision Severity
Lytx’s 2026 Road Safety Report, based on 341 billion miles from 6.3 million commercial drivers, shows a mixed safety picture for 2025. While overall collision rates rose 4.53% due to more low‑severity incidents, severe collisions fell 4% and moderately severe crashes plunged...
‘New Week, We Try Again’: The Mantra Driving a South African Township Delivery Service
Delivery Ka Speed, a logistics firm serving South African townships, has made “New Week, We Try Again” a weekly mantra, placing the note in parcels each Monday. Founder Godiragetse Mogajane says the phrase reflects the resilience of township residents who...
Why Travel Infrastructure Remains a Core Pillar of Economic Expansion
Travel infrastructure—airports, highways, railways, ports, and private‑jet networks—remains a foundational driver of economic expansion in 2026. Efficient transport lowers trade costs, fuels tourism, and ensures workers reach jobs on time, while resilient systems mitigate geopolitical and climate shocks. Governments and...
CMA CGM Introduces PSS for Shipments From China to West Africa
CMA CGM will impose a $500 per TEU Peak Season Surcharge on shipments from China to West Africa beginning April 6, 2026. The fee applies to all cargo types on short‑term contracts and remains in effect until further notice. The...
Delta Adds New York Times To Seatback Screens — ‘Free Access’ Is Really A Subscription Pitch
Delta Air Lines has partnered with The New York Times to provide SkyMiles members aged 18 and older with free, all‑access NYT content through its seat‑back entertainment system, Delta Sync. The offer grants up to 24‑hour access and can be used up to...
New Hyatt Promo Worth Up To 100K Points, JetBlue Raises Bag Fees & Delta Is Ditching Starlink
Delta Air Lines and Amazon’s Leo platform announced a partnership to embed next‑generation connectivity and digital services across Delta’s fleet, signaling a strategic shift from satellite‑based solutions like Starlink. Hyatt’s Under Canvas brand launched a limited‑time promotion that rewards glamping...
Containers Fall Into Kaohsiung Waters as ONE-Operated Ship Scrapes Feeder Vessel
Four containers fell into the waters of Taiwan’s Kaohsiung port after a large container ship operated by Ocean Network Express (ONE) collided with a stationary feeder vessel at Pier 77 on April 1 around noon. The impact caused the containers to slip...
Scaling Security and Speed in Pharmaceutical Cold Chain Delivery at the Last Mile
Consumer expectations have shifted to hour‑level delivery, prompting big‑box retailers to add pharmaceutical cold‑chain shipments to their last‑mile services. This introduces stringent temperature, security, and compliance requirements that differ sharply from general‑merchandise fulfillment. Companies must blend rapid order processing with...
MSC Updates Emergency Fuel Surcharge for Asia–North America Trades
MSC, the world’s second‑largest container carrier, announced an updated Emergency Fuel Surcharge for its Asia‑to‑U.S. and Canada services, effective May 1, 2026. The surcharge reflects rising marine fuel prices and limited bunker availability linked to Middle‑East tensions. Rates differ by destination,...