Hopes for a rapid recovery in Red Sea trade have been dashed following renewed drone attacks on Port Sudan, prompting cargo airline Astral Aviation to suspend all flights to the embattled Sudanese city and to Sanaa, Yemen. The announcement comes just days after a tentative ceasefire between the United States and Yemen’s Houthi rebels had raised optimism for improved maritime and air security in the region. However, Nairobi-based Astral Aviation—one
Author: Constance Makungu
Durban Container Terminal Upgrades Crane Fleet to Boost Peak Season Performance
The Durban Container Terminal (DCT) Pier 2 has received components for the first two of four new ship-to-shore cranes, arriving just in time to enhance container handling capacity ahead of the busy Christmas season. As part of a broader effort to modernize its cargo handling operations, DCT Pier 2 is upgrading its fleet with advanced equipment under long-term purchase and maintenance contracts. “Our South Quay has faced significant pressure due
Emirates Group Breaks Global Aviation Records with $6.2 Billion Profit
The Emirates Group has posted its strongest financial performance to date, achieving record highs in profit, EBITDA, revenue, and cash reserves, according to its 2024–25 Annual Report released last week. “This positions the Emirates Group as the most profitable aviation group globally for the 2024–25 period, with Emirates airline achieving the highest profit in its history to become the world’s most profitable airline,” said His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed
DP World Commits $760 Million to Expand Port of Caucedo and Free Trade Zone
Emirati port and logistics giant DP World has signed a landmark agreement to invest $760 million in expanding the Port of Caucedo and its adjacent free trade zone in the Dominican Republic. The investment, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and MSMEs (MICM), represents a major boost to the country’s logistics and trade infrastructure. The funds will be evenly divided between
Impending Transnet Strike Threatens to Disrupt South African Cargo Movement
Shippers across South Africa have been advised to brace for widespread disruptions in cargo movement due to planned strike action by the United National Transport Union (Untu), the largest labour body representing workers at state-owned logistics company Transnet. In a logistics advisory to clients, freight forwarder Heneways warned that the industrial action could significantly impact national freight and logistics operations. The notice outlined several likely consequences, including: Delays in cargo
MSC’s Medlog Enters Ukrainian Logistics Market with Strategic Stake in Intermodal Operator N’UNIT
Mediterranean Shipping Company’s (MSC) inland logistics subsidiary, Medlog, has expanded into the Ukrainian market through a strategic acquisition in the country’s intermodal freight sector. According to Forbes Ukraine, Medlog has acquired a 50% stake in N’UNIT (New Ukrainian Network of Intermodal Terminals), a local intermodal logistics operator, and a 25% stake in the cross-border Mostyska terminal. The deal is reportedly valued between $15 million and $30 million. The remaining 50%
New Border Measures Ease Delays for Dangerous Goods and FMCG Transporters at Groblersbrug
Intervention by South Africa’s Border Management Authority (BMA) at the Groblersbrug Border Post with Botswana is beginning to show positive results, especially for transporters of dangerous goods (DG) and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). This comes after tanker drivers and FMCG transporters reported major delays at the DG truck park near the border control zone. One fuel carrier told the Transit Assistance Bureau (Transist) that trucks were stuck for days, despite
MSC Container Ship Detained in Malaysia for Unauthorized Anchorage in Malacca Strait
An MSC-operated container ship, MSC Olia, remains detained by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) after it was found anchoring without authorization in Malaysian waters on 16 May. The vessel was spotted approximately 22.5 nautical miles southwest of Sekinchan, in the busy Malacca Strait. The MMEA’s Area Control Centre detected the vessel’s suspicious position at 09:20 local time on Friday. By 13:20, authorities confirmed that the ship was stationary. A
Transnet and Grindrod Partner on R285 Million Container Hub to Boost Richards Bay Port
The Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has signed an agreement with the Grindrod Eyamakhosi Joint Venture to develop and operate a new container handling facility at the Port of Richards Bay. The R285 million investment, located in the Bayvue precinct, is expected to quadruple the port’s container handling capacity—from 50,000 to 200,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually. In addition to enhancing cargo throughput, the project is a key part of
Lobito Corridor Platform Launched to Drive $1 Billion Investment in African Growth
The Angola Sovereign Wealth Fund (FSDEA), in partnership with entrepreneur Haim Taib — Founder of the international firm Mitrelli and the Menomadin Group — has launched a $1 billion investment initiative to accelerate development along the Lobito Corridor. This vital trade route spans Angola, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The new initiative, named the Lobito Corridor Impact Development (LCID) platform, will operate as an independent investment