Beijing opens route to Baku 
A new China–Europe freight train route from Beijing (China) to Baku (Azerbaijan) has been launched, marking the Chinese capital’s first multimodal corridor across the Caspian Sea. The service uses a rail–sea–rail concept and reduces the transit time from 50 to around 15 days... more
Ethiopian adds Urumqi; boosts Afro–Asian cargo flows
Ethiopian Airlines has launched a new twice-weekly cargo service between its hub in Addis Ababa and Urumqi (China). The inaugural flight to the capital of Xinjiang was greeted with a water cannon salute at Diwopu international airport. Services will fly on Mondays and... more
Resilient alternative fuels orderbook – DNV
New orders for alternative-fuelled vessels reached 19.8 million GT in the first half of 2025, up by 78% year-on-year, according to DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI). Although the number of vessels ordered fell slightly from 179 to 151, growth in gross tonnage... more
New Hellmann logistics centre in Melbourne
Hellmann Worldwide Logistics has opened a new contract logistics centre in Truganina, thus doubling its warehouse capacity in the Melbourne metropolitan area at one fell swoop. The 19,000 m² facility offers 18,000 pallet slots and serves customers in the automotive, healthcare,... more
UWL and ESL team up on Sun Chief Express
UWL, a US NVOCC, has named Emirates Shipping Line (ESL) as the vessel partner for its Sun Chief Express service, shuttling between Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) and Seattle WA (USA). The move creates increased cargo capacities and supports UWL’s aim of offering weekly sailings,... more
‘AAL Dammam’ enters service
AAL Shipping recently took delivery of and named the ‘AAL Dammam’ in the CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipyard. The ceremony saw the line welcome its sixth 32,000 dwt heavylift ‘Super B’ class vessel. It was named by AAL Shipping’s head of IT, Jenny Gao, and will enter service... more
Air Hong Kong completes transition to all-A330F fleet
Air Hong Kong, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cathay Pacific Airways, has entered a new era as it completes its re-fleeting programme and transitions to an all-A330 freighter fleet. The final A300-600F has now been retired, while the 14-strong Airbus A330F fleet — made up... more
CBP seizes USD 25 million in fake jewellery in just two...
In two overnight operations on 19 and 20 June, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Louisville intercepted five shipments containing 2,193 counterfeit jewellery items. The seized goods included bracelets, necklaces, earrings and rings falsely bearing Cartier and... more
NYK purchasing German fintech firm
NYK has agreed to acquire 100% of Kadmos Holding, a fintech enterprise from Germany that offers end-to-end salary payment solutions for seafarers. Founded in 2021, Kadmos serves shipowners and crew members with digital tools for global payroll management. NYK’s existing... more
Cosco Shipping lands a Chinese triple whammy
Cosco Shipping has delivered China’s first 16,000 teu methanol dual-fuel containership, the ‘Cosco Shipping Yangpu’. Built by Cosco Shipping Heavy Industry Yangzhou, it is the first vessel of its kind ordered by a Chinese shipowner, built by a Chinese yard and powered by a... more