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Asia’s air cargo export market is heading into peak season at two markedly different speeds: booming demand for AI-related hardware is supporting the transpacific; while Europe continues to feel the impact of new rules on low-value ecommerce imports. The scale of the technology boom underpinning the US market is becoming increasingly apparent in Taiwan, where export orders hit a monthly record of $97.94bn in July, surging 61.9% year on year. Orders from the US jumped 88.9%, to $40.79bn, the largest monthly increase on record, while orders for information and communications technology products rose 89.5%. Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs said server orders had been stronger than expected, alongside strong demand for cooling products used by the AI supply chain. Actual exports are following a similar trajectory. Taiwan’s July exports rose 32.9%, to $75.3bn, with electronic components up 50.5% and integrated circuits up 52.3%. The AI boom is translating directly into airfreight demand. SATS chief executive Kerry Mok told the UK’sFinancial Timesthat the handler was seeing server racks, storage systems, and GPUs being moved by air in a bid to meet time-critical data-centre construction schedules. Growth in demand from the US has led to something of a striking divergence between the transpacific and Asia-Europe markets. Combined China and Hong Kong air cargo volumes to the US were up 13% year on year in August, according to WorldACD, while volumes to Europe fell 14%. Hong Kong-Europe was particularly badly hit, with tonnage down 30% year on year and 24% below its June level, before the EU ended its €150de minimisduty exemption and introduced a €3 charge on low-value imports on 1 July. The split is also apparent in pricing. WorldACD said average China/Hong Kong-Europe spot rates fell from around $5.22 per kg in May and June, to $4.34 in August, a decline of around 17%. Their year-on-year premium narrowed from 32% in May and 30% in June, to just 11% in August. China/Hong Kong-US spot rates also declined from their earlier highs, from $6.59 per kg in June to $5.89 in August, a drop of around 11%, but remained 26% above their level a year earlier. The latest Freightos Air Index suggests both markets firmed last week, with China-North America rates rising 5%, to $6.30 per kg, and China-North Europe up 6%, to $4.88. Meanwhile, WorldACD said Hong Kong-Europe volumes rose 3% week on week in week 35 and were 6% above what now appears to have been a low in week 33, indicating a firmer EU market. TAC Index has also reported signs that Asia-Europe rates began to stabilise in mid-to-late August, following declines through much of July and early August. Meanwhile, another cost pressure is building out of Asia: fuel. Cathay Pacific’s long-haul cargo fuel surcharge from Hong Kong fell to HK$6.70 per kg in the second half of July before climbing to HK$10.10 in the first half of August and HK$10.60 in the second half. It has risen again, to HK$11.20, for the first half of September. The increase comes as jet fuel prices have climbed sharply. TAC Index said average jet fuel prices rose 8.2% during August and were 74.2% higher year on year by 28 August. Meanwhile, airlines seem to be shoring-up capacity. Indian cargo operator Afcom Holdings is eyeing international expansion with a letter of intent for up to four 777-8Fs, a major step-up for a carrier currently operating 737-800 freighters. Ethiopian Airlines is also reportedly finalising an order for as many as ten 777 freighters, comprising two current-generation -200Fs and eight -8Fs. The carrier already operates 12 -200Fs and has agreed to lease two converted -300ERSFs from AerCap for delivery in 2028. More immediate capacity is also beginning to return to the market, with MD-11Fs gradually coming back into service at FedEx and Western Global Airlines, while the first Mammoth Freighters 777-200LRMF conversion has been delivered, set to be operated by DHL. Check out this week’sNews in Brief podcast, focusing on geopolitics, rates and congestion.

(Editor’s note: This is a long read – enjoy! And if after this column you are hungry for more insight, you can also read Adam’s latest post published on LInkedIn, free to all, titled: ’Adams had textiles. Hong Kong had everything else.’) Ford is lending money to its own suppliers so they do not go out of business. General Motors (GM) just committed $4.5 billion to pre-buy parts and warehouse them before they are needed. Read those two sentences together ...

NatPower Marine and Wah Kwong have launched Asia’s first large-scale shore power and port electrification venture to cut shipping emissions across Hong Kong and beyond.

CK Hutchison Holdings said yesterday it has initiated international arbitration proceedings against the government of Panama, seeking more than $1.5bn in damages following the Central American country’s takeover of the Hong Kong-based conglomerate’s strategically vital port terminals at Balboa and Cristóbal. The move escalates a bitter dispute that began in 2025, when Panamanian authorities launched a series of measures against CK Hutchison’s local subsidiary, Panama Ports Company (PPC). Those actions culminated this year in the effective destruction of the concession contract that had granted PPC long-term operating rights over the two key ports flanking the Pacific and Atlantic entrances to the Panama Canal. The Panamanian authorities’ actions were seen as caving in to pressure from US President Donald Trump, who had alleged that through CK Hutchison, China was controlling the Panama Canal. On 23 February, Panama’s Supreme Court nullified CK Hutchison’s port concessions, and the government handed temporary control of Balboa and Cristobal to APMT and TiL, the respective terminal operating arms of AP Moller Maersk and MSC. In a formal statement, CK Hutchison’s board said it had “strongly disagreed” with Panama’s actions, which it characterised as treaty violations. After repeated attempts to find a negotiated resolution failed, the company filed its arbitration claim on August 20 under an investment protection treaty between Panama and the relevant jurisdiction. A company spokesperson confirmed that the $1.5bn claim reflects the value of what the board described as the “destruction” of its investments in Panama. The ports are among the most strategically important in the Western Hemisphere, handling a significant share of transhipments moving through the canal. The arbitration runs parallel to a separate, previously announcedproceedings launched by PPCthrough the International Chamber of Commerce on 4 February; these are being pursued under the terms of the original concession contract. CK Hutchison said PPC would “continue to pursue its own distinct rights” in that forum. Despite the legal escalation, CK Hutchison left the door open to a diplomatic solution. CK Hutchison director Edith Shih said: “The company will continue to seek resolution with Panama while pursuing to the utmost all of the company’s rights and remedies under the treaty and international law.” The dispute marks one of the most high-profile investment treaty claims ever filed by a Chinese-linked conglomerate against a Latin American government, and comes amid heightened global attention on critical infrastructure assets in the region. Panama has not yet publicly responded to the arbitration filing.

The latest news and developments from Panama, one of the world’s most important shipping nations. Hong Kong Conglomerate claims that Panama failed to take steps to resolve the treaty dispute. August 21, 2026 CK Hutchison Holdingshas formally initiated international investment treaty arbitration proceedings against the Republic ofPanama, accusing the country of violating bilateral investment protection rules and international law through a series of sovereign actions that undermined and ultimately destroyed the conglomerate’s long-term port investments in Panama. The dispute traces back to 4 February, 2026, when CK Hutchison officially notified the Panamanian government of a formal treaty dispute. The notification followed a full year of sustained state-level actions targeting the company’s local port assets, the company alleges, during which time the group attempted diplomatic and negotiated resolutions without progress. Starting in early 2025, Panama launched what CK Hutchison calls an unprecedented regulatory and administrative campaign against its local investments. The measures included official investigations that the group claims lacked standard due process, governmental challenges to the constitutional basis of the port concession's established contractual framework, and "a premeditated policy scheme designed to oust CK Hutchison’s local subsidiary Panama Ports Company, S.A. (PPC) from its port operations". Related:What is required for a Jones Act waiver request On February 23, 2026, Panamanian authorities forcibly seized control of PPC-operated Balboa and Cristóbal port terminals. The state takeover involved the compulsory seizure of all port property, operational equipment, technical systems, on-site employees, as well as confidential proprietary documents and materials. CK Hutchison said the actions caused it substantial economic and operational losses. Since the takeover of the terminals, CK Hutchison claims Panama has declined to remedy the treaty violations or resolve the dispute. "More than six months after the initial treaty notification, Panama only held one perfunctory consultation session and has never proposed any compensation plan or substantive settlement solution," the company said. On August 20, 2026, CK Hutchison officially filed international arbitration proceedings against the Republic of Panama, claiming more than $1.5bn in compensation for the country’s serious breaches of international treaty obligations and international investment law. The company said it has disclosed the full progress of the dispute solely to clarify what it calls widespread inaccurate information released by the Panamanian side. CK Hutchison said it remains open to reasonable dispute resolution through negotiation and permanently reserves all legal rights and remedies under international treaties and relevant laws. Related:Jones Act waiver vessels liable for US federal taxes Read more about: Katherine Si China Correspondent China-based Katherine Si has worked in the maritime industry since 2008 is well-connected with local industry players including Chinese owners and yards. Having majored in English Katherine started at news portal ShippingChina.com where she rose to become a News Editor. In 2008 she moved to work with Seatrade and has since held numerous positions including China correspondent for Seatrade Maritime Review magazine. With extensive experience in writing, research and social media promotion, Katherine focuses on the shipping and transport sectors.

Global airfreight volumes declined in the first full week of August, with chargeable weight falling from all origins as pricing and capacity edged down, according to WorldACD. Global tonnage dropped 4% week on week in week 32 (3-9 August), following a mild rally. Volumes fell 6% from the Middle East and South Asia (MESA), 4% from Europe and North America, 3% from Asia Pacific, and 2% from both Africa and Central and South America. Despite the weekly decline, global traffic was up 1% year on year, with growth of 1% to 2% from all origins except Europe, where it fell 1%. WorldACD said traffic had “fluctuated within a narrow band” over the past four weeks, alternating between contraction and growth. Comparing the latest two weeks with the previous fortnight, global chargeable weight was down 1%, led by declines from Asia Pacific and North America. Global capacity fell 1% week on week, while the average airfreight rate slipped from $2.96 in week 31 to $2.95, “driven largely by lower fuel costs”, according to WorldACD.However, rates still remained 22% above year-earlier levels. Asian exports were particularly weak, with volumes from Asia Pacific to both Europe and the US showing a 4% decline week on week. Japan was an exception, however, its tonnage to the US rising 12% and to Europe 3%, while shipments from Taiwan to the US fell 11%, and Indonesia declined 10%. Typhoon Dolphin disrupted flows from China, causing evacuations in Shanghai and Beijing and more than 1,000 flight cancellations in Shanghai alone. Its port and other Chinese maritime gateways were also affected, potentially encouraging some exporters to shift cargo from ocean to air. Overall, China’s airfreight tonnage fell 5%, while chargeable weight from Shanghai fell 8% week on week, including a 12% decline on intra-Asia routes. WorldACD also pointed to the lingering impact of the end of the de minimis exemption for ecommerce entering the EU. China mainland to Europe tonnage was down 8% year on year, while Hong Kong to Europe volumes plunged 29%. This was echoed by Maersk in its European update today. The Danish carrier said: “Since the removal of the €150 duty-free threshold, low-value air cargo imports into Europe have fallen by almost 33% year on year, reinforcing a broader shift away from ecommerce-driven volumes and toward higher-value cargo.” It noted that, in its air freight division, European import volumes continued to expand in May, while exports remained in decline – “reflecting a more cautious demand environment across parts of the manufacturing sector”. WorldACD said rising rates to Europe from China and Hong Kong, alongside falling transpacific prices, suggested freighter capacity previously used for ecommerce shipments to Europe may have shifted towards the transpacific market. Listen to The Loadstar Podcast to hear H1 in numbers according to Container Trades Statistics!

Second-quarter revenue rose 19.8% overall, led by a 29.3% increase on transpacific services. July 13, 2026 Orient Overseas Container Line’s (OOCL)liftings on transpacific routes were 608,979 teu, up 21.5% in the second quarter of 2026, compared to the year-ago period, according to its latest operational update. The increase on the transpacific routes reverses a 5.9% decline on-year in the first quarter of 2026, giving an overall increase for the first half of 2026 of 7.1% on-year to 1.13m teu. In its Annual Report,Hong Kong-listed OOCL said the primary reasons for a drop in revenue on the transpacific services in 2025 were exceptionally intense market competition, and the impact of sharp, frequent changes in tariff measures throughout the year causing demand volatility and lowerUSimports. The tariff situation has been more stable in 2026, so far. Across all of its routes, OOCL’s liftings were up by 5.2% in the first quarter 2026 to 1.94m teu. Weakest gains were recorded in the transatlantic, where first half volumes were stable, ending up by 0.3% to 284,377 teu. Related:Port connectivity index reveals tumbling crises are engines of change OOCL reported a similar increase in its first half revenue across all services, up 5.5% to $4.68bn. The transatlantic was the only route to see revenues fall for the first half of the year, down 2.7% to $354.5m. Quarterly revenues rose more aggressively in the second quarter, up by 19.8% overall to $2.54bn. By route, revenues were up 29.3% for the transpacific, 17.6% for Asia-Europe, and 16.8% for intra-Asia/Australasia, while transatlantic revenues were down 1.3%. OOCL said the loadable capacity across its service rose by 6.3% during the second quarter, and that average liner revenue per teu was up by 10.1% compared to the same period last year. Overall average liner revenue per teu increased by 0.2% in the first half, compared to the same period last year, said OOCL. Read more about: Gary Howard Middle East correspondent Gary Howard is the Middle East Correspondent for Seatrade Maritime News and has written for Seatrade Cruise, Seatrade Maritime Review and was News Editor at Lloyd’s List. Gary’s maritime career started after catching the shipping bug during a research assignment for the offshore industry. Working out of Seatrade's head office in the UK, he also produces and contributes to conference programmes for Seatrade events including CMA Shipping, Seatrade Maritime Logistics Middle East and Marintec. Gary’s favourite topics within the maritime industry are decarbonisation and wind-assisted propulsion; he particularly enjoys reporting from industry events. Gary Howard regularly moderates at international maritime events. Below you’ll find a list of selected past conferences and webinars. Ports of Refuge: Strengthening Maritime Resilience, at Seatrade Maritime Logistics Middle East 2025 Debunking LEO and Cloud for Maritime Industry, December 2022 (watch on-demand recording) Making Data Work for Shipping at Seatrade ShipTech Virtual 2021 Is the Zero-Carbon Future a Slow Shipping Future?at Seatrade ShipTech Virtual 2021 Is Ship Finance Transforming Faster than Shipping?at Seatrade ShipTech Virtual 2021

A cluster of shocks is forcing freighter operators to finely balance their global capacity – and battle for more. Geopolitics, humanitarian emergencies, tightening regulation, and a structural shortage of freighter capacity have combined to reshape how airlines deploy cargo fleets. The latest weekly data from Rotate shows global cargo capacity slipped just 2%, but beneath the headline figure aircraft are being rapidly repositioned between markets. Freighter capacity between Europe and South America rose 12% week on week – while Asia-Europe fell 9% – among other big shifts. Source: Rotate One obvious destination for that additional capacity is Venezuela, where the humanitarian response to the devastating earthquakes of 24 June continues to gather pace. Amazon this week announced it would operate seven weekly humanitarian flights into Caracas using its Amazon Air Cargo network, donating aircraft and fuel through a partnership with Airlink, the UN World Food Programme, and the US State Department. The initiative adds to an expanding airlift that has already seen TAP Air Portugal resume flights to Venezuela carrying almost nine tonnes of medical supplies, while Air Charter Service has organised multiple freighter charters transporting communications and medical equipment, shelters, hygiene kits, and even a field hospital. At the same time, Europe is experiencing a different kind of adjustment. Despite expectations that shippers would accelerate imports before the EU introduced a €3 customs fee on low-value imports from 1 July, there was little evidence of the front-loading seen ahead of the similar change in the US. According to WorldACD, air cargo volumes from China and Hong Kong to Europe fell 8% and 9%, respectively, in the final full week before the new rule took effect, contributing to a 7% week-on-week decline in Asia Pacific-Europe tonnage. Spot rates eased 2%, to $5.26 per kg, although they remain 38% above last year’s levels. WorldACD suggested the relatively muted reaction reflected lessons learned following the removal of US de minimis exemptions, with lower-cost customs declaration solutions helping ecommerce operators absorb much of the additional administrative burden. The softer Asia-Europe market coincides with Rotate’s latest figures showing lower freighter capacity on the lane, although it remains too early to determine whether the new customs regime will have a lasting impact on demand. What is becoming clearer is that airlines have little spare capacity with which to respond to rapidly changing market conditions. Speaking during yesterday’s Flexport webinar, Atlas Air chief commercial officer Richard Broekman said the carrier would add no aircraft to its fleet this year, explaining:“This year is the first in many, many years that we are not adding aircraft to our fleet, and that’s really just a function of no availability out there.” He added that there remained “a disconnect between demand on the one side and supply on the other”. He also warned that delays to new passenger aircraft deliveries were preventing older widebodies from entering passenger-to-freighter conversion programmes – extending the shortage of dedicated freighter capacity. An the shortage is increasingly influencing how airlines pursue growth. Last week, Saudia Cargo announced plans to add four 777-200 freighters as the first stage of a programme to double its dedicated cargo fleet, while China Southern Air Cargo confirmed it was to introduce three 777-300ERSF converted freighters. Others are looking beyond aircraft orders to partnerships and minority stakes to boost short-term capacity. Atlas Air recently agreed to acquire a 49% stake in Icelandic ACMI operator Air Atlanta, gaining strategic access to a fleet of 14 widebody freighters, alongside its own order for 20 A350Fs. Chief executive Michael Steen described the transaction as part of the company’s “disciplined approach to strategic growth in a structurally constrained widebody freighter aircraft market”. And then, of course, there is CMA CGM’s giant deal with FedEx, which includes cooperating on “select air cargo capacity solutions”, suggesting the French group will be able to tap into FedEx’s air capacity. But the combination of fleet orders, acquisitions, and partnerships suggests airlines increasingly recognise that access to freighter capacity has become a strategic asset. Carriers appear to be competing as much for access to aircraft, as for freight itself, a dynamic which will likely persist until new aircraft deliveries finally begin to ease the supply constraints later this decade.

Significant growth in Vietnam’s tech sector is seeing logistics operators boost capacity in the country to take advantage of potentially high yields. Ceva Logistics has launched a three-times-weekly 777F Hanoi-Chicago service, citing growing demand from manufacturers in Vietnam’s technology and industrial sectors for a “dependable long-haul solution into the US”. Ceva provides pickup and cargo consolidation across multiple Vietnamese gateways, including Hanoi (HAN), Danang (DAD), and Ho Chi Minh City (SGN), supported by domestic operations teams coordinating multimodal flows, customs brokerage and transhipment activities. Sister airline CMA CGM Air Cargo reportedly recently launched a twice-weekly nonstop widebody freighter route connecting the French and Vietnamese capitals. The moves come amid mounting evidence that Vietnam is evolving into one of the world’s fastest-growing hubs for hi-tech manufacturing – and logistics providers are moving quickly to position themselves for the shift. For years, Vietnam was viewed primarily as a beneficiary of the “China-plus-one” strategy, attracting manufacturers seeking to diversify production from China. But growing investments suggest the country is moving beyond a role as a low-cost assembly base to becoming an increasingly important part of global tech supply chains. Taiwan’s Well Shin said yesterday it was shifting production of AI server power cords to Vietnam after securing cloud-related orders, and China’s Huawei has expanded partnerships in the country, spanning AI, energy and 5G infrastructure. According to Vietnam’s National Statistics Office, the country attracted $24.8bn in foreign investment commitments in the first five months of 2026, up 34.9% year on year, with around 65% of this directed towards manufacturing and processing. Among the largest projects announced this year are Samsung’s second facility in Thai Nguyen province, Posco Future M’s battery materials investment, and automaker BYD’s expansion of its electronics production. Vietnam is also seeing increased investment in digital infrastructure. Industry forecasts point to rapid growth in AI-ready data centres, cloud infrastructure, and edge computing facilities. Hyperscale facilities are expected to account for the largest share of this expansion, driven by cloud growth and AI-related computing demand. And the shift is increasingly visible in freight markets. According to consultancy Aevean, Vietnam’s AI-related air cargo exports increased 110% year on year in the first four months of 2026, while forwarders reported airfreight capacity out of both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City had tightened significantly, with exports to the US facing critical space constraints and elevated rates. According to Rotate, freighter capacity year to date into Vietnam from Europe has gone up 190%, and +50% from North America. Overall freighter capacity growth out of Vietnam has risen 32% over last year. Operators, including Atlas Air, UPS, China Cargo Airlines, Kalitta Air, Turkish Cargo, and AeroLogic have all added capacity– the strongest growth has been recorded on routes linking Vietnam with major manufacturing centres in South Korea, mainland China, and Hong Kong. That pattern suggests Vietnam is becoming more deeply integrated into regional technology production networks rather than simply replacing China as a manufacturing location. Ceva’s latest announcement reflects that. Alongside the Hanoi-Chicago launch, the company also renewed its Wuxi-Chicago freighter operation in China, arguing that both routes support customers seeking resilient transpacific supply chains. It’s not just air cargo: in April, Ceva parent CMA CGM announced the second phase of expansion at the Gemalink terminal in Cai Mep, southern Vietnam. The project will increase annual capacity from 1.7m teu to approximately 3m teu by 2027. The carrier said the terminal, which opened in 2021 and in which it holds a 25% stake alongside Gemadept, is already operating at full capacity. CMA CGM described the expansion as part of its long-term strategy in Vietnam, where it also operates extensive logistics services through Ceva. And Vietnam’s attraction is no longer based solely on labour costs. Increasingly, investment is flowing into electronics, battery materials, telecommunications equipment, digital infrastructure, and other higher-value sectors that generate demand for sophisticated logistics services.

La nuova via del commercio aereo cinese tra maxiboeing e astici vivi La crescita della logistica globale in Estremo Oriente si misura spesso attraverso due elementi: la dimensione geometrica dei grandi aerei cargo e la rapidità millimetrica con cui le merci deperibili attraversano le frontiere. Nel giro di poche settimane, due notizie apparentemente distanti hanno ridisegnato le rotte del trasporto merci cinese, confermando come la competizione per il controllo dei flussi commerciali si giochi tanto sulla capacità di stiva quanto sulla flessibilità burocratica dei corridoi doganali. Da un lato c'è l'espansione della flotta della China Cargo Airlines, che ha appena preso in consegna il suo ventesimo Boeing 777F, dall'altro c'è l'apertura di una corsia preferenziale integrata, battezzata "Air-Land Fresh Lane", che ha permesso a un carico di astici blu vivi partiti dal Galles di raggiungere i ristoranti di lusso di Macao in appena quattro ore dall'atterraggio a Hong Kong. L'arrivo del ventesimo Boeing 777F a Shanghai Pudong, registrato con la sigla B-228S dopo il volo di consegna dallo stabilimento statunitense di Everett, segna una tappa importante per la sussidiaria di China Eastern Airlines. La compagnia investe in questo specifico modello da sedici anni, da quando nel 2010 acquistò il primo esemplare, oggi considerato un veterano del settore. Il mercato dei grandi aerei da trasporto vive un momento particolare: il 777F garantisce una capacità di carico di 102 tonnellate e un'autonomia di quasi cinquemila miglia nautiche, caratteristiche che lo rendono fondamentale per i collegamenti a lungo raggio tra la Cina e l'Europa. Non a caso, la stessa Boeing sta spingendo per ottenere dal Dipartimento dei Trasporti degli Stati Uniti una deroga speciale sui limiti di emissioni che entreranno in vigore alla fine del 2027. L'obiettivo del costruttore americano è vendere altri trentacinque esemplari dell'attuale versione per fare da ponte fino al debutto del nuovo modello 777-8F. Per China Cargo Airlines, l'investimento si traduce in nuove rotte: solo negli ultimi mesi sono stati avviati i voli regolari tra Chongqing e Budapest ed è stato riattivato il collegamento strategico con la Francia. Se i grandi aerei assicurano il viaggio intercontinentale, la vera sfida logistica inizia però una volta toccata terra. È qui che si inserisce il progetto della "Air-Land Fresh Lane", una via preferenziale che unisce il trasporto aereo a quello stradale per rifornire la Greater Bay Area, la macroregione economica che comprende Hong Kong, Macao e diverse metropoli della provincia del Guangdong. Fino a oggi, far viaggiare merci fresche o vive attraverso questi confini significava scontrarsi con controlli ripetuti, colli di bottiglia e il rischio di spezzare la catena del freddo. Il nuovo sistema, sperimentato con successo da Cathay Cargo, permette invece di gestire l'intera spedizione sotto un'unica lettera di vettura aerea, un documento doganale unificato che copre sia il volo sia il tragitto in camion. Il meccanismo è stato testato a fine maggio con una spedizione di astici blu vivi provenienti da Anglesey, in Galles. Il carico, del peso di oltre duecentoventi chilogrammi, è arrivato all'aeroporto internazionale di Hong Kong e da lì è stato trasferito su un camion a temperatura controllata. Sfruttando il gigantesco ponte che collega Hong Kong, Zhuhai e Macao, la merce ha raggiunto la destinazione finale riducendo a sole quattro ore il tempo totale dal momento dell'atterraggio. Per aggirare i limiti burocratici – dato che pochissimi operatori stradali di Hong Kong hanno il permesso di entrare direttamente a Macao – il sistema prevede un punto di scambio rapido alla frontiera, dove il carico viene trasferito da un veicolo all'altro. Per mantenere l'omogeneità della pratica doganale, al camion diretto a Macao viene persino assegnato un fittizio numero di volo. La decisione di estendere questa corsia rapida a Macao non è casuale. La città, celebre per i suoi casinò e i resort di lusso, ospita più di quaranta hotel a cinque stelle e una fitta rete di ristoranti di alto livello che dipendono interamente dall'importazione di ingredienti freschissimi di fascia premium. Prima di Macao, la corsia preferenziale era stata attivata verso Zhuhai e Dongguan, registrando un flusso costante di ciliegie e uva australiane, a cui presto seguiranno i raccolti in arrivo dalle Americhe. A sostenere economicamente lo sviluppo di questa rete è la stessa autorità aeroportuale di Hong Kong, che offre sussidi per incentivare l'utilizzo del corridoio rapido. L'obiettivo finale di queste operazioni, agevolate dai dipartimenti doganali locali, va oltre il singolo carico di crostacei o di frutta: si tratta di blindare lo status di Hong Kong come principale hub cargo del mondo e come porta d'accesso privilegiata per l'immensa e ricca area della Greater Bay Area, un mercato dove la velocità di consegna determina il successo commerciale.

‘No shots fired, no injuries’ as sanctioned tanker Smyrtos boarded by Commandos. June 14, 2026 TheUKhas boarded and seized a sanctioned dark fleet tanker for the first time, taking control of 2009-built, 106,969 dwtSmyrtosin the early hours of 14 June. A UK Ministry of Defence spokesperson told Seatrade Maritime News that there were no shots fired and no injuries to the ship's crew during the operation. The military action is the first UK-led operation of its kind against the dark fleet, although UK assets have been used in support roles during boarding operations led by itsUSand European allies. The UK established the legal basis for the boarding and seizure of sanctioned tankers earlier this year andgreenlit boarding operations against UK-sanctioned vesselstransiting UK waters in late March. The UK Government said Royal Marine Commandos supported by law enforcement officers from the National Crime Agency boardedSmyrtosin the English Channel in a six-hour operation. Footage released by the UK Ministry of Defence showed the tanker flanked byHMS SutherlandandHMS Ledburyas personnel fast-rope from a chinook helicopter onto the vessel and proceed to secure the ship with weapons drawn. Related:Strait of Hormuz set to reopen under US – Iran peace deal The vessel was on a voyage from Ust-Luga port inRussiaand transiting the English Channel when it was interdicted.The vessel will now be held at an anchorage off England’s south coast and will be monitored for environmental and safety concerns, the government said. Smyrtoswas sanctioned by the UK in October 2025 under its Russian sanctions programme for carrying oil or oil products of Russian origin. Its name was changed fromMyrtosin early 2025, and the ship flies the flag of Cameroon. The Equasis database shows the ship’s owner and commercial manager as Hong Kong-based Zhao Yao Shipping, with India-based Vika Line Marine Services as ISM Manager. “This operation delivers yet another blow to Russia and reminds those fueling Putin’s war in Ukraine that they cannot hide,” said UK prime minister Keir Starmer. Read more about: Gary Howard Middle East correspondent Gary Howard is the Middle East Correspondent for Seatrade Maritime News and has written for Seatrade Cruise, Seatrade Maritime Review and was News Editor at Lloyd’s List. Gary’s maritime career started after catching the shipping bug during a research assignment for the offshore industry. Working out of Seatrade's head office in the UK, he also produces and contributes to conference programmes for Seatrade events including CMA Shipping, Seatrade Maritime Logistics Middle East and Marintec. Gary’s favourite topics within the maritime industry are decarbonisation and wind-assisted propulsion; he particularly enjoys reporting from industry events. Gary Howard regularly moderates at international maritime events. Below you’ll find a list of selected past conferences and webinars. Ports of Refuge: Strengthening Maritime Resilience, at Seatrade Maritime Logistics Middle East 2025 Debunking LEO and Cloud for Maritime Industry, December 2022 (watch on-demand recording) Making Data Work for Shipping at Seatrade ShipTech Virtual 2021 Is the Zero-Carbon Future a Slow Shipping Future?at Seatrade ShipTech Virtual 2021 Is Ship Finance Transforming Faster than Shipping?at Seatrade ShipTech Virtual 2021

Air freight rates remain stubbornly high, despite a steady recovery in capacity as airlines, forwarders, and shippers adapt to a market reshaped by the Iran conflict, elevated fuel costs, and relentless demand from the AI sector. Data from Rotate shows global freighter capacity rose 4% month on month in May, and a further 2% in early June, with Asia-US networks continuing to rebuild. Cathay Cargo said today its global capacity was now “nearly back to pre-event levels”, although some Middle East disruptions remain and its Dubai and Riyadh services were still suspended. Source: Rotate Yet rates remain far above historical norms, as shown byFreightos Terminal FAX. Source: Freightos Terminal According to TAC Index, the global Baltic Air Freight Index eased just 2.1% over the four weeks to 1 June, leaving it still 32.7% higher than a year ago. The index remained up 33.4% year on year in the first week of June, despite signs of stabilisation. WorldACD data highlights the market imbalance: global tonnage growth slowed to just 3% year on year in May, yet average rates remained 36% above last year’s levels. The disconnect suggests that, while capacity is returning, the market is still operating with significant constraints. “There’s still 30% of those carriers’ capacity not back in the market,” Morrison Express CEO Asok Kumar toldThe Loadstar, referring to Gulf carriers affected by the conflict. “Qatar, Emirates, Etihad – they’re all major cargo carriers, so it still has an impact from a capacity standpoint.” He added that while airlines had restored much of their lift, the market had not fully normalised. “Up to 70% of it has come back,” he said, noting that airlines had also added direct capacity to compensate for reduced Middle East connectivity. The result is a market no longer in crisis mode, but remaining significantly more expensive than before the outbreak of the conflict. Fuel still a key factor TAC noted that jet fuel prices fell nearly 25% between April and May, helping ease some pressure on rates. However, fuel costs remain more than 57% above last year’s average. Hong Kong fuel surcharges tell a similar story. Cathay Cargo has reduced its long-haul fuel surcharge by around 14% for the second half of June, from HK$11.8 (US$1.50) per kg to HK$10.1 per kg. While that is almost 46% below the peak reached in April, it remains more than three times higher than pre-conflict levels. “The big issue remains the price of oil, and jet fuel in particular,” said Cathay Cargo’s head of cargo sales Hong Kong and Greater Bay Area, Frank Yau. And Mr Kumar said the volatility was creating challenges for shippers. “Customers are not able to properly forecast their costs because of this,” he said. “It brings a lot of uncertainty.” While the Iran conflict continues to shape market conditions, demand remains remarkably resilient, particularly in technology supply chains. WorldACD said Asia Pacific chargeable weight was up 8% year to date, while rates to Europe and the US remained 39% and 36% higher year on year, respectively. Behind much of that demand is the continued build-out of AI infrastructure. Taiwan-based Mr Kumar said semiconductor manufacturers, memory producers, and equipment makers continued to report full orderbooks stretching years into the future. “Some are talking about being booked out until end of next year, some even until end of 2028,” he said. “Many are saying this will continue till 2030.The one vertical market that’s just showing exceptional growth is AI.” The boom is supporting strong intra-Asia and transpacific flows.The strength of AI-related cargo is also helping explain why rates have remained elevated even as overall volume growth has moderated. TAC’s Index showed Asia-origin pricing continuing to outperform in May, particularly on transpacific lanes, supported by semiconductor and technology shipments. Nevertheless, there are growing signs that the frantic repricing seen in March and April has ended. WorldACD reported global chargeable weight fell 9% week on week at the end of May, largely due to holiday effects, including Memorial Day, Pentecost, and Eid al-Adha. Yet average rates still rose 2%, underlining the market’s continuing sensitivity to capacity constraints. For now, most industry participants appear to agree that the market has stabilised at a higher level rather than returned to normal. Cathay said capacity was recovering and rates had begun to soften, while TAC described May as a period in which airlines and shippers stopped repricing risk every week and, instead, learned to operate within a new set of constraints. Mr Kumar believes that, eventually, market fundamentals will prevail. “If things just revert to where they were before the war started, the market dynamics will correct themselves,” he said. “The rates cannot stay at elevated levels.” For now, however, a combination of incomplete capacity recovery, elevated fuel costs, and insatiable demand for AI-related cargo appears sufficient to keep air freight pricing well above historical norms.

Air cargo rates climbed 36% year on year in May as conflict in the Middle East continued to disrupt global supply chains, according to data provider WorldACD. Presenting at TIACA’s Executive Summit in Warsaw today (2 June), WorldACD CEO Ken De Witt Hamer said the market had experienced a sharp shift since early March, when geopolitical tensions escalated across the Gulf region. While air cargo demand has remained resilient, the disruption has pushed rates higher, as airlines reroute aircraft, redistribute capacity and force supply chains to adjust to changing network conditions. WorldACD data shows worldwide rates were down 2% year on year in January before rising 5% in February. Following the outbreak of conflict, in March rates increased 12%, accelerating to 30% in April and 36% in May. The company estimated that global air cargo revenues had increased 16% year to date, combining a 12% rise in rates with 4% growth in volumes. And, despite the disruption, cargo volumes have proved remarkably resilient. WorldACD reported that inbound cargo volumes to the Gulf, which fell by around 60% immediately after the conflict escalated, had returned to year-earlier levels during May. In May, the level had been the same as May 2025, Mr De Witt Hamer told delegates. The effect on pricing has been particularly pronounced on certain tradelanes. WorldACD highlighted Amsterdam-Dubai, Hong Kong-Riyadh and Mumbai-London as examples of where rates have risen dramatically since the start of the year. On some routes, rates have nearly doubled, while Amsterdam-Dubai recorded increases approaching 200%. “To put that rate into perspective, the average rate in May this year was $3.23. The peak in our historic data back to 2008 was during Covid in December 2021, where the average global rates were at $4.43, so we are now around 30% below the peak we have seen in the past, and who knows what the rest of the year will bring,” said Mr De Witt Hamer. He also warned that “volatility” was becoming as significant a challenge as rising prices. Data presented in Warsaw showed that the spread between low and high market rates had widened substantially on several routes, making it increasingly difficult for airlines, forwarders, and shippers to assess prevailing market conditions. Despite the market turbulence, WorldACD’s latest forecast points to continued growth for the sector. The company expects global air cargo demand to increase 2.3% this year, although it acknowledged that the continuing geopolitical uncertainty could alter the outlook. “Whether we like it or not, our world, as we all know, has really changed in a few weeks and months,” Mr De Witt Hamer told delegates. “So many different factors at play, the geopolitical situation is very demanding, of course, which, of course, has an impact on the whole air cargo industry.”