Ship financing steady - so far 
The Petrofin index for global ship financing has registered its first rise in eleven years according to its report which was published in mid-September. This index was established in 2008 with a reference value of 100 points. After falling to its historical low in 2020 with... more
How expensive is the Suez Canal?
The Suez Canal will become more expensive next year, with the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) in Egypt raising its transit tolls by 15% for all types of ship as from January 2023. Only bulk carriers and cruise ships will pay just 10% more than in 2022. This increase follows a 6%... more
IRU promotes Vincent Erard
IRU secretary general Umberto de Pretto has appointed Vincent Erard to the newly created position of senior director, strategy and development of IRU, the world road transport organisation. Erard joined IRU in 2016 as head of finance, where he revamped financial and budget... more
A new hub in Johannesburg
DHL Global Forwarding has inaugurated its new transhipment hub and South African head office in Johannesburg. Located in the Sky Park Industrial Estate close to “OR Tambo International Airport”, the facility has temperature-controlled chambers and a Good Distribution Practice... more
Kenya combatting truck theft with RIFD
Since 2016, all new trucks (and passenger cars) in Kenya have been receiving an RFID (radio-frequency identification) sticker for the windscreen when they are registered. The so-called IDeSTIX is produced by the German company Tönnjes. Now the Kenyan national transport &... more
When a tiger swallows eight cheetahs
A B747, whose nose had been decorated with a gigantic face of a tiger during its time with the Russian Transaero Airlines, which went bankrupt in 2015, transported five female and three male cheetahs from Namibia to India at the end of last week. The animals, which were... more
Air Belgium partners with WFS in South Africa
Air Belgium is partnering with Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) in Johannesburg and Cape Town for the launch of its first services to South Africa. The airline has awarded a three-year contract to WFS to provide cargo handling for the 1,600 t per annum forecast to be carried... more
Bridge in Zambia re-opened for freight trains
The Chambeshi railway bridge on the Chambeshi River in Kanchibiya District, Zambia has been re-opened following the completion of repair works. However, passage is currently limited to freight trains travelling at a restricted running speed, as readings are taken to gauge the... more
Continuing to catch up 
Iata ranks leading cargo airlines post Covid-19. Iata’s member airlines improved their air cargo performance when measured in ftk by approximately 18.7% last year, compared to 2020. The improvement vis-à-vis the previous (pre-pandemic) year stood at 6.9%. Some airlines are still... more
A big takeover for Abu Dhabi Ports
In mid-September 2022, the Abu Dhabi Ports Group completed the acquisition of a 70% equity stake in the Egyptian companies Transmar International Shipping Company (“Transmar”) and Transcargo International (“TCI”). The total value of the transaction amounts to AED 514 million... more