Freight transportation reports, projects and other news from outside North America (4/9/2026)
4/9/2026
Strait of Hormuz update: One ocean carrier's perspective
"Recent developments in negotiations between the United States and Iran are a positive signal. However, the situation in and around the Strait of Hormuz remains uncertain, and it is not yet clear whether the announced opening will be sustained. The safety of our crews and personnel ashore remains our top priority. Based on our current assessment, we will continue to avoid transiting the Strait of Hormuz for the time being. We are closely monitoring the situation and will carefully evaluate when a safe passage can resume. Further updates will be shared as more information becomes available." — an April 8 "Strait of Hormuz Situation Update" from German ocean carrier Hapag-Lloyd AG
RE: Strait of Hormuz, part 2: 'Tankers are literally pulling 180s and doing donuts in the middle of the ocean'
"At this point, we know that the world’s most important maritime 'No Vacancy' sign has been hung over the Strait of Hormuz. While those traders on the wrong side of market movement bets are busy updating their LinkedIn profiles, the rest of the market is dealing with a logistical calamity that’s quite a bit worse than being sub optimal. The fact of the matter is that an estimated 12 to 15 million barrels per day have vanished from the global supply. That’s about 15% of the world's oil gone poof. As of this writing, Brent futures are hovering around $110, but the physical market is screaming. North Sea cargoes for prompt delivery jumped to $141 — the highest since 2008. Tankers are literally pulling 180s and doing donuts in the middle of the ocean, ditching Europe to chase the higher premiums in Asia. Some banks are already whispering about $200 crude if this drags into June." — April 7 edition of The Tank Tiger Bulletin. The Tank Tiger is a Princeton, New Jersey-based terminal storage clearinghouse, broker and intermediary
RE: Strait of Harmuz, part 3: Of route diversions and rising dwell times
More than 34,000 route diversions have been recorded in the four weeks since the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, with "no sign of normalization as global shipping networks continue to adjust," according to Chicago-based supply-chain visibility provider project44 in its March 31 Supply Chain Insights report.
Week 4 of the disruption produced the highest total diversion volume of the period, signaling that rerouting activity remains sustained rather than returning to pre-disruption patterns, according to the report. "The disruption has moved beyond short-term response and is now driving structural changes in how cargo moves across the region, with cargo flows being redistributed into new routing structures across the Indian Ocean and Asia," project44 officials wrote.
Saudi Arabia and Singapore have emerged as key diversion destinations, while UAE's share has continued to decline. Meanwhile, Navi Mumbai has "rapidly transformed into a major transshipment hub, with volumes increasing more than 700% compared to February baselines," according to the report. "Congestion is deepening across regional ports, with rising dwell times observed in India, Singapore and China and no indication of stabilization."
Global air cargo and the 'Middle East crisis'
"Volumes fell 6% YoY in Week 11 as the market reacted to reduced capacity and the Middle East crisis. ... Global air cargo tracking capacity declined 7% YoY MTD on 24 March 2026 with the Gulf region at the center of the disruption. ... Asia–Europe flows grew 29% YoY MTD on 24 March 2026 as carriers replaced lost Middle East-linked capacity. ... European airfreight operations continue to face disruption risks as airspace constraints and carrier restrictions limit bookings and create backlog pressure." — DHL Global Forwarding website posts
Norway: Skanska inks pact to build double-track railway
Stockholm-based Skanska AB signed a contract with Bane NOR to deliver a double-track, Stange-to-Otterstad rail line in Norway, Skanska officials announced on April 9. The contract is worth NOK 1.2 billion. Designed to support capacity and reliability improvements in the region, the project includes construction work along the Stange-to-Otterstad section of the main railway system. Construction is scheduled to begin in May, with completion planned for late 2029.
Singapore: Maersk opens 'fully automated' distribution center
Last month, A.P. Moller - Maersk opened a 1.1-million-square-foot fully automated global and regional distribution center in Singapore. Dubbed World Gateway II, the facility is designed to serve "the rapidly growing demand of companies that rely on Singapore as a regional or global distribution center due to its prime location and its status as a top logistics hub," Maersk officials said on March 18. Catering to B2B and B2C e-commerce fulfilment across Asia Pacific, the facility will handle a wide range of products, from verticals including lifestyle, "Fast Moving Consumer Goods," retail, wellness and technology, company officials said. With close proximity to major transport infrastructure, including the Tuas Port and Changi Airport, World Gateway II also located a short distance from Maersk’s 1-million-square-foot World Gateway regional distribution center.
India: Indian Railways completes western freight corridor; Getzner opens production facility
India's Ministry of Railways has completed work on the 1,506-kilometer Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC), according to a March 27 report in The Indian Express. Built in phases, the corridor extends from the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal in Maharashtra to Dadri in Uttar Pradesh, according to The Indian Express. The Ministry of Railways previously completed the 1,337-kilometer Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor, which runs from Ludhiana in Punjab to Sonnagar in Bihar.
Meanwhile, Austrian vibration isolation company Getzner Werkstoffe GmbH recently opened a 4,189-square-meter production facility in Baramati, India. The new plant enables Getzner to manufacture rail products locally for the Indian market, company officials said on April 2.
North Vietnam: APM Terminals now minority shareholder, operating partner in Hai Phong container terminal
After three years helping to develop the Hateco Hai Phong International Container Terminal (HHIT) from "greenfield to go-live," APM Terminals has joined the terminal ownership team as 49% minority shareholder and operating partner together with the Hateco Group, APM officials announced on March 20. The largest deep-water port in North Vietnam, HHIT comprises two new deep-water berths at the Lach Huyen area of Hai Phong City. The terminal, which can serve vessel of up to 18,000 twenty-foot equivalent units, facilitates direct import and export of goods to and from the north of Vietnam and European and American markets.