Foreword

1.With Ramadan coming to an end, it’s quiet on the regional logistics front, but there have been some developments in the UAE and Saudi Arabia and the latest developments on the Baltimore Bridge.

2.AD GAS LOGISTICS BIG STORY：Baltimore prepares backup channel for SEA TRAFFIC: Following the collision of a Maersk chartered container ship, Baltimore officials were preparing to open a temporary backup channel for commercially important ships around the wreckage of the collapsed Francis Scottkey Bridge in Baltimore with the bridge last Tuesday. On Sunday, state and federal agencies announced the opening of the temporary channel, which marks the first step toward opening the Port of Baltimore, but did not provide a timeline. The route, which is 11 feet deep with a horizontal clearance of 264 feet and a vertical clearance of 96 feet, will support Marine traffic into Baltimore when it opens and is part of a “phased opening of the Main fairway.”

3.Crews are continuing to remove steel and concrete from the Patapsco River site as dive teams measure parts of the bridge and inspect boats. US President Joe Biden will visit the site on Friday for a site visit, his press secretary announced on Monday. An operation to collect debris and dismantle the ship began on Saturday. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said work was under way on portions of the non-federal waterway, with a 1,000-ton capacity life-saving crane installed on the barge. The US government has allocated $60m to clean up the debris.

Dubai adjusts truck hours

1.Dubai adjusts truck hours: The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority has revised the truck ban hours on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, according to a statement. From April 28, trucks will be banned from the roads between 6.30am – 8.30am, 1-3 PM and 5.30pm – 8pm. The move aims to reduce traffic congestion by up to 15 per cent. Truck drivers and transport and shipping companies can use alternative routes, including the Emirates Road, during restricted hours.

2.The expanded industrial tariff exemption by the KSA Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources came into effect yesterday to cover all imports from industrial establishments with valid permits, according to an earlier report by SPA. Raw materials, semi-finished products, packaging materials, machinery and equipment, spare parts and accessories, as well as other goods required for industry, are exempted from tariffs.

Kuwait&Spain

1.Kuwait has reportedly hired a Chinese company to develop and operate its 3 million square meter Air Cargo City at Kuwait International Airport. The news outlet wrote that the General Administration of Aviation has held several meetings with government agencies, representatives of the Finance ministry and the legislative branch to approve the final documents for the project, which is expected to be completed within the next two months. Air Cargo City and its facilities will also be auctioned off, according to a document seen by Kabas.

2.Project description: The project aims to position Kuwait airports as one of the largest logistics hubs in the region, improve air transport infrastructure, increase air cargo capacity, facilitate airport imports and exports, and provide air cargo services, the outlet wrote.

3.Royal Jordanian Airlines has seen a drop in bookings for the first quarter of 2024 due to the Gaza war and delays in Airbus aircraft, hampering its fleet renewal plans, CEO Samer Majali told the National. The Jordanian carrier had expected to take delivery of new 320neo and A321neo aircraft by May, but deliveries have been pushed back to the end of this year or next year. He added that supply chain bottlenecks for existing aircraft parts were complicating the issue and leading to longer turnaround times for repairs and delivery of new aircraft.

4.Cargo schedule: Magali told the news outlet that the airline has taken delivery of one A321 freighter, which is expected to begin operations next week, and may add a second A321 freighter and an A330 freighter next year based on cargo demand. The airline also plans to take delivery of three Airbus A320neos by the end of the year and 13 A320neos, two Boeing 787 Dreamliners and one to three additional E195-E2 regional jets from Embraer in 2025, according to the newswire.

5.As part of a new bilateral agreement, Spain will ease the licensing process for Moroccan truck drivers, according to the Spanish state news outlet. Moroccan truck drivers will be allowed to work in Spain without having to verify their Moroccan license or take a theoretical or practical exam. Drivers applying for a no-weight limit or trailer truck license will need to take a driving test on open roads. Spain said last month it wanted to attract some 26,000 Moroccan truck drivers to tackle an unprecedented Labour shortage.

Dantful’s Market Watch

1.oil prices edged up on Monday on expectations of reduced supply from OPEC+ cuts, Russian production disruptions and increased demand expectations. Brent crude futures were up 0.3 per cent at $87.25 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures were also up 0.3 per cent at $83.44 a barrel. “Strong (Q2) demand fundamentals have been exacerbated by geopolitical risks to crude and heavy feed stock supplies,” the newswire quoted analysts at Energy Aspects as saying in a note.

2.Saudi Arabia is likely to raise the official selling price (OSP) for its flagship Arab light crude in May as Middle East benchmarks rose last month. Citing a survey of six refining sources, the newswire added that the OSP for Arab light crude in May could rise by 20-30 cents per barrel from April. The forecast follows a narrowing of Dubai’s benchmark back wardation structure, indicating tight supply. The rising premium for Murban from ABU Dhabi, coupled with tight supply of medium and heavy crude, will boost OSP in May.

3.Russia will cut daily diesel exports from major Western ports to their lowest level in five months in April. Diesel loads from the country’s three main ports on the Black and Baltic Seas, including volumes partly originating in Belarus, are expected to fall to 2.3 million tonnes this month, the newswire said, citing industry data. The reduction, down 21 percent from March, is aimed at addressing a drop in weekly crude processing rates to a 10-month low due to attacks on refineries in Ukraine and seasonal maintenance.

Ports Of Qatari Data points

1.Qatari port operator QTerminals processed 10,000 tons of bulk cargo in March, according to a statement. It also handled 123,300 tons of groceries, 12,000 head of livestock and 59,000 RO-ro ships. QTerminals handled a total of 126 vessels and 136,500 TEUs during the period, the statement said.

2.Container throughput at Qatar Ports Authority (Mwani) increased 4 percent year-on-year to 351,500 TEUs in the first quarter of 2024, according to a statement. Mwani’s imports of general and bulk goods stood at 367,300 tonnes and livestock at 221,112 tonnes, up 46 per cent year-on-year. The number of ro-ro ships reached 19,200, up 4 percent year-on-year; And production of building materials rose 6 percent to 142,800 tons.