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High yields spark new container services on 'bumpy' India-Middle East trade

Historically high freight yields are driving a wave of dedicated container services between India and the Middle East, a tradelane that has been through a number of upheavals since the outbreak of Iran-US military tension. The latest example: Maersk has just rolled out a new container shuttle loop from India's Nhava Sheva port (JNPA) to Khor Fakkan in the UAE, "to support customers seeking better service reliability". The service, which began with the 2,600 teu Maersk Namibia departing JNPA on 24 September, is to initially offer a fortnightly frequency, according to industry sources. The standalone loop complements regular sailings by the Danish carrier between JNPA and Salalah in Oman, a key hub for the Gemini partners, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd. Khor Fakkan has emerged as a critical gateway for imports into the Middle East in the larger context of shipping chokepoints around the Strait of Hormuz corridor. Average spot rates ex-Nhava Sheva to Khor Fakkan are now in the range of $6,000 to $7,000 per 40ft. Ocean rates have also continued to spike sharply for bookings out of JNPA to other Gulf ports - as high as $9,500 per 40ft for Dammam in Saudi Arabia, and around $10,000per 40ft hi-cube to Umm Qasr in Iraq. India-Persian Gulf trades have also been a target of Asia-centric regional lines, and market sources are reporting more forays. Emerging Chinese carrier CULines is said to have firm plans for an Asia-Middle East service, beginning in late 2026 or early 2027. Sources believe it will be under a vessel-sharing agreement with other predominant intra-Asia carriers. CULines has cemented its liner network in recent months by acquiring more ships and expanding market reach beyond the traditional Asian landscape. Another recent 'opportunistic' entrant was UAE-based Marsa Ocean Shipping. The common feeder operator last month opened a service linking Cochin and JNPA to Fujairah in the UAE and Sohar in Oman. But Middle East port conditions continue to keep carrier networks for that region in a state of flux, operating in a stop-start fashion. Hapag-Lloyd last week told customers it would not accept new Upper Gulf bookings to be transhipped via Salalah until further notice. The move came just two months after the German carrier had reopened Upper Gulf bookings after a prolonged halt. Much of the pressure plaguing Middle East gateways is linked to a shortage of assets needed to move imports across the border overland, especially using truck fleets, industry updates suggest. As the landside struggle persists, carriers keep rolling out surcharges on Gulf cargo in a bid to recoup the extra costs they arguably incur. MSC has just implemented a new "regional cost recovery surcharge" of $1,000 per teu and $2,000 per 40ft for containers booked from Europe to the the UAE and Upper Gulf.

Another Ceva reboot, another 10,000 staff. Can it deliver?

Ceva Logistics has had a long history of re-writes. From its birth under Apollo - an era tarnished by a restructuring that left employee shareholders' investments worthless - to life as a public company, and now as a mere arm of the opaque CMA CGM group, the 3PL has seen many new beginnings, some more successful than others. Yesterday, it announced another new version of itself - offering a simpler structure, stronger accountability, and a renewed focus on customers. Again. Just two years ago, for example, in July 2024, as it began "the process of welcoming Bolloré Logistics", a reorganisation promised improved customer satisfaction, operational excellence, and faster responses to customer challenges. Now new chief executive Patrick Moebel is, again, promising faster decisions, clearer accountability, and an organisation better equipped to serve customers. The question is, what will make this version work? Following the acquisition of Bolloré Logistics, Ceva adopted a vertical, product-driven organisational approach, with teams aligned down to local level. The intention was to make its expanding capabilities easier for customers to access and deploy. Then-CEO Mathieu Friedberg said the vision for Ceva was "taking its final form" - but perhaps it was not so final after all. Mr Moebel, who took over on 1 July, spent his first months listening to employees, customers, and business partners. According to Ceva's latest announcement, the consistent message was that the company could move faster, simplify decision-making, and strengthen accountability. The inference, of course, being that the previous structure left considerable room for improvement. Ceva will now organise its activities around two global business units, Freight Management and Contract Logistics, headed by Henri Le Gouis and Chris Walton, respectively, as it continues to integrate acquisitions. But Ceva has been here before. In July 2024, The Loadstar reported an insider's account of competing leadership teams, separate systems and offices, and internal uncertainty during the Bolloré integration. The source said the upheaval was affecting customers. A smaller rival saw opportunities in the larger forwarder's preoccupation with its own internal affairs. As a source said at the time: "As we are forced to merge, everyone is trying to protect their jobs and teams, hence the politics and poor culture and environment. "We all know huge cuts are coming, so it's very uneasy times and it's impacting our staff and customers." Yet since them, the integration task has grown substantially. CMA CGM completed its $1.4bn acquisition of FedEx Supply Chain on 1 October, adding nearly 10,000 employees and approximately 350,000 sq metres of warehouse space. The transaction nearly triples Ceva's North American contract logistics footprint. That is another substantial business to incorporate, while Ceva says it will also focus on completing the integration of its previous acquisitions. Mr Moebel's experience running FedEx Logistics should help. He arrived with knowledge of the business being absorbed, its capabilities, and its people. But that will not diminish the practical work of connecting systems, defining responsibilities, managing scale and staff, and ensuring customers can obtain consistent service across the larger organisation. Buying a network is one achievement; making it function as one is another. Customers have already seen how operational disruption can turn their logistics provider's problems into their own. After an August cyber-attack, for example, ecommerce retailer Bol took products held at Ceva's Veerweg facility offline, and stopped receiving goods there. On 13 August, it still could not give sellers a reopening date; sales began restarting in stages on 20 August. Yes, cyber-attacks are notoriously difficult for companies, but adding integration - all while CMA CGM needs to extract strong returns from its investment - looks like it could be another bumpy ride. Ceva has acquired the scale, capabilities, and geographical reach. Mr Moebel's task is to make those acquisitions deliver together - and to show customers why this reorganisation will produce something they were already promised as recently as 2024.

Kalitta Air is reportedly mystery customer behind order for 8 Airbus A350Fs

US cargo airline Kalitta Air is reportedly the mystery customer behind the order for eight Airbus A350 freighters that was made in August. Airbus had recorded the order in its August orders and deliveries data for the new generation model, but marked it as "undisclosed". According to Reuter's sources, Kalitta Air placed the firm order. However, the Michigan-based cargo carrier has not confirmed the order. "Kalitta Air is evaluating the Airbus A350F platform as part of our long-term fleet planning," an airline spokesperson told Reuters. "At this time, we remain in the evaluation phase and have no aircraft order to announce." Air Cargo News has contacted Kalitta Air for comment. Kalitta Air has been expanding its fleet of freighters in recent years. In 2025, aircraft lessor AerCap began delivering converted Boeing 777-300 freighters to launch operator Kalitta Air as part of a seven-aircraft order placed by the airline as it works to modernise its fleet and replace its ageing Boeing 747 freighters. Aircraft tracking site Planespotters.net shows that all seven of the aircraft have now been delivered, joining a further eight production 777Fs, plus 19 Boeing 747-400s - a mix of production and converted aircraft. Meanwhile, Airbus has now secured orders for 115 A350 freighters from at least 14 customers. The company has gained 34 orders for the A350F so far in 2026. The aircraft manufacturer's A350F prototype took off from Toulouse, France for its maiden flight on 29 August. The A350F is now set to undertake a nine-month test and certification campaign, as Airbus targets simultaneous certification from EASA and the FAA under the latest Amendment 27 safety regulations. The airframer said earlier this year that certification is targeted by the middle of next year.