Good morning, friends, and welcome to a very busy start to the week in our neck of the woods. Does this mean the summer — and any associated news slowdown — is ending?

THE BIG LOGISTICS STORY- DP World and India’s Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) signed a USD 510 mn concession agreement for a new mega container terminal at Kandla, Gujarat, while Morocco is planning a MAD 1.65 bn expansion and development project for two of its airports.

^^ We have everything on this story and more in the news well, below.

PSA- Port congestion surcharge for CMA CGM shipments to West Africa from Iskenderun, Turkey: CMA CGM is slapping a port congestion surcharge (PCS) at the rate of USD 200 per container for all cargo types bound for West Africa from terminals at Iskenderun, according to an announcement. The PCS came into effect for all cargoes loaded starting last Wednesday, 23 August and will remain in place until further notice.

Congestion at Iskenderun has also pushed the liner to reshuffle stops: CMA CGM’s NC Levant Express route connecting Europe with the Eastern Mediterranean and Levant region will stop calling at Iskenderun and call instead at Mersin, the company said in a separate announcement. Shipments between Northern Europe and Iskenderun will still be possible via a Lebanon-Iskenderun shuttle service that will see transshipments via Beirut, the notice said.

A ship has departed Ukraine’s Odessa port on the Black Sea for Bulgaria’s port of Varna, the second such departure following Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea grain agreement, Reuters reports, citing Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksiy Honcharenko. The first vessel departed from Odessa Port last week, using a new corridor that aims to allow for ships stuck in Black Sea ports to exit. However, these vessels may still face military threat from Russia, as Russian forces have been targeting ports with missiles and kamikaze drones, Reuters reports.

A freight train from Russia carrying 36 containers crossed Iran’s Inche Burun border crossing en route to Saudi Arabia on the North-South international transport corridor, according to Mehr News Agency. This route can reduce delivery time by several days and decrease the cost of goods in transit due to lower customs tariffs, the news agency cites the Golestan Province’s Customs Department Director-General Shahriar Shahriari as saying.

Transit restrictions through the Panama Canal will remain in place for at least 10 months, Reuters reports, citing a Panama Canal Authority (PCA) official. The PCA’s drought-related transit restrictions, which have resulted in a backlog of vessels at the canal, allow the canal to preserve more water prior to the upcoming rainy season, the article added. The PCA recently opened two additional daily slots for non-booked vessels.

A fire broke out at a warehouse in Marrakech’s wholesale fruit and vegetable market in the Sidi Ghanem area on Saturday, two days after a similar incident in Casablanca, Morocco World News reports. Witnesses on-site described substantial material damage and thick smoke. The cause of the fire was not disclosed, and no fatalities have been recorded so far. Residents nearby were temporarily evacuated as a precautionary measure. Authorities are investigating both incidents.

An oil leak was reported on a transmission pipeline connecting Iran’s Kharg Island to Genaveh, Reuters reports, citing Iran’s Tasnim News Agency. Two vessels have been dispatched to assist with the cleanup, Reuters cites an official from Bushehr province as saying, although the magnitude of the spill was not disclosed. Kharag island is situated 25 km off the gulf coast of Iran and houses an oil terminal from where the country ships a significant portion of its oil exports.

A Turkish delegation proposed six conditions for the resumption of crude oil exports from Kurdistan through Turkey’s Ceyhan oil terminal, after a meeting between Iraqi Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani and his Turkish counterpart, Al Sabah reports. The visit aimed to mend strained relations after Turkey was fined USD 1.4 bn in March by the International Court of Arbitration for receiving oil from Iraq’s Kurdistan region without authorization from Baghdad.

Details: These conditions include a proposed transportation cost of USD 13 / bbl for the oil transported through pipelines to the Ceyhan port, Al Sabah reports. Turkey is also calling for the withdrawal of the court’s compensation claim that pertains to the period from 2018 to 2020. Turkey is also seeking the payment of USD 7 / bbl as dues from the Turkish oil company. These negotiations also encompass discussions surrounding the terms of the oil agreement between the Kurdistan region and Turkey.

DATA POINT #1- The UAE’s Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ) reported a 5% y-o-y rise in total revenue during 1H 2023, Emirati News Agency WAM reports. DIEZ witnessed a 10% y-o-y growth in revenue from leasing operations, a 36% y-o-y increase from government services, and a 39% y-o-y surge in licensing revenues during the same period. DIEZ’s three economic zones — the Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZ), Dubai Silicon Oasis, and Dubai CommerCity — saw revenues increase by a combined 17% y-o-y in 1H 2023.

DATA POINT # 2 – The Dubai World Trade Centre Authority Freezone has a 250% y-o-y increase in license renewals in 1H 2023, reaching 892 renewals, according to a sta tement. Company registrations also increased 32% y-o-y to 322 new companies during the same period.

DATA POINT #3- Cargo volumes at Iran’s Khorramshahr port increased 221% y-o-y in the fourth month of the current Iranian calendar year (22 June – 22 July), Azerbaijan’s Trend news agency reported. The month saw 302k tons of cargo loaded and offloaded at the port. 276k tons of cargo were exported and 24k tons were imported via the port during the month, Trend added.

DATA POINT #4- Jordan’s exports in 1H 2023 were up 2.3% y-o-y, reaching JOD 4.5 bn, Jordan’s Industry and Trade Minister Youssif Al Shamali said (watch, runtime: 43:30). Jordan’s trade deficit narrowed 10% in the same period, Al Shamali said.

WATCH THIS SPACE – New Development Bank President Dilma Rousseff will make a stop in Iran soon after receiving a formal invitation, Islam Republic news agency reports. Roussef’s visit will allow Iran to have a “share as a new member in this bank and use its capacities to finance projects,” Mehdi Safari is cited as saying by the news agency. New Development Bank was formerly known as Brics Development Bank.

MARKET WATCH-

Middle East crude benchmarks, including Oman, Dubai, and Murban, declined as the Brent/Dubai EFS equalized, rendering crude from the Atlantic Basin and Americas more cost-effective for Asian refiners, Reuters reports. In the beginning of 2023, the EFS, which reflects the additional cost of Brent futures compared to Dubai swaps, averaged more than USD 4 / bbl. However, it decreased due to Middle Eastern crude oil performing better than Brent-associated types, prompted by extended OPEC+ production cuts. Analysts anticipated Saudi Arabia to extend its output cut for a third month into October. Russian crude prices for China may also peak as independent refiners shift to cheaper Iranian oil, with Iran’s exports reaching a 4.5-year high in August, according to traders.

Iraq’s Oil, Gas and Natural Resources Committee endorsed plans to boost Iraq’s oil production to 8 mn barrels per day by 2027, in a bid to achieve self-reliance in natural gas to reduce imports, INA reports. The committee announced substantial investments in the oil refining sector, with a committee member saying that the country’s Oil Ministry will offer up refineries for investment in the country’s northern, central, and southern governorates.

CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

The Global Trade and Supply Chain Summit is taking place on 19-20 September at the Address Dubai Marina Hotel, UAE. The event, hosted by Economist Impact, will bring together some 500+ business and supply chain leaders, high level government representatives, and policymakers to discuss the implications of trade policy, business logistics, supply chain diversification from China, sustainability, product traceability, digital trade, customs compliance and evolution, supply chain resilience, and trade in emerging regions, among other topics.

The Saudi Maritime Congress will take place at Dhahran Expo in Dammam, Saudi Arabia on 20-21 September . The event will bring together regional and international professionals from the maritime, shipping, and logistics sectors to meet, network, and do business with some 120 leading maritime exhibitors.

The Duqm Economic Forum , hosted by Oman’s Public Authority for Special Economic Zones & Freezones (OP AZ), will take place on 16-17 October at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Duqm, Oman. The two-day event will showcase green investment avenues offered by the Special Economic Zone at Duqm(Sezad). The event will bring together business leaders, policymakers, industrialists, trade specialists, logistics professionals, and experts to discuss and present case studies, assess future trends, and exchange knowledge, insights, expertise, and discuss upcoming investments, according to the event brochure (pdf).

Check out our full calendar at the bottom of this email for a comprehensive listing of upcoming news events and news triggers.

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