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Good morning, wonderful people. The holiday break news lull may be slowly snaking its way through to the logistics sector — but with USD bns of power in play, the headlines aren’t quiet.

Our lead story today unpacks Egypt’s decision to keep FSRUs until 2030 despite its recent blockbuster gas imports agreement with its neighbors to the east. We also have an exclusive on a new Logistics Zones Authority looking to shake up logistics projects in the country,

ALSO- Adnoc went on a financing tear, securing USD 13 bn to back both its gas and green agendas.

The Big Story Abroad-

Oil prices ticked up in Asia this morning after US forces tried to tighten their blockade of oil tankers coming into and out of Venezuela. The US coast guard is reportedly pursuing in international waters a tanker that was heading into Venezuela. The development comes barely two days after it raided a Panama-flagged ship and two weeks after it seized a third.

Watch this space-

EXCLUSIVE– A proposed Logistics Zones Authority would manage, launch and award projects for logistics zones in Egypt, independent from the General Authority for Land and Dry Ports, a source from Egypt’s transport sector told EnterpriseAM. The potential move — which is not final and is still being discussed inside the Transport Ministry — comes as the government has some 30 logistics zones to offer up to local and foreign investors, our source said.

The creation of the new authority would help streamline investments into logistics zones, as the authority would allocate land directly to investors and have the ability to draft flexible contracts suited to the nature of each zone, whether agricultural, industrial, or commercial, the source told us.

There’s talk of more: Egypt and Tanzania are looking to set up reciprocal logistics zones in each country, according to a statement from the Industry Ministry. The potential project would bring a Tanzanian logistics zone in Egypt and vice versa, and would be modeled after a similar agreement with Rwanda, the statement says.

PORTS — Kuwait enters China’s Belt and Road Initiative with Mubarak Al Kabeer Port. Kuwait will sign a KWD 1.2 bn (USD 3.97 bn) contract with the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) next week to establish the first phase of Mubarak Al Kabeer Port, Reuters reports, citing a government document it has seen. China had been aiming to link Kuwait to its Belt and Road plan. CCCC is expected to handle the engineering, procurement, and construction of the first phase, which the government previously announced is almost halfway completed.

SHIPPING — Maersk finally makes an appearance: Shipping giant Maersk’s Sebarok ship passed through the Bab El Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea for the first time since the company stopped transiting the Red Sea route two years ago, the firm said on its website. The company plans to gradually return to shipping along the East-West route through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, “assuming that security thresholds continue to be met,” the company said, though it added that no further sailings are currently scheduled.

Will other shippers follow? The move comes on the heels of French shipping giant CMA CGM’s rerouting of its India America Express (Indamex) service through the Red Sea. The first vessel on the new program is set to arrive at the Suez Canal on 8 January 2026.

Market watch-

Oil prices rose this morning after an oil tanker was intercepted off Venezuela — raising concerns over oil supply, Reuters reports. Brent crude futures increased by USD 0.46 to trade at USD 60.93 / bbl as of 04:00 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose USD 0.46 to USD 56.98 / bbl.

Baltic index slump continues: The Baltic Exchange’s dry bulk sea freight index — which tracks rates for the capesize, panamax, and supramax vessel segments — was down 2.3% to 2,023 points on Friday. The capesize dipped 1.4% to 3,624, while the panamax index shed 4.8% to 1,323 points, and the smaller supramax index declined by 36 points to 1,222.

The Drewry World Container Index increased by 12% to USD 2,182 per 40-ft container on Thursday, according to the latest index readings. Transpacific rates rebounded this week, recovering from a slump that had driven spot prices to their second-lowest point since January 2025. Freight costs from Shanghai surged, with rates to New York jumping 19% to USD 3,293 per 40-ft container, while Los Angeles-bound shipments saw an 18% increase to USD 2,474.

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