Good morning, friends. It’s a compact issue this morning with some investment updates from Egypt, what you need to know from Kuwait’s PMI report, and more details on Marsa Maroc’s African expansion. First, a couple of things to look out for…

PSAs-

#1- You now need additional permits for shipping e-waste: Starting January 2025, transporting Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) or e-waste will require transboundary movement approval from environmental protection agencies in accordance with the Amber Listed waste procedure, Hapag-Lloyd reports. This applies to all export, import, and transit shipments in line with Basel Convention regulations, with shippers required to secure permits, including notifications and consents from all countries involved in the transport process.

#2- Phase Two of Al Nalia app is up and running: The Integrated Transport Center (Abu Dhabi Mobility) has launched the second phase of its maritime services and safety app Al Nalia, it said in a statement. The new features added in this phase include integrated marina berth booking, waterway hazard reporting, weather notices notifications, public water transport services booking, and links to local maritime regulations.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

]#1- Deadline for acceptance of Adia consortium’s bid for Malaysia Airports extended: The deadline for acceptance of the USD 4.1 bn takeover bid for Malaysia Airports, led by a consortium that includes Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (Adia), Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), and Malaysian state players Khazanah Nasional Berhad and Employees Provident Fund, has been extended to 17 January from the original deadline of 8 January, according to a disclosure (pdf) to the Malaysian bourse. The group now holds a 70.08% stake in Malaysia Airports, up from 40.85% last month, with an additional 5.65% stake still awaiting transfer.

Background: In November, the consortium submitted a formal conditional offer in which Adia and GIP would acquire a 30% stake in Malaysia Airports, while the two Malaysian investors would collectively hold 70%. The consortium aims to upgrade infrastructure, enhance connectivity, and improve services, stating that privatization would better support these objectives.

What’s next? The consortium will reveal the level of acceptance of the offer as of 8 January “in due course,” the statement reads. Financial advisors of the transaction previously described the acquisition offer as “not fair,” but “reasonable,” while some directors of Malaysia Airports recommended rejecting the bid due to valuation concerns.

#2- Saudi low-lying ports are among the most vulnerable to a one-meter rise in sea levels, according to an analysis by The Guardian of a recent report (pdf) by the International Cryosphere Climate Initiative (ICCI). The one-meter rise — now predicted to be inevitable within the decade — will particularly impact the Aramco-operated Yanbu and Ras Tanura, which together are responsible for 98% of the Kingdom’s critical oil exports. Emirati ports in the sea-facing cities of Fujairah and Khor Fakkan would also be impacted.

The global picture: 13 oil ports used by the biggest-sized oil tankers are seriously threatened by the predicted one-meter rise in sea levels, according to the analysis. This includes ports in the US, China, Singapore, South Korea, Russia, and the Netherlands.

MARKET WATCH-

#1- Oil prices continued declining for a second straight session this morning as ample supply and a strong greenback weighed down last week’s rally, Reuters reports. Brent crude futures lost USD 0.28 to USD 76.02 a barrel by GMT 01.48, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) shed USD 0.33 to USD 73.23 a barrel. Both benchmarks gained momentum in a five-day streak of gains last week, settling at the highest price points since October on Friday.

#2- Baltic index takes a dip: The Baltic Exchange’s dry bulk sea freight index — which tracks rates for the capesize, panamax, and supramax vessel segments — fell 29 points to 1,043 points on Monday, breaking a five-day positive streak. The capesize index decreased 85 points to 1,290, while the panamax index rose 21 points to 1,061. The smaller supramax index shed 17 points to 867.

#3- Aramco raises crude prices for most regions, but cuts them for the US: Aramco raised its prices for crude oil for next month for Asian buyers, signaling tighter supply in its key market following Opec+ decision to delay production increases until April, Bloomberg reported. The oil major’s main Arab Light crude grade will be sold at a premium of USD 1.50 a barrel to the regional benchmark — an increase of USD 0.6. The Bloomberg survey for traders and refiners penciled in a lower USD 0.1 hike.

In other markets: While there was an increase in the prices of some grades for buyers in the Mediterranean region and Northwestern Europe, prices were cut for US buyers.

DATA POINT-

#1- Cargo transit through Iran surged 31% y-o-y during 9M of the current Iranian calendar year, from 20 March to 20 December 2024, Trend30 reports. Some 16.5 mn tons of goods were transited through the country. Some 10.5 mn tons passed through three major customs points. Shahid Rajai customs accounted for 4.4 mn tons, followed by 3.8 mn tons at Parvizkhan customs, and 2.3 mn tons at Bashmaq customs.

ALSO- Iran’s non-oil exports up 18% in 9M: Iran’s non-oil exports increased 18% y-o-y to USD 43.14 bn in the first nine months of this Iranian calendar year, IRNA reports. The total value of Iran’s imports, including gold bullion, amounted to some USD 50.89 bn in the same period. The weight of non-oil exports increased by 13.7% y-o-y to reach 116.35 mn tons, with the average value per ton of exported goods rising by 3.74% y-o-y. China stood out as the largest importer of Iranian non-oil goods, importing USD 11 bn over the last nine months, followed by Iraq at USD 9.4 bn, the UAE at USD 5.3 bn, and Turkey at USD 5.2 bn. The UAE was Iran’s largest exporter at USD 15.3 bn, followed by China at USD 13 bn, and Turkey at USD 8.9 bn.

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CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

Belgium will host the World Cargo Summit from Monday, 27 January to Wednesday, 29 January in Ostend. The event will focus on air cargo economics, strategy, and market trends with a specific focus on how the industry will tackle disruptions and how firms can adapt their business models.

The UAE will host the ShipTek International Conference from Wednesday, 29 January to Thursday 30 January in Dubai. The two-day conference will gather industry experts, including managing director at Hapag-Lloyd Carolin Stumm, CEO Adani Ports Nicolai Friis, VP International Maritime Industries Justin Taylor, CEO Tristra Tim Coffin, and others to discuss new tech and developments in the maritime industry.

The UAE will host the Middle East Bunkering Convention from Monday, 3 February to Wednesday, 5 February in Dubai. The event will focus on the marine fuels sector to address the future of the industry in light of geopolitical issues, environmental regulation, and the future of artificial intelligence and digitalization.

Saudi Arabia will host the Airport Expansion Conference from Tuesday, 4 February to Wednesday, 5 February in Riyadh. The two-day conference will feature over 30 speakers to discuss challenges faced by Saudi Airports and highlight Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 with a clear focus on expansion, tech, and strategic partnerships.

The UAE will host the Middle East Breakbulk Conference from Monday, 10 February to Tuesday, 11 February in Dubai. The event gathers giant manufacturers, EPCs, and service providers to discuss the latest solutions in breakbulk and heavy-lift logistics across the Middle East and Africa. The two-day event features an artificial intelligence (AI) seminar, heavy lift workshop, chartering workshop, and a women in breakbulk panel.

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