Morocco’s leading fertilizer exporter OCP raises USD 1.75 bn in Eurobonds issuance

1

What we're tracking today

TODAY: Morocco’s OCP Eurobonds + AviLease secures USD 1.5 bn syndicated loan

Good morning, folks. We’re back this week with an issue packed with debt updates from Morocco and the UAE. Aviation industry updates are also all over the news, with new jet orders and delivery updates from the UAE and KSA. But first, an update on China’s tariff carveouts…

THE BIG LOGISTICS STORY- China carves out tariff exemptions for some US imports: China has reportedly suspended its 125% tariff on certain US goods over the weekend in the latest sign of de-escalation between the world’s two biggest economies. The exemption has covered some US-made microchips and chip-making tech, jet parts like landing gear and engines, and medical products. The country is also reportedly studying further targeted exemptions to support industries reliant on US-made input.

A page from the US’ playbook: China’s move follows news that Trump is considering slashing China’s tariffs by more than half, the Wall Street Journal reported in an exclusive last week. The US has also decided to spare car parts from tariffs applied on China and steel and aluminum-linked tariffs, in a “de-stacking” of tariffs, the Financial Times reports. “As a quid-pro-quo move, it could provide a potential way to de-escalate tensions,” think tank China Center’s senior advisor Alfredo Montufar-Helu told Reuters.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- A huge explosion erupted at Iran’s largest commercial port Shahid Rajaei on Saturday evening, sparking a fire that raged through Sunday morning, AP News reports. At present, 28 people have been reported killed and another 800 injured, state media outlet IRNA reports. The port is in the Strait of Hormuz, through which some 20% of all oil traded passes.

It’s a guessing game: The explosion is likely linked to the mishandling of a shipment of solid fuel “intended for use in Iranian ballistic missiles,” the newswire reports, citing a private security firm called Ambrey. Footage of the incident showed reddish-hued smoke rising just before the blast — suggesting a chemical compound was involved. Iran has denied the imported fuel explosive allegations.

#2- US requests free Suez Canal passage: American President Donald Trump is demanding that American military and commercial vessels pass the Suez Canal and Panama Canal “free of charge,” he wrote in a post on Truth Social on Saturday. “I’ve asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to immediately take care of, and memorialize, this situation,” Trump said.

Umm, what is this about? It is unclear what this request is about, but it could have more to do with countering Chinese influence than the cost of the Suez Canal. The request could also be seen in the light of senior US’ officials' leaked Signal conversation, in which they appeared to lament the US’ inability to bring Europe and Egypt to pay for the US campaign against Houthis.

Outrage at the suggestion: To say that Trump’s statement sparked outrage, condemnation, and even mockery across Egypt’s airwaves last night. The Suez Canal “is a national symbol that is not up for negotiation,” retired army general and strategic affairs expert Wael Rabie told Al Sa’aa Al Sadesa’s Azza Mostafa (watch, runtime: 7:20). Rabie emphasized that some 120k Egyptians died during the canal’s construction, highlighting that it was also financed entirely by Egyptians. Others blasted the remarks as a blatant violation of international law, including international law expert Mohamed Mahran on Ahmed Moussa’s Ala Masouleety (watch, runtime: 6:36).

IN OTHER GEOPOLITICALLY LINKED NEWS- Maersk fesses up to shipping arms to Israel: Global shipping giant Maersk has confirmed it has been shipping parts for F35 military aircraft to Israel, the company told Al Jazeera last week. The admission comes months after the firm repeatedly denied such involvement, with its CEO Vincent Clerc insisting last March that the company adheres to a “policy of not shipping weapons or ammunitions into any active conflict zone.”

Mincing words? The company attempted to defend its position by saying that the shipments are not delivered to the Israeli Defense Ministry, but rather are bound for other parties in Israel.

Maersk’s Israel arms shipments drew calls for boycotts in Morocco last week on the grounds that the Danish company is contributing to an ongoing genocide against Palestinians.

#3- Saudi Arabia sets its eyes on South Africa’s ports: Saudi port operator Red Sea Gateway Terminal International (RSGTI) is set to make an offer of more than USD 600 mn for South Africa’s Durban port, Bloomberg reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. The group also expressed interest in Cape Town’s port should a tender come up, Bloomberg reported, citing RSGTI’s director of global investments Gagan Seksaria. “South African container terminals represent some of the most attractive investment opportunities in the sector globally,” Seksaria said.

Saudi interest doesn’t end there: Jeddah-based Zahid Group has relaunched talks with Barloworld shareholders to boost its stake in the firm — the continent's sole distributor of Caterpillar equipment. Saudi Arabian Oil Co is also in the running to acquire Shell Plc’s downstream operations in South Africa for around USD 1 bn — a purchase that would cover Shell’s aviation, marine, construction and road, trading and supply, commercial fuels, lubricants, and fuel stations in the country.

#4- UAE eyes USD 6 bn India grid link to export surplus clean power: The UAE is pushing ahead with plans to export electricity to India via a subsea high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable that could cost up to USD 6 bn, the Energy Ministry’s director of electricity and trade Adnan Al Hosani told AGBI last week. The two countries have been in talks since 2023 over the interconnector project, which is now undergoing feasibility studies.

In context: The link is part of a broader strategy to monetize the Emirates’ growing spare generation capacity — currently around 50% — driven by major solar and nuclear investments. The country’s clean energy output is also expected to nearly double by 2030, Al Hosani said, backed by large-scale projects like the 5.6 GW Barakah nuclear plant and the Noor Abu Dhabi solar project. The country has emerged as a regional leader in renewables, with 6.3 GW of installed capacity, as well as 3.5 GW in under-construction projects.

IN OTHER UAE UPDATES- New deliveries boost Emirates fleet: Emirates received four Airbus A350 carriers this month and is expecting to uptake four more in May and one or two in June, the airline’s COO Adel Reda told CNBC last week on the sidelines of Dubai Artificial Intelligence Week 2025. Deliveries from the airline's current order from Boeing are also forecasted to start trickling in by the end of 2026, he added.

SOUND FAMILIAR? Dubai’s flagship carrier tapped HSBC last month as its sole senior arranger and original lender to finance the purchase of the four additional Airbus A350-900 jets.

REMEMBER- Emirates has invested nearly USD 5 bn to upgrade its existing aircraft — including the Airbus A380 jumbo and the Boeing 777 — to work around delays in new aircraft models on order.

#5- Egypt’s Misr Tugboat Factory has delivered two new tugboats to the Suez Canal Authority, the first two in a 10-vessel order, according to a statement released last week. The tugboats — AZM 1 and AZM 2 — have a pulling force of 90 tons each. The facility also aims to increase its production capacity to two boats every three months. The SCA is working on expanding its tugboat fleet, with plans to uptake two new tugboats from the Alexandria shipyard soon, Chairman Ossama Rabiee said without giving a date.

REMEMBER- The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) and Red Sea Shipyard Company opened a tugboat manufacturing factory in Safaga last year. The factory, spanning an area of 9k sqm, aims to localize Egypt’s manufacturing capabilities and support national service projects.

MARKET WATCH-

#1- Oil prices went up this morning despite chatter about a possible Opec+ production hike and global uncertainty on trade and oil demand, Reuters reports. Brent crude futures rose by USD 0.22 to USD 67.09 a barrel, while the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) went up by USD 0.24 to reach USD 63.26 a barrel by 04.29 GMT.

What do we know about Opec+ plans? Several Opec+ members are expected to push for a faster increase in oil production in June as disagreements grow over some countries defying their output quotas, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing three sources who are familiar with the talks. Eight Opec+ members will meet on 5 May to decide on the June output plan, with some members eying a similar output hike to the May output plan of 411k barrels per day (bbl / d).

Some are against the move: A few members — including Russia — favor slower, more gradual output increases to avoid putting pressure on prices, two separate Opec+ sources told the newswire.

ICYMI- Kazakhstan’s new Energy Minister Erlan Akkenzhenov stated last week that the country will prioritize its own needs when deciding on oil production levels, even if it goes against Opec+.

#2- Baltic index largely steady: The Baltic Exchange’s dry bulk sea freight index — which tracks rates for the capesize, panamax, and supramax vessel segments — rose by 1.5% to 1,373 points on Friday. The capesize leaped up 2.3% to 1,889 points, while the panamax index was up by 1.5% to 1,392. The smaller supramax index dipped by one point to 977.

#3- The Drewry World Container Index fell by 2% to USD 2,157 per 40-ft container on Thursday, according to the latest index readings. Spot rates for 40-ft containers are at their lowest since January 2024 and 79% below the previous pandemic peak, but remain 52% above the pre-pandemic rate of USD 1.4k. The average composite index YTD is USD 2,854 per 40ft container, which is USD 38 lower than the 10-year average rate of USD 2,891.

DATA POINTS-

#1- Qatar’s Hamad International Airport saw an 11.1% y-o-y increase in cargo movements in FY 2024, according to aviation trade association Airports Council International (ACI) World. The rise brought the size of cargo handled in the airport to some 2.6 mn tons in FY 2024, making it the world’s eighth busiest airport for cargo.

#2- Global container port volumes are forecasted to drop 1% in 2025 due to US trade policies, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing data from maritime consultancy Drewry. This drop would mark the third time shipping volumes have shrunk since 1979. The drop would be powered by shrinking US containerized import cargo volume, which is expected to fall at least 20% y-o-y in 2H 2025, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing the US National Retail Federation.

What Drewry said: “Assuming that two-thirds of current tariffs remain in place, US imports from China could fall by 40%,” Drewry said. With Chinese imports dominating consumer and industrial products in the US, the redirection of Chinese production to countries with lower tariffs could potentially offset a portion of the decline in shipping demand.

Case in point: German shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd saw 30% of its shipments from China to the US canceled, a spokesperson told Reuters on Wednesday. However, the China-US drop was counteracted by a huge influx in demand for consignments from Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

***YOU’RE READING EnterpriseAM Logistics, the essential MENA publication for senior execs who care about the industry that connects producers and retailers to global markets. We’re out Monday through Thursday by 9:15am in Cairo and Riyadh and 11:15am in the UAE.

EnterpriseAM Logistics is available without charge thanks to the generous support of our friends at Hassan Allam Utilities, Transmar, and AK-Ships.

Were you forwarded this email? Tap or click here to get your own copy of Enterprise Logistics.

Want to send us a story idea, request coverage, ask for a correction, or otherwise get in touch? Reach out to us on logistics@enterprisemea.com.

DID YOU KNOW that we also cover Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the MENA climate industry ?
***

CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

The UAE will host the Airport Show on Tuesday, 6 May to Thursday, 8 May in Dubai. The event will show products and technology for the airport industry from over 160 international suppliers and manufacturers across 20 countries. It will also provide a platform for networking with key players across seven airport sectors.

Saudi Arabia will host the Saudi Smart Logistics trade fair on Monday, 12 May to Thursday, 15 May in Riyadh. The event will provide insights into the latest international and local technology, solutions, equipment providers, and sustainable workflow practices within the logistics industry in the country.

The UAE will host the Global Ports Forum on Tuesday, 13 May to Wednesday, 14 May in Dubai. The forum will cover topics such as port strategy and development, port automation, finance, and efficiency.

The UAE will host the Seamless Middle East from Tuesday, 20 May to Thursday, 22 May in Dubai. The event will cover topics including digital marketing, e-commerce, and retail and merchant payments.

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

OCP’s 4x oversubscribed Eurobond issuance raises USD 1.75 bn

Moroccan state-owned fertilizer and phosphate exporter OCP Group has raised USD 1.75 bn (c. MAD 16.2 bn) in a dual-tranche Eurobond issuance, Morocco World News reported on Sunday. The funds are reportedly earmarked for raising capacity, upgrading facilities, and developing the company’s worldwide environmental initiatives.

The details: The issuance — which was 4x oversubscribed — is divided into two tranches, with the first comprising USD 1 bn (c. MAD 9.3 bn) in bonds at an 11-year tenor, and the second tranche covering the remaining USD 750 mn (MAD 6.9 bn) with a five-year tenor.

Not their first: OCP raised USD 2 bn through a dual-tranche Eurobond last year to support the company’s USD 13 bn strategy to transition its industrial processes entirely to renewable energy by 2027.

In context: Morocco is the world’s top exporter of phosphate-based fertilizers, with the country controlling about a quarter of the USD 3 bn global market share in 2023, according to data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity. Phosphate fertilizers are essential for the world’s food security, with experts citing this affordable fertilizer as being a major force for rising agricultural yields in the last few decades, according to a Middle East Institute (MEI) 2023 report.

About OCP exports: The Moroccan giant — which offers at least 45 fertilizer blends — is at the center of Morocco’s phosphate industry, exporting almost all of its production abroad, according to MEI’s report. In 2020, OCP dominated 60% of the US market and over half of Africa’s, with its exports accounting for 20% of the country’s total exports that year, the report added.

AviLease secures USD 1.5 bn syndicated loan

Saudi-based, PIF-owned aircraft leasing company AviLease secured a USD 1.5 bn unsecured revolving credit facility from a global syndicate of 20 banks, according to a statement released on Friday. The three-year facility adds to AviLease’s existing USD 750 mn revolving credit facility, bringing its total available committed credit facilities to USD 2.25 bn, provided by 25 local and international banks from across the globe, according to the statement.

Where will the money go? The fresh funding will provide liquidity to AviLease’s expansion plans, including investing in more modern and energy-efficient aircraft, CEO Ted O'Byrne said. The plan is part of a larger business strategy that saw the company obtain a USD 1.1 bn, five-year unsecured loan to expand its fleet back in June 2023.

Some 450 and 500 additional aircraft — worth an estimated USD 35-45 bn — are required to cover the Saudi aviation market demand over the next five years, Deputy CEO Tariq Al Ghaziri told Asharq Business earlier. This represents a potential growth avenue for the aircraft leasing company, as approximately USD 20 bn is anticipated to go towards the leasing sector, he added.

Who provided the funding? The international consortium includes major regional players, such as Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Emirates NBD, and First Abu Dhabi Bank. Other notable global financial institutions include BNP Paribas, Bank of China, Crédit Agricole CIB, Citi, HSBC, JP Morgan, Mizuho, Morgan Stanley, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, and Standard Chartered.

BACKGROUND- AviLease is looking to expand its fleet to 300 jets by 2030. The growth push should see the lessor’s cargo traffic double and increase its balance sheet to USD 20 bn from USD 8 bn by 2030 through M&A, purchases of individual planes, and placing large orders for aircraft, O’Byrne said back in August 2023. The firm also hopes to issue up to USD 2 bn in USD-denominated bonds annually as part of its strategy to help the Kingdom diversify away from oil and become a trade and logistics hub.

IN OTHER DEBT UPDATES-

#1- Indian conglomerate Adani’s airport unit is in discussions with First Abu Dhabi Bank, among other international lenders, to secure a USD 750 mn loan, Bloomberg reported last week, citing sources familiar with the matter. The unit aims to finalize the debt raise by May, with the tenor likely to be less than five years. Adani is also in talks with other international lenders, including Barclays and Standard Chartered. The funds will support capital expenditure and the refinancing of upcoming debt maturities.

REMEMBER- Earlier this month, Adani Group raised USD 750 mn through an offshore private placement bond, backed by several investors including BlackRock. The proceeds are being used to advance the expansion strategy of its Dubai-based unit, Renew Exim, which recently acquired an additional 20.8% stake in Indian engineering and construction firm ITD Cementation, raising its total ownership to 67.5%.

#2- Arab Energy Fund backs China’s UEG: Hong Kong-listed energy production and trading firm United Energy Group (UEG) secured a USD 100 mn private loan from Riyadh-based investment firm Arab Energy Fund, formerly known as Apicorp, to shore up its financial reserves, Bloomberg reported last week, citing a source it said was familiar with the matter.

To settle an old bill: The five-year facility will be used to refinance the company’s outstanding debt, with part of the proceeds earmarked for UEG’s upstream operations in Iraq. The firm is also looking to raise an additional USD 200 mn for similar uses.

Why it matters: The funding gives UEG more breathing room as oil prices come under pressure, with OPEC+ recently announcing a surprise supply hike for May. The loan also underscores deepening capital links between GCC investors and China’s energy sector, especially in Iraq and Egypt — two geographies where UEG has been actively growing its footprint.

ICYMI- The Arab Energy Fund recently issued a USD 650 mn 5-year senior unsecured bond under its Global Medium-Term Note Program, booking USD 935 mn in orders. The offering was 1.4x oversubscribed.

CMA CGM subsidiary to acquire 100% of Turkey’s Borusan Tedarik

CMA CGM to fully acquire Borusan Tedarik: CEVA Logistics — a subsidiary of France-based shipping giant CMA CGM — has inked a USD 440 mn agreement with Turkish firm Borusan Holding to acquire 100% of its logistics and supply chain solutions firm Borusan Tedarik, according to a statement published on Friday. The transaction will also see CEVA uptake Borusan Tedarik’s subsidiaries in Germany, Bulgaria, Hong Kong, and China.

Almost there: The acquisition is still pending customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. The transaction will also be subject to ordinary net cash and working capital adjustments.

Current ownership structure: Privately-held Borusan Holding owns 69.5% of Borusan Tedarik’s shares, while the remaining 30.5% is held by the company’s publicly traded investment arm Borusan Yatırım.

A boon for CEVA: The acquisition would enable CEVA to double its Turkey warehousing and distribution capacity by adding nearly 570k sqm on top of its current 620k sqm warehouse space. CEVA’s ocean capacity will also increase by 25%, while air capabilities will be in the top five in Turkey. Meanwhile, ground transports are expected to hit nearly 1 mn trips domestically per year.

CMA CGM has been busy in the region: CMA CGM secured a 35% stake in Egypt’s 6 October dry port earlier this month. The company’s subsidiary CEVA also inked an agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Almajdouie Logistics in October 2024 to form a joint venture to boost logistics and transport services in the Kingdom.

About Borusan Tedarik: The supply chain solutions firm offers domestic and global logistics services, including finished vehicle logistics, contract logistics, ground transport, and air and sea freight solutions.

Saudia orders 10 Airbus aircraft for Flyadeal

Saudia Group has placed a firm order for 10 Airbus A330 Neos for its budget arm flyadeal, according to a press release published last week. The order — to give the airline its first wide-body jet — has an estimated value of more than USD 2 bn and includes options for 10 more aircraft, flyadeal CEO Steven Greenway told The National. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in July 2027 and conclude by 2029.

Airbus over Boeing: Flyadeal selected the A330 Neo over Boeing’s 787-9 due to earlier delivery slots, lower pilot training requirements, and better seat economics, Greenway added. Talks with Rolls-Royce — the A330 Neo’s sole engine supplier — are ongoing, with local maintenance, repair, and overhaul agreements under negotiation.

ICYMI- Saudi airline Flynas had placed a USD 30 bn “landmark” order with Airbus for 30 wide-body A330neo and 130 narrow-body A320 aircraft back in July. The delivery schedule will run from 2027 to 2034.

Airbus got something as well: The agreement will also see Airbus procure SAR 2.5 bn (USD 666 mn) of raw material — primarily titanium — from Saudi Arabia, Bloomberg reported. Sanctions related to the Russia-Ukraine war have limited access to key raw materials like titanium, driving up costs for aircraft manufacturers such as Airbus and Boeing.

This has been in the works: Saudi Arabia partnered with Boeing and Airbus to gain approval for locally sourced aluminum and titanium for use in their aircraft back in May 2024, aiming to expand local production of aircraft components and support global manufacturers in overcoming supply constraints. The Kingdom also introduced last November plans to expand its titanium manufacturing capacity to meet estimated global demand levels of from 15k to 250k tons.

Updates on startups, shipping, warehouses, trade, acquisitions, and roads from across the region

STARTUP WATCH-

Saudi-based e-commerce startup Techrar closed a SAR 6 mn investment round led by Aramco’s VC arm Wa’ed Ventures, it said in a post on LinkedIn. The new funding will be used for product development, team growth, and market and customer expansion to deliver customized customer experiences.

About Techrar: Founded in 2022 by Ahmed Salama (LinkedIn), Safwan Saigh (LinkedIn), Fozan Alkhalawi (LinkedIn), Rania Shaker (LinkedIn), and Ahmed Saeed (LinkedIn), techrar offers an integrated platform for managing subscriptions, memberships, and recurring billing.

ROADS-

#1- Dubai gets a new flyover: Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Etihad Rail inaugurated a 1.8km flyover to ease traffic flow to and from Dubai Investment Park, according to a statement released on Saturday. The signal-controlled flyover has a three-lane capacity and is designed to streamline traffic on Dubai’s Al Yalayis Street. The flyover is set to facilitate the smooth movement of trains traveling within the median strip of Al Yalayis Street by separating trains and vehicles.

STORAGE + WAREHOUSES-

Dubai-based Al Khayyat Investments has launched its 1 mn sq ft fulfillment center in Dubai Industrial City, according to statements released on Thursday here and here. The warehouse is set to boost the firm’s current storage and distribution capacity almost four-fold to over 1.5 mn units per day. The new facility will help the firm extend its services to

over 30k commercial businesses in the region and bolster its home delivery operations.

M&A WATCH-

Shareholders of EGX-listed phosphate exporter Egyfert who wish to sell their stakes to UAE-basedNAS Investment Holding can do so between 27 April and 25 May, according to two separate disclosures issued last week here (pdf) and here (pdf). The transaction — which would raise the company’s holding from 32.4% to up to 90% — is valued at EGP 524.4 mn (AED 37.5 mn), with shares priced at EGP 95 apiece. Nas doesn’t have plans to delist Egyfert from the EGX.

What’s next: Egypt’s Financial Regulatory Authority granted Egyfert 15 days to disclose its opinion on the feasibility of the offer. It also mandated the company to appoint an independent financial advisor not related to the offer and to disclose to shareholders the findings of the advisor's report at least five days before the end of the mandatory tender offer period, according to a separate disclosure (pdf).

ADVISORS- Nas enlisted Al Ahly Pharos as the broker of the transaction, while MHR & Co and White & Case are acting as legal advisors.

SHIPPING + MARITIME-

Libya gets a new vehicle shipping service: Shipping giant Mediterranean Sea Company (MSC) and AD Ports subsidiary Noatum Maritime launched a new shipping service linking Jebel Ali Port to Libya’s Jiliana Port in Benghazi, Libya Alhadath TV reported last week (watch, runtime: 02:40). A dual-fuel cargo vessel — dubbed UGR Al Samha — will be operating the service, with a total area of 59k sqm and carrying capacity exceeding 7k car equivalent units.

TRADE-

Egypt to boost its exports of yachts: Egypt’s South Red Sea Shipyard Company is building an 18k sqft factory to manufacture yachts for export to the Gulf, Europe, and Africa, VP Hassan Kamal told Asharq Business last week. The facility is slated to begin production this year, with an output of 20 boats targeted in the first year — all of which will be earmarked for export. The factory will increase its annual production by 50% after its first year in operation. The project’s investment figure was not disclosed.

About South Red Sea Shipyard: The firm’s shipyard is located south of Safaga and includes a mechanical slipway with a capacity load of 450 tons for haul-out and launch operations as well as a 5k sqm covered painting shed, according to its website.

Trade policy updates from the US + Chinese companies see shares surge amid trade war

The US Trade Representative (USTR) proposed last week a 100% tariff on Chinese ship-to-shore cranes, containers, and other parts, Bloomberg reported last week. However, US industry players are warning against the move, with Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka telling Bloomberg that localizing the industry in the US could take at least 10 years since the country currently has no domestic crane manufacturers. There is a dearth of alternatives to China-made cranes, the replacement of which would need investment in aluminum and steel, whose prices are set to rise after recently imposed 25% tariffs.

ALSO- We have another trade probe from the US: Trump’s administration has launched a trade probe into the imports of medium and heavy-duty trucks weighing over 10k pounds, their parts, and derivatives, according to a US Federal Register announcement (pdf) last week. The investigation — launched on 22 April — will evaluate national security risks associated with the US’ dependency on truck imports, with a focus on assessing domestic producers’ ability to meet US demand and whether specific foreign countries could “weaponize their control over supplies of trucks” and their parts. It will also look into the impact of foreign government subsidies and “predatory trade practices” on the US truck-making industry. (Reuters, NBC, CNN, Asharq Business)

MEANWHILE- US states sue Trump admin over tariff policy: A total of 12 US states have filed a lawsuit to block US President Donald Trump’s tax hikes through tariffs, arguing that the tariffs are illegal under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and that Trump lacks the authority to impose the levies, CNN reported on Thursday. The lawsuit is the latest in a string of legal action against Trump’s tariff policy, which included a lawsuit by California and another one filed by a group of five small US firms.

Chinese companies see shares jump amid trade war: Several Chinese firms involved in cross-border trade — especially logistics companies — saw a boost in their shares after the Chinese government issued a notice upgrading its pilot freetrade program to combat the impact of US tariffs, Bloomberg reported last week, citing Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Marvin Chen. China’s pilot freetrade program calls for optimizing China’s freetrade zone activities by increasing support for digital trade.

Who benefited? Warehousing and storage company CTS International Logistics Corp. saw its shares rise last week by the 10% daily limit in Shanghai, Bloomberg writes. China Master Logistics Co’s shares also increased by 8.6%.

Calendar

APRIL

28 April-2 May: 7th Export Capabilities Exhibition (Iran Expo), Tehran, Iran.

MAY

6-8 May (Tuesday-Thursday): Airport Show, Dubai, UAE.

6-7 May (Tuesday-Wednesday): Capital Market Summit, Dubai, UAE.

13-14 May (Tuesday-Wednesday): Egypt Facility Management Forum, Cairo, Egypt.

12-15 May (Monday-Thursday): Saudi Smart Logistics, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

15-18 May (Thursday-Sunday): Global Logistics Conference, Dubai, UAE.

13-14 May (Tuesday-Wednesday): Global Ports Forum, Dubai, UAE.

20-22 May (Tuesday-Thursday): Seamless Middle East, Dubai, UAE.

27-29 May (Tuesday-Thursday): Saudi Warehousing & Logistics Expo, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

28-30 (Wednesday-Friday): International Conference on Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Casablanca, Morocco.

JUNE

1-3 June (Sunday-Tuesday): Annual General Meeting & World Air Transport Summit 2025, Delhi, India.

2-4 June (Monday-Wednesday): Propak MENA, Cairo, Egypt.

5-6 June (Thursday-Friday): Supply Chain & Logistics Innovation Summit, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

11-13 June (Wednesday-Friday): Sustainability World Summit, Frankfurt, Germany.

17-19 June (Tuesday-Thursday): Terminal Operations Conference & Exhibition, Rotterdam, Netherlands.

19 June (Thursday): East Med Maritime Conference, Athens, Greece.

25-26 June (Wednesday-Friday): Decarbonizing Shipping Forum, Hamburg, Germany.

JULY

1-3 July (Tuesday-Thursday): ASEAN Ports and Logistics, Jakarta, Indonesia.

SEPTEMBER

4-10 September (Thursday-Wednesday): Intra-African Trade Fair, Algiers, Algeria.

7-10 September (Sunday-Wednesday): Comex Global Technology Show, Muscat, Oman.

24-26 September (Wednesday-Friday): Routes World, Hong Kong.

30 September - 2 October (Monday-Thursday): Global Rail Transport Infrastructure Exhibition and Conference, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

OCTOBER

1-2 October (Wednesday-Thursday): Saudi Maritime & Logistics Congress, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

14-15 October (Tuesday-Wednesday): Investing in Africa Conference and Expo, London, UK.

NOVEMBER

3-6 November (Monday-Thursday): ADIPEC Maritime and Logistics Exhibition and Conference, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

4-6 November (Tuesday-Thursday): Air Cargo Forum, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

17-21 November (Monday-Friday): Dubai Airshow, Dubai, UAE.

EVENTS WITH NO SET DATE

Mid-2025: Iraq will complete phase one of the construction of the Grand Faw Port.

DHL and Aramco’s logistics and procurement hub in Saudi Arabia will commence operations.

AD Ports-operated Safaga Port’s multi-purpose terminal will become operational.

Phase 3 of APM Terminals Tangier MedPort to be complete and operational.

1Q 2025: Sadr Park’s Logistics Center in Riyadh to be completed.

1Q 2025: Phase two of Jafza Logistics Park to be completed.

2026

2026 UNCTAD Global Supply Chains Forum, Saudi Arabia.

2027

4Q 2027: Oman’s Musandam Airport construction to be completed.

Sections

About

Privacy & Support

Get EnterpriseAM daily