Good morning, folks. We’re heading into the weekend with a packed issue, full of aviation and data center investment updates as agreements from Trump’s Gulf tour continue to trickle in. We also have IPO and road news from Oman and Saudi. Let’s get the ball rolling.

HAPPENING TODAY-

The Global Logistics Conference is opening its doors today and will run through Sunday, 18 May in Dubai. The conference serves as a platform for over 2k delegates from over 130 countries, for global logistics industry leaders and experts to network, acquire knowledgem and explore opportunities while promoting their company's services.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- Danish shipping giant Maersk is considering resuming its transits through the Suez Canal as it closely monitors security developments in the Red Sea, Maersk’s Camilla Jain Holtse said yesterday. Holtse’s statement came during a meeting with Suez Canal Authority head Osama Rabie, who urged the company to adjust its sailing schedules and gradually resume shipping through the waterway following the recent introduction of a temporary 15% cut in transit fees.

Sound familiar? Rabie urged global shipping lines earlier this week to reassess their routes and schedules to consider a gradual return to the canal amid improving security conditions in the region.

But would wary shippers be enticed? Some major shippers may lack the financial incentive to accelerate their return to the Red Sea route. For example, Maersk forecasts a net income of USD 3 bn if the route’s disruption continues until the end of the year, whereas an earlier return — by the start of 2H — would leave the company barely breaking even.

REMEMBER- Transit receipts from the Suez Canal dropped 62.3% y-o-y to USD 1.8 bn in 1HFY 2024-25 on the back of Red Sea disruptions that pushed ships to reroute away from the canal.

IN OTHER EGYPT UPDATES- Russia and Egypt signed a long-term usufruct agreement for land inside the Suez Canal Economic Zone to establish a Russian Industrial Zone, Al Arabiya reports, citing comments from Russian Industry and Trade Minister Anton Alikhanov. Under the agreement, a newly established Russian company will manage the project.

What’s next? The Russian side will start promoting the zone to Russian firms this week, the minister said, adding that companies in pharma, chemicals, mechanical engineering, and building materials are among those interested. The land plot is set to be handed to the Russian side later this year to start construction work.

A long time coming: We have been on the lookout for news on the Russian Industrial Zone for years now — with news regarding the zone dating back to 2019.

#2- UAE will back Ghana’s plans to relaunch a national airline, according to a statement on social media by Ghana’s Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. The UAE will provide technical assistance for setting up a new national carrier.

Some context: The announcement comes after recent bilateral talks in Abu Dhabi focusing on expanding cooperation in key sectors like trade, investment, energy, and aviation. Some Emirati companies are also planning to visit the country in the following weeks.

IN OTHER AVIATION UPDATES- Boeing deliveries doubled in April: Boeing delivered a total of 45 commercial jets in April, an 87.5% y-o-y increase — in our calculations — from the 24 jets delivered the same month in 2024, Reuters reports. This marks the fourth consecutive month with more than 40 deliveries — 41deliveries in March, 44 in February, and 45 in January.

Boeing is still trailing behind Airbus: Airbus delivered 56 jets in April, the newswire added. The European jet maker delivered a total of 136 commercial units in 1Q 2025, while Boeing delivered a total of 130 commercial units during the same period.

MARKET WATCH-

#1- Oil prices dipped this morning amid speculations over a possible US-Iran nuclear deal and rising US crude supplies Reuters reports. Brent crude futures fell by USD 1.49 to reach USD 64.60 a barrel, while the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) dropped by USD 1.46 to reach USD 61.69 a barrel by 04.05 GMT.

Meanwhile, Opec+ maintained its global oil demand forecast for 2025 at 1.3 mn barrels a day in its latest Monthly Oil Market Report (MOMR) (pdf). Demand in Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries is projected to rise by 0.1 mn bbl / d, while non-OECD demand is expected to grow by nearly 1.2 mn bbl / d. The outlook for 2026 also remains unchanged from last month at 1.3 mn bbl / d, with OECD demand projected to increase by 0.1 mn bbl / d and non-OEC demand by 1.2 mn bbl / d.

With a slight change: The block is expecting supply to rise by some 800k bbl / d, down from its earlier forecast of 900k bbl / d, on the back of lower capital spending due to a decline in oil prices. The oil cartel is set to hike supply by 411k bbl / d in June for the second month in a row.

#2- Baltic index on a losing streak: The Baltic Exchange’s dry bulk sea freight index — which tracks rates for the capesize, panamax, and supramax vessel segments — was down 1% to 1,267 points on Wednesday. The capesize fell 1.4% to 1,648 points, while the panamax index slipped 1.6% to 1,295 points. The smaller supramax index remained unchanged at 977.

DATA POINTS-

#1- Ports supervised by the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) handled 625.4k TEUs in April 2025, up 13.4% y-o-y, according to an authority statement. The growth was driven by a 22.5% y-o-y jump in imported containers to 259.4k TEUs and an 8% rise in exported containers to 233.8k TEUs.

Transshipment volumes also saw a 7.5% uptick to 132.2k TEUs. Meanwhile, overall cargo volumes declined 2.4% y-o-y to 20.5 mn tons during the month.

#2- Morocco is planning to increase its exports to Egypt by 562% — in our calculation — to USD 500 mn over the next three years, Morocco World News reports. The move comes after Morocco and Egypt agreed earlier this month to boost investments, facilitate trade flows, and work toward a unified presence in African markets.

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CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

Saudi Arabia will host the Saudi Warehousing & Logistics Expo from Tuesday, 27 May to Thursday, 29 May in Riyadh. The expo will host over 18k supply chain industry professionals and more than 400 exhibitors. It will also explore over 3.5k solutions.

Morocco will host the International Conference on Logistics and Supply Chain Management from Wednesday, 28 May to Friday, 30 May in Casablanca. The conference will cover scientific research, technologies, and environmentally friendly digital solutions in the logistics, transport, and supply chain sectors.

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