1. With investment of up to SAR 300 million Mawani and Alissa Universal Motors have signed an agreement to establish a logistics park at King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam. The Saudi Ports Authority has signed an agreement with Alissa Universal Motors, a subsidiary of Abdullatif Alissa Group Holding, to establish a logistics park at King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam. The project involves an investment of up to SAR 300 million and will cover an area of 382,000 square meters. The park will be dedicated to the import and re-export of vehicles and spare parts.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/05/03/with-investment-of-up-to-300-million-mawani-and-alissa-universal-motors-have-signed-an-agreement-to-establish-a-logistics-park-at-king-abdulaziz-port-in-dammam/
2. Some Amazon sellers are pulling out of Prime Day amid Trump tariffs. Amazon’s Prime Day is losing its luster among a critical group: sellers.
Some third-party merchants who previously sold China-made goods during Amazon’s premier July shopping event are sitting it out this year or reducing the amount of discounted merchandise they offer.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/05/02/some-amazon-sellers-are-pulling-out-of-prime-day-amid-trump-tariffs/
3. Panama Canal levels up. Nearly two years have passed since the Panama Canal Authority cut the number of vessels transiting the waterway. It was a difficult decision, but one that had to be made to ensure water supplies for the country’s people were unaffected after El Niño and little or no rainfall seriously depleted levels in Gatun Lake, which the Canal relies for its operations.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/05/02/panama-canal-levels-up/
4. West Africa to China – Capesize’s most significant opportunity? Through our dry bulk flow tool, we have identified changing trends in the trade of bulk raw materials from the West Coast of Africa to China. In particular, bauxite flows have surged, driven by China’s growing aluminium production, leading to a greater need for capesize vessels.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/05/02/west-africa-to-china-capesizes-most-significant-opportunity/
5. DP World pilots hydrogen fuel cell crane at Vancouver Port. DP World has successfully completed initial testing of its hydrogen fuel cell rubber-tired gantry crane at the Port of Vancouver, marking a significant milestone in decarbonizing its port operations. The RTG is now undergoing field testing as the company assesses the feasibility of electrifying its global fleet of 1,500 RTG cranes.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/05/02/dp-world-pilots-hydrogen-fuel-cell-crane-at-vancouver-port/
6. Danish government looks to establish $1bn war risk programme. The Danish government has announced plans to create a state-backed $1bn war risk programme for ships to be used in the event commercial insurance markets fail. The government said the insurance plan, due to be voted on in parliament later this year, was a “timely precaution”.
https://splash247.com/danish-government-looks-to-establish-1bn-war-risk-programme/
7. CMA CGM signs Syrian port Deal. CMA CGM has signed a 30-year deal with the Syrian government to develop Latakia port, including building a new berth and investing $260m to bolster Syria’s top port. CMA CGM has been operating at Latakia since 2009.
https://splash247.com/cma-cgm-signs-syrian-port-deal/
8. The inconvenient truth about shipping’s decarbonisation. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) just held the 83rd session of its Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC). Before we deal with the situation of the shipping industry, emissions-wise, it is useful to revisit the recent history of humans trying – or more accurately failing -to deal with CO2 emissions.
https://splash247.com/the-inconvenient-truth-about-shippings-decarbonisation/
9. Ukraine Says It Shot Down Russian Fighter Jet From Sea Drone For First Time. Ukraine destroyed a Russian Su-30 fighter jet using a missile fired from a seaborne drone, Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence agency announced on Saturday, in what it said was the world’s first downing of a combat plane by a maritime drone.
https://gcaptain.com/ukraine-says-it-shot-down-russian-fighter-jet-from-sea-drone-for-first-time/
10. Vietnam Protests China, Philippines Activity In Disputed Waters. Vietnam lodged a formal protest against China and the Philippines for activities that it said violate its sovereignty in the Spratly Islands area, in a move that underscores the persistent tensions over contested waters in the South China Sea.
https://gcaptain.com/vietnam-protests-china-philippines-activity-in-disputed-waters/