The changing nature of economic competitiveness in a world that is becoming increasingly transformed by new, digital technologies is creating a new set of challenges for governments and businesses, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report.

China and the Netherlands appealed for global efforts to promote free trade and safeguard multilateralism on Monday.

Asia-Pacific's oil and gas sector looks set to rebound over the next 12 months as rising demand, stronger commodity prices and an uptick in merger and acquisition activity bring greater confidence to the region.

The Port of Hamburg and Metrans Group are intensifying their links with Lithuanian Railways. Axel Mattern, Joint CEO of Port of Hamburg Marketing, and Egidijus Lazauskas, Deputy Director-General and Director Freight Traffic for Lithuanian Railways, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Vilnius to strengthen cooperation on the routes to and from the Port of Hamburg. In addition, Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG - HHLA’s intermodal subsidiary Metrans, and Lithuanian Railways signed a Letter of Intent to promote and improve cross-border freight flows.

Thordon Bearings has signed sales and distribution agreements with St. Petersburg-based Industrial & Marine Projects (IMPRO) and Tallinn’s Marine Ecology Equipment (MEE), in a development that anticipates the introduction of more stringent pollution rules for European waterways.

Silk Way West Airlines is poised to start a twice weekly service to Tianjin connecting its global Hub in Baku with one of the leading industrial centers in Northern China.

Russian gas and LNG firm Novatek announced Wednesday that it has found a major new gas field in the Gulf of Ob, just off the Yamal Peninsula in the Russian Arctic.

On 10th November, 2018, 20 participants from the Baltic ports gathered at the Port of Ust-Luga, Russia, for a tour of the premises. The study tour, organized by the BPO in cooperation with one of its members, the Commercial Sea Port of Ust-Luga, was a perfect opportunity to experience first-hand the operations of what is set to be the largest port in Russia and Eastern Europe.

• logitrans 2018 to take place in Istanbul on November 14-16
• Air cargo growing, rail cargo premiering, digitalization the current trend
• Exhibitor participation at last year’s level

International Rolling Stock, Infrastructure and Logistics Exhibition – Eurasia Rail which hosted 200 companies and 11,949 visitors from 25 countries last year, will host the leading names of the global railway sector in Izmir between 10 - 12 April 2019.

On Sunday, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a new estimate of the likely effects of anthropogenic carbon emissions in the medium term, with unpleasant conclusions. The panel reached a consensus estimate that global warming is likely to reach the Paris Climate Accord limit of 1.5 degrees Celcius between 2030 and 2050, with an additional increase to 2.0 degrees C thereafter, even if parties to the Accord fulfill their commitments to reduce emissions. The marginal increase from 1.5 degrees of warming to 2.0 degrees of warming is likely to result in considerably more damage to the human environment and food supply.

Shell has achieved the Port of Rotterdam's first ship-to-ship LNG bunkering operation using the specialized LNG bunker vessel, Cardissa.

Maritime Authority of Jamaica’s Director General, Rear Admiral (ret’d) Peter Brady has praised the dedication of African States in working together towards achieving global maritime goals and meeting international environmental targets.

INTERCARGO held its Annual General Meeting, Executive and Technical Committees’ meetings in London on 1 and 2 October 2018, along with a well-attended Dinner Reception on the first day. INTERCARGO re-iterated its commitment to a safe, efficient, high quality and environmentally-friendly dry cargo shipping industry and its support for an industry governed by free and fair competition. The meetings were chaired by Chairman John Platsidakis, Vice Chairman Jay K Pillai and Technical Committee Chairman Dimitris Fafalios.
The main topics were the Safe Carriage of Cargoes, Investigation of Casualties by Flag Administrations, Air Emissions (including the 2020 Sulphur Limit regulation and Greenhouse Gases), Ballast Water Management, the nonavailability and adequacy of Port Reception Facilities for cargo residues, Port State Control transparency and anticorruption practices, Design Standards for Bulk carriers and related equipment. 

October 9th, 2018, Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, Singapore