Avia Solutions Group (ASG) – a company of Lithuanian origin that has actively expanded its aviation portfolio in recent years – has decided to shut down several of its airlines and revise its development strategy. One of the steps taken was the suspension of a project in the Philippines aimed at establishing a new carrier, Avion Express Philippines, operating in the wet-lease segment.
Hapag-Lloyd and Kuehne+Nagel are embarking on their first joint project focused on decarbonizing ocean shipping through the use of Sustainable Marine Fuels (SMF). Under this agreement, Kuehne+Nagel will utilize Hapag-Lloyd’s “Ship Green” product to reduce the carbon footprint of its maritime shipments; the pilot phase for 2026 targets a reduction of approximately 3,000 tons of CO₂e through shipments traveling between East Asia and Northern Europe. In total, the program covers a cargo volume of approximately 3,300 TEU spanning the period from April to December 2026.
During the period from January to April 2026, the APM Terminals Poti facility at the Port of Poti (Georgia) handled 212.1 thousand TEU. This represents a 7.5% increase compared to the same period in previous years and marks the highest volume recorded in recent years. According to port administration data, 54.5 thousand TEU were handled in January, 45.9 thousand TEU in February, and 52.9 thousand TEU in March, while a record volume of 58.6 thousand TEU was reached in April.
In April, global air freight spot rates rose to $3.34 per kg – a 30% increase over last year’s figure and the highest level recorded since October 2022. According to Xeneta, this sharp surge is largely attributable to a temporary shortage of cargo capacity on routes affected by regional conflicts; however, as capacity is restored, the market is beginning to stabilize. Concurrently, long-term rates also increased in April – rising by 18% – a trend reminiscent of the supply chain disruptions experienced during the pandemic era.
Development Manager at GP Intermodal (part of the GRAMPET Group), Yedil Yelibayev presented impressive growth statistics for the Middle Corridor at the BLACK SEA TRANSPORT CORRIDORS 2026: PORTS, RAILWAYS, SHIPPING conference. Container traffic surged from 40,500 TEU in 2023 to a projected 95,000 TEU in 2026. The number of block trains from China increased by 35% in just one year.
Bucharest, Romania – From May 18 to 20, 2026, the European freight forwarding community will converge in Bucharest for a landmark industry event: the European Freight Forwarders Congress. Held under the prestigious patronage of FIATA, this event combines the 16th SEEFF Congress (South Eastern European Freight Forwarders Association) and the 2nd FIATA REU Field Meeting (Region Europe).
Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) held a naming ceremony for its new vessel, the OOCL Wisdom – the first in a series of seven container ships. The event took place at the Nantong COSCO KHI Ship Engineering (NACKS) shipyard, where the vessel was officially christened in the presence of industry representatives and guests.
Alexandru Nicola: Deputy Commercial Director of Unicom Tranzit, Alexandru Nicola, brought a dose of self-criticism to the panel discussion of the BLACK SEA TRANSPORT CORRIDORS 2026: PORTS, RAILWAYS, SHIPPING conference, noting that service providers still prevail at conferences, rather than real cargo owners.
The regional operating environment is being shaped by the conflict in the Middle East, which continues to disrupt both maritime and air cargo flows. Against this backdrop, intra-regional trade within Asia is demonstrating resilience; however, extended transit routes necessitate heightened flexibility, transparency, and integrated logistics solutions. Experts note that the ability to rapidly adapt routes and maintain supply stability has emerged as a critical success factor.
Head of Port Development at Mukran, Helmut Seilert, presented a unique concept of connecting two seas at the BLACK SEA TRANSPORT CORRIDORS 2026: PORTS, RAILWAYS, SHIPPING conference.
