Weekly Logistics Briefing Key logistics updates for the week (Week 4 of Oct. 2024)

On October 18, Houthi rebels claimed to have attacked the container ship MEGALOPOLIS, which was sailing in the Arabian Sea, with a drone. Houthi rebels say container ships have been targeted for entering Israeli-run ports and not specifying the date of the accident.

A newly delivered container crane collided with an existing STS(Ship-to-Shore) crane, causing it to collapse at Keelung Port on October 14. The old crane fell intact rather than buckling, protecting nearby infrastructure from major damage and no injuries were reported. However, operations at the terminal were temporarily suspended. According to the Taiwanese news, the cost of replacing the collapsed crane is expected to reach 40 million.

Railway connection to and from Koper port in Slovenia continues to be affected by railway closure and reconstruction. METRANS, a railway operator, reported that trains to and from Koper have been canceled several times. According to METRANS, confusion is expected to continue over the next few weeks due to the situation of Slovenia's entire railway infrastructure. With the cancellation of railway operations in Slovenia and the regular closure of the Gubacsi Bridge near Budapest Terminal, it also affects railway operations in Hungary.

Over 70 domestic and international flights operated by Indian airlines have received bomb threats this week. The threats, which have caused widespread disruptions and forced emergency procedures, have mostly turned out to be false alarms. Among the airlines most affected are Air India Express, Air India, Vistara, IndiGo, and Akasa Air. Air India Express was particularly hit hard, with at least seven of their flights receiving bomb threats. Authorities are investigating the source of the threats and have increased security measures to prevent further disruptions.

Airlines have cancelled several flights to Edinburgh amid a yellow weather warning for high winds on Sunday. Aer Lingus has made the decision to cancel two flights from Dublin Airport to the capital just hours before it was due to take off and flights to Glasgow and Aberdeen have also been subject to cancellations. Winds of up to 60mph are expected to batter the city.

In a recent incident at Chicago's O'Hare Airport, a cargo container was accidentally sucked into the engine of a plane. American Airlines Flight 47 was travelling from London Heathrow to Chicago. The container ingestion led to the engine being severely damaged. The event, which took place during ground operations, led to significant concerns but fortunately, no injuries were reported. The incident has prompted an investigation into how such an event occurred, and safety protocols are being reviewed to prevent similar accidents in the future.

ScotRail suspended Glasgow train services due to an unspecified issue affecting the network. Network Rail said engineers have been unable to resolve the problem overnight. Service between Milngavie and Springburn suspended in both directions. Partick towards Glasgow Central low level and Glasgow Queen St low level may be delayed. Rail firm also revealed trains operating between Partick and Glasgow Central will be delayed and may be revised due to problem.

The Indian Meteorological Agency (IMD) forecasts heavy rain in Chennai and nearby areas on October 15 and 16 (red warnings are issued in the area). The National Association of Container Freight Stations (NACFS) issued a statement warning that flooding will seriously stop container transportation through roads and railways. NACFS said, "Transport and customs clearance of import and export containers may be delayed at all CFSs and terminals".

British Airways has been forced to suspend a number of flights into 2025. The airline is waiting for delivery of the Rolls Royce Trent 1000 engines it needs for its Boeing 787 planes. While the planes can be run without the engines, there is not enough capacity as 15 of the airline's fleet remains grounded. United Airlines(UAL) is making its own series of cuts that come down to low demand rather than engine trouble. In the summer of 2025, the carrier will be running flights between LHR and LAX in Los Angeles daily instead of the initially hoped for twice a day.

On October 16, USB union workers at Genoa port will go on a 24-hour strike, affecting the operation of SA Genoa Pra and PSA Genoa Sec terminals. In addition, on October 18, unionized local transportation workers will go on a 14-hour strike nationwide, mainly affecting bus and local railway transportation.