Weekly Logistics Briefing Key logistics updates for the week (Week 3 of April 2025)

Hundreds of flights have been canceled and train lines were suspended as strong winds hit Beijing and northern China. By Saturday 11:30 local time, 838 flights had been canceled at Beijing's two major airports. As wind gusts up to 93mph are expected to continue through the weekend, train services, including the airport's express subway line and some high-speed rail lines, have been suspended. Beijing issued its first orange for strong winds in a decade, with the strongest winds expected on Saturday.

A strong dust storm in Delhi on Friday caused chaos at Delhi Airport, leading to over 200 flights delayed and at least 50 flights diverted. The dust storm affected flight operations in both Delhi and Jaipur, causing significant inconvenience to passengers. Airlines issued advisories for passengers to check flight status frequently as ongoing delays and schedule changes are expected. The India Meteorological Department issued an orange for thunderstorms and advised residents to be prepared.

On April 11, a fire at the Amerijet warehouse facility at the south terminal led to a suspension of flights into Piarco International Airport (PIA). The cause of the fire has not been disclosed. The Piarco Fire Station and Arima Fire Station responded immediately, with the fire now under control. Flight operations are suspended and will resume upon clearance from the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service and Civil Aviation Authority.

Port of Auckland will be upgrading its Terminal Operating System from N4 version 2.6 to N4 version 4.0 from April 11. This upgrade requires a 48-hour closure of the Fergusson Terminal during which all containerised cargo operations will stop. As terminal temporary closure, there are no new vessel operations from 0700 hours, Friday 11 April. Full operations are expected to resume at 1500 hours, Sunday April 13. Demurrage and export storage charges will be suspended during the days of closure.

Rail traffic in northern Germany is disrupted by various problems affecting major routes. An advisory issued by local operator Contrago highlighted that the line between Hamburg and Bremen is closed to construct a new railway embankment. Additionally, traffic between Hannover and Hamburg has been completely halted due to an overhead line malfunction. Further complications have arisen from a damaged train on one of the diversion routes, leading to blockage at the last two remaining detour routes. Approximately 70 trains destined for Hamburg and Bremerhaven were parked and awaiting clearance to proceed. Contrago mentioned that disruptions have effectively isolated the ports of Bremerhaven and Hamburg from the rail network, causing delays at both port and inland terminals.

A series of strikes across Europe are set to disrupt travel over the Easter period. In the UK, Gatwick Airport faces a strike from April 18 to April 22 affecting various airlines, while Heathrow has strikes involving staff on April 9. Greece's air traffic controllers are striking on April 9, grounding all commercial flights. EasyJet cabin crew in Italy will strike on April 9, impacting Naples and Milan flights. Potential rail strikes in France may occur anytime between April 17 and June 2.

Strong winds in Istanbul caused major disruptions at Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gken Airport overnight. Flights were delayed as pilots had to hold in patterns due to winds shifting rapidly. Aircraft at Sabiha Gken Airport confronted windshear s, forcing safety maneuvers like go-arounds. Flights began to stabilize as wind conditions eased by early morning, but delays may continue throughout the day.

On April 10, a nationwide general strike in Argentina led to significant disruptions in transportation, halting airport operations and port activities. Hundreds of flights were canceled, affecting airlines including Aerolineas Argentinas, LATAM, and Flybondi, and leaving thousands of passengers stranded. Public transport and ports also stood still, with protests in Buenos Aires and other cities against austerity measures under President Javier Milei's administration.

Starting April 8, New Delhi airport's main runway (28/10) has been shut down for ILS upgrades affecting flight schedules. The closure is expected to cause delays particularly when easterly winds blow, affecting departure and arrival configurations. Runway 28/10 will remain closed until the end of July as part of infrastructure enhancement for CAT III operations.

On April 9, a major explosion and fire occurred on the Dutch container ship Victoria L in the North Sea. The ship was en route from Hamburg, Germany to the Port of Rotterdam. Rescue operations were launched involving multiple ships and helicopters. At the time of the incident, the Victoria L was near Hoek van Holland, close to Rotterdam. No injuries have been reported, and investigations into the cause of the explosion are ongoing.