The commercial court in Lille has ordered the liquidation of Ziegler France and Satra, affecting around 1,500 jobs and bringing operations to a halt. The case highlights structural weaknesses in the freight transport sector and growing risks for subcontractors and local logistics economies.

The de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the conflict between Iran, the United States and Israel is disrupting Gulf jet fuel flows. In Europe, existing stocks are preventing an immediate shutdown, but from May the risk of localised shortages and rationing is set to rise.

SNCF has mandated Lazard to explore the sale of a stake in Rail Logistics Europe, a move that could value the French state-owned rail group’s freight division at up to €800 million. Potential buyers may include CMA CGM, Maersk and DSV, although the size of the stake has yet to be defined and the process remains exploratory.

The container ship Cma Cgm Kribi has passed through the Strait of Hormuz along a corridor approved by Iran, marking the first known transit linked to European traffic since the start of the third Gulf war. Traffic remains minimal and tightly controlled, as shipowners and governments assess risks, alternative routes and operational implications.

Madrid makes price revision clauses mandatory and automatic, links them to pre-tax fuel prices, raises diesel’s weight in the cost formula from 30% to 40%, and introduces invoice transparency requirements. The measures form part of a €5 billion package designed to respond to the energy crisis triggered by the conflict in the Middle East.