Atlas orders 20 Airbus A350F
Atlas Air Worldwide has ordered twenty Airbus A350F aircraft, becoming the largest customer for the European manufacturer’s new freighter. The agreement, announced in Toulouse on 16 March 2026, represents the largest order to date for the A350 cargo version and marks Atlas’s entry among operators of the new widebody platform dedicated to freight transport. The A350F is designed to optimise the loading of standard industry pallets and containers, featuring what is described as the largest main deck cargo door in its segment. More than 70% of the airframe uses advanced materials, enabling a reduction in maximum take-off weight of 46 tonnes compared with competing derivative freighters. The model is also designed to meet new ICAO CO2 emissions standards due to come into force in 2027. According to Atlas, the introduction of the A350F will help maintain a more fuel-efficient widebody freighter fleet and support the company’s global expansion.
EIB finances the Divača-Koper railway
The project for the second railway line between Divača and the port of Koper has received €73 million in financing from the European Investment Bank, representing the second tranche of a total €250 million loan announced in 2023. The European institution will cover around 25% of the infrastructure’s total cost, confirming its role as a key financial partner. The new line will run alongside the route currently nearing activation and aims to strengthen rail connections with Slovenia’s main port. During the same period, the European Court of Auditors concluded a six-month audit without observations, confirming steady progress of the works. Construction of the second line is expected to begin during the year, with completion scheduled for 2030. The first line, intended to replace the existing single-track connection in operation for nearly 60 years, has recently been tested and is expected to enter service by the end of the month. Both lines are being built using a ballastless rigid slab track system, which reduces maintenance and increases stability. The infrastructure upgrade is designed to support growth in rail freight traffic to and from the port of Koper, where rail already accounts for more than 50% of inland movements.
Koper upgrades port access
Work has begun in Koper on improving road access to the port, with the aim of strengthening links between the terminal and the motorway network. The Directorate for Infrastructure and the Municipality of Koper have signed a contract with a consortium formed by Kolektor Cpg and Cpk for the widening of the Bertoki link road. The project covers a 1.6-kilometre stretch and includes expansion to four lanes of a route considered strategic for port traffic. Total investment amounts to nearly €24 million, with works expected to last 20 months. Construction is due to start within a month. During the works, freight and local traffic will be managed to minimise disruption. At a later stage, during the reconstruction of roundabouts, heavy vehicles will be diverted to the new Sermin bypass, currently scheduled for completion by the end of 2026. The project forms part of a broader package of complementary infrastructure, including the second rail track on the Divača-Koper line and the Sermin road network.
DP World opens logistics operations in Turkey
DP World has launched operations at its first third-party logistics warehouse in Turkey, located in Balçık in the country’s north-west, with the aim of strengthening services along key regional and global trade corridors. The facility covers 20,000 square metres and features 26 loading bays, designed to optimise storage and improve operational flows. The site handles multiple product categories, including automotive, technology, industrial and chemical goods, distribution and consumer goods, and healthcare, in line with the group’s strategic sectors. Plans include expanding warehouse capacity in Eastern Europe to 15,000 square metres by 2028. Daily operations are managed by 70 professionals using a warehouse management system integrated with terminal operating systems, ensuring traceability and coordination between inbound and outbound flows. Sustainability is embedded in the design through the use of lithium-ion battery-powered vehicles and energy-efficient solutions. The location in Kocaeli province provides direct access to major transport corridors, industrial zones and the Gulf of İzmit. Proximity to the Körfez and Yarımca terminals, part of the main port system in eastern Marmara, supports fast connections with international markets. The opening marks a step in the integration strategy between third-party logistics, port terminals and freight forwarding, aimed at improving transit times, reliability and cost efficiency across the supply chain.
Maersk halts empty container returns in the Gulf
Maersk has announced the suspension of empty container returns at usual depots in several Persian Gulf countries due to evolving conditions affecting shipping and port operations in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding areas. The measure applies to the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia in the Jubail area, Iraq and Oman at Duqm. In these markets, empty containers will no longer be accepted at standard return locations. The company has designated new mandatory return points at depots in Salalah and Sohar in Oman, and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. The decision is driven by the need to safeguard the safety of vessels, crews and cargo. An operational exception remains in Saudi Arabia, where the ports of Dammam and Jubail will continue to accept 40-foot containers and refrigerated units. The move reshapes empty container flows across the Gulf, concentrating them at a smaller number of hubs, and reflects a rapid adjustment of maritime and port logistics procedures in one of the most sensitive regions for container traffic.
Fewer China-EU trains via Russia
According to the latest report by Vgudok, rail freight traffic between China and the European Union via Russia fell to 310,579 TEU in 2025, down 14.1%, confirming a decline linked to the reorganisation of logistics routes and the geopolitical context. The drop was even more pronounced on west-to-east traffic, with rail shipments from Europe to China falling to 38,422 TEU, down 22.7%, the lowest level on record according to the source. Over the same period, however, the value of Chinese exports to Europe rose to $560 billion (€482.9 billion), up 8.4%, while the imbalance between westbound and return flows remained unchanged at a ratio of 7 to 1. In 2025, China Railway Express trains exceeded 20,000 for the first time, up 3.2%, but growth is no longer driven by Europe: only 15.1% of loads are destined for European markets, while 85% are concentrated on Russia, Central Asia and other non-European destinations. The Asian corridor has become the main growth driver, with 1.13 million TEU, up 27.7%, equivalent to 3.6 times intra-EU rail volumes. Analysts cited by the source note that the strong imbalance penalises carriers due to empty container repositioning and reflects the weakness of German industry and slowing European exports to China, particularly in machinery and automotive sectors. The contraction in rail is also linked to the normalisation of maritime transport in 2025, following the rate spikes in 2024 caused by attacks in the Red Sea, which had temporarily favoured rail. Technical constraints also weigh on the China-EU corridor, as around 94% of traffic traditionally passes through Poland, and the two-week blockade at the Poland-Belarus border in September 2025 highlighted the corridor’s vulnerability. Analysts do not expect a rapid recovery in 2026, with the most likely scenario being stagnation or a further moderate decline, and growth limited to niches such as e-commerce, mid-range urgent goods, furniture, home goods and DIY products. The analysis also highlights the emergence of new logistics axes towards the Middle East, India, Turkey, Iran and the Caucasus, while Russia appears to be repositioning itself as a Eurasian distribution hub rather than a transit bridge between China and Europe.
First European cargo flight of an E190F
The first European flight of an Embraer E190F E-Freighter connected Cologne Bonn Airport with Larnaca International Airport in Cyprus on behalf of Bridges Air Cargo, operating a service dedicated to express shipments. The aircraft will remain in service within the airline’s network, linking Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Guy Bridges, CEO of Bridges Group, said the debut is the result of preparatory work over the past twelve months, including the development of a dedicated container and new handling systems. The E190F will be used for network solutions with capacities between 8 and 12 tonnes, targeting the express segment. The company has also obtained an air operator certificate registered in Malta, identified as the operational base for developing services with this model. Embraer also noted that in 2025 its partnership with Regional One, the aircraft’s owner, was expanded with two additional passenger-to-freighter conversions, doubling the initial order.
