Trendwatch: Middle East war means ‘all roads’ lead to higher prices, slower growth, IMF chief says; Mexico’s Alternative to the Panama Canal Set to Open Fully this Year; Qantas Freight adds Singapore stop to expand cargo network

Middle East war means ‘all roads’ lead to higher prices, slower growth, IMF chief says

The war in the Middle East will lead to higher inflation and slower global growth, the head of the International Monetary Fund told Reuters on Monday, ahead of a fresh forecast for the world economy planned by the global lender for next week.

The war has triggered the worst-ever disruption in global energy supply in history, with millions of barrels of oil production shuttered due to Iran's effective blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, crucial for shipping one-fifth of the world's oil and gas. Even if the conflict is swiftly resolved, the IMF is set to reduce its forecasts for economic growth and bump up its outlook for inflation, Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the IMF, said.

Mexico’s Alternative to the Panama Canal Set to Open Fully this Year

The Mexican government has said the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT) is due to be fully completed in the first half of 2026, with final construction works set to finish in June this year, reports Automotive Logistics.

The CIIT project, which aims to provide a multimodal logistics service integrating Mexico’s National Port System and local administrations, interconnected through rail transport via the Isthmus of Tehuantepec Railway, was officially approved in June 2019, as an alternative to the Panama Canal.

Qantas Freight adds Singapore stop to expand cargo network

Qantas Freight has launched a new dedicated freighter service linking Sydney, Shanghai and Singapore, adding capacity and routing options across its Asia Pacific cargo network. The service commenced on 3 April 2026 with twice-weekly operations on a Sydney-Shanghai-Singapore-Sydney rotation.

The flights operate on Fridays and Sundays using Airbus A330 freighters, each offering more than 50 tonnes of cargo capacity. The addition of Singapore as a stop extends Qantas Freight’s existing Sydney-Shanghai freighter route and introduces a new connection point for cargo moving across regional and intercontinental markets.

World’s Largest Ship Registry Calls for Stricter Seafarer Checks Amid Rising Sanctions Risk

The Liberian Registry is urging shipowners, managers, and crewing agencies to strengthen seafarer compliance frameworks as global sanctions enforcement intensifies.

In a statement this week, the world’s largest flag state said the evolving sanctions landscape is forcing a shift in how the industry approaches compliance—moving beyond vessels and cargoes to include deeper scrutiny of seafarers, documentation, and identity verification processes.

West African ports scale up as mega-vessels calls rise

West African ports are now routinely handling larger container vessels, reflecting rapid growth in regional shipping capacity, according to the latest West Africa Container Trades survey by Dynamar.

Ports including Lagos, Lekki, Tema, Abidjan, Kribi, and Lome are seeing ships exceeding 10,000 TEUs, a sharp increase from a decade ago when vessels of around 3,500 TEUs were the norm.

Nigeria has reclaimed the top spot for annual trade capacity, driven by infrastructure developments and expanded carrier activity.

Challenge acquires two more 777‑300ERs for freighter conversions

The aircraft have been acquired to help further the Group’s freighter growth strategy, said Markus Fischer, airline executive at Challenge Group.

“We’ve successfully secured two additional Boeing 777‑300ER aircraft, marking another decisive step in executing our long‑term freighter growth strategy,” said Fischer in a LinkedIn post on 7 April.

Methanol bunkering capability expands across US ports

World Fuel Services and West Coast Clean Fuels have established a methanol bunkering capability available to vessel owners and operators across US ports, following the completion of an over-the-water fuel delivery in South Florida.

The operation marks what the companies describe as a first in the US for over-the-water methanol bunkering. It demonstrates a solution designed to be scalable and compliant with regulatory requirements, with the intention of supporting wider deployment across the country.