ShippingAnalysis
China Merchants exits Colombo logistics hub as concessions head to market
China Merchants has quit a Colombo logistics venture, the US is funding port software, and SAGT's concession ends in 2029, with terms to be reset.
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ShippingAnalysis
Shanghai-Nhava Sheva box rate falls 11% to $3,370 as port queues clear
Spot rates from Shanghai to Nhava Sheva fell 11% in a week as vessel queues cleared, but intra-Asia rates are still 198% above last year and costly bunkers keep import bills high.
CBIC to post amended GST return forms for comment on 1 November
CBIC will post amended GSTR-1, GSTR-1A and IFF forms on MyGov for comment from 1 to 30 November. They apply from the April 2027 return and add a reverse-charge statement.
MarketsAnalysis
India's Gulf crude is back, just as Hormuz attacks flare again
Gulf crude was 54% of India's September imports as Russia's price edge vanished. New attacks threaten the shorter voyages and price cuts that drew refiners back.
Gujarat asks factories to curb evening power; Centre sees coal supply easing
Gujarat has asked factories to shift output away from the 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. peak. A senior power ministry official says record coal deliveries will restore normal supply soon.
Supply ChainAnalysis
NATO sends Black Sea patrols as war risk threatens India's edible oil costs
NATO is sending patrol aircraft and drones to the Black Sea after deadly attacks on ships. Indian sunflower-oil buyers, and grain buyers worldwide, face higher freight and insurance.
ShippingAnalysis
Boxship orderbook at highest since 2009 as Suez return nears
MSC's 20-ship order and HMM's eight-ship deal lift the orderbook to 46.5% of the fleet as carriers return to Suez. Risk for 2027 contracts now sits with carriers.
RCL adds $17 a bill for UAE advance manifest filing
RCL will charge $17 per bill of lading from 16 October for UAE advance manifest filing. The fee puts a price on paperwork exporters must get right.
Duty-free raw sugar import window extended to 31 December
The DGFT has moved the closing date for 10 lakh tonnes of duty-free raw sugar imports to 31 December from 31 October. Only about 3 lakh tonnes have come in so far.
ProcurementAnalysis
Indian Oil plans to trim Gulf term crude deals as freight costs climb
India's largest refiner plans to slightly cut the Middle East crude it buys on annual contracts in 2027/28, as Gulf freight above $37 a barrel drives spot buying.
ShippingAnalysis
India plans to turn 11 major ports into companies by 2030
The government wants 11 ports run as companies with commercial pricing by 2030. Mint's report cites no notified policy, leaving 2027 handling budgets uncertain.
TradeAnalysis
Graham Act waiver has no expiry date, and 18 October is the purchase test
The order adds 500% and 100% duties, then waives all with no end date. India's test is a top-five place plus new Russian crude purchases on or after 18 October.
US customs tightens low-value import filing and moves postal rule to 20 January
CBP will require earlier electronic filing and extra party data on low-value cargo, and has pushed the new postal entry regime to 20 January 2027.
Government sets up two panels to rewrite RoDTEP and RoSCTL refunds
Two panels will suggest how to target export tax refunds. Both schemes expire on 31 December, and today's RoDTEP rates and caps are unchanged.
Supply ChainAnalysis
Coal stocks at 96 of India's 191 power plants fall below three days
Coal stocks at 96 of India's 191 coal-fired plants are below three days, CEA data show. Gujarat has asked factories to cut evening power use, with winter demand ahead.
Highway EPC deposits cut to 3% for top-rated contractors under new rules
India has linked performance security on national highway EPC contracts to contractor ratings, so top performers hold back 3% of project value and weaker ones 5%.
China puts tunnel boring machines under export licences from 18 November
Beijing will require export licences from 18 November for tunnel boring machines and two other machinery types. Indian rail and metro projects may wait longer.
ShippingAnalysis
Suez capacity tops half of normal; India-Europe rates fall before 2027 talks
Container capacity through Suez has passed half of pre-disruption levels, and India-Europe freight is falling. For buyers negotiating 2027 contracts, that cuts both ways.
MarketsData
Price watch: Brent doubles in a year, steel and truck rates at 12-month highs
Brent's official spot price has doubled in a year, US steel and truckload costs are at 12-month highs, and a firmer rupee is trimming import bills for Indian buyers.
India-New Zealand FTA takes effect, with quotas on apples and kiwifruit
India cut duty on select New Zealand goods and capped Manuka honey; apple and kiwifruit quotas begin in year two, as Indian exports enter New Zealand duty free.
MarketsAnalysis
Brent above $100 and record tanker earnings: India's Q4 cost squeeze
Brent touched a five-month high of $111.99 on 20 October and tanker earnings are at records. Indian buyers face a fuel-heavy Q4 even as container rates fall.
TradeAnalysis
Rubio says India-US trade deal is close, but the tariff base is unsettled
Rubio says only a small number of items remain before the pact can be signed. For exporters, the bigger question is which US tariff rate they will actually pay.