AGP Executive Report

Middle East Infrastructure: Iraq and Turkey have completed a “final draft” implementation agreement for the Development Road, a multi-billion rail-road-port project linking Grand Faw Port to the Turkish border and aiming to cut Asia-Europe travel times. Aviation & Fleet Modernization: Nigeria’s aviation minister urged EgyptAir to stop deploying ageing aircraft on Nigeria routes, pushing for newer-generation planes to improve passenger experience and efficiency. Freight & Border Friction: Ukrainian pharma exporters are asking Uzbekistan for clearer GMP renewal procedures and more road freight permits, warning that expiring certificates and exhausted quotas could disrupt medicine supply. Logistics Cost Pressure: US retail diesel prices hit record levels near $6/gal as Strait of Hormuz tensions raise fears of crude supply disruptions—pressuring trucking and freight with likely knock-on effects for consumer goods. Public Transport Disruption: Malaysia’s MRT Mutiara Line works will close Jalan Magazine for 21 days (Sept. 14–Oct. 5) and add intermittent lane closures on Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah. Rail/Construction Planning: Upper Macungie approved Eli Lilly’s Lehigh Valley manufacturing expansion, including a construction logistics plan with shuttle buses and traffic mitigation for up to 1,500 workers at peak. Aviation Ops Risk: UK Transport Secretary ordered Nats to explain the cause of a major air traffic control outage after thousands of flights were disrupted.

Aviation Disruption: Air traffic controller shortages triggered about 14 inbound cancellations and delays over an hour at Sydney Airport, with Airservices Australia citing staffing gaps and temporary flow management. Rail Investment: The Philippines’ DOTr budget is set to more than double to PHP300.96B in 2027, with rail funding jumping to PHP197.30B—nearly all for the North-South Commuter Railway and Metro Manila Subway. Urban Transit Expansion: Kathmandu Valley will add 28 night buses on six routes from Sept. 19, expanding late-hour coverage across key corridors. Port & Logistics Capacity: London Luton Airport is moving into an expansion delivery phase, hiring Mace Consult and Arcadis to manage programme growth toward 32M passengers a year. Regulatory Pressure on Fleets: A North Queensland livestock transporter says a NHVR prohibition order grounded its fleet for two weeks, arguing the regulator didn’t fully investigate rollover causes. Disaster & Supply Chains: Nepal’s Bhotekoshi-Trishuli floods have disrupted the Prithvi Highway, cutting LPG deliveries to roughly a fifth of normal and driving shortages and black-market pricing. Leadership Changes: Fiji’s Land Transport Authority CEO Irimaia Rokosawa resigned, with GM Makitalena Drova stepping in as acting CEO.

Public Transport Funding Pressure: Northern Mindanao transport cooperatives are lobbying lawmakers for sustainable 2027 budget support for the public transport modernization program as rising operating costs squeeze fleet upgrades. Port & Shipping Cost Controls: Ghana’s transport ministry says shipping firms must collect the GH¢720 container administrative charge before talks resume after a court setback, while GPHA pushes back on claims that Tema Port congestion alone explains cement price hikes. Air Travel Disruption: A UK air traffic control computer fault led to more than 2,000 flight cancellations and major passenger disruption, with airlines still required under UK261 to provide support like meals, hotels, and refunds or rebooking. Middle Corridor Logistics: Azerbaijan is doubling down on port and rail connectivity for Central Asia and Europe, aiming to reduce bottlenecks and integrate digital systems along the Middle Corridor. Maritime Risk Insurance: Saudi Arabia is setting up a national war-risk insurance pool to keep cargo and vessel coverage available as Hormuz-related risk drives insurance costs higher. Urban Rail Works: Malaysia’s Mutiara Line LRT project triggers a long traffic diversion on Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah and a short closure on Jalan Magazine for widening and utility relocation. Road Safety Enforcement: Nigeria’s FRSC warns that vehicle overloading endangers lives and accelerates road damage, urging safer loading practices.

Aviation Disruption: UK air traffic control glitches triggered major flight chaos, with nearly 400 flights cancelled Wednesday after 1,746 were axed Tuesday, leaving more than 330,000 passengers affected across Heathrow and other airports. Urban Mobility Tech: Qatar’s Mowasalat and Pony.ai rolled out Doha’s first fully driverless robotaxi experience, with commercial hails via the Karwa app and plans to expand fully driverless operations. Autonomous Ride-Hailing: Cao Cao Mobility launched an AI ride-hailing service with Doubao in Beijing, Hangzhou and Suzhou, using chat-based preferences to match vehicles and dispatch accessible options. Industrial Decarbonization: Hindustan Zinc will deploy 30 electric trucks under a six-year contract with MFL India to move zinc concentrate from mine to smelters, including dedicated EV charging infrastructure. EV Market vs Charging: Malaysia’s EV registrations surged 105.7% in 2025, but public charger growth lagged, raising reliability concerns for new EV drivers. Logistics & Trade: Yokogawa Europe signed a distribution deal with BuyCo to bring container transportation management SaaS to materials-industry supply chains. Port/Intermodal Bottleneck: Ghana’s Mpakadan inland port project is delayed by fish farm operations, complicating a rail-to-barge-to-truck plan to cut congestion. Safety & Security: South Africa’s cash-in-transit sector mourns four guards killed in separate attacks in Gauteng and KZN, as CIT robberies remain highly concentrated and violent. Mobility Planning: TomTom expanded its partnership with citiEU to deliver traffic monitoring and location analytics for planning, resilience and route optimization. EV Battery Rules: EU battery regulation is pushing “zero-carbon” lifecycle labeling, with high-carbon batteries facing procurement penalties and eventual bans.

Aviation Disruption: Britain’s air traffic control system (NATS) suffered another technical failure, restricting departures and triggering widespread delays and cancellations at major airports; the transport secretary says the chaos was avoidable and calls for an independent review, with industry estimates putting losses up to £70m. Pipeline & Permitting: Michigan regulators are rethinking Line 5 tunnel permits after a Supreme Court ruling raised the bar for environmental reviews, while Gov. Gretchen Whitmer renews pressure for Enbridge to shut the Straits pipeline within months. Urban Transit Planning: Calgary councillors backed a surface 10th Avenue route for the downtown Green Line LRT after budget and feasibility concerns sidelined costlier underground options. Aviation Insurance Oversight: Nigeria’s NCAA and NAICOM signed an MoU to strengthen aviation insurance regulation via a joint technical committee aimed at improving risk management and protecting airlines and passengers. Freight/Logistics & Trade Costs: UNCTAD reports smaller firms in developing countries pay about 20% of imported goods’ value in import requirements, putting SMEs at a disadvantage when shipping, insurance, and energy costs spike. Autonomous Mobility: Pony.ai and Qatar’s Mowasalat highlighted progress integrating RoboTaxis into Doha’s public transport under the Ministry of Transport’s autonomous vehicles strategy. Energy Security: A new IEA report points to underused underground gas storage—especially in Ukraine—as a key lever for improving Europe’s gas supply flexibility and security. Local Infrastructure Works: Lagos commuters faced severe congestion after Kara Bridge repair work began, with officials urging better traffic management during the two-week rehabilitation.

Aviation Disruption: A Nats air-traffic-control technical glitch hit UK hubs again, with Heathrow and Gatwick seeing hundreds of cancellations and tens of thousands of passengers stranded as the network took hours to recover. Sanctions & Trade: The US rolled out 36 Iran-related sanctions targeting Iran’s aviation sector, including airlines, front companies, and aircraft/overflight authorisations. Infrastructure & Mobility: Turner & Townsend named Leila Taghavi as its new Saudi Arabia Head of Infrastructure, tasked with scaling rail, roads, ports, water, aviation and defence work under Vision 2030. Energy & Shipping Risk: Oil prices pushed toward $100 a barrel as US-Iran escalation raised Strait of Hormuz disruption fears. Road Safety & Operations: Estonia will install a new bidirectional speed-camera cabin in Muhu to enforce a 40 km/h limit after a fatal crash. EV Market Shift: India reported record EV retail sales in July and strong August demand, with the focus moving from incentives to making ownership affordable and reliable at scale. Logistics/Construction: Enviro Infra’s Suyog Urja won an INR 190 crore EPC contract for a 180 MW wind project in Maharashtra, including roads, transmission line works and commissioning.

Aviation Sanctions: The U.S. Treasury/OFAC sanctioned all remaining active Iranian airlines, targeting 27 carriers plus intermediaries tied to aircraft and parts procurement under “Operation Economic Outcast,” escalating pressure on Iran’s aviation-linked logistics. Port Congestion Relief (Ghana): Ghana’s Transport Minister met Meridian Port Services to cut container clearance delays at Tema Port, aiming to streamline inspections and coordination to reduce demurrage and business costs. New Multimodal Route (Ghana): Ghana also plans a new port at Mpakadan to shift containers from rail to barges on the Volta Lake, moving cargo to Buipe and then by road to northern destinations. Public Transit Push (Atlanta): An Atlanta council resolution backs Beltline Rail, seeking a construction implementation plan and timeline with partners, after earlier political uncertainty. Road/Transit Disruption (UK): UK airports faced major flight disruption after an air-traffic control technical issue, with hundreds of cancellations and delays. Emergency Medical Transport (India): Karnataka approved privatising the 108 ambulance service, adding strict response-time targets and penalties for missed timelines. Logistics Tech: A piece on autonomous mobile robots highlights how AMRs are being adopted to handle labor shortages and shifting warehouse demand. Security Risk (Grid): A UK report warns coordinated cyberattacks on battery storage could trigger cascading blackouts, stressing the need for stronger operational readiness.

Aviation & Compliance: Korean Air was fined 10 million won after 52 international passengers were mistakenly shuttled to Gimpo’s domestic terminal without immigration screening, prompting corrective steps with airport authorities. Carbon & Ports: Europe’s largest carbon capture facility opened at Yara’s Sluiskil plant, aiming to capture 800,000 tonnes of CO₂ a year and ship it to Norway for permanent storage—an industrial decarbonization test for cross-border CCS. Trade & Logistics: Canada’s retaliatory counter-tariffs took effect on $27.6B of U.S. imports, escalating a stalled negotiation and hitting sectors like steel, aluminum, dairy, appliances, and electronics—raising new friction for supply chains. Urban Transport Planning: Lewisham Council unveiled a revised Catford town centre regeneration plan tying in new housing and transport links, including station connections and A205/A21 improvements, with approval expected Sept. 9. Public Transport Operations: Iarnród Éireann agreed to facilitate a lease for the Sligo Greenway, reviving a 35km rail-trail plan after earlier viability concerns. Mobility Policy: Singapore proposed tighter rules for deregistered vehicles, including an authorised exporter scheme and shorter grace periods, to keep high-risk vehicles off the roads. Energy Transport Risk: Analysis questions whether new Middle East oil pipelines can replace Strait of Hormuz shipping at crisis scale and speed.

Public Transit & Mobility: Dubai’s RTA granted Garmin 10-year naming rights for the ONPASSIVE Metro Station, renaming it “Garmin Metro Station” as part of its Metro naming-rights push. Accessibility & Customer Experience: London’s TfL trial of a “calm space” pod for neurodivergent riders at Ealing Broadway drew public ridicule over its size and placement, even as the goal of reducing sensory overload got support. Urban Transport Regulation: Richmond’s Forest e-bikes will get number plates so riders can be identified after incidents or parking issues, with repeat offenders potentially banned. Freight & Rail Infrastructure: India’s Dedicated Freight Corridor is now carrying over 14% of Indian Railways’ freight traffic on about 4% of the network, with the Western corridor fully operational after the Vaitarna–JNPT section. EV Charging Policy: Oman set EV charging fees effective Oct. 1, with tariffs by charger capacity (50–120 baisa per kWh) to regulate the market and improve transparency. Aviation Decarbonization: Malaysia has not decided on a compulsory aviation carbon tax, saying it will consider measures in phases toward ICAO’s 2050 net-zero goal. Logistics Safety & Operations: Zimbabwe police deployed drones in Mutare to monitor illegal activity and stepped up road-safety enforcement around school reopening. Maritime & Blue Economy: Dubai’s maritime ecosystem update highlights 8,415 registered marine craft and 14,000+ maritime companies, supported by marinas and berths to boost safety and efficiency. Energy & Climate: Europe’s largest CCS facility opened in the Netherlands (Yara Sluiskil), capturing up to 800,000 tons of CO2 a year and transporting it to Norway for storage.

Aviation Disruption: Mount Anak Krakatau’s eruption shut eight Indonesian airports, including Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta, forcing diversions and leaving about 170,000 travelers affected; authorities arranged free bus and train transfers to alternate airports, while airlines like Emirates and Etihad canceled or delayed Dubai/Abu Dhabi–Jakarta services. Maritime & Energy Risk: Oil prices pushed higher as US-Iran strikes hit vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, with shipping traffic reportedly at its lowest in months and fears of a longer supply disruption. Logistics Tech: FedEx says express operators are rolling out AI and remote monitoring for 24/7 cross-border freight operations ahead of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone integration. Rail IT Accountability: Irish Rail fired Indra Sistemas over a delayed train control project and is preparing a damages case after a €50m writedown. Public Transit Pressure: Bristol cafe owners warn bus route changes and stop closures could “kill” a decade-old business, highlighting how service design hits local commerce. Safety & Compliance: EU border checks via EES are set to resume fully, ending the temporary waiver that reduced peak-season delays. Space Launch: Germany’s Isar Aerospace put its Spectrum rocket into orbit from continental Europe, a milestone for European launch competition.

Public Transit & Fares: Maharashtra’s ST bus network is gearing up for Ganeshotsav 2026, with Shinde’s office saying about 2,900 MSRTC buses will carry devotees to Konkan and western Maharashtra. Urban Mobility & Access: Liverpool’s restored night bus N1 is back on the agenda, with a new report urging better promotion and expansion after the pandemic-era cuts. Freight & Energy Costs: Diesel hit a record in the US (about $5.85/gal), and Michigan firms are bracing for knock-on inflation as Hormuz-linked disruptions keep diesel elevated. Logistics & Infrastructure: Bangladesh’s Petrobangla is weighing a proposed $950m gravity-based offshore LNG terminal concept from Novatek as an alternative to a land-based option. Tech & Regulation: Tesla’s Cybercab robotaxi launch in Austin is drawing scrutiny, with NHTSA opening an investigation over safety readiness at scale. Mobility Policy: The Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines is pushing to extend zero EV import tariffs to 2040 to keep adoption momentum. Cross-Border Transport: Bahrain Chamber welcomed licensed taxi access across the King Fahd Causeway to boost trade and tourism. Aviation Disruption: Russian airports reportedly suspended operations nearly 1,000 times in August amid drone attacks, while foreign airlines adjust routes. Safety & Enforcement: India’s Ludhiana is advancing an e-bus depot build (Haibowal 70% complete) while regulators and police continue crackdowns on risky driving behaviors. Ride-Hailing Shakeup: Uber’s Nigeria exit is reshaping the market, with Glovo/Delivery Hero assets now in play as Uber pivots.

Aviation & Liability: A Roanoke family says bedbugs on a KLM jet caused months of painful bites and has settled its lawsuit, with court filings noting KLM conceded the insects were on board. Autonomous Freight: Saudi Arabia’s HUMAIN says it wants the Gulf to lead large-scale autonomous trucking, aiming for hundreds of thousands of driverless miles and wider adoption under Vision 2030. Power & Fuel Logistics: Coal India is reportedly letting some power plants buy extra coal beyond contracted amounts as thermal stocks fall sharply, citing monsoon disruptions at mines. Disaster Response: Nepal’s hydropower rescue effort remains stalled at Chilime after floods trapped people, with access roads and tunnels still being cleared and equipment unable to reach the powerhouse. Maritime Compliance: CalMac’s crashed ferry is described as “unseaworthy” for lacking a legally required passage plan, raising questions about voyage management and internal process changes. Rail Freight Growth: Mongolia’s Ulaanbaatar Railway is on track for a record freight year, with volumes already near 20 million tonnes in the first seven months. Public Transport Safety: Mumbai firefighters responded after an LPG cylinder fire in Dharavi injured four, including two children. EV Charging Buildout: Oxfordshire approved new on-street EV chargers as part of a wider push to expand public charging across the county.

Legal & Governance: India’s Delhi High Court slapped Delhi Transport Corporation with Rs 1 lakh in costs for a 32-year legal fight over back wages for a bus conductor, calling it an abuse of process and a waste of public money. Road Safety & Enforcement: Ghana plans a mandatory towing regime in 2027, requiring vehicle owners to subscribe to towing services (or via insurance packages) and using a ride-hailing-style platform to dispatch the nearest tow after breakdowns. Port & Logistics: Qatar’s Hamad Port handled 90,000+ tonnes of grain from May to July, citing 24/7 monitoring of vessel, container and truck movements as key to food security. Shipping Operations: India’s APSEZ will levy new empty container security examination fees at Mundra, with rates set for 20- and 40-foot boxes, alongside tighter screening and handling. Energy Transport: Fresh LP Gas added a third LPG carrier, boosting in-house transport capacity to 6,000 tonnes to move imported LPG to its plants and improve supply reliability. Infrastructure Planning: UK’s Warrington Borough Council received plans for an eHGV charging hub at Lymm Services, with six chargers and related power infrastructure. Cross-Border Trade: Bangladesh’s Hili Land Port resumed import-export after a six-day suspension tied to an Indian traders’ strike. Mobility & Safety Tech: Corry residents are pushing for action on a hazardous Mead Avenue–Smith Street intersection, citing blind corners, low visibility and frequent incidents.

Public Transit Oversight: South Africa’s Great North Transport is under a Special Investigating Unit probe after allegations of corruption and weak controls in procurement for an electronic ticketing system. Urban Mobility & Infrastructure: Pune approved ₹426 crore for Hinjawadi internal roads and 19 km of metro last-mile links, with footpaths, cycle tracks, and safer crossings planned to tackle congestion. Rail Merger Review: The City of Griffin is preparing comments for a federal review of a potential Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger, citing public safety and impacts to rail-yard operations. Port & Shipping Economics: Singapore defers a cargo SAF levy to 2028 and plans a year-end tender, while Ocean carriers reroute around Panama Canal and Asian congestion to protect schedule reliability. Aviation Security: Kazakhstan will host its first ICAO Aviation Security Week (Oct. 20–22) to strengthen regional cooperation as it positions itself as a Central Asian aviation hub. Fuel Supply Disruption: Nepal Oil Corporation is rerouting petroleum and LPG tankers via the Tribhuvan Highway after flood damage blocked the Prithvi Highway, adding major travel time and traffic pressure. Local Transit Operations: Prague’s National Museum tram line is finished early, restoring routes 11 and 13 via Muzeum ahead of schedule.

Transit Disruption: Malaysia’s MRT Corp says parts of the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway and Gat Lebuh Cecil in George Town will shut from Sept. 7 (10pm) to Sept. 10 (5am) for utility relocation tied to the Mutiara Line LRT. Airport Mobility: Nigeria’s FAAN says Uber’s exit isn’t linked to its Airport Car Hire Rank Management System, stressing ACHRAMS was created to address passenger complaints and improve oversight of car-hire operators. Public Transport & Safety: Kansas is seeking a contractor for a 24/7 crisis transport service across all 105 counties to move mental health and substance-use patients to care instead of police cars or ERs. Rail & Development: Tanzania pushes to accelerate SGR links to Dodoma, targeting passenger service from Mwanza by 2030. Urban Planning: Westbury, Long Island approved a $100M transit-oriented development on an MTA parking lot near the LIRR station, adding apartments plus retail. Freight & Rates: Xeneta reports August global air cargo volumes up 6% year on year, with spot rates still 24% higher than last year. Tech for Logistics: Haivision’s Makito ONE now supports live video contribution over bonded 5G cellular networks via CellLink 5G.

Autonomous Mobility: Uber launched public autonomous taxi rides in London using fewer than 20 all-electric Ford Mach-E vehicles with Wayve tech, with a licensed private-hire driver supervising inside each car. Urban Transport Planning: Cape Town opened public comment on its draft Comprehensive Integrated Transport Plan, pushing rail as the backbone and priority lanes for road-based public transport. Port & Supply Chain: Adani Ports plans a dedicated empty container yard at Mundra with integrated warehousing to speed empty-container turnaround and cut unnecessary moves. Public Transit Data: Bengaluru transit advocates urged BMTC to open real-time bus location data, saying the current app is unreliable and leaves riders stranded during peak hours. Road Safety Policy: South Africa is pursuing a zero blood-alcohol limit for drivers, targeting Cabinet approval by end-2026 as road deaths remain high. Energy Security: Siemens Energy CEO warned Germany’s critical infrastructure faces rising attacks and urged faster repair capacity and stronger crisis response plans. Ride-Hailing Market Shift: inDrive said it will keep investing in Nigeria after Uber exited, while drivers’ groups pressed for fare and welfare improvements. Rail Reliability: An MP called for transferring a “failing” East Midlands Railway service to Great British Railways as nationalisation timelines near.