Fourth annual ONE Terminal Run

Ocean Network Express (ONE) and Hutchison Ports Gdynia hosted another successful charity run through container rows in Poland last weekend in support of local causes.

The event was put together through the collaborative efforts of Ocean Network Express (ONE), Hutchison Ports Gdynia (GCT) and The North Event, and raised further funds for local charity organizations.

The organizers said the ONE Terminal Run initiative aims to connect members in the maritime industry in the spirit of fundraising and wellbeing.

This year’s race around GCT’s terminal in Gdynia, Poland, welcomed approximately 1,300 runners including children who joined the children’s run, and over 3,000 supporters.

Spectators were invited to join the adult runners in the festivities with a warm up to music before the runners set off on their choice of either a one nautical mile (1.8 km) or 5 km run.

The routes weaved back and forth between rows of stacked containers in the terminal, and the start and finish arches were both spanned by an arch formed of ONE containers.

Monies raised by the run will be donated to local charities and added to the tally of over €33,000 raised by the event series to date. The beneficiaries of funds, that are raised though ticket sales as well as online auctions, include: The Why Not Association, an organization supporting children and youth with disabilities, The Szkwal Foundation, supporting young people at risk, and two local schools supporting children with disabilities.

ONE said previous event donations have provided the local community with amenities including three sensory integration rooms in primary schools in Gdynia, specialized wheelchair equipment for the Cool Awi Association, as well as donations to local schools helping those with disabilities.

Donations are still adding up for the ONE Terminal Run 2024 as the online auction is still open, but to date, the fourth edition has already raised estimated funds of €19,000.

The event was made possible by the generosity of sponsors from the transport. logistics, and maritime industries including; Port of Gdynia Authority, Morska Agencja Gdynia, MacGregor Global, Loconi Intermodal S.A, ECU Worldwide, Uni-logistics Sp. z o.o and E-containers.eu. 

The children's run was sponsored by both and IT Logistics and Nautiqus Food Logistics, which celebrated the participation of almost half of its employees and other mini container trophy for its three-time podium finisher in the adult's race, Dorota.

 

Iran: Voting for presidential election on Friday

Iranian cities are buzzing with election fever as posters and placards adorn streets, big screens air presidential debates, and candidates crisscross the country in a bid to sway voters. 

Anticipation has swept across Iran and observers wonder whom Iranians will entrust with the presidency and the responsibility of leading the country, 40 days after the passing of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in northwestern Iran. 

Western media outlets, which rejoiced at the decreased voter turnout of around 50% in the 2021 presidential elections, appear poised for disappointment this time around. Estimates indicate that a significantly larger number of individuals will be casting their votes, despite the unprecedented levels of propaganda from Western and Israeli sources urging a boycott of the election.

“Channels such as BBC and International are urging us not to vote. It's puzzling how Iranians living abroad and receiving payment from Western governments or Zionists have the audacity to dictate our actions. We are concerned about the future of our country and want to elect the most suitable candidate. All these traitors and lackeys of the West can say whatever they want, we don’t care about them,” a man in his 20s told IRIB during a street interview. 

Rather than deciding to boycott the elections, Iranians are preoccupied with whom they should be voting for. "I feel a sense of duty as an Iranian to participate in the election. While I haven't made a final decision on my vote yet, I know I must make up my mind by Friday morning," shared an Iranian woman with IRIB reporters.

The race is close between two conservative contenders and one reformist candidate. Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Saeed Jalili, and Masoud Pezeshkian are currently leading the pack, and experts believe that if both conservative candidates remain in the race, elections could head to a second round. 

Reformist politicians have also shown great enthusiasm and hope in supporting the sole reformist candidate, Pezeshkian, after largely avoiding participation in election processes over the past three years, partly due to bitterness stemming from the significant loss of clout following the end of President Hassan Rouhani’s administration.

Rouhani, along with the influential figures Mohammad Khatami and Mohammad Javad Zarif, were among the most notable reformists making a return to the political scene by throwing their support behind Pezeshkian.

While the election outcome remains uncertain, one thing is clear, the June 28 vote will see Iranians rejecting external pressures from the West and Israel. Iranians will demonstrate their resilience and independence, and show up to choose their own path.

In this pursuit of independence, efforts by foreign forces to create politicization, especially in the field of foreign policy will also yield no results. Iranians now understand that every candidate’s purpose will be to terminate the sanctions while attempting to neutralize them at the same time. 

 

Russia sends coal to India via Iran

Russia has for the first time sent two trains laden with coal to India via the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which connects Russia to India via Iran, according to a statement by Russia’s national railway company.

According to RT, a multimodal route that includes a railway, roadway network and seaports, the INSTC spans 7,200 km (4,500 miles) from St. Petersburg to the port of Mumbai in India.

The corridor is part of Russia’s push to find new transport routes in light of Western sanctions, which have forced it to shift trade flows from Europe to Asia and the Middle East.

Construction of the INSTC started in the early 2000s, but developing it further has taken on a new impetus in light of the restrictions facing Moscow.

New Delhi has also touted the route as an alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

“For the first time, two trains with Kuzbass coal headed to India along the International North-South Transport Corridor. The trains set off from the Kemerovo region. They followed along the eastern branch of the INSTC through Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas,” Russian Railways said.

The coal will be shipped by sea along the final part of the route from Iran’s port of Bandar Abbas to the Indian port of Mumbai.

 

Iran advocates stronger relations among ACD members

Iran's acting Foreign Minister, Ali Baqeri Kani, emphasized the importance of multilateralism and constructive interaction among independent bodies within the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) member states.

In a message on his social media X account, Baqeri Kani pointed out that the recent ACD meeting in Tehran provided an opportunity for the representatives of the member states and the secretaries general of the Asian international organizations to discuss and exchange opinions on the issues of the agenda of the meeting and the perspective of the activities of the forum. 

Also speaking on Monday, and during a meeting with D-8 Secretary General Isiaka Abdulqadir Imam on the sidelines of the ACD summit, Baqeri Kani called for the organization to take an active and innovative role in various economic and commercial sectors to benefit its members.

Baqeri Kani urged the D-8 to enhance dynamism and promote synergy among its member states to achieve the organization's goals and implement its plans effectively.

He praised the recent D-8 foreign ministers' meeting in Istanbul, which focused on the Zionist regime's crimes against the Palestinian people in Gaza, showcasing the D-8's determination and capacity to address significant issues in the Muslim world and beyond.

Isiaka Abdulqadir Imam, the D-8 Secretary General, acknowledged Iran's active role in both the D-8 and the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD). He expressed optimism that the ongoing ACD meeting in Tehran would yield positive outcomes for its member states. Imam elaborated on the D-8's agenda, particularly in the economic and financial sectors, and welcomed Iran's readiness for close cooperation with the organization.

Iran and Bahrain have agreed to start negotiations to resume political relations after an eight-year hiatus. 
This announcement was made on Monday in a joint statement following a meeting between Iran's acting Foreign Minister, Ali Baqeri Kani, and Bahraini Foreign Minister, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, who was in Tehran for the ACD ministerial meeting.

The statement highlighted the meeting's context within the framework of fraternal and historical relations, religious and neighborly ties, and common history and mutual interests. Both sides agreed to establish mechanisms to restart political relations between Tehran and Manama.

In early June, Mohammad Jamshidi, the deputy chief of staff for political affairs to the Iranian president, mentioned that Bahrain had sent a message through Russia to normalize relations with Iran.

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa had also indicated during a state visit to China that efforts were underway to restore diplomatic relations with Iran, emphasizing principles of good neighborliness and non-interference.

King Hamad expressed a desire to improve relations with Iran during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in May 2023. Recently, Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani visited Tehran to offer condolences on the passing of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.

Baqeri Kani also held talks with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko on the sidelines of the ACD ministerial meeting in Tehran. 

At the start of the meeting, Bagheri condemned the recent terrorist attack in Russia, expressing solidarity with the Russian government and people. He described terrorism as a tool of unilateralism aimed at pressuring independent nations like Iran and Russia.

He expressed satisfaction with the finalization of the draft for a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty between the two countries. Bagheri highlighted that the change of government in Iran would not alter the country’s strategic approach towards its relations with Russia.

The two officials also discussed cooperation in international forums, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), BRICS, and the 3+3 consultation mechanism on the Caucasus. 

The Acting Foreign Minister of Iran, continued his series of meetings at the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) summit in Tehran by holding talks with Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, the Foreign Minister of Kuwait.

Highlighting the many cultural ties and close relations between Iran and Kuwait, Baqeri emphasized that close cooperation between the two nations, along with other regional countries, would strengthen stability and sustainable peace in the region.

Both ministers agreed on the need to develop relations in all areas and to activate and strengthen bilateral mechanisms such as the Joint Economic Commission and the Political and Consular Committee. They also discussed various consular issues and cooperation between the two countries in international forums.

Baqeri Kani also met with Waleed El Khereiji, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, Burhanettin Duran, Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkey, and Chang Byung-wan, Deputy Foreign Minister of South Korea. These meetings aimed to strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation within the framework of the ACD summit.

 

Saudi Arab-China to strengthen relations

Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman and his Chinese counterpart Lt. Gen. Dong Jun discussed the ways to further strengthen Saudi-Chinese bilateral relations in Beijing on Tuesday.

This is within the framework of the strategic defense partnership between the two countries that aimed to serve mutual interests and fulfill the aspirations of the leadership of the two nations. The two leaders also discussed joint coordination efforts to maintain international peace and security.

Several high-ranking Saudi officials attended the meeting. They included Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Fayyad Al-Ruwaili, Saudi Ambassador to China Abdulrahman Al-Harbi; Commander of the Strategic Missile Force Lt. Gen. Jarallah Al-Alweet, Director General of the Office of the Minister of Defense Hisham bin Abdulaziz bin Saif, Head of the Armed Forces Operations Authority Maj. Gen. Misfer Al-Ghanem, and Military Attaché at the Saudi Embassy in Beijing Commodore Salem Al-Maliki.

Several senior Chinese officials also attended the meeting and they included Deputy Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Central Military Commission Lt. Gen. Jing Jianfeng, and Director of the Office of International Military Cooperation at the Central Military Commission Maj. Gen. Li Bin.

Earlier, upon arrival in Beijing, an official reception ceremony was held for Prince Khalid bin Salman, during which the national anthem of Saudi Arabia and China was played and then Prince Khalid bin Salman inspected the guard of honor.

 

Israel can destroy Hezbollah’s military in days

The IDF can destroy Hezbollah’s military capabilities in a matter of days, National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the 21st Herzliya Conference at Reichman University, Gantz said a major challenge for Israel is to return the southern and northern residents back to their homes, even at the price of escalation.

He said he heard the reports about the Hezbollah threat to bring down Israel’s electrical grid, and responded, “We can bring Lebanon completely into the dark, and take apart Hezbollah’s power in days.”

The former defense minister and IDF chief of staff said the price to “Israel will be heavy. We need to back up our institutions. We need to be ready for major incidents of harm to the public. We should try to avoid it, but if we need to do it, we cannot be deterred from it.

“We cannot let Hezbollah keep threats close to the northern border,” he added, “We need to get the northern residents back by September 01.”

Another challenge for Israel that Gantz discussed was building a regional and global alliance against Iran.

“We still have the opportunity of normalization with the Saudis and other states, to build what we started to build, the Middle East air defense, to form a stranglehold on the Iranian axis,” he said.

He emphasized that Israel must work hard with the US to build up Israel’s defenses and to be ready for ‘the Judgment Day’ of stopping Iranian nuclear weapons.

A third challenge he noted was the long-term conflict with Hamas, including the need for a political plan to replace the terror group’s management of Gaza.

He pushed hard for a hostage deal, even at the cost of ending the war for now.

Gantz noted that the US only killed Osama Bin Laden of al-Qaeda in 2011, 10 years after 9/11, meaning that even a long ceasefire would in no way mean that Israel would allow Gaza Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar to live out his days without killing him.

Rather, he said, it was clear that Hamas would continue to promote terror and their actions would give Israel the later excuse to eliminate him and other top Hamas leaders.

In any event, he said it would take years to replace Hamas at a governance level, but credited the IDF with destroying Hamas’s existing military capacities.

Earlier at the conference, Reichman University President Boaz Ganor said, “Hamas is a tactical threat, Hezbollah is a strategic threat, and Iran is an existential threat.”

He warned that Israel had fallen into Iran’s trap, spending nine months fighting a player of minimal importance and wasting large amounts of goodwill globally, while Tehran has mostly gotten to sit back and watch.

Further, he said Iran is playing long-term chess, with Israel playing short-term poker. Ganor even argued that Iran knew more than Israeli intelligence has said, meaning that it really did plan the entire October 07 invasion.

In addition, he argued that Iran and Hezbollah’s denials of knowing Hamas’s plans were also pre-coordinated.

He did not specifically say that Tehran knew the date of the invasion, but Ganor has argued that Hamas was not sophisticated enough to pull off the coordinated massive rocket attack land invasion simultaneously on its own, nor was it capable of the extreme information security it undertook to avoid the IDF detecting the moment of the invasion.

Houthis attack Transworld Navigator, again

Footage has emerged purporting to show a maritime drone hitting the Transworld Navigator, a 178,000 dwt bulk carrier which was transiting the Bab al-Mandeb strait, the fourth time the vessel has been targeted, according to Seatrade Maritme News.

Details of the latest attack are disputed, Houthis claim this was the second attack on the vessel, which was hit by a maritime drone. Unverified footage of a drone attacking a ship has emerged on social media. The crew of the Greek-owned ship say there have been no injuries in the attacks.

A second vessel, the 37,600 dwt product tanker Stolt Sequoia, was also said to have been hit by cruise missiles according to Houthi military commander Yahya Saree.

Both ships were said to have been attacked in the last 24 hours, with the Stolt vessel hit while in the Indian Ocean, and the bulker targeted in the Red Sea.

US Central Command claimed in a social media post that the bulk carriers had been targeted by unmanned aerial system at 4.00am local time yesterday.

 “This marks the fourth attack by Iranian-backed Houthis on the Transworld Navigator. US Centcom confirmed that, the crew reported minor injuries and moderate damage to the ship, but the vessel has continued underway.

According to defence specialists Ambrey, the Houthis first successfully used a Remote Controlled-Water Borne Improvised Explosive Device on the June 12, when another Liberia-flagged bulk carrier, the 82,400 dwt Tutor, was impacted off Yemen’s Red Sea coast, near Hodeida.

The impact of the maritime drone caused the engine room to flood. Three hours thereafter, the vessel was targeted with a missile. One crewmember was reportedly killed following the attack, making this the second incident with crew fatality.

The crew was evacuated by military forces and the ship left not under control, and subsequently reported as sunk six days after the attack when an oil slick was spotted near Tutor's last known location.

The maritime drone was described as a 5-7 meter long white-hulled boat manned with two dummies.

Houthis movement press also claim to have forced the US to withdraw its carrier, the Dwight D. Eisenhower, following missiles targeting the vessel.

US Centcom said that the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group had ended its seven-month tour of duty and will be replaced by the Theodore Roosevelt carrier group.

Houthis have frequently exaggerated the damage caused by their attacks on shipping in the region, though their effectiveness has increased in recent weeks.