The most important transport and logistics news of the week – short and concise.

🇨🇭 SWITZERLAND: COMPULSORY AVIATION FUEL STOCKS RELEASED

The strained logistics situation is now directly affecting supplies to Zurich Airport.

Due to disruptions and significant delays in international rail freight transport, the Swiss government has authorised withdrawals from compulsory aviation fuel stocks.

✈️ Period: 15 Oct–1 Nov 2026
⛽ Released volume: up to 30,000 m³ of aviation fuel

One reason for the tense situation is the low water level on the Rhine, which has shifted additional freight volumes onto the already heavily utilised rail network.

The supply situation for petrol, diesel and heating oil has also worsened compared with the previous week, although the government states that supplies remain secured.

ASTAG updated its diesel prices again on 15 October. Its request to the Federal Council for temporary relief measures for the transport industry remains in place.

👉 For shippers:
Continue to closely monitor capacity and fuel costs. Particularly for time-critical air freight and rail transport, short-term bottlenecks may affect transit times and prices.

🇮🇹 ITALY: FREIGHT TRANSPORT STRIKE & NEW ACTIONS AT THE END OF OCTOBER

A regional stoppage in commercial road freight transport is still ongoing in Sicily and Calabria until and including 20 October.

🔴 16–20 Oct
Sicily & Calabria – regional freight transport stoppage

The situation becomes even more relevant towards the end of October:

🔴 30 Oct
A nationwide general strike has been announced in Italy.

Affected sectors include:

🚆 Rail transport
🛣️ Motorway operations
✈️ Air transport
⚓ Plus a 24-hour strike across the Italian port sector

A 24-hour strike has also been announced at Pisa and Florence airports.

👉 For shippers:
Plan Italy traffic at the end of October well in advance. Rail, port, air cargo and intermodal transport around 30 October should be scheduled with additional time buffers.

🌍 HORMUZ: ESCALATION NOW AFFECTING CONTAINER AND BULK VESSELS

The situation in and around the Strait of Hormuz has deteriorated further.

As of 14 October, the IMO had already recorded:

⚠️ 113 confirmed maritime incidents

Tankers are no longer the only vessels affected.

Several container and bulk vessels have been hit in recent days. Two ships sank following attacks in the Hormuz area.

Shipping traffic remains heavily restricted.

On 18 October, Iran renewed its offer to the United States to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days. However, no agreement has yet been reached.

👉 For shippers:
For traffic to and from the Gulf region, expect higher insurance and war-risk surcharges, limited capacity and short-notice routing changes.

Indirect effects on diesel, energy and transport costs also remain possible.

🌍 BLACK SEA: ATTACKS ON MERCHANT SHIPS INCREASING

A second maritime risk area is increasingly coming into focus.

During the past week, two chemical tankers near the Romanian Black Sea coast were hit by drones.

The attacks took place close to the Sulina Canal – an important route for Ukrainian exports.

At least five merchant vessels have been attacked in the Romania/Bulgaria region over the past two weeks.

Over the weekend, Romanian F-16 aircraft also shot down two drones over Romanian territorial waters.

👉 For shippers:
Black Sea traffic and Ukrainian export routes should be closely monitored with regard to insurance, security conditions and potential delays.

🚢 SUEZ / RED SEA: GRADUAL RETURN CONTINUES

Despite the tense security situation, some liner services are gradually returning to the shorter route through the Suez Canal and Red Sea.

Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk have confirmed that additional Gemini services will operate via Suez.

For the SE1 service, the first westbound passage is scheduled from 27 October.

⚠️ Important:

Each passage continues to undergo an individual security assessment and takes place under military protection.

This does not yet represent a full return of all Asia–Europe services to the Red Sea.

👉 For shippers:
For Asia–Europe bookings, check the specific routing and actual transit time before booking.

💡 TANNER LOGISTICS ASSESSMENT

This week, two opposing developments are becoming apparent:

🇨🇭 In Switzerland, Rhine and rail problems are now even affecting aviation fuel supplies.

🌍 At the same time, risks on important international sea routes continue to increase.

For shippers:

✅ secure capacity early
✅ actively check strikes
✅ confirm routing before booking
✅ build in time buffers
✅ keep transport alternatives available

🚛 Road | 🚆 Rail | 🚢 Sea | ✈️ Air

Tanner Logistics Solutions – personal, independent and solution-oriented.

We listen. We think ahead. We deliver.

⚠️ STRIKE & DISRUPTION RADAR | NEXT 14 DAYS

🔴 🇮🇹 until 20 Oct
Sicily & Calabria
Regional stoppage in commercial road freight transport.

🟢 🇫🇷 21–22 Oct
France
The announced mobilisation by road transport operators over high diesel prices has been suspended following commitments by the French government.

🟠 🇮🇹 27 Oct
A1 motorway Incisa–Sasso Marconi
Four-hour work stoppages by fire safety personnel.

🟠 🇮🇹 28–29 Oct
Emilia-Romagna
24-hour strike affecting parts of the rail network.

🔴 🇮🇹 30 Oct
Nationwide general strike
Rail, air transport and motorway operations are among the sectors affected.

🔴 🇮🇹 30 Oct
Italian ports
Nationwide 24-hour strike across the port sector.

🔴 🇮🇹 30 Oct
Pisa & Florence
24-hour strike affecting airport and ground-handling companies.

🔴 🌍 Hormuz
Acute security situation. The number of confirmed attacks continues to rise.

🔴 🌍 Black Sea
New drone attacks on merchant vessels near Romania and the Sulina Canal.

📌 IN BRIEF

🇨🇭🇻🇳 FREE TRADE:
On 18 October, the free trade agreement between the EFTA states and Vietnam was signed. In the long term, this will create better conditions for Swiss companies in terms of trade and market access.

⛽ DIESEL:
ASTAG continues to update Swiss diesel price developments on a weekly basis. High fuel costs remain a major cost factor in road transport.

🚢 SUEZ:
The return of individual services is positive, but it does not yet represent a full normalisation of Asia–Europe routes.

Sources:
Swiss Confederation / Federal Office for National Economic Supply, ASTAG, Italian Ministry of Transport, IMO, Reuters, Hapag-Lloyd, OTRE, SECO.