Port of Antwerp-Bruges closed 2025 with a record year for the reefer segment, with the port handling 1,170,394 TEU of reefer containers, the highest volume ever recorded. The growth is primarily driven by a 13.5% increase in import volumes. Export volumes of reefer containers remain largely stable (0.9%) and represent 35% of the total volume.

Rodolphe Saade-led CMA CGM, the world's third-biggest container carrier, will sign a firm contract with state-owned Cochin Shipyard Ltd on February 18, 2026, for constructing six container ships in a deal worth about $300 million, catapulting India into the big league of shipbuilding nations.

CMA CGM's Fiordland has become the first large container vessel to dock at Puerto Antioquia, Colombia's newly operational multipurpose port in Turbo, Antioquia. This milestone highlights the port's capability to accommodate post-Panamax ships, enhancing container logistics networks across Latin America and potentially improving transhipment routes for Indian exporters through connections to the Panama Canal.

The agricultural sector in Costa Rica has experienced a significant decline in its contribution to the country's economy, falling to 3.34% of the gross domestic product (GDP). This reduction comes alongside the loss of over 47,000 jobs, highlighting the sector's ongoing importance to rural employment, according to economists and industry representatives.

During week 08, banana selling prices in St. Petersburg ranged from 23.70 to 24.40 USD per box, CIF. Approximately 1.8 million boxes were discharged, and an additional 2.175 million boxes are expected in week 09. The exchange rate is currently 76.64 Rubles for 1 USD. Rosstandart has approved the first regulations in Russia for bananas intended for import and subsequent sale in various markets. These new rules will monitor the importation of bananas based on several criteria, including appearance, taste, smell, and degree of ripeness. Remarkably, the import of yellow bananas is prohibited. Other requirements specify that the fruit should have a subtle banana flavour, produce latex when cut, measure at least 14 centimetres in length, and have at least three fingers per hand.

The Canary Islands' banana production totalled 374.6 million kilos in 2025, a 12% decline. This marks the second-lowest harvest in the past 25 years. Despite remaining a preferred choice among consumers and reinforcing its added value, the Canary Islands' banana sector has struggled to compete with imported bananas on the Peninsula. In 2025, consumption of imported bananas increased from 285 million kilos in 2024 to over 322 million kilos, a 4.62% increase. This increase was largely due to a decline in the domestic product.

Hapag-Lloyd has entered into a merger agreement with ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd., the world's 10th largest container shipping line. Under this agreement, Hapag-Lloyd will acquire 100% of ZIM's shares for $35.00 per share in cash, bringing the total transaction value to over $4 billion. The combined business will exceed 3 million TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) in capacity, with more than 400 vessels, enabling the transport of over 18 million TEU annually. Customers will benefit from a significantly enhanced network across major trade routes.

The global price of organic fruit and vegetables increased in Germany in 2025, and consumption remained firm. Fruit prices rose by 4.6 per cent in 2025, and vegetable prices by just 1 per cent, according to data from the AMI Consumer Mirror, in a report to be published in the February issue. The average price increase for organic fresh products in Germany in 2025 was 2.2 per cent, lower than in 2024.

Fresh Del Monte Produce has received approval from the US Bankruptcy Court to acquire select assets of California-based Del Monte Foods Corporation and its affiliates. This marks a significant milestone in a court-supervised sale process under Section 363 of the US Bankruptcy Code. The court ruling allows the transaction to advance to the pre-closing phase, providing regulatory and procedural certainty as the company moves through the remaining steps, including customary regulatory reviews and other closing conditions.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining will implement a $100 million recovery program for banana and plantain farmers following Hurricane Melissa, which devastated the country's commercial crops on October 28, 2025. The program, to be carried out by the Banana Board and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), aims to assist approximately 5,000 banana and plantain farmers and rehabilitate more than 2,500 hectares of damaged farmland.

Maintaining the highest standards of quality and food safety has become a key requirement for competing in European markets. In this context, Europlátano has renewed its IFS Food certification for 2026 at its plants in Tenerife South and Palomares, achieving the Higher Level—the top qualification granted by this international standard. This accomplishment positions Europlátano as the only company in the banana sector with this recognition in the Canary Islands.

Between January and November 2025, non-oil, non-mining exports solidified their role as Ecuador's primary source of foreign exchange. According to a report by the Ecuadorian Federation of Exporters (Fedexpor), published on January 19, 2026, these exports totalled $22.992 billion, reflecting year-on-year growth of 18%. They accounted for 68% of the country's total exports. This strong performance resulted in a total trade surplus of $5.796 billion, with a favourable balance of $4.644 billion in non-oil, non-mining exports. FedExpor emphasised that this sector has emerged as Ecuador's leading source of foreign exchange.

Maersk has finalised plans to reinstate regular sailings on its India-U.S. East Coast MECL service via the Red Sea and Suez Canal, following two successful trial voyages, according to the *Journal of Commerce* in New York. The new schedule is set to begin with a departure from India in late January or early February. A Maersk executive from the Middle East stated that MECL will soon permanently use the Suez route, although the company has not publicly confirmed any further details. The 6,648-TEU Maersk Sebarok navigated the Suez Canal in December, followed by the 6,200-TEU Maersk Denver this week. Both vessels are part of the MECL service that connects India to the U.S. East Coast.

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has raised the civil penalty against the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) to over $22 million for charging excessive late fees on non-operating reefer containers. This amount is an increase from the previous $16 million, as reported by New York's Journal of Commerce. The FMC's three commissioners partially overturned an administrative law judge's February 2025 ruling, which found the overcharges were a billing mistake. The investigation found that MSC charged shippers late fees on non-operating reefers at the higher rates typically charged for operating reefers throughout 2021.

CMA CGM has taken delivery of the CMA CGM Monte Cristo, a dual-fuel methanol container vessel with a capacity of 15,000 TEU. This delivery marks the company's fleet reaching 400 owned ships and initiates a six-ship series of newbuilds capable of operating on methanol, as stated in an official company announcement. The naming ceremony took place on January 21, 2026, in Tianjin. The CMA CGM Monte Cristo is designed as a new-generation dual-fuel methanol vessel, in line with the company's fleet renewal strategy. Built at the DSIC Tianjin Shipyard, the ship will fly under the Maltese flag. It has a maximum intake of 16,204 TEU, approximately 1,000 reefer plugs, a length of 366 meters, and a beam of 51 meters.