Avior tries to offload jet to Conviasa

Spanish Market: Oil products
22/06/20

Venezuela's distressed Avior Airlines is trying to erase over $3.5mn in debt to state-owned oil company PdV and other government entities by selling one of its grounded aircraft to national carrier Conviasa.

The debt includes more than $1mn in fuel costs owed to PdV and about $2.5mn in licensing and airport fees owed to the government's civil aviation authority (INAC) and international airport authorities in Caracas and Anzoategui.

Avior's Airbus 340-300 has been parked at the General Jose Antonio Anzoategui international airport near Puerto La Cruz, where the carrier is headquartered, since mid-2018, when passenger traffic between Venezuela and Miami started to dry up. The downturn caused the carrier to lose money on every flight, a senior company official told Argus.

Avior initially offered to sell the Airbus to Conviasa in early 2019 after deciding it could no longer be operated profitably because of a steep decline in passenger and cargo traffic between Venezuela and Miami.

Avior also has offered to sell the Airbus to carriers in Guyana and other countries but no one has shown any interest in buying it.

"We're not interested in flying the Airbus," Avior's corporate communications director Carmen Sofia Lopez said yesterday. "We're desperate for it to be taken because we're not using it."

Avior values the Airbus at $7.9mn but a company official says it needs up to $8mn in major repairs and upgrades.

Conviasa currently owns an Airbus 340-200, but plans to provide non-stop service from Caracas to allied countries such as Iran, Russia, Turkey and China cannot be implemented with only a single aircraft, the company official said.

"We could use another Airbus with the flight range of Avior's 340-300 but the price including debts and repairs is expensive for that type of aircraft, and we also have some doubts as to whether it can be flown non-stop safely to Iran in its current condition," the official added.

Avior's fleet, grounded since President Nicolas Maduro closed Venezuela's skies to all commercial and private flights in mid-March, also includes seven Boeing 737-200s, seven Boeing 737-400s and one Fokker 50.

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10/04/25

EIA lowers summer gasoline price forecast

Houston, 10 April (Argus) — The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) lowered its gasoline price forecast for the summer driving season because of low crude prices. US retail gasoline prices will average about $3.10/USG from April to September, the lowest inflation-adjusted summer average price since 2020, the agency said in its in its monthly Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO). The forecast is about 20¢/USG lower than EIA's previous forecast. The agency expects gasoline prices to average near $3.20/USG in the summer of 2026 as a continuing decline in crude prices is offset by refinery closures and lower gasoline inventories. LyondellBasell recently shut all units at its 264,000 b/d Houston, Texas, refinery and Phillips 66 is planning to shut its 139,000 b/d Los Angeles refinery by October. US summer gasoline prices reached a decade high of $4.67/USG in 2022, decreasing in subsequent years, the EIA said. The agency delayed the release of the STEO by two days to consider significant changes in markets after the US announced sweeping import tariffs against major trading partners. Crude prices have dropped sharply since the 2 April tariff announcement, even as US president Donald Trump paused the more punitive tariffs for 90 days on Wednesday. Amid the tariffs, a core group of eight Opec+ crude producers in a surprise move last week sped up plans to gradually unwind some 2.2mn b/d of production cuts, adding downward pressure to crude prices. The NYMEX front-month WTI crude contract was trading near $59/bl at 12:30pm ET on Thursday, down by more than $12/bl since the 2 April tariff announcement. The modeling and analysis for the STEO was completed on 7 April. More recent policy changes are not incorporated, the EIA said. By Eunice Bridges Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

US absence unlikely to derail IMO talks

10/04/25

US absence unlikely to derail IMO talks

London, 10 April (Argus) — The US delegation's absence from the 83rd International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) meeting is unlikely to derail the outcome of discussions on a greenhouse gas (GHG) economic pricing mechanism, market participants told Argus . This comes after the US sent a statement to foreign embassies of countries partaking in the IMO GHG economic pricing mechanism talks, confirming the US' absence from the negotiations. The statement says: "President Trump has made it clear that the US will not accept any international environmental agreement that unduly or unfairly burdens the US or the interests of the American people," according to a document seen by Argus . It adds: "Should such a blatantly unfair measure go forward, our government will consider reciprocal measures so as to offset any fees charged to US ships and compensate the American people for any other economic harm from any adopted GHG emissions measures". The statement ends: "The US will engage with partners on energy and investment issues of common interest. We stand ready to work with you to advance our shared commitment to energy security and economic growth". "The US will not be engaging in negotiations at the IMO's 83rd Marine Environment Protection Committee. Consistent with President Trump's executive orders on international environmental agreements and on energy dominance, it is the administration's policy to put the interests of the US and the American people first in the development and negotiation of any international agreements", the US State Department told Argus . IMO member countries are voting this week on the economic pricing mechanism for marine GHG emissions, for which the structure is expected to be agreed by 11 April, according to IMO secretary-general Arsenio Dominguez. Even if the US does not engage in the GHG talks, it cannot unilaterally block decisions at the IMO, a spokesperson told Argus . Many of the GHG measures remain under discussion, with final approvals from the working group expected by 11 April. "The US doesn't have a huge share of the global ocean-going fleet, so their absence or opposition probably won't change the broader [IMO members] consensus", a Chile-based ship owner told Argus . US imposing "reciprocal" costs on foreign ships calling at US ports will almost certainly get passed on to [US] consumers, which could lead to higher prices for goods in the US, the owner said. If the measures are ratified by IMO member nations, US-flagged ships will probably not adhere to IMO's regulations when they call into ports of member countries, a Singapore-based shipbroker said. "We are not expecting any impacting on Asia-Pacific region yet, and it's subject to what is agreed at the MEPC and how levies are calculated," the shipbroker added. Despite not having veto power, the US remains the largest financial contributor to the UN, a Greece-based shipowner told Argus . If international shipbuilding credit lines begin to tighten under US influence, other countries may align with Washington's stance, it added. The IMO has 176 member countries. Greece, China and Japan account for the largest shares of the global ocean-going fleet. During the ongoing session, member states have approved interim guidance on the carriage of biofuel blends. The guidance allows conventional bunker ships certified for carriage of oil fuels under Marpol Annex I to transport blends of not more than 30pc by volume of biofuel , as long as all residues or tank washings are discharged ashore, unless the oil discharge monitoring equipment is approved for the biofuel blends being shipped. By Hussein Al-Khalisy, Madeleine Jenkins, Stefka Wechsler, Mahua Mitra, Natália Coelho, and Gabriel Tassi Lara Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

CDU, CSU und SPD veröffentlichen Koalitionsvertrag

10/04/25

CDU, CSU und SPD veröffentlichen Koalitionsvertrag

Hamburg, 10 April (Argus) — Die kommenden Regierungsparteien CDU, CSU und SPD haben am 09. April ihren Koalitionsvertrag veröffentlicht. Darin setzen sie sich unter anderem eine zeitnahe Umsetzung der RED III, die Erhöhung der Treibhausgasminderungsquote und die Ersetzung des GEG durch ein neues Gesetz als Ziel. Die Parteien betonen in dem Vertrag ihre Bekenntnis zu den deutschen und europäischen Klimazielen — so unter anderem dem Pariser Klimaabkommen und der Erreichung der Klimaneutralität Deutschlands bis 2045. Die neue Bundesregierung hat sich deswegen in ihrem Koalitionsvertrag zum Ziel gesetzt, die überarbeitete Erneuerbare-Energien-Richtlinie III (RED III) zeitnah umzusetzen. Diese soll laut EU-Recht bis Mai von allen EU-Staaten implementiert sein. Das Bundesumweltministerium (BMUV) hatte ursprünglich geplant, im Dezember 2024 einen Entwurf zur Umsetzung der RED III vorzulegen, sodass die Richtlinie noch vor den Neuwahlen umgesetzt werden kann. Dies war jedoch nicht möglich. Des Weiteren erklären Union und SPD in ihrem Vertrag, dass sie den "Betrug beim Import von regenerativen Kraftstoffen und bei sogenannten Upstream-Emissionsminderungszertifikaten (UER-Zertifikaten) verstärkt bekämpfen und die Betrugsprävention ausbauen" werden. Zuletzt hatten sich das European Biodiesel Board (EBB) sowie auch das BMUV dafür eingesetzt, dass die EU noch stärker gegen möglichen Betrug bei Biokraftstoff-Importen vorgeht , da verschiedene Betrugsfälle in den letzten Jahren zum Verfall des Werts von Treibhausgaszertifikaten geführt hatten. Die Bundesregierung hält außerdem an der CO2-Bepreisung fest und unterstützt die Einführung des Emissionshandelssystem (ETS 2), "um europaweit gleiche Bedingungen zu schaffen". Das ETS 2 soll ab 2027 europaweit in Kraft treten. Der Übergang des deutschen Brennstoffemissionshandelsgesetz in das ETS 2 soll fließend erfolgen und CO2-Preissprünge für Verbraucher und Unternehmen sollen vermieden werden. Auch eine Erhöhung der Treibhausgasminderungsquote (THG-Quote) ist Teil des Koalitionsvertrages. Nähere Details — wie beispielsweise die Höhe und der Zeitpunkt der Umsetzung — werden allerdings nicht genannt. Zuletzt drängten mehrere Verbände zum Auftakt der Koalitionsverhandlungen auf eine Erhöhung der THG-Quote bis 2030 auf mindestens 40 %. Bisher ist noch eine Steigerung der THG-Quote auf 25,1 % bis 2030 angesetzt. Auch der Einsatz alternativer Kraftstoffe, inklusive Biokraftstoffe, soll vorangebracht werden. Der UNITI Bundesverband EnergieMittelstand e.V. befürwortet den Koalitionsvertrag und begrüßt sowohl die geplante schnelle Umsetzung der RED III, sowie auch die Erhöhung der THG-Quote und die Förderung von alternativen Kraftstoffen. Geschäftsführer Elmar Kühn erklärt, dass eine ambitionierte Umsetzung der RED für starke Investitionsanreize für erneuerbare Kraftstoffe sorgen könne, jedoch nur wenn eine Quotenregelung geschaffen wird, die den gesamten Verkehr adressiert und nicht wie bisher nur einzelne Bereiche. Insgesamt sieht der Verband gute Ansätze, jedoch kritisiert er, dass die konkrete Umsetzung der Punkte noch zu offen gehalten ist. Wie schon während dem Wahlkampf von der CDU angekündigt soll außerdem das Gebäudeenergiegesetz (GEG) abgeschafft werden. An dessen Stelle wollen die zwei Regierungsparteien ein neues GEG setzen, dass "technologieoffener, flexibler und einfacher" gestaltet ist und die erreichbare CO2-Vermeidung als zentrale Steuerungsgröße hat. Wie genau das neue GEG den Biomethanmarkt — der bisher eine große Nachfrage in den nächsten Jahres durch das GEG erwartet hat — beeinflussen wird, ist unklar. Jedoch erklären die Regierungsparteien, dass sie Biogasanlagen eine Zukunft geben wollen, das Flexibilitätspotenzial von Biomasse heben wollen und den Ausbau von Bioenergie planen. Auch die schon angekündigte Grüngasquote soll realisiert werden. Diese soll Inverkehrbringer von Erdgas dazu anregen, einen Anteil der Emissionen, die aus dem von ihnen verkauften Gas entstehen, durch das Ersetzen eines Teils ihres Gases durch Biomethan oder Wasserstoff einzusparen. Mehrere deutsche Industrieverbände befürchteten zuletzt, dass die Grüngasquote die Energiekosten in der Industrie erhöhen könnte , Verbände der Energiewirtschaft befürworten die Quote hingegen weitgehend. Von Svea Winter Senden Sie Kommentare und fordern Sie weitere Informationen an feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

Delta pulls full-year forecast amid US tariffs: Update

09/04/25

Delta pulls full-year forecast amid US tariffs: Update

Adds details from earnings call throughout. Houston, 9 April (Argus) — Delta Air Lines pulled its full-year 2025 financial guidance today, citing US tariff-related uncertainty. "Given the lack of economic clarity, it is premature at this time to provide an updated full-year outlook," the airline said Wednesday in an earnings call. Delta said it hoped the growing US tariff war with the world would be resolved through trade negotiations, but that it also told its main aircraft manufacturer, Airbus, that it would not purchase any aircraft that includes a tariff fee. "If you start to put a 20pc incremental cost on top of an aircraft, it gets very difficult to make that math work," chief executive Ed Bastion said in an earnings call today. In the meantime, Delta is protecting margins and cash flow by focusing on what it can control, including reducing planned capacity growth in the second half of the year to flat compared to last year, while also managing costs and capital expenses, Bastion said. Delta expects revenue in the second quarter of 2025 to be either 2pc higher or 2pc lower from the year earlier period with continued resilience in premium, loyalty and international bookings offsetting softness in domestic and standard flights. Punitive taxes on imports from key US trading partners were implemented on Wednesday despite President Donald Trump's claims of multiple trade deals in the making. Trump's 10pc baseline tariff on imports from nearly every country already went into effect on 5 April. The higher, "reciprocal" taxes went into effect today, although at midday Wednesday he announced a 90-day pause on most of the higher tariffs, while increasing tariffs on Chinese imports even higher. The company reported a profit of $240mn in the first quarter of 2025, up from $37mn in the first quarter of 2024. Confidence craters in 1Q Corporate travel started the year with momentum, but a reduction in corporate confidence stalled growth in February and March, Delta said. For the first quarter, corporate sales were up by low-single digits compared to the prior year, with strength led by the banking and technology sectors. The company's fuel expenses were down by 7pc in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the prior year period. The average price Delta paid for jet fuel was $2.45/USG, down by 11pc to the prior year period. Delta said it has seen "a significant drop off in bookings" out of Canada amid the trade disputes with that country which started earlier than the broader US tariffs. Meanwhile, Mexico is "a mixed bag," the company said. Delta is considering reducing capacity levels in Mexico and Canada in the future. The company reported a profit of $240mn in the first quarter of 2025, up from $37mn in the first quarter of 2024. By Eunice Bridges Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Delta pulls full-year forecast on tariff uncertainty

09/04/25

Delta pulls full-year forecast on tariff uncertainty

Houston, 9 April (Argus) — Delta Air Lines pulled its full-year 2025 financial guidance today, citing US tariff-related uncertainty. "Given the lack of economic clarity, it is premature at this time to provide an updated full-year outlook," the airline said Wednesday in an earnings call. Delta said it hoped the growing tariff war woudl be resolved through trade negotiations, but that it also told its main aircraft manufacturer, Airbus, that it would not purchase any aircraft that includes a tariff fee. In the meantime, Delta is protecting margins and cash flow by focusing on what it can control, including reducing planned capacity growth in the second half of the year to flat compared to last year, while also managing costs and capital expenses, chief executive Ed Bastion said. The company reported a profit of $298mn in the first quarter of 2025, up slightly from $288mn in the first quarter of 2024. The company's fuel expenses were down by 7pc in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the prior year period. The average price Delta paid for jet fuel was $2.45/USG, down by 11pc to the prior year period. By Eunice Bridges Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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